232. Jāmi‘ al-Akhbār: It is narrated that the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.) once looked at some children and said: “Woe unto the children of the end time because of their fathers!” He was asked: “O Messenger of Allah! Is it because of their polytheist fathers?” He said: “No, but it is because of their believing fathers who do not teach them any of their obligatory acts, and when their children decide to learn, the parents prevent them. They will be content with small things they have from this world. I disown myself from them and they are not from me.”1
233. Imām ‘Ali (a.s.) said: “When a child becomes intellectually mature and is able to recite parts of the Qurān, he should be taught how to pray.”2
234. Imām ‘Ali (a.s.) said: “Teach your children to pray, and when they reach puberty make them accountable for it.”3
235. Imām ‘Ali (a.s.) said: “Teach your children to pray, and when they became eight make them accountable for it.”4
236. Imām ‘Ali (a.s.) said: “When a child can perceive [things] he is ordered to pray, and to fast if he is capable.”5
237. Imām al-Sajjād (a.s.) said: “Training to fast is when the child is made to fast before reaching the age of puberty, and it is just for the purpose of training, and not an obligatory fasting.”6
238. Imām al-Bāqir (a.s.) said: “When our children are five years old, we enjoin them to pray, but you should enjoin them to pray when they are seven. We enjoin our children to fast as much as they can when they are seven, whether it is half of a day or less or more than that. When the thirst or hunger overcomes them, they break their fast so that they become accustomed to fasting and are capable of performing it. So, enjoin your children to
fast as much as they can when they are nine years old, and when thirst overcomes them they may break their fast.”7
1.. Jāmi‘ al-Akhbār, p. ۲۸۵, h. ۷۶۷. Mustardak al-Wasā'il, vol. ۱۵, p. ۱۶۴, h. ۱۷۸۷۱.
2.. Da‘ā'im al-Islām, vol. ۱, p. ۱۹۳. Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۸, p. ۱۳۳.
3.. Ghurar al-Hikam, h. ۶۳۰۵.
4.. al-Khisāl, p. ۶۲۶, h. ۱۰, narrating from Muhammad ibn Muslim from Imām al-Sādiq (a.s.) from his forefathers (a.s.). Tuhaf al-‘Uqul, p. ۱۱۵.
5.. Da‘ā'im al-Islām, vol. ۱, p. ۱۹۳. Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۸۸, p. ۱۳۳, h. ۵.
6.. al-Kāfi, vol. ۴, p. ۸۶, h. ۱. Tahdhib al-Ahkām, vol. ۴, p. ۲۹۶, h. ۸۹۵. Both narrating from al-Zuhari.
7.. al-Kāfi, vol. ۳, p. ۴۰۹, h. ۱. Tahdhib al-Ahkām, vol. ۲, p. ۳۸۰, h. ۱۵۸۴. Both narrating from al-Halabi from Imām al-Sādiq (a.s.).
