Subject: [Masjid Tucson] Submission weekly reminder

In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Peace be upon you,

What is the age of responsibility? If a child dies at the age of 12, without even hearing about God, does this child go to Heaven or Hell? What if the child is 15 years old, or 21, or 25? At what age will the human being be held responsible for his or her beliefs? This question has puzzled researchers of all religions for a long time.

The Quran sets the age of responsibility at 40; anyone who dies before this age goes to Heaven (46:15).

     40: The Age of Decision*
[Quran 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."

*46:15 God knows full well who deserves to go to Heaven and who deserves to go to Hell. It is His law that whomever He puts to death before the age of 40 shall go to Heaven. God's immense mercy is reflected in the fact that most people have difficulty accepting this divine mercy; they argue: "Put them in Hell!" See Appendix 32.


For more information including answers to questions like, "What if the person was really wicked?" or "Does a person who dies under 40 go to High or Low Heaven?", please see: The Crucial Age of 40 at http://www.masjidtucson.org/quran/appendices/appendix32.html

References:
Introduction, http://www.masjidtucson.org/quran/appendices/introduction.html
Age of Responsibility & Righteous Behavior, http://www.masjidtucson.org/submission/faq/ageof40.html


Peace.