Children in the mosque

Ive just come back from Eid prayer at the mosque. Its my 2nd Eid at this mosque although it should have been my third, I had only moved in the same month as Eid al-adha last year but didnt even know about the mosque that I call my own now. I have to say Im impressed with my mosque, especially after being to a few in UK now and seeing the sizes and accomadation for women there. Alhamdulillah I am very blessed to have this mosque so close to me. Anyways, I went for the prayer, I thought I had gotten there a little late but when I walked in the womens section was quite empty but then I had to remember that Eid al-fitr was on a saturday so with this being during the week it could make a difference to the turnout. The car park was also emptier than last Eid. As time went on it got a little fuller and of course more kids, now before I go further... I love kids, and I hope to have my own someday soon but since becoming muslim I have an idea of areas in my life that I want my kids to understand how to behave. Being at the mosque is one of them. When I was a kid I wouldnt dream of doing some of the things in church that these kids do in the mosque. Maybe because it is more of a running area without the fixed seating like in a church, but still the women seem to have no control. Also, why is it that all the small children are given to the mothers? do they not have the right to be able to pray in peace during this special time. The visit to the mosque for Eid prayer is sunnah for everyone I believe, on fridays I can sort of see the difference because men are supposed to pray in congregation, but this isnt friday prayer or any other of the 5 daily prayers for men.. this is a sunnah pray for men, women, child. I mean its even sunnah for women who have their menses to go... even if they cannot pray they are to gain so many rewards for still going there masha'allah. So why is it expected for the women to pay more attention to the kids rather than being able to sit and pray and make duaa on their own with no distractions.

When I was in UK, I visited a mosque in shepards bush I believe with my h2b and I was fuming when I cam out. There was an Eid party going on in the womens section (1 week after Eid al-fitr) I went in, didnt know the prayer times and asked the direction of the qiblah to a group of young girls.. they all just looked at me and shrugged their shoulders. The kids were running around screaming chasing each other, and this wasnt just 2 or 3 year olds.. Wallahi (I swear by Allah) that some must have been around 9 years old, but God knows best. In the end I got my compass out and prayed a little... then I was told that we had to tidy up because the time for prayer was nearly ending and that the men wanted to use the area for something or other. As soon as I heard that I couldnt help but feel disappointed, first everyone has sat around for at least 1 hour eating when they knew that the call to prayer had already started, and then they had to hurry up because the men wanted to use the room.. whats the deal with that?? they dont have enough room?? Well, I prayed with the sisters and left ASAP!!! Outside I told h2b when we have kids, God willing, they will be coming to the mosque with BOTH of us!!! to learn the proper manners while there. I told him about the kids in there and he was gobsmacked and agreed they shouldnt be like that. Insha'allah my kids will have a little bit more respect for their place of worship whether with me or their father.

Another issue I have with children in the mosque is this... first I have to explain that while in church you sit in rigid usually lovely wooden chairs on a hard floor the mosque is a carpeted floor usually with some sort of pattern like this. You take your shoes off before entering the room because, well think about it, one of the positions of the muslim prayer is sujood, or prostration, where your nose, forehead and hands are flat on the floor.... would you like to do that when someone had walked in that area wearing the shoes that they wear outside in the streets? I certainly wouldnt. Anyways, I was always taught that from when a child can walk they should be wearing proper shoes to help their feet grow which Im fine with. However why do so many people think that just because they are kids that they dont need to take off their shoes??? do they walk on the floor outside? yes? then take off their shoes!! no? then why are they wearing shoes??

And Ive just found this really cool link about the different positions of prayer