The ruling on leading prayer for one who has not reached puberty

Question:
May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you well. The listener Muhammad Awadh from Abha sent a message containing two questions. In his first question he says: If I come to the mosque and find a boy praying the obligatory prayer, and he is ten years old, should I pray with him or pray alone? Is reaching puberty a condition in this case? And if the imam has not reached puberty, is the prayer permissible? Please inform us. May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
The correct view, which the evidence indicates, is that it is permissible for a boy who has not reached puberty to be an imam. This is because 'Umar ibn al-Salam led his people in prayer, and he had not reached puberty. Likewise, the correct view is that it is permissible to stand in a row behind a boy, and that his presence completes the row. This is based on the statement of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood to pray, and I and an orphan stood in a row behind him, and Umm Sulaym stood behind us." The term "orphan" is not applied except to one who has not reached puberty. This indicates the permissibility of standing in a row behind a boy. So if you enter and find someone praying, whether he is an adult or a discerning child who has not reached puberty, the best thing is to stand in a row with him so that you two form a congregation. For the congregational prayer is obligatory whenever it is possible. Yes.