and he included among them the insane person until he regains his sanity.
The second is puberty, marked in males by a nocturnal emission or by reaching the prescribed age. There is disagreement over this age: some say fifteen, others seventeen, and others eighteen. In females, puberty is marked by a nocturnal emission, menstruation, pregnancy, or likewise reaching that age. The evidence for this is Allah’s saying:
“When the children among you reach puberty, let them ask permission as those before them did.” [al-Nūr: 59]
And the Prophet’s saying, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: “The pen has been lifted from three,” among whom he mentioned the child until he experiences a nocturnal emission.
Section
Before puberty, a child may be in either of two states: one in which he does not understand the meaning of an act of devotion, and another in which he does. In the former state, he is like an animal or an insane person: he is neither obligated to worship nor encouraged to perform acts of obedience. In the latter state, there is disagreement over whether acts of obedience—such as prayer, fasting, making a bequest when death approaches, and similar acts—are recommended for him. Some hold that they are recommended for him. Others hold that none of these acts is recommended for him, and that it is his guardian who is instructed to teach and train him and who is rewarded for doing so. In my view, the correct position is that both are encouraged to do this and both are rewarded for it.
“When a woman took a child by his upper arms, lifted him from the litter towards the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and asked, ‘Does this child have a Hajj, O Messenger of Allah?’ he replied, ‘Yes, and you will have a reward.’”
This is clear.
The third is that the call of the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, has reached the person. The evidence for this is the saying of Allah, Mighty and Majestic:
“And We never punish until We have sent a messenger.” [al-Isrā’: 15]
And other verses to the same effect.
Section
On the Obligation to Reason from Evidence
Allah, Exalted is He, has directed His servants who are subject to religious accountability to take His created things as evidence of