بلوغ
Bulūgh
Topic
The point at which a Muslim becomes accountable for religious duties, at puberty.
What it means
Jurists hold that responsibility begins with puberty, shown by physical signs, or by a fixed age where there are none, which differs by school, most often fifteen lunar years. The Quran uses the idea of reaching maturity in 4:6 for managing one’s own property, and 46:15 speaks of a person reaching full strength and forty years.
What the sources say
Before puberty a child is not held to prayer or fasting, though he is taught them. Mature judgement is also a condition: the Quran tells guardians to test orphans and return their property to them when they show sound judgement (4:6).