Can I be among those of whom the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "A youth who grew up in the worship of Allah," even though I have only recently started to commit myself, and I am 20 years old?

The most apparent understanding is that the virtue of "a youth who grew up in the worship of Allah" is specific to one who has remained steadfast in obedience to Allah since the beginning of his youth and has not succumbed to heedlessness. This is affirmed by the hadith, "Indeed, Allah عز وجل is astonished by a youth who has no heedlessness." Some commentators have explained this to mean the youth who did not incline towards whims and desires but grew up in goodness.

However, this does not negate the virtue of the youth whose life was interspersed with heedlessness but then repented and returned [to Allah]. Rather, he has a special merit because he strived against himself to abandon sins and return to righteousness, and this requires great effort. Scholars have differed as to which is better: one who grew up without heedlessness, or one who committed sins and then repented sincerely. Some have leaned towards preferring the former.