Adolescence

It is a stage of development that is known for its problems, obstacles, and difficulties in a person’s life. It is not easy to determine the beginning and end of this stage, as it oscillates between childhood and adulthood. It is neither childhood nor adulthood. If this indicates anything, it indicates the difficulty of this stage and the extent of its accuracy and sensitivity. Because the teenager is in the meantime in a state of separation from the relationships that linked him to childhood life on the one hand, and his strong desires towards independence and adult life on the other hand, but it is neither completely one nor the other. Therefore, this stage involves a large part of perceptions and desires, some of which are linked to the boundaries of childhood, and another part of which is anchored in the world of youth.

Adolescence is the beginning stage of achieving quantitative and qualitative growth and maturity in the child, quickly and successively. Therefore, this stage requires special care. It is at this age that most educational, intellectual, and behavioral problems emerge, and children either get lost or are on the right path toward perfection and advancement.

Adolescence and puberty

Adolescence cannot be limited to specific years; because it varies according to people and societies. Its beginning can be determined in general; As it coincides with sexual puberty, however, according to the differences in cultural and climatic conditions from one society to another, it is impossible to determine a single beginning and end for this stage in all societies. Also, there is a difference between

Scholars have focused on the relationship between adolescence and adulthood. Some describe adolescence and adulthood in one sense, and use them as synonyms. Others consider puberty broader and more general than adolescence and believe that it includes the stage of youth - as well. Thus, for him, adolescence includes a limited area of the broad circle of adulthood. They believe that full puberty occurs during youth. In either case, puberty should be considered; As a stage that includes a section of two stages; Because it includes the last years of childhood and the first years of adolescence, until they reach sexual maturity, children are called (young adults), and after they reach sexual maturity, they are called (adolescent) or (emerging young man).

It should also be noted that puberty is a phenomenon with different dimensions. We have sexual puberty at this stage when the person is able to exercise sexual functions, or is able to reproduce. As for psychological maturity, or what is expressed as psychological maturity, it is what gives a person the ability to diagnose issues and distinguish what benefits him and what harms him in life. At this stage, the person is able to assume his social responsibilities and duties. As for economic and social maturity, it is when a person becomes able to become independent and self-reliant economically. Finally, we have legal puberty, which is determined by jurisprudence at the age of 15 lunar years for males, and other signs mentioned in their place, such as germination and wet dreams, and this may be achieved before 15 years, and 9 lunar years for females.

Hence, in order to avoid ambiguity, the teenage years were limited to between the ages of 13 and 18 years. It is worth noting that some have suggested that this stage can extend to the age of 22 years. Taking into account that girls usually enter puberty one to two years earlier than boys, therefore they pass this stage earlier than boys. Accordingly, the teenage years for them can be limited to between the ages of 11 and 16 years. Taking into account that puberty sometimes begins early, and at other times it can be delayed, and this condition is called early puberty and late puberty.

 Religious education in adolescence

Education is undertaking the growth of something, stage after stage, until it reaches its full growth and perfection. Only sound religious education can save the teenager from the indifference, loss, and confusion imposed by adolescence, provide a clear philosophy for his life, satisfactory answers to his basic questions, and guide him on how to meet his emotional needs in the correct and legitimate ways. Under this education, he finds his original position in the world of creation, learns about his true personality and cherishes it, and is not subject to the humiliation of sins and transgressions.

In addition, achieving religious faith helps the teenager reach spiritual tranquility, which is one of the needs and necessities of this stage, and alleviates his disturbances.

The basis of the religious and moral education of adolescents lies with the family. The family must take care to establish the correct beliefs in the mind of the teenager before he is filled with deviant and false beliefs.