Holding an infant when performing the prayer
Fatwa No: 91909

Question

bismillahi rahmaani rahiim. Inshallah Allah He will bless you all becauce this is nice site. My question is that can i make wudu to a child he is two years old? I want to pray when im holding him in my lap, is it ok, or better if i pray when hes not in my lap? I want to protect him from shaytaan and everything evil, thats why im asking. Thank you. Alhamdulillaah.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

 

We have already issued Fatwa 82566 on the ruling of holding an infant when performing the prayer, so please refer to it.

It is not an obligation in holding the child during the prayer that he/she in a state of ritual purity (ablution); rather it is permissible to hold him in whatever condition he is unless there is some impurity in his clothes or nappy.

Protecting the child from any harm and evil is achieved through being steadfast on mentioning the morning and evening mention of Allaah, supplicating and taking the permissible means while fully relying on Allaah. For instance, you may say the following Prophetic supplication. The Prophet used to seek Allaah's protection for Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn saying: "I command you two to the protection of Allaah's Perfect Words from every devil, vermin and every evil eye." And he said: "This is how your father Ibraaheem (i.e. Abraham ) used to seek refuge for his sons Is-Haaq and Ismaa'eel (i.e. Isaaq and Ishmael, may Allaah exalt their mention)." [Al-Bukhari and Abu Daawood]

Allaah Knows best.

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