Islamic Perspectives on Child Labour and Its Prevalence Among Working Children in Sokoto State

This study examines Islamic perspectives on child labour and its prevalence among working children in Sokoto State, North West Nigeria. Child labour remains a persistent social challenge in northern Nigeria, where economic necessity, cultural norms, and in some cases misapplied religious practices contribute to the deployment of children in various forms of work. The study adopts a mixed-methods design, combining structured questionnaires administered to 200 parents and guardians with interviews conducted with 15 Islamic scholars and 10 social welfare officers in Sokoto metropolis. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis. Findings reveal that while Islamic law clearly protects children's rights to education and rest, traditional interpretations in some communities conflate child work in Islamic schools with spiritually meritorious activity, thereby legitimising practices that fall within internationally recognised definitions of child labour. The study recommends the clarification of Islamic scholarly positions on child rights, the strengthening of state child protection laws, and community-level awareness campaigns that present child education as an Islamic obligation. These recommendations are relevant to UNICEF, state government welfare agencies, and Islamic scholars engaged in child rights advocacy. Keywords: child labour, Islamic perspectives, child rights, Sokoto State, child protection.