Previously I started a blog entry on this and also read some interesting blogs of other people who shared their cute experiences with their own children. But then I thought that I have few more of them to share that I heard from others and some of my own experiences. Also wanted to know other people’s experiences on this matter, so they all can be collected in one place:
I was 6 years old when we first visited Saudia (Alhamdulillah). During prayers when I heard for the first time people saying “Ameen!” aloud, I also said it aloud. Immediately after salam my elder brother turned to me and asked, “Are you a Saudi ?!” I said,“No”. He said,“Then why did you say Ameen aloud ?” I was a bit confused. It was right because mostly I had observed Saudis saying it aloud and mostly people of our country saying it in a low tone. (Didn’t know about the different schools of thought at that time)
On my way back I kept thinking about the logic behind this distinction and about my brother’s question “Are you a Saudi ?”. Next day I was happy that I had finally sorted out the reason on my own. It was:
The Imam wants to have an idea of how many local people attend the Salah (of Fajr, Maghrib & Isha) in Masjid. So, when he says “Walad Dualeen!” it is kind of a general roll call asking “Who among you are Saudis ?”. And “Ameen!” means “Present Sir!” Hence due to the number of voices the Imam hears from his back, he judges the number of local people attending/ are present in that particular prayer.
It was really embarrassing when I came to know of the real reason. 