Mother Not Instructing Eleven Year Old Daughter to Pray-Whose Responsibility?
Question

                My sister does not pray. She is eleven years old and I have repeatedly spoken to my mother about encouraging her to pray, but my mother says: You have nothing to do with her; she has a Lord who will call her to account. But the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Teach them (to pray) when they are seven years old and smack them (if they do not pray) when they are ten.” My question now is: Is there anything I should do with regard to this matter?
Praise be to Allah.
      Firstly: 

    We ask Allah to record for you the reward of paying attention 
    to your sister and your keenness for her to pray regularly. And we ask 
    Allah, may He be exalted, to guide your mother to undertake the duty of 
    calling her daughter to do good, and to raise her properly. If the daughter 
    refuses to pray, the mother should smack her (lightly) as a form of discipline, so as 
    to save her from following her whims and desires, and so as to raise her to 
    obey Allah, may He be exalted. And we ask Him to guide your sister and to 
    make it easy for her to adhere to His commands. 

    Secondly: 

    The text of the hadeeth mentioned in the question is:

    It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas (may 
    Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace 
    of Allah be upon him) said: “Instruct your children to pray when they are 
    seven years old, and smack them (lightly if they do not pray) when they are ten, and 
    separate them in their beds.”

    Narrated by Abu Dawood (495); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani 
    in Saheeh Abi Dawood. 

    The one to whom the command to teach the child is addressed 
    is not only the father and is not only the mother either; rather it is 
    addressed to everyone who is responsible for this child, but the father is 
    the first one to be addressed, because he is the “shepherd” of his 
    household, and he is the one who is responsible for his flock; the mother 
    shares this responsibility with him. 

    Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) 
    said: 

    It is obligatory for every person in authority to instruct 
    those over whom he has authority to pray, even the children who have not yet 
    reached puberty. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) 
    said: “Instruct your children to pray when they are seven years old, and 
    smack them (lightly  if they do not pray) when they are ten, and separate them in 
    their beds.” 

    Whoever has a slave who is a minor, an orphan or a child and 
    does not instruct him to pray, the adult may be given a severe disciplinary 
    punishment (ta‘zeer) if he does not instruct the minor (to pray), because he 
    has disobeyed Allah and His Messenger. The same applies to one who has adult 
    slaves, servants, a wife or slave women: he has to instruct all of them to 
    pray; if he does not do that, then he is disobeying Allah and His Messenger. 
    End quote. 

    Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 22/50, 51 

    And he (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    Rather guardians have to instruct children to pray when they 
    reach the age of seven, and smack them (lightly  if they do not pray) when they are 
    ten. 

    Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 28/360 

    Based on that, if your mother or father are present, they are 
    responsible for teaching your sister and smacking her (lightly) if she has reached the 
    age of ten (and is not praying). If your father is not present, and you have 
    an older brother, then the responsibility is shifted to him and your 
    mother. 

    For more information, please see the answer to question no.
    126208 

    Your mother should also pay attention to herself, lest she 
    bear the burden of sin for what she said. Allah, may He be glorified and 
    exalted, will not call your sister to account for not praying if she has not 
    reached the age of puberty, but the mother is accountable for not teaching 
    her daughter and not encouraging her to pray, and not smacking her (lightly)  if she does not pray. 

    Al-Maawardi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    Teaching that to them before they reach puberty makes them 
    get used to it and feel comfortable with it, but neglecting them and failing 
    to teach them causes obvious harm, as it makes them lazy when it (prayer) 
    becomes obligatory, and makes them feel reluctant to do it at the time when 
    it becomes obligatory. As for teaching it to them when they are younger than 
    seven, that is not obligatory; in most cases they do not learn properly what 
    is taught to them and they are not able to do what they are told. But when 
    they reach the age of seven, they are able to discern and learn properly 
    what they are taught. At that age it becomes obligatory for their parents to 
    teach them, but they do not have to smack them if they do not do it. When 
    they reach the age of ten, it becomes obligatory to smack them if they do 
    not pray, but the smack should not be painful or cause injury, and it should 
    be in places where there is no fear of causing injury. And when they reach 
    puberty, they are now regarded as accountable, so they should be reminded 
    and they have to purify themselves, pray and do all other obligatory duties. 
    End quote. 

    Al-Haawi al-Kabeer, 2/314 

    With regard to your role, it is to carry on advising and 
    guiding your sister, and encouraging her to pray in a kind and gentle 
    manner. 

    We ask Allah to guide her. 

    And Allah knows best.