Masjids and Children
Abdeen
Children should NOT be allowed to run helter-skelter in the masjids
In allowing the children to learn about prayers, they are allowed to stand anywhere they wish in congregational prayers in mosques. We see some of them forming cliques and jointly taking their stand just behind the Imam , or in the first row with the elders by the sides, and they cause great harm to the others’ prayers by giggling, moving all the time, knocking at them or trampling their feet, or constantly changing places and the whole scene is in a chaos, Dare not check them or advice them for they retort harshly; and some parents would revolt seeing this.
The result is – for a smaller gain to educate them, we are depriving the prayers of most of the elders of their prayers, their adkhars, their quran recitals etc., which is a grater loss. Not concerned, people are tolerating and cursing silently, or they withdraw from the rows in front to the rear rows so that they could pray peacefully and to get away from the mosques as quickly as possible.
The parents seem to rejoice at this site of their off springs being in the first row, in fact some of them push their children to the front probably to achieve prominence. We now see these children also wearing thubba and some with turbans just like the imams wear.
Their place of education is in the schools or madrasas they attend, and a better place of learning is in their homes from their parents.
Parents themselves are devoid of adab of islam and prayers, and that is why they push their children or ignore their indiscipline, not realizing a bit the damages being caused to the community.
On the other hand, what
are the trustees, alims, and caretakers of these mosques doing ?
Alims- just lead their prayers they had to perform as they are paid servants;
the Trustees-in beautifying the building, collection of funds, serving
refreshments at taraweeh prayers, and keep the committee members under his grip
to get reelected the next year and nothing further, Caretaker – keeping
shoes in the racks and encourage begging in the mosques,help motorists in
parking their vehicles and get small remunerations, and attend to funerals
where they make good money.
Where is TAQWA?
Friday Khutbah- never a word of advice to parents or their children, never a hint about adab in prayers, but a long harangue of old stories for almost one hour or so which too contradicts the sunnah – which requires Khutba to be short and prayers long; but they do vice versa.
Bid’ah is practiced in some of their prayers, furthermore these mosques are facing graves and it is reported that the prayers in such mosques are not acceptable. In Colombo, Dehiwela, Jawatta, Dewatagaha,Kuppiawatta, Maradana, Colpetty are among some of these masjids facing graves or with graves.
So what is happening thereby, our prayers and all the Qunoot now in force, are not getting accepted – due to bidah, graves, and indiscipline, and we are left in the lurch and the emergence of new groups, such as BBS etc., are seen pushing the Muslims atleast to think about their own religion Islam.
So, dear brothers and sisters, why not pay attention to these ills and buck up and get back to Allah in all sincerity, repent and restart lives without delay, as the time is now UP.!
See what Ummu seif from UK has
to say:- Ummuseif say:from UK 27-01-2012,
02:44 PM-“It's the issue that is ashamed to a
muslim themselves. I can understand that some masjeed had to be very strict
about it, but this in some way also one of the cause. Because when you not
allowed the kids to come to the masjeed, how can they learn the adab of the
masjeed. Even adult need to remind, let alone kids. This is then the
responsibility of the parents, especially the father. It's also like someone age 10 holding knife for the first
time. Everybody learn along the way. And this required 'help' from
the masjeed community, imam, other people and parents especially.
Although most of the kids behave awful in the masjeed and my kids always get
tease when they go for Friday prayer and some other prayer. This sometimes come
from kids who religiously pious parents.
Than it's not under 7, even above 7, lots age 12 and above, been send to the
back row or upper level of the masjeed and without adult around, their
behaviour is somewhat awful. My kids come back home with a big question in
their head of how could we go to masjeed to pray and messing about? Bully and
tease others. This is in the masjeed. Cannot imagine how if outside the
masjeed.
But, of course first
and foremost is the parents. Also, if we shoo kids to the corner
of the masjeed, that is not going to solve the problem. And the problem got to
solved with wisdom. We don't want the good kids to felt sad of been told off
because of other kids fault, and we need to teach disrespectful kids to the
adab. If we think the parents won't bother and will tell us off, why don't this
been told in subtle way that make them realise the problem?.
Honestly I am so sad and sick of the problem with sub continent masjeed which
always send kids to the corner or other part in the masjeed because they don't
behave. it's hard for kids who behave and want to concentrate for their prayer.
My sons come back and angry because he cannot concentrate on his prayer becuase
he had to pray among other kids who talk why do their sujud and move around and
etc. This is not kids below 7! This is in UK.
If we don't teach kids when they small, how can they learn. I know kids who
memorise the quran but behave awful in the masjeed. This is so sad. The
knowledge can come second, the manners need to be teach first and foremost. Because
once it become a habit, won't matter if you learn the whole quran or hadith, it
will not change you. Manners and good behaviour had to be teach since
small age. Muslim should think about spending even a little time to
teach their kids manners and not just leave the teaching only at the hand of
the ustad in madrasah.”
In another report
Mosques are not playgrounds. Children
should NOT be allowed to run helter-skelter in the masjids .
I think it is very important
that parents discharge their responsibilities properly & discipline their
children from an early age to respect the sanctity of Allah's house... if
they insist on bringing their kids to the mosques, they need to ensure they're
not a cause of nuisance to the other worshippers.
If a worshipper cannot
concentrate in prayer or listen to the lectures on the speakers, it defeats the
whole purpose of going to the masjid for ibaadah. Tbh, I find this behaviour highly disturbing - not the
kids', mind you, but their parents' - their casual attitudes towards it &
their inability to discipline their hyper
kids.
Qatar’s largest mosque had banned children from nighttime prayers after complaints that they disturb serenity.
Mosque Directorate in charge of the Imam Mohammad Bin Abdul Wahab Mosque in Doha said worshippers had complained that the halls had become playgrounds for children.
“We are forced to impose the ban both at the men’s prayer hall and at the women’s prayer hall, to ensure that worshippers are not annoyed by the brouhaha of underage children,” Sheikh Malallah Bin Abdul Rahman Al Jaber was quoted as saying in local Arabic daily Al Sharq.
“We urge all parents to comply with the new rule.”
The ban will cover children under the age of seven during Isha (evening prayers) and Taraweeh prayers (the last evening prayer).
“We are sorry to make this decision, but we have received several complaints from worshippers about the disturbance caused by young children,” Sheikh Malallah said.
I think that bringing children (to the Masjid) who will disturb those who are offering prayer is not permissible, because in that is a disturbance for the Muslims who are performing an obligation from the obligations of Allah. The Prophet heard some of his companions praying and reciting aloud, so he said:
|
Answer: · "You all should not harm (or bother) one another." (Abu Dawud no.1332) · Thus, everything that contains something that bothers those who are offering prayer, is not permissible for the person to do it. · Hence my advice to the parents of such children is that they do not bring them to the Masjid and they seek guidance in that which the Prophet directed to when he said: · "Command your children to pray when they are seven and beat them about (not offering) it when they are ten." (Abu Dawud no. 494,495 and Ahmad 2:187) · Likewise, I also direct advice to the people of the Masjid to open their hearts to the children whose coming to (i.e, presence in) the Masjid is legislated (in the Shariah). They should not make things difficult on them or remove them from their places (in the prayer lines) that they came to first. For verily, whoever is the first to come to something, he has the most right to it, regardless of whether he is a child or an adult. Hence, moving the children away from their places in the row contains: · (1)Disregard of their right, because whoever comes to something first-that no one of the Muslims has beaten him to-then he has the most right to it. · (2)It discourages them from attending the Masjids. · (3)It contains the possibility of the child carrying hatred and dislike for the person who removed him from the place that he came to first. · (4)It leads to the children being gathered together (in the row) and they end up playing and causing disturbance to the people of the Masjid that would not have occurred if the children were between the adult men. · In reference to what some of the people of knowledge have mentioned regarding the child being removed from his place so that the child is made to stand at the end of the row or in the last row in the Masjid, using as a proof the Prophets statement: The ruling on bringing Children to the Masjid · Also, their using the evidence, the prophets statement: · "No one but those of understanding and intellect should be near me (in prayer)." · If the Prophet had said, · "No one but those of understanding and intellect should be near me (in prayer)." · then the opinion of removing the children from their places in the front rows would be acceptable. However, the manner in which this Hadith has been worded is merely his command to those of understanding and intellect to come forward so that they may be near the Messenger of Allah. |
An obvious side-effect of women having been prevented from attending the mosque in their homelands is evident in how they behave in this country, as if the mosque is a community center and social outlet. Unfortunately, most of us have experienced the disarrayed prayer ranks in the women’s section of the mosque, the loud talking of women during worship and lectures, the disorderly children running and screaming as if on a playground.
Muslim women have the right to attend the mosque, with or without their families. However, women are not exempt from having good manners at the mosque, and it is the responsibility of both parents to teach and enforce appropriate conduct for children. Every individual is required to respect the mosque as a place of worship. From the time we enter until the time we leave, and even in front of the mosque, no one is allowed to talk loudly or to shout. We are commanded in the Qur`an not to run to prayer, but rather to walk with dignity. How then can we allow our children to run inside the mosque? From the time infants can sit, teach them to remain near you when you pray. Do not allow children to walk around at random during prayers and khutbahs. Take quiet toys and favorite books to the mosque to occupy your children if they become bored. Wear clean clothes and set the example for your children that visiting the mosque should be observed with respect.
Some
scholars are of the opinion that children are to be positioned in the last rows
in Prayer and that if any of them has stood in the first rows, they are to be
moved to the back ones. However, the most dependable opinion in this regard is
that if a child who can reason and know right from wrong has arrived earlier
to the Mosque and stood in the first row to perform Prayer, he has every
right to remain in that place until the end of the Prayer, and nobody is to
move him to a back row. If a man, even an old one, comes after that child, he
is to stand in the row behind the child (if the child’s row is
completed). This is because moving children to the back rows may make them feel
belittled and thus make them dislike going to Mosques, and Allah Almighty would
not ordain that.
In this regard, we would like to cite for you the following fatwa issued by the
eminent scholar,Sheikh
Ibn al-Uhaymeen, (may Allah have mercy upon him):
"Does arranging rows in Salah require
that men stand in the first rows and children in the back ones?
Some scholars say that adults should immediately follow the imam and
that children should be in the back rows. If, for example, the row is to
be formed of a hundred persons and there are a hundred men and a hundred boys
prepared to perform the Prayer, the hundred men are to form the first row and
the boys are to form the second one because putting the rows in order requires
that the adults follow the imam. Those scholars quote as their evidence for
such opinion the Prophet's Hadith: “Let the wise men among you stand
behind me in the Salah.”
The second thing is that the children may dislike the men who have moved them
to the back rows.
To sum up, the opinion that the children are to be moved from the first rows in
the Prayers to the back ones is a weak one. As for the Prophet's Hadith "Let the wise men among
you stand behind me in the Salah,", its indication is that the Prophet (peace be
upon him) meant to encourage men to go to the Mosques early and occupy the
first rows, not that the children are to be moved from the first rows to the
back ones."
You
can also read:
Darul Ifta Australia: The ruling on bringing
children to the masjid is as follows: It is
prohibited and sinful to bring such children to the masjid who are very small
and immature, who do not know the right from the wrong, who do not know how to
behave in the masjid and there is high probability of them making the masjid
impure (by urinating etc).
RASULULLAH (SALLALLAAHU ALAYHI WASALLAM) SAID,
'KEEP YOUR INSANE PEOPLE AND YOUR CHILDREN AWAY FROM THE MASJID' (IBN MAAJAH). This prohibition is generally flouted nowadays where little
children create disturbance in the masjid. Often it has been experienced that
little children by their crying distract the father and other Musallees as well.
The prohibition is based on the sanctity, reverence and cleanliness of the
masjid. It is also improper to bring little children into the Saffs (rows) of
adults. Source: Jamiatul Ulama (Kwazulu-Natal)
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