What is the age at which a boy lines up in the prayer?

The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh. He says: At what age does a boy line up in the prayer? And which row is better, the first row or the second?

The Shaykh : At what what?

The questioner : At what age does a boy line up in the prayer?

The Shaykh : There is no text that explicitly states the age in question, but sound reasoning dictates that boys stand with the men if they are of discernment. If they are of discernment, meaning they maintain the prayer while in the row and are not among the small children who do not know the prayer or its value, where you see him now in the row and then moments later he turns his back because he is a small child, leaving a gap in the row and a defect in it, and this is not permissible. So, if the boys are of intellect and understanding, even if they have not yet reached the age of legal accountability, they are allowed to stand in the row with the men. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not establish a specific Sunnah for the Muslims regarding straightening the rows concerning men and boys. Although there is a hadith in *Sunan Abu Dawud* regarding women standing behind the men, this is correct and certain. As for the row of boys between the men and the women, there is only one hadith narrated by Abu Dawud in *Sunan* and Imam Ahmad in *Musnad*, but in its chain is a man with weak memory and weak retention named Shahr ibn Hawshab. If this is found in a hadith and he is the sole narrator of it, his hadith is weak and not authentic. If this hadith were authentic with this chain, we would say that the Sunnah is for the men to stand, then the boys, then the women. But this hadith is not authentic and practice has not been based on it. Therefore, it is necessary to apply reasoning to the boys who attend the mosques, who are generally known for their mischief in prayer. They either stand behind the men, or if they are upright and calm in prayer, they stand with the men so that they can practice this prayer. Among his (peace and blessings be upon him) sayings regarding practice was his statement: So his (peace be upon him) statement: There is no doubt that these sons, being ten years old, are usually of discernment. However, the pen of legal accountability has not yet been applied to them. But in the context of practicing good and righteous deeds, he (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded fathers and mothers to focus on raising their children from the time their nails are soft. He said: So, generally, if the child is seven years old and knows the rulings and etiquettes of prayer, and if he stands in the row he adheres to calmness and silence, otherwise he is placed behind the row, as mentioned, to avoid disrupting the row. As for one who has reached the age of ten and adheres to the prayer with its etiquettes, he should line up with the men. But, may Allah forbid, if he is still full of movement, mischief, and play, he is delayed. This is the criterion in the issue of lining up children or boys, sometimes with the men and sometimes behind the men. Yes.