What are the signs by which puberty and legal responsibility are known?
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Question:
If a young man reaches the age of fifteen and the signs of puberty have not appeared in him, is he considered an adult?
Answer:
Puberty occurs in a man through one of three things: completing fifteen years of age; based on the hadith of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) in "the two Sahihs": that when Ibn 'Umar completed fifteen years, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) permitted him to participate in jihad, and did not permit him before that. He said: "So he permitted me," and in another narration: "and he saw that I had reached puberty." This indicates that when one completes fifteen years, he becomes one of the men who are legally responsible.
The second sign is hair: if coarse hair grows around the private parts, which is called the shi'rah and the 'anah, he becomes an adult; because when the Banu Qurayzah submitted to the judgment of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), he killed those who had grown hair, and did not kill those who had not grown hair, counting them among the boys.
The third is emission: if semen is emitted through wet dreams or through desire, even without a wet dream, he becomes legally responsible, as the Exalted said: [Surat al-Nur: 59]. So when one reaches the age of emission, meaning he emits semen in sleep, or semen is emitted from him upon thinking, he becomes legally responsible by that.
These are three signs for a man, and the woman is like him. The woman also, if these three things occur in her, she becomes legally responsible. The prayers, fasting, and Hajj become obligatory upon her if she is able, and likewise if he is able.
As for zakah, it becomes obligatory upon wealth, even if the person has not reached puberty. Zakah becomes obligatory in wealth according to the majority of scholars, even if the owner of the wealth has not reached puberty.
The fourth sign in the case of a woman is menstruation: if a woman menstruates, she becomes an adult. This is specific to the woman. The fourth sign is menstruation, so if she menstruates, she becomes among those who are legally responsible for prayer and other things.
If a young man reaches the age of fifteen and the signs of puberty have not appeared in him, is he considered an adult?
Answer:
Puberty occurs in a man through one of three things: completing fifteen years of age; based on the hadith of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) in "the two Sahihs": that when Ibn 'Umar completed fifteen years, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) permitted him to participate in jihad, and did not permit him before that. He said: "So he permitted me," and in another narration: "and he saw that I had reached puberty." This indicates that when one completes fifteen years, he becomes one of the men who are legally responsible.
The second sign is hair: if coarse hair grows around the private parts, which is called the shi'rah and the 'anah, he becomes an adult; because when the Banu Qurayzah submitted to the judgment of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), he killed those who had grown hair, and did not kill those who had not grown hair, counting them among the boys.
The third is emission: if semen is emitted through wet dreams or through desire, even without a wet dream, he becomes legally responsible, as the Exalted said:
And when the children among you reach puberty, let them ask permission
وَإِذَا بَلَغَ الْأَطْفَالُ مِنْكُمُ الْحُلُمَ فَلْيَسْتَأْذِنُواThese are three signs for a man, and the woman is like him. The woman also, if these three things occur in her, she becomes legally responsible. The prayers, fasting, and Hajj become obligatory upon her if she is able, and likewise if he is able.
As for zakah, it becomes obligatory upon wealth, even if the person has not reached puberty. Zakah becomes obligatory in wealth according to the majority of scholars, even if the owner of the wealth has not reached puberty.
The fourth sign in the case of a woman is menstruation: if a woman menstruates, she becomes an adult. This is specific to the woman. The fourth sign is menstruation, so if she menstruates, she becomes among those who are legally responsible for prayer and other things.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.