MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN IN THE MOSQUE.

Kashmiri Children pray : courtesy:http://photos.denverpost.com/2012/07/24/photos-ramadan-observed-across-the-muslim-world/#11

Hadith transforms our lives.
Men, Women Children are Integral Parts of Masjid Community 

“Unus bin Malik narrates:

Once the Messenger of Allah, pbuh, recited very briefly from the Qur’an in the fajr prayer. He was asked : O messenger of Allah, why such a brief recitation? He replied: I heard a baby crying and I thought that his mother is praying with us and I thought it better to let the mother take care of the child as quickly as possible.” [Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Section 3, hadith 257.]

“When I start praying, I want to pray for a long time, but then I hear a child crying and I make the prayer brief so that the mother may not worry too much owing to the crying of the child.” [Prophet Muhammad, pbuh., Sahih al-Bukhari, kitab al-Adhan and Sahih Muslim, kitabus Salat.] 

“The sahaba narrate that once during Zuhr prayers, the messenger of Allah, pbuh, stayed in prostration [sajda] while leading prayers, for so long that we thought something had happened or he had suddenly received revelation [wahy]. . After prayers people asked him why one sajda was so long? Had something happened or revelation had come. He replied that it was nothing but that my grandson sat on my back  and I did not want to get up quickly and ruin the fun he was having.” [Sunan of Nasa’i: 1/134]  

These authentic hadith remind us that our community is meant to be united, well-integrated community. Men, women and children belong together in the masjid, with the rules and discipline of Islam.

The mother is there and the Imam cares for her and for her worries and cares. The little children are there and are treated with love and patience. Very small children don’t know what’s going on and will play horsy by climbing on your back when you go into prostration [sajda].

The holiest mosque with prayers led by the holiest imam does not neglect basic human needs like the crying of a baby.
Just look at the children of our ummah, globally. How they cry for food, for love, for patience, and we keep praying as if it does not concern us. Humanity must be at the center of our vision otherwise our prayers become conventional forms without meaning. 

Of course, as children grow, we must teach them about the rules of prayer and respect for the mosque.

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