taking children to the masjid, bringing children indoors during sunset

Question:

Assalamu alaikum.

Is it allowed to take children to the masjid? Is it safe to take a toddler for Maghrib salaah to the masjid? A friend of mine says that jinn roam around Maghrib time and this is dangerous for small children.

Answer:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Wa Alaikumussalamu Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh

Dear brother,

A hadith in Bukhari says "When the night (i.e. sunset) approaches, restrain your children (from going out), because the devils spread out at that time. When some time after Isha passes then leave them..." (Fat-hul Baari: v. 8 pg. 414, 420, hadith 3280)

In light of the above hadith, one should keep the children indoors after Maghrib to protect them from the harms of the devils. This especially applies to those children who may have impurity on them (such as urine and faeces in their diaper) and those who are too small to recite duas of protection.

في فتح الباري (8/ 420 ط العلمية):

قال بن الجوزي إنما خيف على الصبيان في تلك الساعة لأن النجاسة التي تلوذ بها الشياطين موجودة معهم غالبا والذكر الذي يحرز منهم مفقود من الصبيان غالبا والشياطين عند انتشارهم يتعلقون بما يمكنهم التعلق به فلذلك خيف على الصبيان في ذلك الوقت

Taking children to the masjid:

The ruling regarding taking children to the masjid is as follows:

- If it is feared that they may make the masjid impure (by urinating, for example), then it is prohibited and sinful (makrooh tahreemi) to take them to the masjid.

- Taking impurity inside the masjid is prohibited and sinful. Hence, taking a child who has urine or faeces in their diaper or who may urinate or defecate in their diaper while in the masjid is prohibited and sinful.

- If they are too immature to abide by the etiquettes of the masjid – for example there is fear that they may cry, yell or talk in the masjid, or walk or run around in the masjid or disrespect the masjid in any way – then too it is prohibited and sinful to take them to the masjid.

- If they are somewhat mature and there is no great fear of them impurifying the masjid, violating the etiquettes of the masjid and disturbing the other people in the masjid, then although it is allowed to take them to the masjid, it is better not to.

- Those children who are mature and close to the age of puberty, are fully aware of purity and impurity, fully abide by the etiquettes of the masjid and do not cause any disturbance to the other people in the masjid, not only is it permissible to take them to the masjid, it is, in fact, encouraged to do so in order to train them to offer salat properly. However, their guardian should vigilantly supervise them at all times so that they do not violate the etiquettes of the masjid.

The above rulings apply at all times and for all salats. Small, immature children may be a nuisance and cause disturbance to the others praying, reciting the Quran and remembering Allah SWT. They may even urinate, causing a headache to everyone. Purifying the carpet is difficult, time consuming and costly. The objective of the masjid is to worship Allah Ta'ala and remember Him with full concentration, devotion and peace. Anything that interferes with this is a means of incurring sins and is not welcome in the masjid, such as a mobile phone (unless it is switched off), something or someone with a foul smell or breath, such as a person who has eaten raw onion, garlic or other odorous food and has not removed the odour from his mouth. It would truly be unfortuate if one, instead of earning rewards and the pleasure of Allah SWT by visiting His house, earns His wrath and sins.

Based on the above, you should not take your toddler for any salat to the masjid.

في الدر المختار (2/ 516 ط دار معرفة):

وكره تحريما ... وإدخال نجاسة فيه وعليه فلا يجوز الاستصباح بدهن نجس فيه ولا تطيينه بنجس ولا البول والفصد فيه ولو في إناء ويحرم إدخال صبيان ومجانين حيث غلب تنجيسهم وإلا فيكره

وقال في رد المحتار: (قوله ويحرم إلخ) لما أخرجه المنذري " مرفوعا «جنبوا مساجدكم صبيانكم ومجانينكم، وبيعكم وشراءكم، ورفع أصواتكم، وسل سيوفكم، وإقامة حدودكم، وجمروها في الجمع، واجعلوا على أبوابها المطاهر» " بحر ... والمراد بالحرمة كراهة التحريم لظنية الدليل. وأما قوله تعالى - {أن طهرا بيتي للطائفين} [البقرة: 125]- الآية فيحتمل الطهارة من أعمال أهل الشرك تأمل؛ وعليه فقوله وإلا فيكره أي تنزيها تأمل

وفي تقريرات الرافعي: قول الشارح: (وإلا فيكره) أي حيث لم يبالوا بمراعاة حق المسجد من مسح نخامة أو تفل في المسجد، إلا فإذا كانوا مميزين ويعظمون المساجد بتعلم من وليهم فلا كراهة في دخولهم اهـــ. سندي

انظر: فقهي رسائل للمفتي عبد الرؤوف السكهروي: 1/ 219

And Allah Ta'ala knows best.

Mufti Faizal Riza
01/01/2022

Darul Ifta Australia
www.fatwa.org.au

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