How Do I Know If I am Pubescent?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Question

I am a female who is facing confusion on the fiqh of puberty (bulugh) in the Hanafi school. What I am currently facing is that I keep on searching the Internet for random fatwas on the concept on bulugh and that I can’t properly be sure whether the opinion that I’m following on puberty is authentic. Please help.

Answer

I pray you are well. 

Bulugh, in the Hanafi school, occurs when a boy has a wet dream or when a girl has her first period. If they do not experience these by they time they reach 15 lunar years then they are considered to have reached puberty at this state. This is the dominant position in the Hanafi school. (Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al Muhtar)

Ask a Scholar – Not a Search Engine

It’s better for you to ask a scholar directly. Looking thing up on a search engine can easily lead to confusion. Allah has commanded us to ask those of learning: “Ask the people of the Remembrance if you do not know.” (Quran, 21:07)

This will prevent you from getting confused and anxious. It’s also a lot easier. May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.

[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History, he moved to Damascus in 2007, where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital. He was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.