Children Praying in the Masjid

[bamalli]

Children Praying in the Masjid

AUTHOR: Shaikh Muhammad Amaan Al-Jaamee
SOURCE: Sharh Shuroot as-Salaat (pg. 7)

A child that is below the age of seven does not yet comprehend. This is why
we were commanded to order our children to pray when they turn seven since
before this age they do not possess the adequate level of comprehension. So
the point at which he begins to comprehend things is the age of seven. After
reaching this age, a child must be ordered to pray. This is based on the
statement of Allaah's Messenger (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam): "Order your
children to pray at seven (years of age), and beat them to it (if they fail
to comply) at ten. And separate them in their beds." These are Islamic
etiquettes that we are required to follow, and included amongst them is:
Commanding the children to pray at the age of seven.

Ordering them to pray doesn't mean that you just tell your child "Pray" and
that's it. The understanding that we derive from this command of Allaah's
Messenger (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) of ordering our children to pray
is that we should teach them how to pray. And if this is not so, then the
act of you telling your child who is playing by the door: "Go to the masjid
and pray" when you have not taught him how to purify himself or how to
perform the prayer, does not remove the responsibility from your shoulders.

You have only fulfilled your responsibility when you have taught him how to
purify himself and then you tell him "Go pray." In this circumstance, you
have complied. Many people are inconsiderate when they bring to the masjid
their children â€" aged seven or less â€" who are not in a state of purity and
have no understanding of how to pray, and then place them in a row of
prayer. This row is considered disconnected due to this child standing in it
since he is not praying.

The following statement of the Prophet (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam)
applies to people who this: "Whoever connects the row, then Allaah will
connect him, and whoever cuts off the row, then Allaah cut him off."

You bring a child who does not comprehend the prayer to the masjid and put
him to stand in the first row next to you behind the Imaam while the people
remain silent out of courtesy. This child is not in prayer. Perhaps he may
not even be in a state of purity, i.e. he may have impurities in his body!
This is since you took him from the front of the house before teaching him
how to purify himself and how to pray. This is incorrect.

So it is mandatory that you teach him at home how to purify himself and how
to pray. Then you should teach him where to stand in the masjid. He should
not stand in the front row. Rather, he should stand in the row where all the
children are lined up. If a group of people congregate for prayer and they
consist of two rows, then the children should stand in the second row, i.e.
the last row, after the row of men. This is what the Messenger of Allaah
(sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) instructed us to do. So we must abide by
these etiquettes.

Then when the child reaches ten years of age, and non-compliance and
rebelliousness (against this order) arises in him, he should be hit for the
purpose of disciplining and intimidating him until he prays and safeguards
all of his prayers. Children should be separated in their beds at this age
also, i.e. each child must sleep by himself (in his own bed). This is the
etiquette of Islaam.