What is the ruling on a young boy who has not reached puberty joining a row in prayer?

Question : The questioner, Usamah 'Abd al-Rahim from Dammam, says: In this question, what is the ruling on a young boy who has not reached puberty joining a row in prayer?

Answer : A young boy who has not reached puberty joining a row in prayer is valid in both the obligatory and voluntary prayers. This is because it is established that Anas ibn Malik stood in a row behind the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with an orphan, and there was no one else with them, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) approved of that. Although this was in a voluntary prayer, the default is that what is established in a voluntary prayer is established in an obligatory prayer unless there is evidence to the contrary. For this reason, when the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) mentioned that the Prophet , that was so that no one would equate the obligatory prayer with the voluntary prayer in this situation, meaning praying on a mount. This indicates that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) understood that what is established in a voluntary prayer is established in the obligatory prayer, and that is the case. Accordingly, it is valid for a man to stand with a young boy behind the imam when there is no one else with them. Likewise, it is valid for them to form a row when there is no one else with them, if the row is complete. And likewise, if the row is not complete, according to the position we have chosen, which is the validity of a row consisting of two people. May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh.