A what age do think we reach the age of responsibility i.e adulthood

[Jane]

OOps, sorry about the typo, should be:

"AT what age do YOU think we reach the age of responsibility i.e. adulthood"

(If mods could edit the poll title to correct it I would be grateful.)



The poll is inspired by the thread started by Wakas:

http://free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=9606638.0

[muslims]

IMO our life is full of responsibility, and it always there, every seconds. . . . according to our sense perceptions, and performance of our duty.

                     And We did not create the heaven and the earth
                     and that between them aimlessly
                     38.27

                     Allah does not obligate anyone beyond his capacity. (2.286)

Therefore, Allah do obligate on what's within our capacity.

and the real issue, at what age each of us realizes about right and wrong ? and to what extent ?

[roshan_m]

Peace,

I agree with muslims that it is very subjective and individual criteria, and this is why, I believe, it was not specified in Quran. It depends on the individuals psychological, physical and mental development but also on the society in which one lives. For example few centuries ago women in Europe got married at much earlier age (14-18). In my parents generation it was very common to get married at age 20-22. Nowadays, women is considered as 'married young' when she gets married before say age of 26, the time of completing her higher education, doing career etc. Obviously, I would say for men the age of responsibility was usually few years higher.

on the other hand, in very conservative countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan, women from poor backgrounds get married at very young age (16-18) and those from a urban, rich backgrounds at age 21.
It is all a very subjective thing

[huruf]

I think also that it is socially conditionned. That is, any society can actually make higher or lower such age not from a legal point of view but factually.

If we were thinking about the age of maturity of anybody at any time as the lowest possible, I think we would have to specify to what effect, if it is to deal with practical sides of life, like money transactions, work and business, froma sexual point of view, from the point of view of reproduction, etc.

I think most settings of that age are conventional and each has its own traps and do not respond to the individual but to the average, that is, it may work for some people but not necessarily for all and in all aspects.

Today I am afraid, there is a lot of weight put on the rights fo the younger persons but not enough on their duties, which is wrong, rights and duties must go parallel, be balanced. That creates plenty of problems.

Also there is the contradiction between setting high ages for marriage, while setting ery low ages for sexual consent.

Salaam

[Wakas]

see here:
http://misconceptions-about-islam.com/muhammad-married-young-girl.htm

Thus, the two conditions for giving the wealth to the orphans are:
 1- The reaching of marriageable age / sexual maturity.
 2- The proving of sound judgement / capability in managing one's affairs.

[Existential1]

I would consider anyone who sincerely wants to be held accountable for their actions as an adult.  In my family, that's about 10yrs old.  At that point, we call our sons/daughters young men/young women.  Psychologically speaking, development isn't (complete) until mid-20's, but that's late-enough to have already been conscripted to military service, start a family, and graduate college. 

To any minority in US, commit a crime as a 16yr old and chances are you're being charged as an adult(I have a few family members who this happened to) even though legal "adulthood" is at 18.  To many people, the concept is very fluid.  It changes depending on the subjects of reference (the person and what action you're referring to).  To me, it is not fluid.  If you are biologically capable of having children of your own(or at an age where it is common to be able to but had some traumatic experience) then you are an adult and have to be accountable for your actions, like having children.

[Jane]

I have been wondering this lately as I always thought of 30 as being the age that I was going to have to grow up by and now that I am there it still does not seem to be happening  .

I think it is important for a society to decide on a number, rather than leave it to the individuals. Even though the Quran does not give a number I think society should set it somewhere. Otherwise there will be chaos; like what Existential1 says - teenagers are being charged for crimes like adults yet at the same time they are denied an 'adult' wage or the 'adult right' to vote for maybe years later. Not fair.

But I think perhaps it should be staggered. I am uncomfortable with the current idea in Britain now that a lot of the rules for 16 year olds and 21 year olds have been removed and everyone is focusing on 18 as the 'golden age' for adulthood when really teenagers are idiots in my experience (me included lol). One day you are a 'child' and then suddenly on your 18th birthday you are an 'adult' and can do a lot of things that would have been illegal 24 hours ago .

Also the idea that it is the same for both genders as girls seem to mature faster than boys but really, teenagers shouldn't have full responsibilities for themselves I think, they still need looking after. I don't think I would want any of my children to get married or leave home until they were at least 21. I left home when I was 17 and although fun at first it was a disaster in the long-run.

I agree with huruf perhaps the age of consent should be the same age as for marriage like it is in Saudi Arabia I believe.

[good logic]

Peace Jane.

You said quote: Even though the Quran does not give a number I think society should set it somewhere.

We meed to ask the questions,why does Qoran give the following number? Why 40? and not another number?What does " balagha ashouddaho" mean?

46:15
We enjoined the human being to honor his parents. His mother bore him arduously, gave birth to him arduously, and took intimate care of him for thirty months. When he reaches maturity, and reaches the age of forty,* he should say, "My Lord, direct me to appreciate the blessings You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and to do the righteous works that please You. Let my children be righteous as well. I have repented to You; I am a submitter."
وَوَصَّينَا الإِنسٰنَ بِوٰلِدَيهِ إِحسٰنًا حَمَلَتهُ أُمُّهُ كُرهًا وَوَضَعَتهُ كُرهًا وَحَملُهُ وَفِصٰلُهُ ثَلٰثونَ شَهرًا حَتّىٰ إِذا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَبَلَغَ أَربَعينَ سَنَةً قالَ رَبِّ أَوزِعنى أَن أَشكُرَ نِعمَتَكَ الَّتى أَنعَمتَ عَلَىَّ وَعَلىٰ وٰلِدَىَّ وَأَن أَعمَلَ صٰلِحًا تَرضىٰهُ وَأَصلِح لى فى ذُرِّيَّتى إِنّى تُبتُ إِلَيكَ وَإِنّى مِنَ المُسلِمينَ


GOD bless you.
Peace.

[TheNabi]

My G. Grandmother got married when she was 14, but it seems that the quran is more along the lines of responsibility, you know like a regular adult thing, pay your bills, work, etc. There are some contradictory things in society itself about adulthood, age of consent and the like. In America we can send people who're 18 to kill other people, fight wars, vote, but they can't drink alcohol until they are 21. Also, if an 18 year old has sex with a 17 year old or 16 year old, it's statutory rape. Although I think the youngest age is probably 16, in one state, for allowable sexual consent. In our constitution, in the 1st Amendment it states, "No person shall be a representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty five years..." [Section 2] and "No person shall be a senator who shall not have attained to the age of 30 years..." [Section 3]

Joe