The age varies between all children. They must start praying and fasting when they reach the age of puberty (adolescence). This is why it varies because the age a child reaches puberty is different for all children.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Fasting is not obligatory for young children, until they reach the age
of adolescence, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “The pens have been lifted from three: from one who
has lost his mind until he comes back to his senses, from one who is
sleeping until he wakes up, and from a child until he reaches the age
of adolescence.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4399; classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
> Nevertheless, children should be told to fast so that they can get
used to it, and because the good deeds that they do will be recorded
for them.
> The age at which parents should start to teach their children to fast
is the age at which they are able to fast, which will vary according
to each child’s physical makeup. Some scholars have defined this as
being ten years of age.
Al-Kharqi said:
> When a child is ten years old and is able to fast, he should start to
do so.
Ibn Qudaamah said:
This means that he should be made to fast and told to do so. And he
should be smacked if he does not do it, so as to train him and make
him get used to it, just as he should be made to pray and told to do
it. Among those who were of the view that a child should be told to
fast when he becomes able to do it were ‘Ata’, al-Hasan, Ibn Sireen,
al-Zuhri, Qataadah and al-Shaafa’i.
Al-Awzaa’i said: If he is able to fast for three consecutive days
without interruption and without becoming weak, then he should be made
to fast Ramadaan. Ishaaq said: When (a child) reaches the age of
twelve I think that he should be made to fast so that he gets used to
it.
The age of ten is more likely, because the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined smacking children for not
praying at this age, and regarding fasting as being like prayer is
better, because they are close to one another, and because they are
both physical actions that are pillars of Islam. But fasting is
harder, so attention should be paid to when the child becomes able for
it, because some may be able to pray who are not yet able to fast. End
quote.
Al-Mughni, 4/412
This is what the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) did with their children; they would tell those who
were able to fast to do so, and if one of them wept because of hunger,
they would give him a toy to distract him, but it is not permissible
to force them to fast if it will harm them in cases of physical
weakness or sickness.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:
> A young child should not be forced to fast until he has reached the
age of adolescence, but he may be told to fast if he is able to do it,
so that he may get used to it and it will be easier for him after he
reaches puberty. The Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) – who
are the best of this ummah – used to make their children fast when
they were young. End quote.
Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 19/28, 29
And the Shaykh (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked:
My young son insists on fasting Ramadaan even though fasting is
harmful for him because he is so young and his health is not good.
Should I use force with him to make him break his fast?
He replied:
If he is young and has not yet reached puberty, he is not obliged to
fast, but if he is able to do it without hardship, then he should be
told to do so. The Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) used to
make their children fast, and if the younger ones cried they would
give them toys to distract them. But if it is proven that it is
harmful to him, then he should be stopped from fasting. If Allaah has
forbidden us to give youngsters their wealth if there is the fear that
they may abuse it, then it is more appropriate that they be stopped
from doing something if there is the fear of physical harm. But that
should not be done by force, because that is not appropriate in
raising children. End quote.
Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 19/83
Secondly:
The parents can encourage their children to fast by giving them a gift
each day, or by exploiting the spirit of competition between them and
their peers or those who are younger than them. They can encourage
them to pray by taking them to pray in the mosques, especially if they
go out with their father and pray in different mosques each day. They
can also encourage them by rewarding them for that, whether that is by
praising them or by taking them out on trips sometimes, or buying
things that they like, etc.
Unfortunately some fathers and mothers fall far short in encouraging
their children, and there are even some who stop their children doing
these acts of worship. Some of these fathers and mothers think that
mercy and compassion mean not making their children fast or pray. This
is completely mistaken according to both the shar’i point of view and
educational wisdom.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on
him) said:
Allaah has enjoined fasting upon every Muslim who is accountable, able
to do it and not travelling. As for young children who have not yet
reached the age of puberty, fasting is not obligatory for them,
because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“The pen has been lifted from three” and he mentioned young children
until they reach puberty. But the child’s guardian must tell him to
fast if he reaches an age where he is able to do so, because that
comes under the heading of training him to implement the pillars of
Islam. We see some people leaving their children alone and not telling
them to pray or fast, but this is wrong, and he (the parent) will be
responsible for that before Allaah. They say that they do not make
their children fast out of kindness and compassion towards them, but
in fact the one who is truly kind and compassionate towards his child
is the one who trains him to acquire good characteristics and to do
righteous deeds, not the one who refrains from disciplining and
training him in a beneficial manner. End quote.
Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 19/19, 20
Thirdly:
The parents can fill their children’s time with reading Qur’aan and
memorizing a small portion each day, reading books that are suited to
their level, letting them listen to tapes which combine useful content
with fun, such as nasheeds, and bringing them video tapes that are
useful for them. The “al-Majd for Children” channel does all of this
things, and time can be set aside each day for children to watch it
and benefit from it.
We would like to express our appreciation for our sister’s concern
about her children’s upbringing. This indicates that there is still
goodness in Muslim families. But many people do not do well in
bringing out their children’s intellectual and physical potential, and
they become lazy and depend on others. They also do not care about
encouraging them to do acts of worship such as fasting and praying, so
many children grow up in this manner and their hearts are devoid of
worship after they grow older, and it becomes difficult for their
parents to direct them and advise them, whereas if they had paid
attention to this matter from the outset, they would not have ended up
regretting it in the end.
We ask Allaah to help us to raise our children well, to make them love
worship, and to help us to fulfil our duties towards them.
And Allaah knows best.
