The Ruling on Commanding a Child to Pray and Obliging a Girl to Wear the Hijab

Question:
May Allah forgive you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: When a child is commanded to pray at the age of seven, what does this command mean? Is he woken up for the Fajr prayer? And is she obligated to wear the prescribed hijab?

Answer:
Yes. The discerning child is commanded to pray, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded in his saying: "Command your children to pray at the age of seven." Both the male and the female are commanded to pray. The male is required to go to the mosque and pray in congregation; he goes out with his father and prays in the mosque. As for the girl, she prays at home. This is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded. Is the girl obligated to wear the hijab? As long as she has not reached puberty, she is not obligated to wear the hijab in a mandatory sense. If she is instructed to wear it for the purpose of training her and accustoming her to it, that is a good thing. But she is not obligated to wear it until she reaches puberty, when she starts menstruating. Yes. May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. Or if she reaches fifteen years of age, or if she experiences a wet dream, like the male. She reaches puberty by what causes the male to reach puberty, and she is further distinguished by menstruation.