Fatwa ID: 05500

 

Answered by: Alimah Habiba Akhtar

 

Question:

 

Is it acceptable to use the Masjid as a place for young students to play away from the times of salaah?

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

 

The presence of children isn’t prohibited in Islam. In fact, there have been instances where children have been narrated in the midst of the Prophet SAW and companions in the masjid. The impression that children may not be suitable for the masjid comes down to the nuisance or distractions that may occur that will disrupt the musallis.

 

Yet, the following narration regarding the Prophet SAW shows that despite the restrictions created by children, they were welcome in the masjid:

 

It was narrated from Abu Qatadah that:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray carrying Umamah. When he prostrated he put her down and when he stood up he picked her up again.” (1)

 

Thus, we can see that the Prophet SAW accommodated children on the masjid and altered his method of usual prayer to tend to Umamah RA.

 

It is in fact every member of the ummah’s job to guide the youngsters and assist each other. The following hadith states this as a responsibility:

 

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock. The amir (ruler) who is over the people is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock; a man is a shepherd in charge of the inhabitants of his household and he is responsible for his flock; a woman is a shepherdess in charge of her husband’s house and children and she is responsible for them, and a man’s slave is a shepherd in charge of his master’s property and he is responsible for it. So each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock. (2)

 

Not only parents but the elders of the community as well as the imams etc have a duty upon the upbringing of the youth.

 

So, though the masjid is a place of sanctity as understood from the prohibition of distracting others and harming them as understood from the following hadith:

“It was narrated from ‘Ali (رضياللهعنه) that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade raising the voice when reciting Qur`an before or after Isha` and causing others to make mistakes in recitation when praying.” (3), we must also be inviting to the younger community due to the fitnah that endangers them.

 

Thus, in response to your query, though the above hadith must be taken into consideration by respecting and not causing harm to other prayer goers, the masjid should be an inviting place for children and be as hospitable as it was during the Prophet SAW’S time hence, to play appropriately to nurture the children and keep them in good company would be permissible.

 

 

Only Allah knows best

Written by Alimah Habiba Akhtar

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

 

 

 

(1)

عَنْ أَبِيقَتَادَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلىاللهعليهوسلمكَانَ يُصَلِّيوَهُوَ حَامِلٌ أُمَامَةَ فَإِذَاسَجَدَ وَضَعَهَاوَإِذَاقَامَ رَفَعَهَا ‏.‏

Sunan Nasai, 1204

 

(2)

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلىاللهعليهوسلمقَالَ ‏ “‏ أَلاَ كُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ فَالأَمِيرُ الَّذِيعَلَىالنَّاسِ رَاعٍ عَلَيْهِمْ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْهُمْ وَالرَّجُلُ رَاعٍ عَلَىأَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْهُمْ وَالْمَرْأَةُ رَاعِيَةٌ عَلَىبَيْتِ بَعْلِهَاوَوَلَدِهِ وَهِيَ مَسْئُولَةٌ عَنْهُمْ وَالَعَبْدُ رَاعٍ عَلَىمَالِ سَيِّدِهِ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْهُ فَكُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

Sunan Abi Dawud 2928

 

(3)

عَنْ عَلِيٍّ، رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ صَلَّىاللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَهَىأَنْ يَرْفَعَ الرَّجُلُ صَوْتَهُ بِالْقِرَاءَةِ قَبْلَ الْعِشَاءِ وَبَعْدَهَايُغَلِّطُ أَصْحَابَهُ وَهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ‏

(Musnad Ahmad, 663)