Children Fasting (Hadith No. 1676)

Bismillah.

Volume 3, Book 31, Number 181:

Narrated Ar-Rubi’ bint Mu’awadh (radiallaahu `anhaa):

“The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) sent a messenger to the village of the Ansar in the morning of the day of ‘Ashura’ (10th of Muharram) to announce: ‘Whoever has eaten something should not eat but complete the fast, and whoever is observing the fast should complete it.’ “She further said, “Since then we used to fast on that day regularly and also make our boys fast. We used to make toys of wool for the boys and if anyone of them cried for, he was given those toys till it was the time of the breaking of the fast.”

The Right Age

Fasting is not obligatory for young children, until they reach the age of adolescence, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“The pens have been lifted from three: from one who has lost his mind until he comes back to his senses, from one who is sleeping until he wakes up, and from a child until he reaches the age of adolescence.”

Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4399; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.

Nevertheless, children should be told to fast so that they can get used to it, and because the good deeds that they do will be recorded for them.

The age at which parents should start to teach their children to fast is the age at which they are able to fast, which will vary according to each child’s physical makeup. Some scholars have defined this as being ten years of age.

Celebrate to Motivate

There is nothing wrong, in sha Allah, with the family celebrating the first time a boy or girl fasts, so long as it is limited to this occasion only, and will not become something that is repeated. There is nothing wrong with expressing happiness when the child reaches the age to observe this act of worship, or to encourage him and help him understand that this is an important event in his life. It is also a blessing for which thanks should be given to Allah. Some of the scholars regard it as mustahabb to make food for every happy occasion, and they specifically mentioned making food when a child completes the Qur’an.

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Loving Children (Hadith No. 1547)

Bismillah.

Volume 3, Book 27, Number 24:

Narrated Ibn Abbas (radiallaahu `anhu):

When the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) arrived at Mecca, some boys of the tribe of Bani ‘Abdul Muttalib went to receive him, and the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) made one of them ride in front of him and the other behind him.

1. Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) was accessible, even to children. A person of such noble status and rank would typically expect grand reception on his arrival, but the greatest man who ever lived got received by kids! And apparently he loved it.
2. I wonder what would have happened in between the reception and riding together.. Would he have hugged them, kissed them, or made conversation with them? What would he have talked about with them? Maybe something they were interested in..? He would’ve probably listened to their stories throughout the way. Children are usually chatterboxes, unable to stop talking once they start. :)
3. He made them ride with him – one in front of him, and one behind him. The gesture shows nothing but love and compassion. I feel envious (rashk, not hasad!) of those kids who got the chance to be so close to the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) in their lives. How special would they have felt about themselves when the Prophet would smile at them and talk to them, giving them his attention. True celebrity!

Here’s a booklet called “Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم: A Mercy for Children“. It talks about the way Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) used to treat children, and how he was a mercy for them as well. Nicely compiled mashaAllah. Do check it out!

Got Infants Around? (Hadith No. 222)

Salam,
Bismillah.

Hadith no 220 and 221 are repeats. Read here.

Volume 1, Book 4, Number 222:

Narrated ‘Aisha (the mother of faithful believers):

A child was brought to Allah’s Apostle and it urinated on the garment of the Prophet. The Prophet asked for water and poured it over the soiled place.

He did not panic, nor threw the child at someone, nor got angry. He was that awesome!

Now imagine what you’ll do if a kid urinates on your clothes. We’re repulsed by their pukes, let alone urine and feces.

Lesson: be more kind to kids and do not hate them for doing something they don’t have control over. :)

Wassalam.

Worth Fighting For (Hadith No. 188)

Salam,
Bismillah.

Volume 1, Book 4, Number 188:

Narrated Ibn Shihab:

Mahmud bin Ar-Rabi’ who was the person on whose face the Prophet had ejected a mouthful of water from his family’s well while he was a boy, and ‘Urwa (on the authority of Al-Miswar and others) who testified each other, said, “Whenever the Prophet , performed ablution, his companions were nearly fighting for the remains of the water.”

Reference: Got Kids Around You? Do Read!

And why wouldn’t people fight over such a blessed thing? We all want barkah in our lives. :)

Wassalam.

Got Kids Around You? Do Read! (Hadith No. 77)

Salam,
Bismillah.

This is the cutest Hadith ever! When I first read it, I came home to try it on my one-year-old nephew, Moosa. Can’t say he really enjoyed it, but I sure did! :)

Volume 1, Book 3, Number 77:

Narrated Mahmud bin Rabi’a:

When I was a boy of five, I remember, the Prophet took water from a bucket (used for getting water out of a well) with his mouth and threw it on my face.

Do try it with kids, considering it a Sunnah. You’ll love it!

Wassalam.