Prayer: Child vs. Adult

Both state the intention, both recite the verses, both bow and prostrate, and both face the Qibla. So what is the real difference between a child's prayer and an adult's prayer?

Few people know the main difference between a child's prayer and the prayer of an adult who is mature and of sound mind. A child between 7 and 12 years old performs the prayer in exactly the same way as someone who is 20 or older. Both state the intention, both recite the verses, both stand, bow, and prostrate, and both face the Qibla. In fact, in terms of recitation, many children today have memorized the meaning of every part of the prayer, while many adults still don't know what they are saying. So what is the real difference between a child's prayer and the prayer of a mature adult?

The difference lies in the knowledge of Tauhid. What is the knowledge of Tauhid? It is the knowledge of getting to know the One we worship, also known as Awaluddin Ma'rifatullah, which means "the beginning of religion is knowing Allah." Put simply, a child only knows the name of the God they worship, which is Allah. An adult, however, should not only know the name, but should truly know who Allah is.

So if we are adults and we only know how to perform ablution, the recitations, the movements, and the prayer times, but have never learned who it is we worship, meaning we have never studied Tauhid, then there is no denying that our prayer is not much different from a child's prayer.

Remember, the knowledge of Tauhid cannot yet be taught to children. That is why children are only taught ablution, the recitations, and the movements. But many of us pray all the way into old age carrying only that same knowledge, while the true essence of the prayer, which is Tauhid, is something we don't know and have never studied. How unfortunate that would be.

The knowledge of Tauhid belongs to the knowledge of Haqiqah. If you don't know what that is yet, please read the article about it on this website.

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