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:

according to hanfi maslihat is it permissible for a minor to stand among the elders in jamat (namaz) 

(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:

Child to stand in congregation

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 no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

All the schools of thought in Islam, including the teachings of Imam Abu Hanifa, state that the first batches of ‘saff’ or lines in a congregational prayer must be of adult men, then behind the men the ‘saff’ of children below the age of puberty, and behind the children the ‘saff’ of ladies should be formed (if there is no special arrangement for ladies offering their prayers in a separate enclosure).

Although it would be best if the children below the age of puberty formed another line behind the adult men in the congregational prayers, if for any reason a minor does stand amongst the adult and offers his prayers, there is absolutely no harm and the prayers of both, the adult and the children will be considered valid.

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

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan