himself—namely, these three: the minor, the insane person, and the incompetent person—then as soon as the cause requiring the legal interdiction ceases, the interdiction is lifted.

His statement, “A girl has an additional sign of puberty: menstruation,” means that a girl is a female. Thus, she has four signs of puberty: reaching the age of fifteen, the growth of coarse hair around the private parts, ejaculation, and menstruation.

The evidence for this is the Prophet’s ﷺ statement: “Allah does not accept the prayer of a menstruating woman unless she wears a head covering.” (1) What is meant by “a menstruating woman” is a woman who has begun menstruating, because a woman who is actually menstruating cannot pray, whereas the Messenger ﷺ said, “Allah does not accept the prayer of a menstruating woman unless she wears a head covering.”

His statement, “If she becomes pregnant, she is deemed to have reached puberty”: a girl may become pregnant before reaching the age of fifteen. The scholars have said that a girl of nine may become pregnant, and a boy of ten may father a child. Thus, if a girl of twelve, who has not yet developed pubic hair, marries and then gives birth, did she reach puberty through pregnancy, or is she deemed to have reached puberty by virtue of the pregnancy?

The scholars said: She is deemed to have reached puberty through pregnancy by necessary implication, because there can be no pregnancy without ejaculation; and if she ejaculates, she reaches puberty through that ejaculation. This is why the author said: