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Youth development stages

Learning materials · English

Original Pilarit reading materials on adolescence, personal etiquette and religious responsibilities.

Reading extracts and five original PDF resources from the Pilarit collection. The excerpts below reproduce the source material; the documents include religious teaching about adolescence and responsibility.

Youth development stages

Adolescence: Turmoil or Transition?

The stage of adolescence is often seen as a time of turmoil and distress for both the teenagers and their parents. Parents worry about what kind of friends their teen will have, whether or not they will do well in school and decide to pursue their education further, and how much "control" they will have over their teen's decisions. Greater fears include problems with drugs or alcohol, trouble with the legal system, premarital relationships, and suicide. In addition to all of these issues, Muslim parents would be concerned about whether or not their adolescent will wear the hijab, perform salah correctly and on time, fast during the month of Ramadhan, avoid contact with members of the opposite gender, respect his/her parents and other adults. Dealing with all of these worries can be less stressful if a parent knows what to expect as their child enters this phase of development.

The full “Adolescence: Turmoil or Transition?” article was not available from the original link.

Making use of Our Youth-Advice to the Youth

My dear Slaves of Allaah, if Allah gives us 60 years to live then it comes to around 22,000 days (60x365). All these days Allah gives us to prepare for one day of interview with Allah. That is on the Day of Judgement. On that day, Allah will ask us some questions and He wants some correct answers. Allah is so merciful that He already told us what the questions will be through Quran and Ahadith. His mercy is so great that He even told us the answers to these questions.

Personal Etiquette and Cleanliness

Muslims throughout the world have extremely high standards of personal hygiene, because Islam places great emphasis on both physical and spiritual cleanliness and purification. While humankind in general usually considers cleanliness to be a pleasing attribute, Islam insists on it. Muslims are required to take care of their personal hygiene by ensuring that they are well groomed, and that their bodies, clothing and surroundings are clean. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) informed his companions, and thus all of us, about the importance of cleanliness when he said, “cleanliness is half of faith.” (Saheeh Muslim)
The Quran is more specific and says, “Truly, Allah loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves.” (Quran 2:222)

The Rulings of Puberty for Girls

  • WHAT IS PUBERTY?
  • According to Islam
  • Puberty is the point whereby a girl has had her first period and by which the girl becomes accountable to Allah for her actions.
  • According to Science
  • The process of physical changes by which a child's body matures into an adult body capable of sexual reproduction to enable fertilization.

The Rulings of Puberty for Boys

  • Obligations upon reaching puberty
  • Considered to be a man from the Shari’ah perspective, hence, responsible for what is in his charge and what he is capable of.
  • Required to perform all of the required (fardh) actions in Islam (prayer, fasting, zakat, hajj).
  • Men are no longer permitted to be around non-mahram womenwithout a “mahram” and without their intimate parts (awrah) being covered.
Islam sets rules and boundaries for men and women to ensure healthy relationships that results in happier families and hence happier and healthier societies.
While there are many different resources on puberty, parents should always be the number one resource for any teenager.

Although puberty maybe a roller-coaster of emotions to teenagers, they should remember that they are capable of controlling themselves and emotions if they set their minds to do so.
Gender relations: Relations between men and women according to Islamic Fiqh.
What is not permitted in Islam?
What is ritual impurity?