When I Reached Seven Years Of Age
When I reached seven years of age my father commanded me with prayer, and I would learn a lot of supplications and memorise chapters from the noble Quran from my mother, and my mother would talk with me every night at bedtime and she would narrate to me stories of the prophets, and I would listen to these stories with enthusiasm and interest.
And I began going with my father to the mosque, and I stand in the children’s row behind the row of men, and when I reached ten years of age once he said to me: you have completed nine years now, and now you are a boy of ten years, and if you leave prayer I will hit you; because the messenger peace be upon him said: ((command your children with prayer when they are sons of seven years, and hit them regarding it when they are sons of ten years)).
And my father narrated to me stories of the children who preserved prayer in childhood, and there was nobility in old age.
I said: O my father! Surely you will not need to hit me and I will preserve the prayers, and l did like that, and I would prayer wherever I I was, when I would go to the market or be occupied in work and prayer would reach me in a place I would pray; because I would see people not embarrassed of eating when they were starved, and play when they wanted, then why should I be embarrassed of prayer? And indeed the prayer is an obligation, and indeed prayer is honour for the Muslim.
And once I went to a game and the hustle was intense, and Asr prayer reached me, and I had ablution, and I stood to pray, and the people began looking at me amazed, and I finished my prayer with tranquility and moderation and K returned to the game.
And when the game finished a man came to me and asked me my name and my father’s name, and he asked me about my age and I told him, then he praised my father well, and he supplicated for me with kindness, and he said: I have not seen a boy pray in the game, and many people leave prayer in this time, then I praised Allah and thanked my father.
And I do not leave prayer when I become a traveller, and I see many people praying in residence and leaving prayer in travel, and praying in health and not praying in sickness, knowing that prayer does not drop from anyone.
And I see many people not praying in moderation and tranquility and they hasten a lot, and I do not remember that I left a prayer in these four years, and when I sleep upon it or I forget it I pray it when I remember.
And I ask Allah the Most High for prosperity and continuity.
