Council meeting: Agreed age for puberty is 15, says CII

Maulana Muhammad Khan Shirani observes that a girl reaches puberty at the age of 9 while boys reach puberty at 12.


Our Correspondent May 22, 2014
CII Chairman Maulana Muhammad Khan Shirani. PHOTO: PID

ISLAMABAD:


The Council of Islamic Ideology reiterated on Wednesday that early age is a relative term, while the age considered suitable for marriage is a biological issue for which puberty is a pre-condition.


Speaking on the second day of the CII meeting, Maulana Muhammad Khan Shirani observed that a girl reaches puberty at the age of nine while boys reach puberty at 12. Nonetheless, the agreed age for puberty is 15.


Regarding the Sindh Assembly’s resolution he said he would guide the lawmakers about the right path. The Sindh Assembly last month unanimously passed a law declaring marriage below the age of 18 years punishable by law and a violation of the rights of children.


Briefing the media at the CII headquarters, Maulana Shirani said that the council has put forward several amendments in the Muslim Family Ordinance 1961 and 1929 Act that deal with child marriage.


He clarified that the previous law of seeking permission for second marriage was contrary to the teachings of Islam and therefore such pre-conditions should be lifted.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22nd, 2014.

COMMENTS (50)

a | 9 years ago | Reply

Almost everyone here is confusing 'must' with 'should'. What Mawlana said is that the minimum age MUST be atleast 15 which agreed upon. However, the "should" parents or the boy/girl can decide when they "should" get married. It depends upon several factors including mental, financial, societal etc etc. Sindh Assembly's saying 18 is minimum age is lain wrong and arresting someone for that "crime" is oppressive

Mj | 9 years ago | Reply

@Ahmed: "Please read history. This was happening in the USA up untill the 19th century."

Child marriages were never the norm in the US with most marriages taking place at adolescence, around 15-20. There are occurrences of child marriages among European royalty and nobility and that practice was equally abhorrent.

"Do not comment without medical, historical or psychological reasons. I would love to hear one of each of these from you."

I think that you're the one who's disregarding the harmful effects of marriage during childhood, not me.

"The risk of maternal mortality is highest for adolescent girls under 15 years old and complications in pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death among adolescent girls in most developing countries." - WHO

"Girls younger than 15 are five times more likely to die during child birth or pregnancy than older women. Pregnancy-related deaths are the leading cause of mortality for girls aged 15 to 19 worldwide."

Historical reasons do not matter as we're living in 21st century. We don't need to follow the past behaviors of people who did not know any better. I recommend that you read this article.

http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/341/facts.html

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