376. al-Kāfi, narrating from Sālih ibn ‘Aqabah who said: “I heard the ‘Righteous Servant’ [Imām al-Kāzim] (a.s.) say: “It is a recommended practice for a child to play in his childhood so that he becomes patient in his adulthood.” Then he said: “It is not right to do otherwise.”
It also narrated that the most intelligent of children are those who hate schooling the most.1
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Allowing a Child to Play
377. Imām al-Sādiq (a.s.) said: “Allow the child to play for seven years, then he should be disciplined for seven years, and then keep him close to you for seven years. If he became prosperous then that is good, but if not, he is among those in whom there is no good.”2
378. Imām al-Sajjād (a.s.) said: “The Prophet (s.a.w.) said to both of them [Hasan and Husain] (a.s.): “Stand up and wrestle each other.”
They stood up to wrestle. When Fātimah (a.s.) who had gone out for some needs came back home and heard the Prophet (s.a.w.) say: “Again, O Hasan! Take Husain firmly and knock him down!” So she said to her father: “O father, how strange indeed! Do you encourage one against the other? Do you encourage the elder against the younger?”
Then he (s.a.w.) said to her: “O daughter of mine! Are you not happy that I say: “O Hasan! Take Husain firmly and knock him down,” while my beloved Gabriel is saying: “O Husain! Take Hasan firmly and knock him down?”3
1.. al--Kāfi, vol. ۶, p. ۵۱, h. ۲-۳. Kitāb Man lā Yahdarhu al-Faqih, vol. ۳, p. ۴۹۳, h. ۴۷۴۸.
2.. Kitāb Man lā Yahdarhu al-Faqih, vol. ۳, p. ۴۹۲, h. ۴۷۴۳. Makārim al-Akhlāq, vol. ۱, p. ۴۷۷, h. ۱۶۴۷.
3.. al-Amāli, by al-Saduq, p. ۵۳۰, h. ۷۱۷, narrating from Zaid al-Shahhām from Imām al-Sādiq (a.s.) from his father (a.s.). Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۴۳, p. ۲۶۸, h. ۲۵.
