Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.
Dear brothers and sisters.
At this moment, when many are lamenting the fact that there is an overall decline in the standards and morals of this nation’s youngsters as a result of the social rot taking place in our society, it is heartening to come across this brilliant 6 year old Malay Muslim boy who has been taught by his father to lead the prayer and has exhibited his capability to take on the role of an Imam, which many adults here in Bolehland shy away from?
Although this child is still far from being a perfect Imam, his willingness to stand there leading his father in prayer and recite all the required verses and movements of solat are to be applauded.
I congratulate his father for succeeding in sowing the seeds of Iman and Amal in his son whom I pray will grow up to be an excellent Mukmin and an Imam in the real sense of the word, Insya Allah!
It is heartening to learn that there is still hope for our Ummah here in Malaysia when we have fathers and sons like these still persevering to uphold the Haqq and strive against the Batil that is present here in Malaysia.
Islam is not that hard to live by and to understand. All it takes is willpower and willingness to learn and understand.
This child is a good example of living up to the Malay proverb of ‘ Jika mahu melentur buluh, biarlah dari rebung!’.
Meaning if you want to bend the bamboo, start from when it is still in the shoot stage.
Anyone can master anything as long as one has the will to do it. Even at this age, I am still learning about many things and hope to achieve some of my aspirations.
Namely in the field of video productions where I would like to share about Islam as much as I can before returning to Allah’s Presence.
I pray that Mr.Aliff and his son will be blessed by Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala in all that they do and excel as true Muslims both in this Duniya and in the Akhirat. Amin.
Here’s another example of a good Muslim child who is being trained by his father to be one who prays to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala. I shot this scene at the Masjid Saiyidina Othman’s grounds during one of the Friday prayers. He is just so cute and photogenic. May Allah Azza Wa Jalla bless both father and son. Amin.
The irony is that here in Malaysia, there are a growing number of Muslim parents who are indoctrinating their offspring to be singers and artistes such as this sorry example below:
Wouldn’t it be so much better if these parents could just teach and bring up their amanah from Allah such as what our brothers and sisters in Indonesia are doing?
Just watch the videos below and see for yourselves as to the intelligence and prowess that this young Muslim exhibit in lecturing to his peers and elders at a ‘Pildacil’ @ Pilihan Da’i Cilik Indonesian Reality TV program:
Marvel at the brialliance of this young Muslim boy in Iran share what he has come to learn about the Life and Sacrifices of Saiyidatina Fatimah Az Zahra , the daughter of Rasul Sallalahu Alaihi Wassallam:
Listen to and watch this young Iranian Qari recite the Surah Ad Dhuha in Pakistan:
Subhanallah! Blessed be their parents who have raised them to be excellent Muslims and our future Imams, Da’ee’s and Qari’s.
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What is the qualification for leading a prayer (becoming an imam)? Does a 6 year old qualify?
Peace be upon you Brother Johnny Utah.
There are several qualities that are necessary to be fulfilled in electing someone to be an Imam.
In the case above, the father has trained his son to be an Imam but in reality the child is not really qualified to lead his father in actual solat @ prayer.
We can liken the above prayer to be like an exercise. Just like a kid learning to ride a bicycle with training wheels.
It is laudable for the father above to teach his 6 year old son in learning to lead the prayer but the child as we observed above wasn’t really focused or proven to lead the prayer as it should be.
Priority should be given to a person who is good and proficient in reciting from the Holy Quran.
This requirement is based upon a hadith of the Blessed Messenger Sallalahu Alaihi Wassallam where Muhammad ibni Abdullah said,” If there are 3 persons intending to perform the Solat, one of them must be chosen to be the Imam. The chosen one must be the best amongst the 3 of them in reciting the verses of the Holy Qur’an. If all three of them are equally good in reciting the Holy Qur’an, then the one who is the most learned in Islamic Knowledge and Hadiths amongst them, should be appointed to lead the others as the Imam.
The Imam must be a man if there are mixed congregation, whereby the men should stand in prayer saff before the women.
In the case of an all female jamaah @ congregation, then the female who is the most learned amongst them must be chosen to lead them in prayer. The female imam is not required to recite aloud the Quranic verses when leading the all female jamaah.
No female is allowed to lead males in solat.
in answering your question as to whether a 6 year old can lead others in prayer, it depends on the circumstances.
In the case above, the child is being taught by his father to lead the prayer.
This is enjoined upon a parent to prepare his son to be a good Muslim but in actuality, the father should lead the solat. For training purposes especially when praying at home, it is okay.
The situation however differs if let’s say, there is a case where the gathered congregation of male adult Muslims are those who are not well versed in the Islamic Knowledge and not one of them is able to recite the verses of the Qur’an in the correct manner or have knowledge as to how to lead the prayer and the only one capable is a 6 years old boy but who is better qualified from the adults as far as reciting the Quran and leading the solat?
In such a case, then it is permissible for such a young boy to be made the Imam.
The Imam must be a ‘mumaiyyiz’ – that is a young male child who despite his young age can differentiate between right and wrong even though he has yet to reach puberty.
That young but knowledgeable male child can also lead a female jamaah.
So, in Islam, age is not a factor to be chosen to be an Imam but more on the Knowledge and Prowess in reciting the Verses of the Holy Qur’an that is the deciding factor.
From ‘Uqbah bin ‘Amri: Rasulullah Sallalahu Alaihi Wassallam has said: The one appointed to be the Imam amongst you must be the best reciter of the Qur’an; if the jamaah are made up of equally good reciters, then choose the one whose knowledge of my Sunnah is the best; if the jamaah are made up of equally knowledgeable persons of my Sunnah, then choose the one who is the earliest to migrate to Madinah; if still the same in such criteria, then choose the oldest amongst the jamaah. If the jamaah are assembled at the home of a Muslim, then the house owner is to be made the Imam and it is forbidden for a guest to sit on the mat of the house owner without the consent of him.”
Related by Imam Ahmad and Imam Muslim.
So brother Johnny, hope that answers your question.
Thank you for asking. May we learn and broaden our knowledge of Islam by sharing with each other as best as we can. Insya Allah.
Peace to you bro.
Thank You