Should children offer salah separate from the Jamah in the masjid?

Alhamdulillah, my son is nine years old and he offers salah in masjid very punctually. One day he came back and having tears in his eyes he said papa I will not go to masjid because everyone who came after or in between salah they replaced my place while I am offering salah. This disturbed me during salah and I will not go to masjid. I convinced him that those who disturb you during salah Allah deal with them and your sawab is not going to minimize. I also asked the Imam of the masjid who is also Hafiz-e-Quran that why do people replace him from one place to another while he is busy in offering salah with Jamah? Is there any restriction for children while he is 9 years old? The Hafiz said that such kind of practice is continued unabated in every masjid and no one opposed. I said we should welcome our children and encourage them to come to masjid not such kind of act so they decide to avoid coming to masjid. He said kids should offer salah separate to the Jamah.

Answer:

(Fatwa: 375/378/D=1434)

If there is only one minor child then he shall stand with the adults. If minor children are more it is mustahab to make them stand behind adults, but it is not wajib. But in this age the little boys should be stood in the saf of adults as when two or more children stand together they not only spoil their salah rather they disturb the adults as well. This ruling is related to those children who are aware of salah and wudhu etc. It is makrooh to keep small children in the saf of adults rather it is not lawful to bring them in the mosque. And those sensible children who already are in front rows or standing beside elders they should not be moved from their place. Yes, if insensible children are standing with them they may be moved from the place. Sensible children are the ones who understand purity, impurity and the respect of salah.

Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) knows Best

Darul Ifta,
Darul Uloom Deoband

Original Source Link

This answer was collected from the official ifta website of Darul Uloom Deoband in India.

Tags: child, children, eyes, Makrooh, Quran, SALAH

Link