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Overcoming Masturbation and Pornography Addictions
Advice on how to overcome addiction to masturbation
Imam Ash-Shafi`i said, “If you don’t occupy your mind with good works, your carnal self will make you busy in bad deeds!” Make your mind and tongue busy with dhikr (remembrance of Allah). Say the following words and others frequently: Subhan Allah; al-hamdu lillah; laa ilaha illa Allah; Allahu akbar; Wa laa hawla wala quwwata illa billah. Astaghfir Allaha al-azhim min kulli dhanbin wa atubu ilaihi. (Glory be to Allah; praise be to Allah; there is no god but Allah; Allah is Greatest. There is no power or strength except by the will of Allah. I ask forgiveness of Allah from all my sins and repent to Him.) |
Prayer for overcoming porno addiction – Mufti Menk
Advice for Masturbation Addiction
Does Masturbation invalidate a fast?
No doubt masturbation is haram according to most of the scholars, as Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said. If this happened in Ramadan, this is worse, and if there was ejaculation of sperm because of the masturbation, the violation of the sanctity of the fast is even more severe in sin. From the time the maniy (semen) is ejaculated, the fast is broken, but the person should still fast for the rest of that day. It is not permissible for him to stop fasting, because of the sanctity of the month. You have to repent for breaking your fast by deliberately ejaculating, and you also have to repent for not keeping the fast for the rest of the day and for violating the sanctity of the fast by doing something else that broke the fast, namely eating food. You also have to fast one day to make up for breaking your fast. Increase the number of good deeds (hasanaat) you do and observe naafil (supererogatory) fasts, for good deeds (hasanaat) cancel out bad deeds (sayi’aat). And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.[v]
Website Designed for Muslims Struggling with Porn Addiction
PurifyYourGaze is a website designed for Muslims that are struggling with pornography.
Islamic Online University Webinar on Porn Addiction
You can watch it here (previously recorded)
Imam Nick Pelletier gives advice for those addicted to porn, and advises wives of men with this problem
Why is masturbation a sin?
Masturbation (for both men and women) is haram (forbidden) in Islam based on the following evidence:
It is clearly stated that the Shari'a orders a Muslim to leave all desires, and that it is a thing that will lead one astray and my be the cause of their Punishments on the day of judgement. Masturbation is a sexual desire that is not approved according to Shari'a, and this is in the consensus opinion of amongst the Scholars from the four Imams up to the contemporary Scholars of our times. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid said, 'Masturbation (for both men and women) is haraam (forbidden) in Islam based on the following evidence:
First from the Qur’aan:
Imam Shafi’i stated that masturbation is forbidden based on the following verses from the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning):
"And those who guard their chastity (i.e. private parts, from illegal sexual acts). Except from their wives or (the captives and slaves) that their right hands possess, - for them, they are free from blame. But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors." 23.5-7 Here, the verses are clear in forbidding all illegal sexual acts (including masturbation) except for the wives or that their right hand possess. And whoever seeks beyond that is the transgressor.
"And let those who find not the financial means for marriage keep themselves chaste, until Allah enriches them of His bounty." 24.33. This verse also clearly orders whoever does not have the financial means to marry to keep himself chaste and be patient in facing temptations (including masturbation) until Allah enriches them of His bounty.
Secondly, from the sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him):
Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood said, "We were with the Prophet while we were young and had no wealth whatsoever. So Allaah’s Messenger said, "O young people! Whoever among you can marry, should marry, because it helps him lower his gaze and guard his modesty (i.e. his private parts from committing illegal sexual intercourse etc.), and whoever is not able to marry, should fast, as fasting diminishes his sexual power." (Bukhari 5066)
The hadeeth orders men who are not able to marry to fast despite the hardship encountered in doing so, and not to masturbate despite the ease with which it can be done.' vi
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah was asked about masturbation and he replied: With regard to masturbation, the basic ruling is that it is haraam according to the majority of scholars, and the one who does it should be given a ta’zeer punishment, but it is not like zina. And Allaah knows best. (Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 3/439.)
In the Fatwas of Permanent Committee, it was stated;
The preponderant of scholar's views about masturbation commonly referred to as "Secret Habit" is that it is an unlawful sexual activity. The majority of religious scholars held this view based on the generality of the saying of Allah (Exalted be He), And those who guard their chastity (i.e. private parts, from illegal sexual acts) Except from their wives or (the slaves) that their right hands possess, - for then, they are free from blame; But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors; Allah (Exalted be He) praises those who fulfill their sexual desire with their wives or slave girls and considers those who fulfill their sexual desire elsewhere as transgressors who leave what Allah made lawful for them to commit unlawful sexual activities including masturbation. It has many harmful effects and bad consequences such as exhaustion of power and impotence. The Islamic Shari`ah protects man against anything that may cause harm to his religion, body, mind, money or honor. (Fatwa: 1376 Part 22 Page 55-56)
But some fuqaha’ allow masturbation if a person fears for his religious commitment or physical well being, under the heading of committing the lesser of two evils. Imam Ahmad has two opinions: one that it is permissible according to necessity (Fitnah); and the other that it is haram, because he can resolve to fasting instead. (Al-Mowsou'a Al-Fiqhe 4/98)
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about a man whose desire overwhelms him and he masturbates, and he knows that this may be dealt with by fasting but it is too difficult for him. He replied: “With regard to water (semen) that is emitted involuntarily, there is no sin on him for that, but he has to do ghusl if the water came out gushing. As for making it happen by choice, by means of masturbation, this is haraam according to most scholars, and it is one of the two opinions narrated from Ahmad; rather it is the stronger of the two. According to one report, it is makrooh, but if he is compelled to do it, such as if he is afraid of committing zina or becoming ill if he does not masturbate, then in this case there are two well-known scholarly opinions. In this case, several of the earlier and later (scholars) granted a concession allowing it, but others forbade it. And Allah knows best.” (al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 1/302)
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The one who masturbates unnecessarily should be given a disciplinary punishment.” “Unnecessarily” means without having any need for that. Needs are of two types: spiritual and physical. As for spiritual needs, they are when a person fears that he may fall into zina, such as if he is in a country where it is easy to commit zina, so we say: If his desire becomes too strong, he will either extinguish it with this action (masturbation) or he will go to a place where he can find prostitutes and commit zina. So in this case we say to him: This is a legitimate need, because the principle in sharee‘ah is to ward off the greater of two evils with the lesser. This is in accordance with sound reasoning. If this person must fulfil his desire, in one way or the other, then in that case we say to him: This action is permissible because it is a case of necessity. With regard to physical needs, if a person fears physical harm if this accumulated semen is not expelled, because in some people, if their desire becomes strong and this accumulated semen is not expelled, then they may develop psychological problems and hate to mix with people or sit with them… So if he fears that he may be harmed, then it is permissible for him to do this action, because it is a physical need. If it is not necessary but he does it, he should be given a disciplinary punishment, i.e., a punishment that will serve as a deterrent.” (al-Sharh al-Mumti‘, 14/318)[vi]
Bearing in mind that the meaning of it being 'permissible according to necessity' is not an excuse for one to resolve to masturbation if they can’t control their desires, but rather the Scholars gave examples such as if a man was in-front of a woman and about to fornicate, instead of choosing to sleep with her he resolved to masturbation, or one was about to go to a prostitute and instead resolves to masturbation.
