Children in the Saff
Masâil related to children standing in the saff for salâh
Moulana Mufti Abdur Raûf Sahib Sakkharwi
Categories of Children
There are three categories of children:
(1) The first type are those who are innocent and young. They neither
understand the etiquette of the masjid nor do they know anything about salâh.
They do not have the understanding that the masjid is a place for worshipping
Allâh. There is also the danger that they urinate in the masjid or play therein
and violate its sanctity. Children of five to six years fall in this category.
The ruling for such children is that it is not permissible to bring them to the
masjid. It is the responsibility of the parents to see that they do not bring
such children to the masjid. If they do so and the children violate the
sanctity of Allâh's house, the parents will be sinful because the children
themselves are innocent. The masjid trustees can also prohibit such children
from entering the masjid.
There is a limit for every act in Shari'ah. These limits are what we call
Dîn and we all have to abide by these limits.
(2) The second category is those children who are slightly elder. They
are between seven to eleven years old. Such children understand the status of a
masjid and respect it to a certain degree. However, due to lack of a complete
understanding, they do not respect it fully. It is permissible to bring such
children to the masjid but it is better not to do so.
(3) The third category of children is those who are close to maturity.
Their ages range from twelve to fourteen. However, a fifteen-year-old child is
considered mature even if he does not have any signs of puberty. The ruling for
this category is that they should be brought to the masjid in order to
inculcate the habit of salâh with congregation because salâh becomes obligatory
on them the moment they reach the age of puberty. It is obligatory on them to
attend the masjid for salâh with congregation. If this habit is not inculcated
before puberty, it will take time after puberty as a result of which they will
forgo their salâhs with congregation. Thus it is imperative to bring the
youngsters to the masjid while guiding them at home to respect the masjid. They
should be taught not to make a noise in the masjid as it is a sanctified place
where the name of Allâh is taken.
The Position of the Children's Saff
The children's saff should be made after the men's saff has been
completed. This is the sunnah way. After the salâh has begun, those who arrive
later should join the children's saff on the right and left side.
Moving the children
Some latecomers move the children further back when seeing them in the
saff. Some people hold the child by the ears and drag him to the back. If the
child resists, he is carried to the back. Whoever comes late does this. This
occurs in many of the masjids. If the child was in the first saff at the
beginning of salâh, he reaches the last saff at the end of salâh. This is
because most people come late for salâh nowadays. Whoever enters the masjid,
does this thinking that it is not permissible to perform salâh next to
children. This is completely wrong. One should free one's mind of such a
thought. You should stand next to the child whether he is in the front saff or
the rear one. You may stand on his right-hand side or his left-hand side. This
does not affect the salâh of the adults.
All late comers should stand at the back next to the children. It is not
permissible to shunt the children further back. Such an act is sinful By doing
this, we are nullifying their salâh and thereby placing that sin on our
shoulders.
Standing in the adults' saff
If the children that attend the masjid for salâh are not well disciplined
and they run around in the masjid, play fools, laugh and talk, then the ruling
for such children is that they should be separated and made to stand among the
adults. A separate saff should not be made for them. This will prevent them
from disturbing others in their salâh. If there are only one or two children,
then it is permissible to make them stand with the adults without any karâhat
[abomination].
Discipline
We should also remember the way shown to us by Nabî Sallallâhu alaihi
wasallam when dealing with children. They should not be mercilessly treated and
beaten up. Nabî Sallallâhu alaihi wasallam said, "One who does not have mercy
on our young ones and does not respect our elders is not from amongst us." Anâs
Radhiallâhu anhu served Nabî Sallallâhu alaihi wasallam for ten years but not
once did Nabî Sallallâhu alaihi wasallam reprimand him for doing something or
for not doing something.
Thus it is against the sunnah to severely reprimand or beat a child.
Furthermore, a severe reprimand seldom has a lasting effect. The child may
refrain temporarily from that act but will repeat it later. The child should be
taught with love and affection that the masjid is not a place for mischief and
playing. The child will respect you and insha-Allâh will not repeat his
mischief again.
May Allâh grant us the ability to refrain from committing wrong acts, Âmîn
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