I say, and with God's success: Children, both boys and girls, are commanded to pray when they reach the age of seven, and they are to be struck for it at the age of ten with the hand, and it should not exceed three strikes with the hand; gently with them, and as a reprimand according to their capacity. The striking should be with the hand, not with a stick; because striking with a stick is for a wrongdoing committed by someone accountable, and there is no wrongdoing from a small child. This striking is obligatory; as reported by Sabr ibn al-Juhani, he said: "Teach the boy to pray at seven years old, and strike him for it at ten years old," in Sunan al-Tirmidhi 2: 259, and he said: it is good and authentic, and in Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah 2: 102, and in Al-Mustadrak 1: 389. And from Amr ibn Shu'ayb from his father from his grandfather, he said: "Command them to pray at seven years old, and strike them for it at ten years old, and separate them in their beds," in Sunan al-Bayhaqi al-Kabir 2: 229, and Sunan al-Daraqutni 1: 231, and Al-Mu'jam al-Awsat 4: 256, and Musnad Ahmad 2: 187, and Musnad al-Harith 1: 238, and there is some discussion about its chain as mentioned in Talqih al-Habir 1: 185, and Nasb al-Rayah 1: 298, and Kashf al-Khafa 2: 266. See: Hashiyat al-Tahawi p. 174, and Al-Maraqiy p. 173-174, and God knows best.