If children are found misbehaving excessively in prayer, is it permissible to say to one of them, “Turn around in prayer so you can see who they are, so we can inform their guardians”?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh. If children are found in the mosque misbehaving excessively and disturbing the worshippers during prayer, is it permissible for me to say to one of the young ones, “Turn around while we are in prayer so you can see who they are and tell me about them”?
The Shaykh : What do you say?
The questioner : I mean, tell me who these children are who are playing, so that we can inform their guardians or punish them?
The Shaykh : You say to one of the young ones, but is his testimony accepted while he is still a child?
The questioner : If he is trustworthy.
The Shaykh : In any case, we are afraid that a dispute will arise with the second boy, and they will become estranged from each other.
By Allah, in any case, one must consider whether the testimony of children against one another can be accepted, because some scholars say that the testimony of children against one another is not accepted, while others said that it is accepted as long as they are still in the place.
For example, suppose one of the boys injured another, and the injured boy said to his father, “This boy is the one who injured me.” The boy denied it, saying, “No, I did not injure him.” Then two boys testified that he was the one who injured him. It is said: the testimony of a boy is not accepted. Yes.
Some said: if they have not yet dispersed, it is accepted; but if they have dispersed, it is not accepted, because they might be coached.
Some said: it is not accepted, but this serves as a corroborating circumstance.
In any case, we see that if you are the imam, you should speak in general terms and say: “May Allah reward you. If your children harm the worshippers and desecrate the mosque, the sin is upon you. So let every one of you guard his child, and the harms, etc.”
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, let one of them whom you trust guard them, even if he does not pray, because prayer is not obligatory upon him.
The questioner : And I do not tell him to turn around?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And he does not turn around.
The Shaykh : No, no, we do not want to say: “Turn around,” because he might think that turning around in prayer is permissible, even in the future.
The Shaykh : What do you say?
The questioner : I mean, tell me who these children are who are playing, so that we can inform their guardians or punish them?
The Shaykh : You say to one of the young ones, but is his testimony accepted while he is still a child?
The questioner : If he is trustworthy.
The Shaykh : In any case, we are afraid that a dispute will arise with the second boy, and they will become estranged from each other.
By Allah, in any case, one must consider whether the testimony of children against one another can be accepted, because some scholars say that the testimony of children against one another is not accepted, while others said that it is accepted as long as they are still in the place.
For example, suppose one of the boys injured another, and the injured boy said to his father, “This boy is the one who injured me.” The boy denied it, saying, “No, I did not injure him.” Then two boys testified that he was the one who injured him. It is said: the testimony of a boy is not accepted. Yes.
Some said: if they have not yet dispersed, it is accepted; but if they have dispersed, it is not accepted, because they might be coached.
Some said: it is not accepted, but this serves as a corroborating circumstance.
In any case, we see that if you are the imam, you should speak in general terms and say: “May Allah reward you. If your children harm the worshippers and desecrate the mosque, the sin is upon you. So let every one of you guard his child, and the harms, etc.”
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, let one of them whom you trust guard them, even if he does not pray, because prayer is not obligatory upon him.
The questioner : And I do not tell him to turn around?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And he does not turn around.
The Shaykh : No, no, we do not want to say: “Turn around,” because he might think that turning around in prayer is permissible, even in the future.