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Fatwa CenterPraying While Holding an Infant
Question
I am married and Alhamdulillah I have a son (1 year and a month old). Due lack of mosques here I am forced to pray my prayers at home with my wife, during the prayer my son usually comes in front of me or tries to cross me and so I pick him up, during my prayer and hold him with me till I finish reciting Al-fatiha etc., then I do Ruku with him before I prostrate I set him down and I do the same if he comes to me in the second Rakaa' and so on - this I do in my Fard prayers when I am leading the prayer too. Are these things allowed during the prayer? Will my prayers be accepted Insha-Allah?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Any person who needs to hold his/her baby while praying can do so and his prayer does not become invalid. The evidence for this is the Hadeeth narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim from Abu Qataadah who said: “The Prophet came out towards us, while carrying Umaamah, the daughter of Abul ‘Aas (his granddaughter) over his shoulder. He prayed, and when he wanted to bow, he put her down, and when he stood up, he lifted her up.”
Al-Kassaani 
said when explaining this Hadeeth: “The Prophet needed to hold the child because there may not have been anyone to look after her or he wanted to teach Muslims that this act does not nullify the prayer.”
Therefore, doing this act is lawful if there is a necessity to do so; otherwise, it is disliked.
We advise you to try your best to establish a prayer room or a mosque where you can pray and perform other religious rites.
You can do this with the help of other Muslim brothers in the area (if there are any).
Muslim narrated that the Prophet said: “He who calls to a given good practice of Islam, which is followed after him (by people), will be assured of a reward like those who followed it, without their rewards being diminished in any respect.”
Allah knows best.
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