THE PRAYER SECTION · 26 – WHEN IS A CHILD ORDERED TO PRAY?
Sebra (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from his father, who narrated from his grandfather:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Command your children to pray when they reach the age of seven, and if they do not [pray] when they reach ten, then discipline them lightly.” [332]
**EXPLANATION:**
Children are commanded to be introduced to prayer at the age of seven. If they do not pray once they enter the age of ten, then they should be disciplined. The “discipline” mentioned in the hadith text should be to the extent that it encourages them to pray; it should not be excessive.
The best method is to make worship beloved through love, by explaining why worship is performed, and if the child performs worship with these feelings, especially prayer, then this is the most excellent approach.
If the child persists in refusing to pray, it is better to encourage them towards worship by promising to take away things they like, and on the condition of truthfulness, if they pray their prayers, to take them to see places and cities that they enjoy. But if they do not understand these good advice, then as a last resort, they are disciplined as mentioned in the hadith.
Amr ibn Shu'ayb, through his father, from his grandfather:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
“Command your children to pray when they reach the age of seven, and if they do not pray at ten, then lightly discipline them and separate their sleeping places.”
EXPLANATION
Children begin to recognize themselves after reaching the age of ten. It is not uncommon for children who reach puberty at ten years old. A child who sleeps with a sister or in his parents’ bedchamber attempts to discover his parents' secrets. Because he is unaware of religious prohibitions, he may harbor ill thoughts about his sister.
Therefore, the sleeping places of children who reach ten years of age should be separated from their female siblings.
Dāwūd bin Sawwar al-Muzanī, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated on the same chain of narration and meaning as the preceding hadith, adding: “Let none of you marry a female slave or servant to his slave or worker except that he refrain from looking at her from her navel downwards and from her knees upwards.”
COMMENTARY: If a master marries his female slave or servant to his slave or wage-earner, it is forbidden for the master thereafter to look at her from her navel to her kneecap. Here, by “master” is meant the owner of the female slave or worker.
Hisham ibn Sa’d, may Allah be pleased with him, reported:
He said that we came to Muaz ibn Abdullah ibn Habib al-Juhani, may Allah be pleased with him, and asked him about the age at which children of the Muaz family are ordered to pray. His wife related that a person from among us narrated from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him:
That the matter was brought up before the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and he said, “Command them to pray when they distinguish between their right and left.”