Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Our son is 8 (almost 9) years of age, and I remind him to pray on a regular basis, however he has been ill, such that he has not been out of bed for the whole day, am I punished for not asking him to pray when he is ill?
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, and Compassionate
Wa alaykum Assalam wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,
May Allah grant your son health and well-being.
Children are not morally responsible. However, parents have the moral responsibility of raising them in a manner that would lead them to grow up as upright believers, for Allah Most High says, “O you who believe, save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is humans and stones.”
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told us to consistently enjoin our children to pray from when they are seven, and to discipline them regarding this from when they are ten. Given your son’s age, it would have been best to encourage him to pray. It would have been a good opportunity for him to learn how to pray in bed, and to explain the mercy of the rulings of Divine Law.
The answers below have details on raising children, and may be of benefit.
Faraz Rabbani.