Will the ruling be different depending on the age or gender of the child ? Will the ruling be different if the Imam tries to stop or not stop the child. Please provide appropriate hadith for the ruling.
By anyone passing in front of an Imaam or person reading Salaat, the Salaat will not break in any instances whether it be a child, adult, etc. or whether the person tried or did not try to stop the person from passing in front.
When the Hadith says, ?The Salaat is broken by the passing of someone in front? it means the attention of the Salat breaks. When the Hadith says, ?When anyone intends to pass in front of you, you should stop him? it means voluntarily and without Amal-e-Katheer (action that a person looking from far would think you are not in Salaat). Passing in front of a Musallee is very sinful. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ?If a person knows the extent of the sin he will received by passing in front of a Musallee, he will wait for 40 months.? (Mishikaat pg.74)
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai