The Age at Which Children Are Required to Pray

إِنَّا نَأْمُرُ صِبْيَانَنَا بِالصَّلَاةِ وَ هُمْ أَبْنَاءُ خَمْسِ سِنِينَ فَمُرُوا صِبْيَانَكُمْ بِالصَّلَاةِ إِذَا كَانُوا أَبْنَاءَ سَبْعِ سِنِينَ وَ نَحْنُ نَأْمُرُ صِبْيَانَنَا بِالصِّيَامِ إِذَا كَانُوا أَبْنَاءَ سَبْعِ سِنِينَ مَا أَطَاقُوا مِنْ صِيَامِ الْيَوْمِ إِنْ كَانَ إِلَى نِصْفِ النَّهَارِ أَوْ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ أَوْ أَقَلَّ فَإِذَا غَلَبَهُمُ الْعَطَشُ أَوِ الْجُوعُ أَفْطَرُوا حَتَّى يَتَعَوَّدُوا

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 — whethe

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ع- أَوْ سُئِلَ وَ أَنَا أَسْمَعُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَخْتِنُ‌[1] وَلَدَهُ وَ هُوَ لَا يُصَلِّي الْيَوْمَ وَ الْيَوْمَيْنِ فَقَالَ وَ كَمْ أَتَى عَلَى الْغُلَامِ فَقَالَ ثَمَانِيَ سِنِينَ فَقَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ يَتْرُكُ الصَّلَاةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ يُصِيبُهُ الْوَجَعُ 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

سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ‌ إِذَا بَلَغَ الْغُلَامُ ثَلَاثَ سِنِينَ يُقَالُ لَهُ قُلْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ ثُمَّ يُتْرَكُ حَتَّى يَتِمَّ لَهُ ثَلَاثُ سِنِينَ وَ سَبْعَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وَ عِشْرُونَ يَوْماً فَيُقَالَ لَهُ قُلْ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ وَ يُتْرَكُ حَتَّى يَتِمَّ لَهُ أَرْبَعُ سِنِينَ ثُمَّ يُقَالَ لَهُ قُلْ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ- صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ- ثُمَّ يُتْرَكُ

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 twe