Aslam

Praise be to Allah., the Lord of the Worlds, and

blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad and all his family and companions.

The Muslim has to perform the prayers at the appointed

times and it is not permissible to delay them for no reason, because Allaah

says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, Al-Salaat (the prayer) is enjoined on the

believers at fixed hours” [al-Nisaa’ 4:103], i.e. it is obligatory

at specific times, and should not be brought forward or delayed. The timing

is the most important condition of prayer: if a person is not able to fulfil

some of the conditions of the prayer, he should still pray as best as he

can, within the prescribed time, and he should not delay it. One of the

things that indicate the importance of the times of prayer in sharee’ah is

the fact that if a Muslim cannot find water, he should do tayammum

(“dry ablution” using earth or sand) and pray, even if he is sure that

he will find water after the time for that prayer has passed.

The fact that a child walks in front of his mother whilst

she is praying does not have any effect on the prayer and does not make it

invalid. It was reported that the Prophet

(peace and blessings of

Allaah be upon him) carried a small girl whilst he was praying, picking her

up when he stood up and putting her down when he prostrated (sujood). This

was reported by al-Bukhaari and Muslim from Abu Qutaadah al-Ansaari: “The

Messenger of Allaah

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to

pray whilst he was carrying Umaamah, the daughter of Zaynab bint

Rasool-Allaah

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). According to

the report of Abu’l-‘Aas ibn Rabee’ah ibn ‘Abd Shams, when he

prostrated he put her down, and when he stood up he picked her up.” (Narrated

by al-Bukhaari, no. 486, and Muslim, no. 844).

It was also reported that he

(peace and blessings of

Allaah be upon him) allowed a small boy to ride on his shoulders and he

still completed the prayer. This was reported by ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Shaddaad

from his father: “The Messenger of Allaah

(peace and blessings of

Allaah be upon him) came out to lead us in either Maghrib or ‘Ishaa’ one

night, and he was carrying Hasan or Husayn. The Messenger of Allaah

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came forward and put (the child)

down, then he said Takbeer and started to pray. During the prayer, he

prostrated and made his prostration long. My father said: ‘I raised my

head and I saw the child on the back of the Messenger of Allaah

(peace

and blessings of Allaah be upon him) whilst he was prostrating, so I

returned to my prostration.’ When the Messenger of Allaah

(peace and

blessings of Allaah be upon him) finished praying, the people said, ‘O

Messenger of Allaah, during your prayer you prostrated for so long that we

thought something had happened or that you were receiving Revelation.’ He

said, ‘Nothing at all happened, but my son was riding on my back and I did

not want to disturb him until he had had enough.’” (Narrated by

al-Nisaa’i, no. 1192; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani – may Allaah have

mercy on him – in Saheeh Sunan al-Nisaa’i, 1/246).

If you pick you child up and put him down whilst you are

praying, it will not do any harm. Keep offering your prayers at the

appointed times. May Allaah help us and you to do all that is good.