Chapter on the Ages That Children Are Commanded to Pray
Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām|Volume 2|Book 1|Chapter 18
Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām
Volume 2, Book 1, Chapter 18
Chapter on the Ages That Children Are Commanded to Pray
8 hadiths · 1 commentary
عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ اِبْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنِ اَلْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« إِنَّا نَأْمُرُ صِبْيَانَنَا بِالصَّلاَةِ إِذَا كَانُوا بَنِي خَمْسِ سِنِينَ فَمُرُوا صِبْيَانَكُمْ بِالصَّلاَةِ إِذَا كَانُوا بَنِي سَبْعِ سِنِينَ وَ نَحْنُ نَأْمُرُ صِبْيَانَنَا بِالصَّوْمِ إِذَا كَانُوا بَنِي سَبْعِ سِنِينَ بِمَا أَطَاقُوا مِنْ صِيَامِ اَلْيَوْمِ إِنْ كَانَ إِلَى نِصْفِ اَلنَّهَارِ أَوْ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ أَوْ أَقَلَّ فَإِذَا غَلَبَهُمُ اَلْعَطَشُ وَ اَلْغَرَثُ أَفْطَرُوا حَتَّى يَتَعَوَّدُوا اَلصَّوْمَ فَيُطِيقُوهُ فَمُرُوا صِبْيَانَكُمْ إِذَا كَانُوا بَنِي تِسْعِ سِنِينَ بِالصَّوْمِ مَا اِسْتَطَاعُوا مِنْ صِيَامِ اَلْيَوْمِ فَإِذَا غَلَبَهُمُ اَلْعَطَشُ أَفْطَرُوا»
Ali ibn Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abi Umayr, from Hammad, from Al-Halabi:
Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, narrated from his father عليه السلام, peace be upon him, said: "We command our children to pray when they are five years old, so command your children to pray when they are seven years old. And we command our children to fast when they are seven years old, according to what they can handle of the day's fast, whether it be until midday, or more than that, or less. Then, if thirst and hunger overpower them, they may break their fast, so that they may get used to fasting and become able to bear it. So command your children, when they are nine years old, to fast as much of the day as they can. Then, if thirst overcomes them, they may break their fast."
- Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām fī Sharḥ al-Muqniʿah, vol. 2, p. 410
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tahdhīb
مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ اَلْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ رِبْعِيٍّ عَنِ اَلْفُضَيْلِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ قَالَ: كَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ اَلْحُسَيْنِ عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ يَأْمُرُ اَلصِّبْيَانَ يَجْمَعُونَ بَيْنَ اَلْمَغْرِبِ وَ اَلْعِشَاءِ اَلْآخِرَةِ وَ يَقُولُ« هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ يَنَامُوا عَنْهَا»
Muhammad ibn Isma‘il, from Al-Fadl ibn Shadhan, from Hammad ibn ‘Isa, from Rib‘i, from Al-Fudayl ibn Yasar, said:
(Imam) Ali ibn Al-Husayn عليه السلام, peace be upon them both, used to instruct the children to combine between Maghrib and ‘Isha (the later night prayer). Imam عليه السلام would say: "It is better than that they sleep through it."
- Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām fī Sharḥ al-Muqniʿah, vol. 2, p. 410
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tahdhīb, p. 250
اَلْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ اَلْوَشَّاءِ عَنِ اَلْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ اَلصِّبْيَانِ إِذَا صَفُّوا فِي اَلصَّلاَةِ اَلْمَكْتُوبَةِ قَالَ« لاَ تُؤَخِّرُوهُمْ عَنِ اَلصَّلاَةِ وَ فَرِّقُوا بَيْنَهُمْ»
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad, from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad, from Al-Washsha’, from Al-Mufaddal ibn Salih, from Jabir, from Abu Ja‘far, peace be upon him, said:
I asked Imam عليه السلام about children when they line up in rows for the obligatory prayer. Imam عليه السلام said: "Do not keep them back from the prayer, but separate them (do not let them stand together in one continuous row)."
- Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām fī Sharḥ al-Muqniʿah, vol. 2, p. 410
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tahdhīb
مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ اَلْعَلَوِيِّ عَنِ اَلْعَمْرَكِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَخِيهِ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ اَلْغُلاَمِ مَتَى يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ اَلصَّوْمُ وَ اَلصَّلاَةُ قَالَ« إِذَا رَاهَقَ اَلْحُلُمَ وَ عَرَفَ اَلصَّلاَةَ وَ اَلصَّوْمَ»
Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Mahbub, from Muhammad ibn Ahmad Al-‘Alawi, from Al-‘Amraki, from Ali ibn Ja‘far, from his brother Musa, peace be upon him, who said:
I asked Imam عليه السلام: “At what point is fasting and prayer obligatory upon a boy?” Imam عليه السلام said: "When he approaches puberty and understands prayer and fasting."
- Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām fī Sharḥ al-Muqniʿah, vol. 2, p. 410
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tahdhīb
عَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ عَنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ مُصَدِّقِ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ عَنْ عَمَّارٍ اَلسَّابَاطِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ اَلْغُلاَمِ مَتَى تَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ اَلصَّلاَةُ قَالَ« إِذَا أَتَى عَلَيْهِ ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً فَإِنِ اِحْتَلَمَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ وَجَبَتْ عَلَيْهِ اَلصَّلاَةُ وَجَرَى عَلَيْهِ اَلْقَلَمُ وَاَلْجَارِيَةُ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ إِنْ أَتَى لَهَا ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً أَوْ حَاضَتْ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ وَجَبَتْ عَلَيْهَا اَلصَّلاَةُ وَ جَرَى عَلَيْهَا اَلْقَلَمُ»
From him, from Muhammad ibn Al-Husayn, from Al-Hasan ibn Ali, from ‘Amr ibn Sa‘id, from Musaddiq ibn Sadaqah, from ‘Ammar Al-Sabati, from Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, who said:
I asked Imam عليه السلام: “At what age is prayer obligatory upon a boy?” Imam عليه السلام said: "When he reaches thirteen years of age. But if he experiences a wet dream before that, then prayer becomes obligatory upon him and the pen (of accountability) is applied to him. And the same is the case for the girl, if she reaches thirteen years of age or menstruates before that, then prayer becomes obligatory upon her and the pen (of accountability) is applied to her."
- Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām fī Sharḥ al-Muqniʿah, vol. 2, p. 411
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tahdhīb
عَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنِ اَلْعَلاَءِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَحَدِهِمَا عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ: فِي اَلصَّبِيِّ مَتَى يُصَلِّي فَقَالَ إِذَا عَقَلَ اَلصَّلاَةَ قُلْتُ مَتَى يَعْقِلُ اَلصَّلاَةَ وَ تَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ لِسِتِّ سِنِينَ
From him, from Muhammad ibn Al-Husayn, from Safwan, from Al-‘Ala’, from Muhammad ibn Muslim, from one of the two (Imams عليه السلام), peace be upon them:
Imam عليه السلام (was asked) regarding when a child should begin to pray. Imam عليه السلام said: "When he understands the prayer." I asked: “When does he understand the prayer and it becomes obligatory upon him?” Imam عليه السلام said: "At six years old."
- Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām fī Sharḥ al-Muqniʿah, vol. 2, p. 411
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tahdhīb, p. 251
عَنْهُ عَنِ اَلْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ مَعْرُوفٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ وَهْبٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ فِي كَمْ يُؤْخَذُ اَلصَّبِيُّ بِالصَّلاَةِ فَقَالَ« فِيمَا بَيْنَ سَبْعِ سِنِينَ وَ سِتِّ سِنِينَ» قُلْتُ فِي كَمْ يُؤْخَذُ بِالصِّيَامِ فَقَالَ« فِيمَا بَيْنَ خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ أَوْ أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ وَ إِنْ صَامَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ فَدَعْهُ فَقَدْ صَامَ اِبْنِي فُلاَنٌ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ وَ تَرَكْتُهُ»
From him, from Al-‘Abbas ibn Ma‘ruf, from Hammad ibn ‘Isa, from Mu‘awiyah ibn Wahb, who said:
I asked Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him: “At what age should a child be made to observe the prayer?” Imam عليه السلام said: "Between six and seven years of age." I asked: “At what age should he be made to fast?” Imam عليه السلام said: "Between fourteen or fifteen years of age. And if he fasts before that, then let him be, my son so-and-so fasted before that, and I let him do so."
- Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām fī Sharḥ al-Muqniʿah, vol. 2, p. 411
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tahdhīb, p. 251
اَلْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ اَلْحُصَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ اَلْفُضَيْلِ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« إِذَا أَتَى عَلَى اَلصَّبِيِّ سِتُّ سِنِينَ وَجَبَتْ عَلَيْهِ اَلصَّلاَةُ وَ إِذَا أَطَاقَ اَلصَّوْمَ وَجَبَ عَلَيْهِ اَلصِّيَامُ»
Al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id, from Muhammad ibn Al-Husayn, from Muhammad ibn Al-Fudayl, from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar:
Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, said: "When a child reaches six years of age, prayer becomes obligatory upon him, and when he is able to fast, fasting becomes obligatory upon him."
- Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām fī Sharḥ al-Muqniʿah, vol. 2, p. 411
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tahdhīb
Commentary #1