Is it permissible to pray behind an imam who is ten years old?
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If I enter the mosque and have missed the prayer, and I find small children praying in congregation with an imam who is approximately ten years old, should I pray with them?
Answer: Yes, pray with them. It is permissible for the imam to be ten years old, or younger, or older. It is established that the noble Companion Amr ibn Salama (may Allah be pleased with him) led his companions in prayer when he was seven years old, because he knew more of the Qur'an than they did. So there is nothing wrong with the imam being pre-pubescent, such as ten, eight, or eleven years old, or similar.
Legal accountability is not a condition for the imamate. The important thing is that he is proficient in prayer and proficient in recitation. So if you find an imam who is not legally accountable leading people in prayer, pray with them, and do not say, "This one is a child." It is established in Sahih al-Bukhari from Amr ibn Salama (may Allah be pleased with him) that he mentioned that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The narration is understood to mean that he was seven years old, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan ad-Daraqutni 3:5 So the minimum age for the imamate, and for being commanded to pray and perform wudu, is seven years and above. This authentic hadith is proof of that. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Answer: Yes, pray with them. It is permissible for the imam to be ten years old, or younger, or older. It is established that the noble Companion Amr ibn Salama (may Allah be pleased with him) led his companions in prayer when he was seven years old, because he knew more of the Qur'an than they did. So there is nothing wrong with the imam being pre-pubescent, such as ten, eight, or eleven years old, or similar.
Legal accountability is not a condition for the imamate. The important thing is that he is proficient in prayer and proficient in recitation. So if you find an imam who is not legally accountable leading people in prayer, pray with them, and do not say, "This one is a child." It is established in Sahih al-Bukhari from Amr ibn Salama (may Allah be pleased with him) that he mentioned that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
When the time for prayer comes, let one of you give the adhan for you, and let the one among you who knows the most Qur'an lead you in prayer. He said: So they looked—his people looked—and they did not find anyone who knew more Qur'an than me, so they put me forward, and I was six or seven years old.
إذا حضرت الصلاة فليؤذن لكم أحدكم، وليؤمكم أكثركم قرآنًا، قال: فنظروا -نظر قومه- فلم يجدوا أحدًا أكثر مني قرآنًا، فقدموني وأنا ابن ست أو سبع سنينCommand your children to pray at seven, and beat them for it at ten.
مروا أبناءكم بالصلاة لسبع واضربوهم عليها لعشرThe presenter: May Allah reward you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.