QUESTION:

At what age do boys and girls reach puberty in Islam? If boys or girls reach the age of 15 and there are no signs of puberty in them then are they classed as adults and baligh?

ANSWER:

The minimum age of puberty for boys is 12 and for girls is 9, before this age they are not considered baligh (adults), after this age whenever they show signs of puberty they will be considered baligh, and when both of them reach 15 they will be considered baligh regardless of whether or not any signs are visible. Majma-‘ul-Anhur says:

و عندهما إذا تم خمس عشرة سنة فيهما وهو رواية عن الإمام و به يفتي و ادني مدة له اثنتا عشرة سنة و لها تسع سنين

It also says in Radd-ul-Mukhtar:

بلغت بالسن أي خمس عشرة سنة لم تبلغ تسعا وهذا بيان أقل سن يمکن فيه بلوغ الأنثيٰ

And it says in  التحرير المختار علي ردالمحتار باب العدة :

و أقله تسع علي المختار

There is a difference of opinion regarding boys and girls at the age of 6, 7, or 8 but the strongest fatwa is that girls are not baligh before the age of 9, even if they experience female bleeding before this age, this bleeding will not be considered menstrual bleeding (haiz). Similarly a boy will not be baligh before the age of 12.

Allah تعالى is most knowing.
Answered by Mufti Shams ul Huda Misbahi
Translated by Mawlana Muhammad Rashid Madani

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