Is puberty a prerequisite for the obligation and validity of Friday prayer?

General Chapter

Al-Mughni

Book of Friday Prayer

Book 4 · Issue 4 · Bab 1

Open in Qurani

Primary text

Puberty is a prerequisite for the obligation and validity of Friday prayer, which is the sound position in the Madhhab and the view of the majority of scholars. This is because it is a condition of legal responsibility, evidenced by the Hadith: 'The pen has been lifted from three: the child until he reaches puberty.'

Supporting text

Some scholars hold an alternative narration indicating that it is obligatory upon the discerning minor (*mumayyiz*), based on the premise of his accountability, but this view is not given weight.