Stages of Human Growth

Adopted from the book : "A Glance at the World of Youth" by : "Al-Balagh Foundation"

"It is He Who has created you from dust, then from a sperm drop, then from a leech like clot: Then does He get you out (into the Light) as a child; then lets you (grow and) reach your age of full strength; then lets you become old, though of you there are some who die before; and lets you reach a term appointed; in order that you may learn wisdom". Holy Qur'an (The Believer 40:67) "What is the matter with you; that you place not your hope for kindness and long suffering in Allah. Seeing that it is He that has created you in diverse stages?"

Holy Qur'an (Noah 71:13-14) That is how the Creator of this complicated world started the Creation of human beings, and by the power of its Creator, the first step of life started from earth where it goes through some stages, from formation to the growing of the body, soul and mind. Surely Allah's greatness is manifested in the above mentioned verse, through the creation of human beings from the soil of the earth. The emergence of the body through its complicated and active parts, is manifested by its psychological formation, and its creative and emotional fields in the form of love and hatred, content and discontent, desire and anger, fear, sorrow and happiness.

Likewise, it is manifested through its mental or intellectual formation, by means of sensation and abstract perceptions with imagination and the power of comtemplation and the reflecting on the unseen and unknown things, and also its power of discovery, preparation and plans. Surely, it is Allah's greatness that is manifested in the creation of man, as mentioned in the above Qur'anic verse, so as to show the three stages of his life which are:

1. Childhood Stage
2. Puberty Stage
3. Maturity Stage

The medical scientists and psychologists have conducted scientific researches on the human formation related to the stage of childhood and its peculiarities, as they studied the second stage in its three stages: youth, adulthood, elderliness. In Islamic messages to human beings one can see some distinction in its mode of education, guidance and dealings between the human beings in those stages. This way exposes the scientific view and substantial personification of the human's soul, intellect and body formation and establishing good treatment on this foundation.

In this discussion we address the youth stage for its importance in human life, because of it being the stage of power, activity and ability to perform things, and also because of being the stage surrounded with dangers and psychological, emotional and instinctual dilemmas. Thus, the bodily, intellectual and psychological abilities of youths looks like any free ability in this universe, such as nuclear energy and water energy, which can be directed towards serving man and the welfare of mankind, likewise, it can also be changed to the power of destruction, problems, the sufferings against individuals and society.