Can a 12-year-old lead the Tarāwīḥ prayer?

Question

Can a child lead Taraweeh prayer at the age of 12 yrs 10 months? By than most hit Balugat correct ?

— Ali, Silver spring, USA

Answer

A boy who has not yet reached puberty is not permitted to lead adults in Tarāwīḥ prayers as bulūgh (maturity) is a condition to lead men in prayer.

Bahār e Sharī`at states:

مرد غیر معذور کے امام کے لیے چھ شرطیں ہیں: اسلام، بلوغ، عاقل ہونا، مرد ہونا، قراءت، معذور نہ ہونا

There are six conditions for the ‘imām of a man without any disability (`udhr): ‘Islām, bulūgh (maturity), to be sane, to be male, [the ability of] Qur’ānic recitation, and to be without disability.

[Bahār e Sharī`at, Vol. 3, the Chapter of ‘Imāmah]

In this scenario, considering that the remaining conditions of leading prayer are met, if the boy claims to have become bāligh, his claim will be upheld, and he will be permitted to lead the Tarāwiḥ prayers of adults.

Concerning the age wherein a boy reaches maturity, Ṣadr al-Sharī`ah writes:

لڑکے کو جب انزال ہوگیا وہ بالغ ہے وہ کسی طرح ہو سوتے میں ہو جس کو احتلام کہتے ہیں یا بیداری کی حالت میں ہو۔ اور انزال نہ ہو تو جب تک اس کی عمر پندرہ سال کی نہ ہو بالغ نہیں جب پورے پندرہ سال کا ہوگیا تو اب بالغ ہے علامات بلوغ پائے جائیں یا نہ پائے جائیں ،لڑکے کے بلوغ کے لیے کم سے کم جو مدت ہے وہ بارہ سال کی ہے یعنی اگر اس مدت سے قبل وہ اپنے کو بالغ بتائے اس کا قول معتبر نہ ہوگا۔

When a boy has ejaculated, he is bāligh (mature), be it in any way ¬– whether it be in sleep, which is called ‘iḥtilām (nocturnal emissions), or whilst awake. If he has never ejaculated, then until he is fifteen years of age, he is not bāligh. When he is of complete fifteen years, he is bāligh whether the signs of maturity are evident or not. The minimum age for the puberty of a boy is the age of twelve. In other words, if he claims to be bāligh prior to this age, his claim will not be admissible.

[Bahār e Sharī`at, Vol. 15, the Chapter of Bulūgh]

In the case that the boy denies having reached puberty at this age of twelve, he will not be permitted to lead adults in any prayer until the time that he meets this requirement. It is a common misconception that a child may lead adults in Tarāwīḥ prayers, but this is not true. Ṣadr al-Sharī`ah states:

عورت، خنثیٰ، نابالغ لڑکے کی اقتدا مرد بالغ کسی نماز میں نہیں کرسکتا، یہاں تک کہ نماز جنازہ و تراویح و نوافل میں

A bāligh man cannot follow any woman, hermaphrodite, or non-bāligh boy in any prayer, not even in the prayer of Janāzah, Tarāwīḥ, or Nawāfil.

[Bahār e Sharī`at, Vol. 3, the Chapter of ‘Imāmah]

Although unable to lead adults, he may lead other children who have not yet become bāligh. Bahār e Sharī`at states:

نابالغوں کے امام کے لیے بالغ ہونا شرط نہیں ، بلکہ نابالغ بھی نابالغوں کی اِمامت کر سکتا ہے، اگر سمجھ والا ہو۔

It is not a condition for the ‘imām of non-bālighs to be bāligh. Rather, a non-bāligh may be the ‘imām of other non-bālighs in the case that he is sensible.

[Bahār e Sharī`at, Vol. 3, the Chapter of ‘Imāmah]

Allāh knows best.

May he be pardoned

Faqīr Sayyid `Abdul Ṣamad al-Qādirī

Verified by Muftī Zāhid Ḥussain al-Qādirī