Sin at-tamyiz

Sin at-tamyiz (the "age of discernment") refers to the age at which a child is able to care for him or herself, no longer requiring adult assistance to eat, dress, or clean themselves. Although it is generally seen as varying individually, Abu Hanifah, founder of the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence, states that it is nine years for a girl and seven for a boy. Following divorce, Islamic fiqh generally proscribes that the mother maintains sole custody of a child prior to this age.

References
* [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/reference/glossary/term.SINATTAMYIZ.html "Sin at-Tamyiz"] at the [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/ USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts]