Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ اِبْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنِ اَلْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« إِنَّا نَأْمُرُ صِبْيَانَنَا بِالصَّلاَةِ إِذَا كَانُوا بَنِي خَمْسِ سِنِينَ فَمُرُوا صِبْيَانَكُمْ بِالصَّلاَةِ إِذَا كَانُوا بَنِي سَبْعِ سِنِينَ وَ نَحْنُ نَأْمُرُ صِبْيَانَنَا بِالصَّوْمِ إِذَا كَانُوا بَنِي سَبْعِ سِنِينَ بِمَا أَطَاقُوا مِنْ صِيَامِ اَلْيَوْمِ إِنْ كَانَ إِلَى نِصْفِ اَلنَّهَارِ أَوْ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ أَوْ أَقَلَّ فَإِذَا غَلَبَهُمُ اَلْعَطَشُ وَ اَلْغَرَثُ أَفْطَرُوا حَتَّى يَتَعَوَّدُوا اَلصَّوْمَ فَيُطِيقُوهُ فَمُرُوا صِبْيَانَكُمْ إِذَا كَانُوا بَنِي تِسْعِ سِنِينَ بِالصَّوْمِ مَا اِسْتَطَاعُوا مِنْ صِيَامِ اَلْيَوْمِ فَإِذَا غَلَبَهُمُ اَلْعَطَشُ أَفْطَرُوا»

Ali ibn Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abi Umayr, from Hammad, from Al-Halabi: Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him, narrated from his father (a.s), peace be upon him, said: "We command our children to pray when they are five years old, so command your children to pray when they are seven years old. And we command our children to fast when they are seven years old, according to what they can handle of the day's fast, whether it be until midday, or more than that, or less. Then, if thirst and hunger overpower them, they may break their fast, so that they may get used to fasting and become able to bear it. So command your children, when they are nine years old, to fast as much of the day as they can. Then, if thirst overcomes them, they may break their fast."

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ اَلْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ رِبْعِيٍّ عَنِ اَلْفُضَيْلِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ قَالَ: كَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ اَلْحُسَيْنِ عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ يَأْمُرُ اَلصِّبْيَانَ يَجْمَعُونَ بَيْنَ اَلْمَغْرِبِ وَ اَلْعِشَاءِ اَلْآخِرَةِ وَ يَقُولُ« هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ يَنَامُوا عَنْهَا»

Muhammad ibn Isma‘il, from Al-Fadl ibn Shadhan, from Hammad ibn ‘Isa, from Rib‘i, from Al-Fudayl ibn Yasar, said: (Imam) Ali ibn Al-Husayn (a.s), peace be upon them both, used to instruct the children to combine between Maghrib and ‘Isha (the later night prayer). Imam (a.s) would say: "It is better than that they sleep through it."

اَلْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ اَلْوَشَّاءِ عَنِ اَلْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ اَلصِّبْيَانِ إِذَا صَفُّوا فِي اَلصَّلاَةِ اَلْمَكْتُوبَةِ قَالَ« لاَ تُؤَخِّرُوهُمْ عَنِ اَلصَّلاَةِ وَ فَرِّقُوا بَيْنَهُمْ»

Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad, from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad, from Al-Washsha’, from Al-Mufaddal ibn Salih, from Jabir, from Abu Ja‘far, peace be upon him, said: I asked Imam (a.s) about children when they line up in rows for the obligatory prayer. Imam (a.s) said: "Do not keep them back from the prayer, but separate them (do not let them stand together in one continuous row)."

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ اَلْعَلَوِيِّ عَنِ اَلْعَمْرَكِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَخِيهِ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ اَلْغُلاَمِ مَتَى يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ اَلصَّوْمُ وَ اَلصَّلاَةُ قَالَ« إِذَا رَاهَقَ اَلْحُلُمَ وَ عَرَفَ اَلصَّلاَةَ وَ اَلصَّوْمَ»

Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Mahbub, from Muhammad ibn Ahmad Al-‘Alawi, from Al-‘Amraki, from Ali ibn Ja‘far, from his brother Musa, peace be upon him, who said: I asked Imam (a.s): “At what point is fasting and prayer obligatory upon a boy?” Imam (a.s) said: "When he approaches puberty and understands prayer and fasting."

عَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ عَنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ مُصَدِّقِ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ عَنْ عَمَّارٍ اَلسَّابَاطِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ اَلْغُلاَمِ مَتَى تَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ اَلصَّلاَةُ قَالَ« إِذَا أَتَى عَلَيْهِ ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً فَإِنِ اِحْتَلَمَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ وَجَبَتْ عَلَيْهِ اَلصَّلاَةُ وَجَرَى عَلَيْهِ اَلْقَلَمُ وَاَلْجَارِيَةُ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ إِنْ أَتَى لَهَا ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً أَوْ حَاضَتْ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ وَجَبَتْ عَلَيْهَا اَلصَّلاَةُ وَ جَرَى عَلَيْهَا اَلْقَلَمُ»

From him, from Muhammad ibn Al-Husayn, from Al-Hasan ibn Ali, from ‘Amr ibn Sa‘id, from Musaddiq ibn Sadaqah, from ‘Ammar Al-Sabati, from Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him, who said: I asked Imam (a.s): “At what age is prayer obligatory upon a boy?” Imam (a.s) said: "When he reaches thirteen years of age. But if he experiences a wet dream before that, then prayer becomes obligatory upon him and the pen (of accountability) is applied to him. And the same is the case for the girl, if she reaches thirteen years of age or menstruates before that, then prayer becomes obligatory upon her and the pen (of accountability) is applied to her."

عَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنِ اَلْعَلاَءِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَحَدِهِمَا عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ: فِي اَلصَّبِيِّ مَتَى يُصَلِّي فَقَالَ إِذَا عَقَلَ اَلصَّلاَةَ قُلْتُ مَتَى يَعْقِلُ اَلصَّلاَةَ وَ تَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ لِسِتِّ سِنِينَ

From him, from Muhammad ibn Al-Husayn, from Safwan, from Al-‘Ala’, from Muhammad ibn Muslim, from one of the two (Imams (a.s)), peace be upon them: Imam (a.s) (was asked) regarding when a child should begin to pray. Imam (a.s) said: "When he understands the prayer." I asked: “When does he understand the prayer and it becomes obligatory upon him?” Imam (a.s) said: "At six years old."

عَنْهُ عَنِ اَلْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ مَعْرُوفٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ وَهْبٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ فِي كَمْ يُؤْخَذُ اَلصَّبِيُّ بِالصَّلاَةِ فَقَالَ« فِيمَا بَيْنَ سَبْعِ سِنِينَ وَ سِتِّ سِنِينَ» قُلْتُ فِي كَمْ يُؤْخَذُ بِالصِّيَامِ فَقَالَ« فِيمَا بَيْنَ خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ أَوْ أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ وَ إِنْ صَامَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ فَدَعْهُ فَقَدْ صَامَ اِبْنِي فُلاَنٌ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ وَ تَرَكْتُهُ»

From him, from Al-‘Abbas ibn Ma‘ruf, from Hammad ibn ‘Isa, from Mu‘awiyah ibn Wahb, who said: I asked Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him: “At what age should a child be made to observe the prayer?” Imam (a.s) said: "Between six and seven years of age." I asked: “At what age should he be made to fast?” Imam (a.s) said: "Between fourteen or fifteen years of age. And if he fasts before that, then let him be, my son so-and-so fasted before that, and I let him do so."

اَلْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ اَلْحُصَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ اَلْفُضَيْلِ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« إِذَا أَتَى عَلَى اَلصَّبِيِّ سِتُّ سِنِينَ وَجَبَتْ عَلَيْهِ اَلصَّلاَةُ وَ إِذَا أَطَاقَ اَلصَّوْمَ وَجَبَ عَلَيْهِ اَلصِّيَامُ»

Al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id, from Muhammad ibn Al-Husayn, from Muhammad ibn Al-Fudayl, from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar: Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him, said: "When a child reaches six years of age, prayer becomes obligatory upon him, and when he is able to fast, fasting becomes obligatory upon him."

قال محمد بن الحسن قوله عليه السلام إذا أطاق وجب عليه الصيام محمول على التأديب دون الفرض لان الفرض إنما يتعلق وجوبه بحال الكمال على ما بيناه وكذلك قوله عليه السلام إذا أتى عليه ست سنين وفي الخبر الآخر أو سبع سنين وجب عليه الصلاة محمول على الاستحباب والتأديب لان الفرض يتعلق بحال الكمال على ما بيناه

Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan said: “The statement of the Imam, peace be upon him, ‘When he is able to fast, fasting becomes obligatory upon him,’ is to be understood as referring to disciplinary training (ta’dib), not obligation (fardh), because the obligation of fasting is only established upon reaching the state of maturity and completeness, as we have clarified. Likewise, the statement of the Imam (a.s), peace be upon him, ‘When he reaches six years’ or ‘seven years, prayer becomes obligatory upon him’ as mentioned in another narration, is to be understood as referring to recommendation and discipline, not obligation, because the obligation applies upon reaching the state of maturity, as we have explained.”