Intelligence of a Boy and Signs of his Nobility

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ’If a boy’s scrotum is relaxed, his penis is small, his eyes are relaxed; then there is hope for goodness to come from him, as well as hope in safety from his evil. On the other hand if a boy whose scrotum is hard, his penis is large and has piercing eyes, he then is one in whose goodness there is no hope nor safety from his evil.’”

Salih ibn ‘Uqbah narrated to me saying the following: “I heard the virtuous servant of Allah saying, ‘It is preferable to involve a child in difficult tasks when he is small, so he can be forbearing when he grows up.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘It is not proper to be other than as such.’”

"the most intelligent child is the one who hates al-Kuttab (the writers) school the most.’”