Derived from: Fatāwā Muḥammadiyyah, Volume 1, Page 498
What do the scholars of Islam say regarding the ḥadīth that states:
“First the men, then the boys, then the women (should line up in prayer)”?
In our mosque, during Taraweeh prayer, the Imam’s listener (sāmiʿ) is a minor ḥāfiẓ of the Qur’an.
Is it permissible for him to stand in the first row to listen?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd:
A minor ḥāfiẓ of the Qur’an may stand in the first row as a sāmiʿ (listener).
There is no objection to him standing in the first row.
Just as a minor can lead the prayer (imāmah) in times of necessity, he may also stand in the first row as a sāmiʿ.
Reported in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī under the chapter:
"Residence of the Prophet ﷺ in Makkah after the Conquest" –
from ʿAmr bin Salamah رضي الله عنه:
Arabic Text:
عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَلَمَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ لِي أَبُو قِلاَبَةَ: أَلاَ تَلْقَاهُ فَتَسْأَلَهُ؟ قَالَ فَلَقِيتُهُ فَسَأَلْتُهُ فَقَالَ: كُنَّا بِمَاءٍ مَمَرَّ النَّاسِ، وَكَانَ يَمُرُّ بِنَا الرُّكْبَانُ فَنَسْأَلُهُمْ: مَا لِلنَّاسِ، مَا لِلنَّاسِ؟ مَا هَذَا الرَّجُلُ؟ فَيَقُولُونَ: يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَرْسَلَهُ، أَوْحَى إِلَيْهِ... فَنَظَرُوا فَلَمْ يَكُنْ أَحَدٌ أَكْثَرَ قُرْآنًا مِنِّي، ... فَقَدَّمُونِي بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ، وَأَنَا ابْنُ سِتٍّ أَوْ سَبْعِ سِنِينَ...
Translation:
ʿAmr bin Salamah رضي الله عنه narrated:
✿ We lived near a waterway where caravans would pass by.
✿ We used to ask them: “What’s happening with the people?” They would reply: “This man claims that Allah has sent him and revealed to him.”
✿ I would memorize their statements, and they remained preserved in my chest.
✿ After the Conquest of Makkah, all tribes began accepting Islam. My father also accepted Islam.
✿ Upon returning, he said: “I have come to you from the Prophet ﷺ, truly. He instructed: ‘Pray such-and-such prayer at such-and-such time. When the time for prayer comes, let one of you give the adhān, and the one who knows the most Qur’an should lead.’”
✿ When the tribe looked around, no one had memorized more Qur’an than I had, due to what I had learned from the travelers.
✿ So, they appointed me as their imam, even though I was only six or seven years old.
✿ I wore a small mantle which would rise when I went into prostration, exposing part of my body.
✿ A woman from the tribe said: “Shouldn’t you cover the back of your reciter?”
✿ So they made me a shirt, and I never rejoiced over anything as I did over that shirt.
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Vol 2, Page 616)
This narration clearly illustrates:
① ʿAmr bin Salamah, a young boy aged six or seven, was made imam of the prayer due to his greater knowledge of the Qur’an.
② Even though he was a minor, he was leading adult men in congregational prayer.
③ His imāmah was valid, and the Prophet ﷺ did not object.
④ Therefore, if such a young boy can lead the prayer, then standing in the first row merely to listen is clearly permissible.
◈ This ḥadīth proves that a minor boy may lead the prayer if he has memorized more Qur’an and understands the method of Ṣalāh.
◈ If imāmah – a more sensitive and significant issue – is permissible for a minor, then standing in the first row as a sāmiʿ is certainly permissible.
◈ Imāmah is more delicate and critical; compared to that, a well-mannered ḥāfiẓ child standing in the first row to assist the imam is a minor and non-contentious matter.
هٰذَا مَا عِندِي، وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
❖ Question
What do the scholars of Islam say regarding the ḥadīth that states:
“First the men, then the boys, then the women (should line up in prayer)”?
In our mosque, during Taraweeh prayer, the Imam’s listener (sāmiʿ) is a minor ḥāfiẓ of the Qur’an.
Is it permissible for him to stand in the first row to listen?
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd:
A minor ḥāfiẓ of the Qur’an may stand in the first row as a sāmiʿ (listener).
There is no objection to him standing in the first row.
Just as a minor can lead the prayer (imāmah) in times of necessity, he may also stand in the first row as a sāmiʿ.
❖ Evidence from Ḥadīth
Reported in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī under the chapter:
"Residence of the Prophet ﷺ in Makkah after the Conquest" –
from ʿAmr bin Salamah رضي الله عنه:
Arabic Text:
عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَلَمَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ لِي أَبُو قِلاَبَةَ: أَلاَ تَلْقَاهُ فَتَسْأَلَهُ؟ قَالَ فَلَقِيتُهُ فَسَأَلْتُهُ فَقَالَ: كُنَّا بِمَاءٍ مَمَرَّ النَّاسِ، وَكَانَ يَمُرُّ بِنَا الرُّكْبَانُ فَنَسْأَلُهُمْ: مَا لِلنَّاسِ، مَا لِلنَّاسِ؟ مَا هَذَا الرَّجُلُ؟ فَيَقُولُونَ: يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَرْسَلَهُ، أَوْحَى إِلَيْهِ... فَنَظَرُوا فَلَمْ يَكُنْ أَحَدٌ أَكْثَرَ قُرْآنًا مِنِّي، ... فَقَدَّمُونِي بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ، وَأَنَا ابْنُ سِتٍّ أَوْ سَبْعِ سِنِينَ...
Translation:
ʿAmr bin Salamah رضي الله عنه narrated:
✿ We lived near a waterway where caravans would pass by.
✿ We used to ask them: “What’s happening with the people?” They would reply: “This man claims that Allah has sent him and revealed to him.”
✿ I would memorize their statements, and they remained preserved in my chest.
✿ After the Conquest of Makkah, all tribes began accepting Islam. My father also accepted Islam.
✿ Upon returning, he said: “I have come to you from the Prophet ﷺ, truly. He instructed: ‘Pray such-and-such prayer at such-and-such time. When the time for prayer comes, let one of you give the adhān, and the one who knows the most Qur’an should lead.’”
✿ When the tribe looked around, no one had memorized more Qur’an than I had, due to what I had learned from the travelers.
✿ So, they appointed me as their imam, even though I was only six or seven years old.
✿ I wore a small mantle which would rise when I went into prostration, exposing part of my body.
✿ A woman from the tribe said: “Shouldn’t you cover the back of your reciter?”
✿ So they made me a shirt, and I never rejoiced over anything as I did over that shirt.
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Vol 2, Page 616)
❖ Explanation of the Ḥadīth
This narration clearly illustrates:
① ʿAmr bin Salamah, a young boy aged six or seven, was made imam of the prayer due to his greater knowledge of the Qur’an.
② Even though he was a minor, he was leading adult men in congregational prayer.
③ His imāmah was valid, and the Prophet ﷺ did not object.
④ Therefore, if such a young boy can lead the prayer, then standing in the first row merely to listen is clearly permissible.
❖ Fiqh Conclusion
◈ This ḥadīth proves that a minor boy may lead the prayer if he has memorized more Qur’an and understands the method of Ṣalāh.
◈ If imāmah – a more sensitive and significant issue – is permissible for a minor, then standing in the first row as a sāmiʿ is certainly permissible.
◈ Imāmah is more delicate and critical; compared to that, a well-mannered ḥāfiẓ child standing in the first row to assist the imam is a minor and non-contentious matter.
هٰذَا مَا عِندِي، وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
