Puberty is a transitional period where your body goes from that of a child to an adult. Puberty also means reaching the stage of accountability for Muslim women, whereby you reach the mental level of understanding the orders and prohibitions of Islam.
People usually start going through puberty between ages 8 and 14. Puberty doesn’t happen all at once – it comes in stages and can take many years. You might have some signs of puberty at an early age, while other changes show up years later. Bodies are unique, so puberty is different for each person and everyone goes through puberty at their own pace.
What your body goes through during puberty
- You may get acne on your face and body.
- You start to sweat more, and you may have body odor (when your sweat smells bad). You may want to shower more and start using deodorant.
- Hair grows under your armpits.
- Hair grows around your genitals — this is called pubic hair.
- You may grow more hair on your arms and legs, and the hair may get darker.
- You may feel some pain in your arms and legs as you grow (“growing pains”)
- Your breasts develop and get bigger.
- Your hips get wider and your body may become more curvy.
- You start getting your period.
- Your labia may change color and grow bigger.
What determines a Muslima’s maturity?
Islamically speaking, there are specific signs to look out for in order to determine whether you have reached the age of maturity/ accountability:
- Menstruation
- Growth of pubic hair
- Reaching the age of fifteen years
- Some discharge caused by desire when awake or asleep.
