Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh

861 - قَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: « إِنَّا نَأْمُرُ صِبْيَانَنَا بِالصَّلاَةِ وَ هُمْ أَبْنَاءُ خَمْسِ سِنِينَ فَمُرُوا صِبْيَانَكُمْ بِالصَّلاَةِ إِذَا كَانُوا أَبْنَاءَ سَبْعِ سِنِينَ وَ نَحْنُ نَأْمُرُ صِبْيَانَنَا بِالصِّيَامِ إِذَا كَانُوا أَبْنَاءَ سَبْعِ سِنِينَ مَا أَطَاقُوا مِنْ صِيَامِ اَلْيَوْمِ إِنْ كَانَ إِلَى نِصْفِ اَلنَّهَارِ أَوْ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ أَوْ أَقَلَّ فَإِذَا غَلَبَهُمُ اَلْعَطَشُ أَوِ اَلْجُوعُ أَفْطَرُوا حَتَّى يَتَعَوَّدُوا اَلصَّوْمَ وَ يُطِيقُوهُ فَمُرُوا صِبْيَانَكُمْ بِالصِّيَامِ إِذَا كَانُوا أَبْنَاءَ تِسْعِ سِنِينَ مَا أَطَاقُوهُ مِنْ صِيَامِ اَلْيَوْمِ فَإِذَا غَلَبَهُمُ اَلْعَطَشُ أَفْطَرُوا.

Hadith.861 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "We command our children to pray when they are five years old, so you should instruct your children to pray when they are seven years old. We also command our children to fast when they are seven years old, as much as they can bear of fasting for the day — whether it is until midday, more, or less. If thirst or hunger overwhelms them, they may break their fast so that they can gradually get accustomed to fasting and be able to bear it. So, instruct your children to fast when they are nine years old, as much as they are capable of fasting for the day. If thirst overwhelms them, they may break their fast."

862 - وَ رُوِيَ عَنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ قَارِنٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا اَلْحَسَنِ اَلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَوْ سُئِلَ وَ أَنَا أَسْمَعُ عَنِ اَلرَّجُلِ يَخْتِنُ وَلَدَهُ وَ هُوَ لاَ يُصَلِّي اَلْيَوْمَ وَ اَلْيَوْمَيْنِ فَقَالَ «وَ كَمْ أَتَى عَلَى اَلْغُلاَمِ» فَقَالَ ثَمَانِيَ سِنِينَ فَقَالَ «سُبْحَانَ اَللَّهِ يَتْرُكُ اَلصَّلاَةَ» قَالَ قُلْتُ يُصِيبُهُ اَلْوَجَعُ قَالَ «يُصَلِّي عَلَى نَحْوِ مَا يَقْدِرُ».

Hadith.862 - It is narrated from al-Hasan ibn Qarin that He said: "I asked Imam al-Ridha (as), or he was asked while I was listening, about a man who circumcises his son, and the boy does not pray for a day or two." Imam (as) asked: "How old is the boy?" The response was, "Eight years old." Imam (as) said: "Glory be to Allah (swt)! He leaves prayer?" The narrator replied: "He is in pain." Imam (as) said: "He should pray to the extent that he is able."

863 - وَ رَوَى عَبْدُ اَللَّهِ بْنُ فَضَالَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ وَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ: «إِذَا بَلَغَ اَلْغُلاَمُ ثَلاَثَ سِنِينَ يُقَالُ لَهُ قُلْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اَللَّهُ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ ثُمَّ يُتْرَكُ حَتَّى يَتِمَّ لَهُ ثَلاَثُ سِنِينَ وَ سَبْعَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وَ عِشْرُونَ يَوْماً فَيُقَالَ لَهُ قُلْ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ وَ يُتْرَكُ حَتَّى يَتِمَّ لَهُ أَرْبَعُ سِنِينَ ثُمَّ يُقَالَ لَهُ قُلْ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ: صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ - ثُمَّ يُتْرَكُ حَتَّى يَتِمَّ لَهُ خَمْسُ سِنِينَ ثُمَّ يُقَالَ لَهُ أَيُّهُمَا يَمِينُكَ وَ أَيُّهُمَا شِمَالُكَ فَإِذَا عَرَفَ ذَلِكَ حُوِّلَ وَجْهُهُ إِلَى اَلْقِبْلَةِ وَ يُقَالُ لَهُ اُسْجُدْ ثُمَّ يُتْرَكُ حَتَّى يَتِمَّ لَهُ سَبْعُ سِنِينَ فَإِذَا تَمَّ لَهُ سَبْعُ سِنِينَ قِيلَ لَهُ اِغْسِلْ وَجْهَكَ وَ كَفَّيْكَ فَإِذَا غَسَلَهُمَا قِيلَ لَهُ صَلِّ ثُمَّ يُتْرَكُ حَتَّى يَتِمَّ لَهُ تِسْعُ سِنِينَ فَإِذَا تَمَّتْ لَهُ عُلِّمَ اَلْوُضُوءَ وَ ضُرِبَ عَلَيْهِ وَ أُمِرَ بِالصَّلاَةِ وَ ضُرِبَ عَلَيْهَا فَإِذَا تَعَلَّمَ اَلْوُضُوءَ وَ اَلصَّلاَةَ غَفَرَ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَهُ وَ لِوَالِدَيْهِ إِنْ شَاءَ اَللَّهُ.

Hadith.863 - Abdullah ibn Fadalah narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) and Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) that He said: "When a boy reaches the age of three, he should be instructed to say 'la illaha illa Allah (swt)' seven times. Then he is left until he completes three years, seven months, and twenty days, at which point he is instructed to say 'Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (sw)' seven times. He is then left until he reaches four years of age, after which he is instructed to say seven times, 'May Allah (swt) bless Muhammad and his family.' He is then left until he turns five years old and is asked: 'Which hand is your right and which is your left?' When he recognizes this, his face is turned toward the Qiblah, and he is told to prostrate. He is then left until he turns seven years old, at which point he is told to wash his face and hands. When he washes them, he is told to pray. He is then left until he reaches the age of nine. At nine, he is taught the proper way of performing ablution (wudu) and is disciplined for neglecting it. He is also instructed to perform prayer and disciplined for neglecting it. When he has learned wudu and prayer, Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic, forgives him and his parents, if Allah (swt) wills."