Is the Hadith of carrying a child whilst praying abrogated?

This is incorrect; the sound opinion is that this Hadith has not been abrogated.

I am aware of the post that the question is referring too. In it the author references Imam Ibn Abideen’s Radd al Muhtar. However, the Imam is very clear on this issue in Radd al-Muhtaar, the Hadith is not abrogated. He comments on Imam al-Haskafi saying it is abrogated and clearly disagrees. The author of the post may have referred to this book in order to reference Imam al-Haskafi and not specifically Ibn Abideen.

وَحَمْلُ الطِّفْلِ، وَمَا وَرَدَ نُسِخَ بِحَدِيثِ «إنَّ فِي الصَّلَاةِ لَشُغْلًا»

مَا ذَكَرَهُ الشَّارِحُ أَنَّهُ مَنْسُوخٌ بِمَا ذَكَرَهُ مِنْ الْحَدِيثِ، وَهُوَ مَرْدُودٌ بِأَنَّ حَدِيثَ «إنَّ فِي الصَّلَاةِ لَشُغْلًا» كَانَ قَبْلَ الْهِجْرَةِ، وَقِصَّةُ أُمَامَةَ بَعْدَهَا (رد المحتار على الدر المختار)

And carrying a child (is Makruh), and that which has been narrated is abrogated by the Hadith, ‘Indeed Salah occupies a person.’

(Ibn Abideen) and what the commentator (Imam al-Haskafi) said, ‘it is abrogated,’ due to the Hadith he mentioned, is rejected. Due to the fact that the Hadith ‘Indeed Salah occupies a person,’ was before the Hijrah and the narration of (Sayidah) Umamah was after it. (Radd al-Muhtaar).

So although there is an opinion in the Madhab saying the Hadith is abrogated, it is not the strongest opinion. The strongest opinion is clearly that of Imam Ibn Abideen, which is why major Imams of the Madhab have cited the Hadith when speaking about the issue of carrying a child and used it as evidence. Has the Hadith been abrogated then they would not use it as evidence.

قَالَ: (وَإِذَا صَلَّتْ الْمَرْأَةُ وَهِيَ حَامِلَةٌ ابْنَتَهَا أَجْزَأَهَا) لِمَا رُوِيَ «أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – كَانَ يُصَلِّي فِي بَيْتِهِ وَأُمَامَةُ بِنْتُ أَبِي الْعَاصِ يَحْمِلُهَا عَلَى عَاتِقِهِ، فَكَانَ إذَا سَجَدَ وَضَعَهَا، وَإِذَا قَامَ رَفَعَهَا» قَالَ: (وَهِيَ مُسِيئَةٌ فِي ذَلِكَ) لِأَنَّهَا شَغَلَتْ نَفْسَهَا بِمَا لَيْسَ مِنْ أَعْمَالِ صَلَاتِهَا

He said, and if a woman prays carrying her daughter then it is valid. Due to what was narrated regarding the Prophet ﷺ praying in his house whilst carrying (Sayidah) Umamah  bint Abi al-Aas on his ﷺ shoulder, when he ﷺ would make Sajdah then he ﷺ would put her down and when he ﷺ stood, he would pick her up. Although it is blameworthy for her to do that (pray carrying her child) because she has busied herself with something that is not from the actions of Salah. (Imam al-Sarakhsi, al -Mabsoot).

وَكَذَا لَوْ ادَّهَنَ أَوْ سَرَّحَ رَأْسَهُ أَوْ حَمَلَتْ امْرَأَةٌ صَبِيَّهَا وَأَرْضَعَتْهُ لِوُجُودِ حَدِّ الْعَمَلِ الْكَثِيرِ عَلَى الْعِبَارَتَيْنِ، فَأَمَّا حَمْلُ الصَّبِيِّ بِدُونِ الْإِرْضَاعِ فَلَا يُوجِبُ فَسَادَ الصَّلَاةِ لِمَا رُوِيَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – «كَانَ يُصَلِّي فِي بَيْتِهِ وَقَدْ حَمَلَ أُمَامَةَ بِنْتَ أَبِي الْعَاصِ

(Likewise) the prayer is invalid if he puts oil on his hair or combs it, or a woman carries her child and breastfeeds it, due to excessive movement being present based on both opinions. As for carrying a child without breastfeeding it, then it does not necessitate the invalidation of the prayer. Due to what was narrated regarding the Prophet ﷺ praying in his house whilst carrying (Sayidah) Umamah bint Abi al-Aas. (Imam al-Kaasani, Badai).

The same Hadith has been mentioned in other discussions too, sometimes as an evidence against a Hanafi opinion. The response was not to claim abrogation. Consider the following discussion in Fath al-Qadeer, Imam Ibn Humaam responds to this Hadith being used in Qiyaas (legal analogy) to oppose the Hanafi opinion that carrying a copy of the Holy Quran in prayer is not permitted. Note that Imam Ibn Humaam did not respond by saying the Hadith is abrogated, rather he explained how the legal analogy (Qiyas) was not correct. Had the Hadith been abrogated then no doubt it would be the more correct response.

«لِأَنَّهُ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – صَلَّى حَامِلًا أُمَامَةَ بِنْتَ أَبِي الْعَاصِ عَلَى عَاتِقِهِ فَإِذَا سَجَدَ وَضَعَهَا. وَإِذَا قَامَ حَمَلَهَا» فَإِنَّ هَذِهِ الْوَاقِعَةَ لَيْسَ فِيهَا تَلَقُّنٌ

Because he (the Prophet) ﷺ prayed whilst carrying (Sayidah) Umamah  bint Abi al-Aas on his ﷺ shoulder, when he ﷺ would make Sajdah then he ﷺ would put her down and when he ﷺ stood, he would pick her up. (Imam Ibn Humaam commented) there is no dictation in this incident.

Therefore, it is quite clear that major Imams of the Hanafi Madhab did not consider the Hadith to be abrogated, since they have referenced the Hadith as evidence. As for Imam Ibn Abideen he explicitly stated that it is not abrogated and disagreed with Imam al-Haskafi regarding the issue.

And Allah (Most High) Knows best.

– Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen (06.04.2021)

See also:

What is Imam Sarakhsi’s opinion on praying whilst carrying a child?

Can you carry a child whilst in Salah?

Does excessive movement carrying a child invalidate the Salah?

Did the Prophet ﷺ carry a child whilst praying?

See also (video):