ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Islamic Culture and Religious Studies Book -4 Lesson 1 : the Islamic Vision Youth is the most important period in the life of a human being. This is because it marks that stage when an individual passes out of the first stage of life i.e. childhood and begins the journey to the last stage i.e. adulthood. Childhood is a dependant period. Every child requires guidance from elders and moral support to make and maintain correct decisions.

In the early years of life, the hand of another leads a child but as adolescence and youth begin to emerge, the child learns to pull away and walk by himself. During this period enormous physical, mental and emotional changes occur. It is a metamorphosis of character and intellect and could be likened to an explosion, rejuvenating all parts of an individual. Dormant inclinations awake in the youth and new horizons are sighted.

To the person experiencing this change, it seems as if yesterday he was living in a child's dream and today he sees the world through the window of reality. It is at this time, that a human being seeks purpose of his existence and forms the principles that will guide him through the rest of his life. Thus, the period of youth is one that must be nurtured and nourished well both by the young individual himself and by the adults surrounding him.

Seeking Independence One of the most important inclinations during this stage is that of seeking independence. This tendency plays a major role in the life of a human being. It is prompted by the need to break completely away from childhood, which as we mentioned is dominated by dependency. When a youth realizes that he is growing he feels that he must prove himself to be unique.

He can only do this if he breaks free of the bonds of childhood and the reliance he has developed on parents, siblings etc. This searching for independence also signals the beginning of intellectual maturity as the youth begins to think for himself and make his own decisions. Seeking independence is a positive step and should be encouraged so that the youth can grow into a strong and firm adult.

However, the journey towards independence must be accompanied by a sense of awareness - a conscious knowledge of what is ahead and what must be done. This awareness is essential before anything else because it guards a youth from choosing the wrong path.