Rejecting the Indicator of Age for Girls’ Puberty with Emphasis on the Examination of Theological Foundations of Ijtihad

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Associate Professor of Islamic Science and Culture Research Institute

10.22081/jf.2025.70536.2870

Abstract

Most Imamiya jurists have considered the age of nine as a legal indicator (amārah) of puberty for girls, although today the majority of nine-year-old girls are not physically or psychologically mature. Some have suggested the age of thirteen as such an indicator, which also requires validation through reliable evidence. This article does not aim to determine the correct age of puberty but rather seeks to answer this question: Given the significant impact of various factors such as genetics, geography, nutrition, and physical and psychological traits on the age of puberty, and considering the wide variation in the age of puberty among girls, can “age” (whether nine or otherwise) fundamentally be regarded as a fixed indicator established by the Shari‘ah for determining puberty? Or is there a fundamental theological problem in assigning a mutable factor like age as a permanent legal standard? The article argues that age (whether nine or otherwise) cannot be considered a fixed legal indicator for puberty designated by the Lawgiver. Accordingly, the age mentioned in hadiths regarding the puberty of girls was not issued with the intent of conveying a binding legal ruling, but rather reflects non-legislative contexts of the infallibles. Therefore, it cannot be considered a permanent legal standard.

Keywords

Main Subjects


* The Holy Quran
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