The Ruling on the Secret Habit (Masturbation)

The Shaykh : I am often asked, as are others, about the permissibility of what is called today the secret habit, which in old Arabic is known as al-istimna', which is the extraction of semen by a man’s playing with himself. We often ask about this: is it permissible in the Shari'ah for one who is overcome by desire, or not? Especially since the question is usually accompanied by a fear of falling into fornication; that is, the question is phrased like this: Is it permissible for a young man to masturbate for fear of falling into zina? The answer is that it is not permissible, for two reasons. The first reason is that this playing is contrary to the prescribed method for a person to satisfy his desire, and this is what the text states in the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He: meaning: those who transgress, who are unjust to themselves by opposing the law of their Lord, who showed them the way to release desire. And that is two ways: one is marriage, which is known always and forever, and the other is taking concubines, which is lost today. And we lost it because of our turning away from obeying Allah, Mighty and Majestic, in many of the rulings of His Shari'ah, and among that is jihad in the path of Allah. For there is no way to reach taking concubines except through fighting the disbelievers who prevent [people] from the path of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He. So when captives from these disbelievers fall into the hands of the Muslims, whether the captives are men or women, they become slaves, and the women become concubines for the husbands who received the concubines from their share. This taking of concubines today, because of turning away from jihad in the path of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, unfortunately does not exist. And we ask Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, to return the Muslims to acting upon the rulings of their religion, and among that is jihad in the path of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and not in the path of taking concubines, for taking concubines is not the goal; rather, it is a fruit and a result. The goal is jihad so that the word of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, is the highest. So if the way today is limited to marriage, then every young man must strive earnestly for lawful marriage. And there is no doubt that matters are tied to their times, as Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said. So until it becomes easy for this Muslim young man to marry, he must fast, for fasting serves as a restraint for him. As for masturbation, it is not the way of treatment for what we mentioned earlier from the noble verse: "Those are the transgressors," meaning: the wrongdoers, the unjust to themselves.
And secondly: it involves opposing this educational means to which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged the youth to resort when they do not have the ability to marry, which is the capacity for marriage. And thirdly, and finally: it has been medically established that masturbation has many harms, and very many. Sometimes among its effects is that the one afflicted with masturbation does not become suitable to be a husband later, because he is afflicted with a little or a lot of laxity. And therefore, the youth should fear Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and be patient, and follow the advice of their Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Yes.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.