seven years old. And because Abu Hanifa said: "He must avoid what the muhrim (one in the state of ihram) avoids." And whoever avoids what the muhrim avoids, his ihram is valid. A vow (nadhr) does not necessitate anything by itself, unlike our issue.
The discussion regarding the Hajj of a young child is in four sections: regarding the ihram on his behalf, or by him; regarding what he performs himself, or by someone else; regarding the ruling on his offenses against his ihram; and regarding what is required of him in terms of makeup (qada') and expiation (kaffara).
The First Section: Regarding Ihram. If he is of discernment (mumayyiz), he enters into the state of ihram with the permission of his guardian. If he enters into the state of ihram without his permission, it is not valid; because this is a contract that leads to the obligation of wealth, so it does not take effect from the child himself, like a sale. If he is not of discernment, and the one who has guardianship over his property, such as the father, the executor (wasi), or the judge's appointee, enters into the state of ihram on his behalf, it is valid. The meaning of his entering into the state of ihram on his behalf is that he contracts the ihram for him, so it becomes valid for the child, not the guardian, just as he contracts a marriage for him. Based on this, it is valid to contract the ihram for him, whether he (the guardian) is in the state of ihram or is currently halal (not in ihram), whether he is someone upon whom the Hajj of Islam is obligatory, or whether he has already performed the Hajj on his own behalf. If his mother enters into the state of ihram on his behalf, it is valid; because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "And you have a reward." The reward is not attributed to her except by virtue of him being a dependent on her in the ihram. Imam Ahmad said, in a narration by Hanbal: His father or his guardian enters into the state of ihram on his behalf. Ibn Aqil chose this, and said: The wealth that becomes mandatory due to the ihram does not become mandatory for the child, rather it becomes mandatory for the one who introduced him into the ihram, in one of the two opinions. Al-Qadi said: The apparent meaning of Ahmad's words is that no one enters into the state of ihram on his behalf except his guardian; because the mother has no guardianship over his property, and the ihram
= As it was also narrated by al-Tirmidhi, in: The chapter on what has been reported regarding the Hajj of young children, from the books of Hajj. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 4/155. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 3/449. (3) In the original, (A), (B): "yajanibu" (he avoids). (4) In (M) an addition: "'anhu" (on his behalf). (5) In (A) an addition: "ihramuhu" (his ihram). (6) In the original, (A): "abawahu" (his parents).
