Ask Shaykh YQ #95 – The Islamic Ruling on Masturbation

So the first question we're going to be doing in shallow tada is the permissibility of self stimulation or masturbation. Is it permissible in Islam or is this act sinful?

In region? No, he lay him first.

Generally speaking, the majority of scholars the majority of methods of viewing masturbation as being how long or sinful and they base this on the fact that Allah subhana wa tada forbids all sexual activity except with one's spouse. And Allah says in the Quran that whoever Illa Allah is YG him oma Melaka de monofin waitomo roomin from a neighbor tell hora de como la como la June, there are a lot praises those who protect their private parts, except Allah says in the Quran surah tell me no, except with their spouses or their right 10 possessions, whoever is within this confines they are there or that is permissible. Whoever goes beyond this, then they have transgressed. Now, Mr.

Mushaf very explicitly used this verse, to say that self stimulation is therefore not allowed because, according to him, this is going beyond the verse. This is the most explicit verse that has been used to forbid masturbation. There is nothing else in the Quran that forbids it. And there is no authentic Heidi there are a number of very weak and actually fabricated a hadith about masturbation, but there's nothing explicit that is authentic about masturbation. Now, Mr. Michel Fairey did derive this from the verse But again, the verse doesn't explicitly mention self stimulation. And it is correct to point out that this is the mainstream position of the Shafi school

and of the Maliki school and the majority of the Hanafi school as well. However, some of the scholars of the past, they did consider it to be mcru and others considered to be mobile. So there are three primary positions in this regard. The first is that it is actually sinful. So it would be basically within the realm of how long the second is that it is macro and macro means that it is not sinful, but it is better not to do and this is the position that I advocate. And the third is that it is completely mobile. There is not even a discouragement it is not even something that is against nobility, it is completely permissible. So these are the three positions out there. And as for the

position that it is MOBA, that it is completely permissible. It is one of the positions of the humbly school to humbly school has other positions as well. It is one of the position of the humbly school It is also the position of Imam Ashoka Annie, the famous scholar of Yemen and as for the position that it is mcru then it is reported by number of Tabby rune and one can derive this as well from the statements of some of the Sahaba as we will mention, and it is also the position of even hasm, the famous scholar of Andalus that he said it is not sinful, but it is better not to do which translates as mcru. So a number of quotations here to understand that this is not something that is

fringe opinion, it is something that is well known, the famous hanbali scholar Alma del V. He mentioned that if one resorts to masturbation out of a fear of falling into fornication, it is MOBA. In fact, it goes so far as to say that it might even be obligatory so that he avoids the bigger sin of actual Zina of actual intercourse that is held on. And he also mentioned very explicitly that the same ruling applies for a woman that a woman can also resort to this if there is a fear of falling into Xena. And there are a number of a thought of reports from the Sahaba and Tabby rune that indicate that this position was found amongst them as well. A man came to him in a bus, the cousin

of the process of a young man came to him in a bus. And he mentioned that, you know, he's not married and that he basically simulates himself until he ejaculate, it been abuzz about the Allahu Allah and said to him, what you are doing is better than committing Zina. But if you were to marry a slave girl that is even better than what you are doing now. Marriage to an Emma to a slave girl is something that is strongly discouraged. for reasons that are beyond the scope of our answer here that is generally not something that even the Quran is explicit in this regard. Even Abbas is saying that we're here to do that it is better, but what you are doing of self stimulation, it is better

than Xena. And so even Abbas is basically saying it is Makoto and this is the position of many of the scholars that it's not encouraged, but it is not something that is going to you know take you to Johannesburg

Not something that is that is inherently sinful in the eyes of Allah subhanho wa Taala. And this is the position that is reported from many of the students that we have in our bus. And in fact many of them even went beyond this and said that it is completely permissible. And so in our buses, fatwa in this regard was basically interpreted by his students. Many of them said it is mukou. Maddie said it is completely permissible. I'll talk, the famous February I'll talk was asked about masturbation. And he said, I dislike it and alcohol and this is my crew, and I dislike it. His student asked him, is there any punishment if somebody does it? And he said, I don't haven't heard of anything of that.

That's not that's beyond what I'm saying. I'm not saying there's any punishment. All of these are thought are in the Musonda of the ABA, but there's an entire chapter in the Musonda regarding masturbation, and Mujahid. Again, the famous Dabiri and the student women are best Mujahid said those before us would advise young men and women to do this to save themselves from Xena. Okay, so the tiberi Mujahid he mentioned that, that this is something that was known that instead of committing Zina if it's very if the emotions or the lust is very powerful, and one feels that they're going to fall into how long then they should do this, and it is both for men and women that

they were told that it is better than Xena job urbanization, one of the students have been a bust as well, he was asked about masturbation and he said, it is your fluid, it is your fluid, you may do with it as you please. In other words, he is saying that it is something that belongs to your fluid. And if you expel it of your own, then there is no sin because you're not doing it with another person. I'm going to add another tab, a tab we are embedded within that he said that I don't see any problem with this act of self stimulation. And it has settled basally, the famous Dabiri, he said that they would do this when they were on expeditions, or either when people did not have their

spouses with them, and they're on long expeditions and journeys, then they would resort to this and this is reporting them Hello, have you been hasm and of course they've been has, has an entire section on this as well. The famous scholar underdosing dimension, and he mentioned even hasn't mentioned that it is allowed to touch one's organ, even if it's with the left hand it is allowed to touch one's organ. And if it hasn't said if it is allowed to touch, then there is no prohibition in touching more than just a touch and so, he goes one touch and the other touch is not going to be held on if it is allowed to touch until one climaxes then even hasm says it is not sinful. However,

even hasm adds that he does not encourage it, because he said it is not from the noble manners lesson in Makati mill o'clock it is not from the noble manners. And so from all of this, the position that I think seems to be the reasonable one based upon the evidence of the Quran and Sunnah and the plethora of evidences from the tab your own and even from it had been our bustle of the law one and from the realities that we live in because again, dear brothers and sisters, we need to again be very practical fifth is not just quoting and pasting fatawa from earlier authorities Phil also means one looks at the context of one's

environment and the levels of sexual openness, frankly, depravity even the the hedonism and the the reality of the life sensuousness that the current civilizations that we live in are demonstrating it is almost impossible for a young man and woman to remain firm the desires are overpowering at that age. And for us to forbid this Act, which is definitely a gray area and to cut off any avenue to express one's desires before the a bit before the possibility of marriage. I think that that is putting a very difficult burden on our young men and women. And no doubt and again, I say this very frankly no doubt that this is not the norm no doubt self stimulation is not natural, despite what

psychologists might say it is not the norm. And that is why the default is the default is that there is a sense of shame and a sense of regret. When somebody does this even if you're not a Muslim, you know there are there are movements out there that are discouraging from self stimulation because they say and these are non Muslims are not quoting any Sharia. They say that it is not something that is natural that one should find this pleasure with one's partner they say partner we say with one spouse, and I cannot agree with them more in this regard that Allah subhanho wa Taala created this pleasure and it is a beautiful pleasure is one of the strongest pleasures that Allah has given

us. Allah created it in us you know they say nature put it in so Allah put it in us why so that we find love in marriage so that when we are married, that the one act that the married couple does that no they cannot no one else can do this right? You can speak with a lot of people you can find comfort in a lot of people emotional comfort, but the one thing that is exclusive to a long term marriage

relationship is this act of intimacy. And Allah subhana wa tada has put an immense amount of pleasure and joy. And it is meant to be enjoyed and shared with the person that you're sharing your life with. And these types of pleasures, they bring about a love, and they bring about a tenderness that is intended and desired. Now, if a person is not married, and if a person is unable to get married, which is very common in our times, the you know, teenagers and the young men and women in their 20s and whatnot, they cannot get married, and it is the prime of their sexuality, and everybody around them is engaging in blatant how long I think that in this case, there should be no

problem whatsoever in us telling them that it is permissible, but with a number of conditions. And of those conditions is that we understand that this is not the default or the norm. We understand that it is something that is temporary. We understand as well, that we are eagerly looking to get married and making dua to Allah subhanho wa Taala to help us to get married. And we also understand that even if the act is permissible, and I do believe that there's no sin in doing it, that the default is that it is makuu and makuu means it's better not to do so the default is that as he has them says lay Semin. macadam and o'clock is not from the nobility of deeds. But just because it's

not noble doesn't mean it is how long right? So that's the point you have to mention here, that things might not be No, no, but that doesn't mean it is haram. So there is no sin at all, in this act, even if you do it frequently, are constantly in and of itself, there is no sin, but it is not natural or normal, and one should not resort to it, unless one needs to in order to stave off in order to protect oneself from the larger sin of Xena. And we have to make a very clear unconditional point over here that without any exception, we cannot allow this to lead to visual stimulation or the viewing of pornography because that is something that is without a doubt not allowed. And it is

something that is considered to be the Zener of the eyes. May Allah azza wa jal protect all of us. So the point being that, unfortunately, this deed and this act is linked to visual how long and that visual how long, it needs to be very clearly pointed out that even if one is forced, because of circumstance to relieve oneself in this manner, it should not be done with visual aids. And to look upon these types of images or

websites or whatnot, is something that there is no doubt that it is it is harmful to the soul and harmful to the psyche. And no doubt that there's a long term damage that is done. And by the way, it's not just the sin of looking, it is also the problem of one's own level of sexuality being impacted. And one, it becomes problematic to even have maybe a normal marital relations with one spouse if one becomes addicted to such videos. And this is well known. And many books have been written actually some good TED Talks as well, in this regard, the problems of pornography, we are just realizing now what is going on because again, this is the first generation since human history

really, that such explicit images have been bombarded upon them since they were born, you know, until adulthood and we are seeing the deterioration of the family and the breakdown of intimacy between couples. So I say that it should not just be said that masturbation is healthy. No, that should not be said. Rather, what we should say is that the default is that it is mcru. But it might become completely mobile and maybe even recommended to protect oneself from Xena no doubt about that. Excellent. Okay. Now, the problem comes twofold. Number one, the linkage of masturbation with with visual stimulus, we need to make sure that that is understood that we should separate the two.

And then number two worse than this, in my opinion really is and unfortunately because, you know, because I'm a community leader, and because we I get email all the time, and I am contacted by people for their most personal problems. And unfortunately, it is all too common, all too common to for me to hear this complaint, especially from our sisters, I have gotten more emails than I can count. Unfortunately, over the last many, many years. I'm not talking about just in a short period of time, I have gotten more emails than I can count to remember where a wife basically is not satisfied. Her husband does not approach her her husband has abandoned her and her husband is

resorting to masturbation and pornography and the wife doesn't know this, that she's wondering what's wrong. Why is he not approaching me and I'm dressing up I'm looking pretty. I'm trying to do everything and he's not even coming close, not even touching me. She begins to doubt she begins to wonder what's going on. Then she discovers because generally obviously, the man does not say that she discovers that. In fact her husband is you know having an outlet. That is and this is the problem of pornography.

In pornography, what you see is not real, the bar of stimulation is raised so high that an average beautiful lady no longer looks beautiful to you, and you want to have something that is unreal. And this is the problem really that we have to be very clear that brothers and sisters when I say that it is permissible, what I mean is before marriage or in a situation where you're away from your spouse or something of this nature, no problem I can understand. But once a marriage takes place, and everything is normal between the couple, then there is no question that the couple needs to concentrate on each other, and the copper needs to resolve their own issues so that inshallah tada

they are satisfying each other and they're not resorting to anything outside of their own internal bonds. And that inshallah tada explains in a nutshell, now, for those that say it is how long and sinful even for those that said it is sinful, do realize that, according to them, this would not be a major sinner could be wrong, this would be something that is of the minor sins, I'm not trying to trivialize according to their eyes, but it is not something that would be considered one of the kabbah it or one of the major sins, it is something that should be avoided, according to them. And actually, like I said, there is really nothing and by the way, as for the verse, whoever goes beyond

this,

that amount, Misha for us, again, with our utmost respect to all of those who use the verse, I mean by unanimous consensus, one can play with one's spouse, and doesn't have to actually engage in intercourse and so the wife can play with her husband, and the wife can stimulate her husband and the husband can stimulate his wife without actual penetration. And this is by unanimous consensus allowed and in fact, some of our scholars have pointed out those that allowed masturbation, they said that why would it be allowed for the spouse to do it with her hand, and it's not allowed for you to do it with your hand. And that's a valid point, to be honest, from a logical perspective that

why would that be forbidden? Now again, I say that the default is one finds pleasure with one spouse, but there's nothing wrong per se there's no sin, and yes, it is not of the noble acts and Allah subhana wa Taala knows best