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Is there any explicit ayat or hadith which EXPLICITLY prohibits masterbation, like zina, murder etc. If there are no such explicit instructions, can this not be treated as mubah, or at the most makrooh?

Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

I have a few ques.

1. Is there any explicit ayat or hadith which EXPLICITLY prohibits masterbation, like zina, murder etc. If there are no such explicit instructions, can this not be treated as mubah, or at the most makrooh?

2. I have read somewhere there some fiqahs permit masterbation under certain conditions, eg. for unmarried persons, travellers, etc.

3. If not, what permissible alternative is there for such persons?

4. Don`t you agree that this helps individuals to avoid greater evils?

Thank you.

 

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Answer:

 

Prohibition of masturbation

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Your Question: Is there any explicit ayat or hadith which EXPLICITLY prohibits masterbation, like zina, murder etc.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 23 Surah Muminoon verses 1-11:

1 The Believers must (eventually) win through

2 Those who humble themselves in their prayers;

3 Who avoid vain talk;

4 Who are active in deeds of charity;

5 Who abstain from sex,

6 Except with those joined to them in the marriage bond, or (the captives) whom their right hands possess; for (in their case) they are free from blame.

7 But those whose desires exceed those limits, are transgressors!

8 Those who faithfully observe their trust and their covenants;

9 And who (strictly) guard their prayers

10 Those will be the heirs

11 Who will inherit Paradise: they will dwell therein (forever).

 

The scholars of all schools of thought are unanimous in their opinion that the evil act of ‘masturbation’ would, without an iota of a doubt, fall under the category of ‘those whose desires exceed the limits’.

 

Your Question: If there are no such explicit instructions, can this not be treated as mubah, or at the most makrooh?
Mubah’ literally means something which is permissible in Islam, and without an iota of a doubt, the evil act of masturbation cannot under any circumstances be considered a ‘mubah’ or something which is deemed permissible in the perfect and righteous deen of Islam.

 

Makrooh’ in Islamic terminology means something that is absolutely despised, hated and abhorred in the Sight of Allah Subhanah, the Lord of the Worlds. Some people falsely assume that it is fine to do or indulge in something which is ‘makrooh’ as long as it is not specified as ‘haraam’ by Allah and His Messenger (saws), whereas nothing could be further to the Truth! If one reads, understands and comprehends the list of deeds which Allah Subhanah has Himself listed as ‘makrooh’ in His Sight and Law, one would be able to comprehend what it really means for a thing to be ‘makrooh’!

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verses 23-38:

23 Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life say not to them a word of contempt nor repel them but address them in terms of honor.

24 And out of kindness lower to them the wing of humility and say: "My Lord! bestow on them Thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood."

25 Your Lord knoweth best what is in your hearts: if ye do deeds of righteousness verily He is Most Forgiving to those who turn to Him again and again (in true penitence).

26 And render to the kindred their due rights as (also) to those in want and to the wayfarer: but squander not (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift.

27 Verily spendthrifts are brothers of the Evil Ones; and the Evil One is to his Lord (Himself) ungrateful.

28 And even if thou hast to turn away from them in pursuit of the Mercy from thy Lord which thou dost expect yet speak to them a word of easy kindness.

29 Make not thy hand tied (like a niggard's) to thy neck nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach so that thou become blameworthy and destitute.

30 Verily thy Lord doth provide sustenance in abundance for whom He pleaseth and He provideth in a just measure: for He doth know and regard all His servants.

31 Kill not your children for fear of want: We shall provide sustenance for them as well as for you: verily the killing of them is a great sin.

32 Nor come close to or even approach ‘zina: for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil opening the road (to other evils).

33 Nor take life which Allah has made sacred except for just cause. And if anyone is slain wrongfully We have given his heir authority (to demand Qisas or to forgive): but let him not exceed bounds in the matter of taking life: for he is helped (by the Law).

34 Come not nigh to the orphan's property except to improve it until he attains the age of full strength; and fulfil (every) engagement for (every) engagement will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning).

35 Give full measure when ye measure and weigh with a balance that is straight: that is the most fitting and the most advantageous in the final determination.

36 And pursue not that of which thou hast no knowledge; for every act of hearing or of seeing or of (feeling in) the heart will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning).

37 Nor walk on the earth with insolence: for thou canst not rend the earth asunder nor reach the mountains in height.

38 Of ALL such things the evil is ‘MAKROOH’ (absolutely hateful) in the Sight of thy Lord.

 

To associate any god with Allah is ‘Makrooh’ in the Sight of Allah!

To be undutiful to one’s parents is ‘Makrooh’ in the Sight of Allah!

To spend one’s wealth like a spendthrift is ‘Makrooh’ in the Sight of Allah!

To be niggardly and miserly with one’s wealth is ‘Makrooh’ in the Sight of Allah!

To kill one’s children is ‘Makrooh’ in the Sight of Allah!

To come even near or approach any thing or path that leads to the evil of ‘zina’ is ‘Makrooh’ in the Sight of Allah!

To kill or murder someone intentionally without right is ‘Makrooh’ in the Sight of Allah!

To unjustly usurp the property of orphans is ‘Makrooh’ in the Sight of Allah!

To cheat or be dishonest when measuring or weighing or doing any transaction is ‘Makrooh’ in the Sight of Allah!

 

In light of the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah, if the evil act of masturbation is ‘makrooh’, then just by studying the list of things which are ‘makrooh’ in the Sight of Allah, one should fear Allah their Lord and certainly abstain from coming even close to it!

 

Your Question: I have read somewhere there some fiqahs permit masterbation under certain conditions, eg. for unmarried persons, travellers, etc.

To the best of our knowledge, we do not know of nor have we ever heard of any group or ‘fiqah’ who have made the evil act of ‘masturbation’ permissible for unmarried persons under any circumstances.

 

After such explicit instructions and guidance from Allah Subhanah in His Glorious Quran and from the Noble Prophet Mohamed (saws) in his authentic and established traditions, if some group or sect or ‘fiqah’ were to permit the evil act of ‘masturbation’, it would surely be against the guidance of Allah and His Messenger (saws)!

 

Your Question: If not, what permissible alternative is there for such persons?
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.4 Narrated by Abdullah

We were with the Prophet (saws) while we were young and had no wealth whatever. So Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "O young people! Whoever among you can marry, should marry, because it helps him lower his gaze and guard his modesty, and whoever is not able to marry, should fast, as fasting diminishes his sexual power."

 

The only permissible alternatives in Islam for one who is unable to control his natural physical desire is to marry if he can do so; and if for any reason one is unable to or has to delay the process of marriage, then the Messenger of Allah (saws) guided the believers to observe voluntary fasting, for fasting diminishes one’s sexual power.

 

If one controls his desires and abstain from what is forbidden only because of the fear of Allah and His Day of Accounting, he will earn his due reward in the Presence of his Lord Most High when he ultimately meets with Him.

 

Your Question: Don`t you agree that this helps individuals to avoid greater evils?
The evil act of masturbation is only a temporary and momentary release and relief of one’s desires, and rather than helping avoid or abstaining from greater evils, this evil process of fantasizing and masturbating opens and enhances widely the chances of falling into greater evils and transgressions!

 

Its not as if one act of masturbation will kill one’s desire forever, but this constant and illegal method of fantasizing and release only opens more paths that approach the evil, abomination and heinous sin of zina’!

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verses 32: Nor come close to or even approach ‘zina’: for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil opening the road (to other evils)!

 

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your Brother in Islam,

 

 

Burhan

 


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