Puberty in Islam for Girls: A Guide to Bulugh and Periods (Hanafi)
What changes when a Muslim girl reaches bulugh, explained calmly, step by step, for girls and their mothers.
Updated 4 November 2026
15 pagesGuide
A4 & US Letterprint at home
Girls approaching puberty, with a mother or teacherbest for
About 30 minutes to read, one chapter at a timetime it takesPuberty brings changes to the body, and in Islam it also brings a new stage of responsibility. This guide explains bulugh (reaching puberty) in plain English, in the Hanafi school: how a girl knows she has reached it, what a period (hayd) is, how to take a full bath (ghusl), and how prayer, fasting, hijab and modesty become her own duty.
It also covers the things many girls feel but hesitate to ask about: what is normal, what to do during a period, which prayers and fasts are made up, and how to begin wearing hijab step by step.
There is a page written for mothers, a checklist to keep, and a short set of questions and answers. It is made to be read with a mother, a sister or a teacher, one chapter at a time.
How to use it well
- 1What bulugh means
The signs of reaching puberty, and the age by which it counts in the Hanafi school.
- 2Your changing body
What is normal, explained simply and without embarrassment.
- 3Periods (hayd)
What a period is, how long it lasts, and how to count the days.
- 4Purity and ghusl
When a full bath is needed and how to take it, including with braided hair.
- 5Prayer and fasting
What you leave during a period, and what is made up afterwards.
- 6Hijab and modesty
What changes from bulugh, and how to begin step by step.
- 7Friends and phones
Staying safe online and choosing good company.
- 8For mothers
A page of advice for the mother talking with her daughter.
- 9Checklist and questions
A checklist to keep and answers to common questions.
How to use it
Read one chapter at a time with a mother, a sister or a teacher you trust, and keep the checklist page where you can see it. Print it on A4 or US Letter paper, whichever your printer uses.
Learn the Qur'an live with a teacher
Live online classes taught in Urdu / Hindi, for children and adults. Your first class is free, with no payment needed.
Your first class is free. No payment needed.
Frequently asked questions
At what age does a girl reach bulugh in the Hanafi school?
A girl reaches bulugh when a sign appears, such as a period or a wet dream, and the earliest age for this is 9 lunar years. If no sign appears, she is counted as baligh at 15 lunar years.
Do I have to make up the prayers I miss during my period?
No. Prayers missed during a period are not made up. Fasts missed during a period are made up after Ramadan.
Do I have to undo my braids for ghusl?
No. It is enough that water reaches the roots of the hair.
When do I start covering my hair?
From bulugh, a girl covers her whole body in front of men who are not mahram, except the face and hands. The guide explains how to begin step by step.
Is this guide only for girls?
It is written for girls, with a page for mothers. A separate guide is available for boys, in the Brothers shelf of the Library.
Was this sheet helpful?
What would make it more useful? (optional)
JazakAllahu khayran. Your answer helps us decide what to make next.
Looking for another sheet?
More free printables
Take the next step with Jamia Hafs
Live online classes in small groups, with individual attention for every student. Taught in Urdu and Hindi, for students in India. Female teachers are available for sisters.
Made with care by the teachers at Jamia Hafs.