Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Salamu alaikkum warahmathullah

I have a 4 year old son who i take to the mosque for jummah prayers. After taking wudhu he wanted to urinate, so i had to to do ablution on him once again.

Is there any rule for when a child should go to the mosque for prayers?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Age child for mosques

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Amr ibn Shu'aib related from his father that the Prophet (saws) said, "Order your children to pray when they reach the age of seven. Beat them (if necessary if they refuse to pray) when they reach the age of ten. And have them sleep separately."

Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and al-Hakim.

Even though it is not obligatory upon the children to offer prescribed prayer in congregation until they reach the age of puberty (about 11-12 years), the Messenger of Allah (saws) guided the believers to encourage their children to pray from an early age, and at the age of ten enforce the prayers upon their children, so that a habit is formed in them from an early age. If one does not encourage or (at age 10) does not enforce their children to pray, it would be rather difficult for them to instill this absolutely obligatory habit and rite suddenly when they are adults.

In light of the above guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws), it would be advisable for the parents/guardians to encourage their children to accompany them to the masjids when the child has passed the age of understanding or comprehending at least the absolute minimum basic etiquettes of attending a masjid…things like he is not to urinate or release wind in the masjid, or talk, or move unnecessarily, etc. Although the age may vary according to the confidence each parent has on his child to abstain from transgressing the basic etiquettes, it could be anywhere between the ages of 5-8 years.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan