Is the row with a small child valid such that the prayer is established by it?
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The questioner : May Allah preserve you, Shaykh. Is praying between two children like praying alone? Praying between two children, two small children.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Like the prayer of one who prays alone?
The Shaykh : Yes, meaning if you line up with two children, that is fine. If a child or two children stand behind the row with a person, he is not considered to be praying alone. This is because it is established in the hadith of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that he stood behind the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with an orphan who had not reached puberty.
Therefore, the correct view is that a row with small children is a valid row by which the prayer is established. It is also permissible for a small child who has not reached puberty to be your imam, and he is more deserving of the position than you if he is more proficient in recitation. For example, a man who is forty years old and a boy who is ten years old, but the boy has memorized the Qur'an or most of it well, while the older man does not memorize anything. Which of the two is more deserving of leading the prayer?
The student: The small child.
The Shaykh : The small child, even if he has not reached puberty? Even if the small child has not reached puberty. This is because 'Amr ibn Salimah al-Jarmy (may Allah be pleased with him) led his people in prayer when he was six or seven years old. His people were a tribe, and he became their imam at the age of six or seven during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). This was because he was the most proficient reciter among his people. Since he was young and had no distractions, he would receive the riders who came from Madinah and learn the Qur'an from them. They made him their imam in obedience to the command of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), who said:Sunan Ibn Majah 980Sahih (Darussalam)
It is also reported that he was wearing a short shirt or waistcloth. When he prostrated, the garment would rise up until it nearly exposed his private parts. One day, while he was prostrating and his garment was raised, a woman from the tribe came out, but his private parts were not exposed. She said, exaggerating: "Cover our reciter's backside for us." The backside is the rear; it is not the woman's private part, it is the rear. When she said this, it seemed the people understood that the woman was criticizing him, saying, "How is it that you do not cover your reciter with a garment?" So they bought him a garment and clothed him in it. He said, "I have not been as happy since Islam as I was with this garment." Allahu Akbar. Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Like the prayer of one who prays alone?
The Shaykh : Yes, meaning if you line up with two children, that is fine. If a child or two children stand behind the row with a person, he is not considered to be praying alone. This is because it is established in the hadith of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that he stood behind the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with an orphan who had not reached puberty.
Therefore, the correct view is that a row with small children is a valid row by which the prayer is established. It is also permissible for a small child who has not reached puberty to be your imam, and he is more deserving of the position than you if he is more proficient in recitation. For example, a man who is forty years old and a boy who is ten years old, but the boy has memorized the Qur'an or most of it well, while the older man does not memorize anything. Which of the two is more deserving of leading the prayer?
The student: The small child.
The Shaykh : The small child, even if he has not reached puberty? Even if the small child has not reached puberty. This is because 'Amr ibn Salimah al-Jarmy (may Allah be pleased with him) led his people in prayer when he was six or seven years old. His people were a tribe, and he became their imam at the age of six or seven during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). This was because he was the most proficient reciter among his people. Since he was young and had no distractions, he would receive the riders who came from Madinah and learn the Qur'an from them. They made him their imam in obedience to the command of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), who said:
The people should be lead by the one who is most well-Versed in recitation of the Book of Allah
يؤم القوم أقرؤهم لكتاب اللهIt is also reported that he was wearing a short shirt or waistcloth. When he prostrated, the garment would rise up until it nearly exposed his private parts. One day, while he was prostrating and his garment was raised, a woman from the tribe came out, but his private parts were not exposed. She said, exaggerating: "Cover our reciter's backside for us." The backside is the rear; it is not the woman's private part, it is the rear. When she said this, it seemed the people understood that the woman was criticizing him, saying, "How is it that you do not cover your reciter with a garment?" So they bought him a garment and clothed him in it. He said, "I have not been as happy since Islam as I was with this garment." Allahu Akbar. Yes.