Question:-
I have 3 daughters. The middle one seems to lean towards using her left hand for holding writing implements from a young age. We encourage her to use her right hand and she tries. She started grade R this year and she is not reaching expected targets with regards to her writing skills. I always felt that she leaned more towards using her left hand, and wondered, if she was allowed to use her left hand for writing, would her progress be better? Should we insist on using her right hand for writing, or allow her to use the left.
Answer:-
The commentators of Hadith such as Mullah Ali Qari Rahimahullah has written that the right hand is generally used for honourable tasks whether eating, drinking, handing over a gift, using the Miswaak, holding the Quraan Sharif and Kitaabs of Deen, etc. whilst the left hand is used for cleansing oneself from impurities, carrying one’s shoes etc.
Writing is also considered an honourable act, as one could be writing verses of the Quraan Sharif, Ahadith etc. hence, it is preferable that the right hand is utilized. However, if the child is only able to write with the left hand, then there is no harm in allowing her to do so, as this is on the basis of necessity. We haven’t found any narrations or any clearcut ruling of Shariah prohibiting one from using their left hand to write.
ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai
Date: 11 Ramadaan 1443 / 13 April 2022
