✦ Extracted from: Fatāwā ʿUlamāʾ-e-Ḥadīth, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Vol. 1, pp. 238–239
Formatted for clarity and structure.
(Narrated in al-Bukhārī and Muslim)
(Reported in al-Bukhārī and Muslim)
This indicates that a person (even a child) standing beside the imam does not invalidate the prayer, nor does it imply the presence of two imams.
“The Prophet ﷺ made the men stand in the front rows and the children behind them, and said: ‘This is the arrangement for my Ummah in prayer.’”
(Musnad Aḥmad and Abū Dāwūd)
◄ The imam is not regarded as sinful, nor considered to have two imams.
◄ The preferred arrangement is to have children stand behind the rows of men in the congregation.
◄ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim
◄ Musnad Aḥmad and Sunan Abū Dāwūd
Formatted for clarity and structure.
❖ Question
If an imam stands his minor child on his right side during prayer for the purpose of teaching, does this affect the validity of the prayer? Would the imam be sinful or considered as having two imams?❖ Answer
According to the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, such an action does not affect the validity of the prayer, and the imam is not considered sinful or regarded as having two imams.❖ Prophetic Practice
The Prophet ﷺ once carried his granddaughter, Imāmah bint Zaynab, on his shoulder during an obligatory prayer. During rukūʿ or sujūd, he would gently put her down, and upon rising, he would lift her again.(Narrated in al-Bukhārī and Muslim)
❖ Example of Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq (RA)
During the Prophet's illness, he led the prayer while sitting, and Abū Bakr (RA) stood to his right, following him as the imam, while the rest of the congregation prayed behind them.(Reported in al-Bukhārī and Muslim)
This indicates that a person (even a child) standing beside the imam does not invalidate the prayer, nor does it imply the presence of two imams.
❖ Recommended Practice
Islamic tradition recommends that minor children should be placed behind the rows of men. As reported by ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Ghanm, the Prophet ﷺ organized prayer rows in the following order:“The Prophet ﷺ made the men stand in the front rows and the children behind them, and said: ‘This is the arrangement for my Ummah in prayer.’”
(Musnad Aḥmad and Abū Dāwūd)
❖ Summary
◄ Standing a minor child to the right of the imam for educational purposes does not invalidate the prayer.◄ The imam is not regarded as sinful, nor considered to have two imams.
◄ The preferred arrangement is to have children stand behind the rows of men in the congregation.
❖ Reference
◄ Muḥaddith Dehlvī, Vol. 8, Issue No. 3◄ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim
◄ Musnad Aḥmad and Sunan Abū Dāwūd
