What Is Meant by Masturbation?

It means that a person deliberately stimulates himself or herself in pursuit of sexual pleasure or ejaculation outside the permissible means. The ruling discussed here applies to both men and women.

This does not include a wet dream, because it occurs during sleep without a person's choice, nor does it include a passing thought that a person dislikes and does not pursue. Sexual desire itself is not a sin; a servant is accountable for what he or she deliberately says or does that is prohibited.

The Ruling on Masturbation and Its Evidence

The stronger view indicated by the Islamic texts, and the view of the majority of scholars, is that masturbation is prohibited for both men and women.

Allah Most High says:

{وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ * إِلَّا عَلَى أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ * فَمَنِ ابْتَغَى وَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ} [al-Mu'minun: 5-7].

Meaning: {And those who guard their private parts, except from their spouses or those whom their right hands possess, for then they are free from blame. But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors.}

Allah praised the believers for guarding their private parts, excluded the permissible means, and then described those who seek sexual fulfillment beyond that as transgressors.

Abdullah ibn Masud, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to us:

"يَا مَعْشَرَ الشَّبَابِ، مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ الْبَاءَةَ فَلْيَتَزَوَّجْ؛ فَإِنَّهُ أَغَضُّ لِلْبَصَرِ، وَأَحْصَنُ لِلْفَرْجِ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَعَلَيْهِ بِالصَّوْمِ؛ فَإِنَّهُ لَهُ وِجَاءٌ".

Meaning: "O young people, whoever among you is able to marry should marry, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding chastity. Whoever is unable to do so should fast, for it will be a restraint for him."

Agreed upon.

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, directed whoever is able to marry and directed whoever is unable to fast. He did not direct him to masturbation. This indicates that when marriage is not possible, the path to chastity is fasting together with lowering the gaze, striving against the self, and using the other permissible means.

Masturbation should not be called zina in the technical legal sense that entails the prescribed punishment for zina; each has its own ruling. It is nevertheless a prohibited act from which repentance is required. Its seriousness increases when it is accompanied by viewing forbidden material, occurs during the daytime in Ramadan, causes prayers or rights to be neglected, or is persistently committed without repentance.

Lowering the Gaze and Closing the Doors to Temptation

Allah Most High says:

{قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ ذَلِكَ أَزْكَى لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ} [al-Nur: 30].

Meaning: {Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is fully aware of what they do.}

Allah then commanded the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts. Many instances of weakness begin with an image, a video, a conversation, or aimless browsing, then move from looking to continued engagement and action. Whoever truly wants to stop should begin by closing the first doors rather than trying to resist desire only after it has intensified.

If the habit is connected to viewing prohibited images or videos, both matters should be treated together. Keeping the triggers while trying to stop the act makes relapse more likely. The article Repenting from Forbidden Content may also be helpful.

The Difference Between Thoughts, Wet Dreams, and Deliberate Action

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

"إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَجَاوَزَ عَنْ أُمَّتِي مَا حَدَّثَتْ بِهِ أَنْفُسَهَا، مَا لَمْ تَعْمَلْ أَوْ تَتَكَلَّمْ".

Meaning: "Allah has pardoned my Ummah for what occurs within themselves, so long as they do not act upon it or speak of it."

Agreed upon.

The mere occurrence of an involuntary thought is not a sin as long as the person does not deliberately summon it, continue dwelling on it, or act upon it. The person should turn away from it, seek refuge with Allah, and move to a beneficial activity without obsessively examining himself or herself.

A wet dream likewise carries no sin because it occurs without choice. If a person wakes and finds semen, ghusl is required. If the person remembers a dream but finds no discharge, ghusl is not required.

Masturbation, however, is a deliberate act, so it must be abandoned and repented from.

How Is Sincere Repentance from Masturbation Made?

Sincere repentance is fulfilled through the following:

1. Being sincere to Allah by leaving it out of reverence for His command and hope for His forgiveness.
2. Stopping immediately, without waiting for a new day or special occasion.
3. Regretting the act because it is disobedience to Allah.
4. Resolving sincerely at the time of repentance not to return, while taking practical measures that support steadfastness.
5. Repenting from accompanying prohibitions, such as viewing nakedness, engaging in prohibited conversations, or neglecting prayer.
6. Restoring people's rights and removing harm if the matter involved spying, blackmail, private images, or violating someone's privacy, while seeking trustworthy help that stops the harm without increasing it.

Allah Most High says:

{قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ} [al-Zumar: 53].

Meaning: {Say, O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of Allah's mercy. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. He is truly the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.}

A Muslim must not use the vastness of forgiveness as an excuse to continue, nor make repeated failure a reason for despair. For a fuller explanation of the conditions of repentance, read How to Repent to Allah Sincerely.

What Should You Do If You Relapse?

If the repentance was sincere at the time and the person later became weak and returned, he or she should not say, "Repentance is useless." Rather, the person should stop immediately, repent from the new sin, identify the door through which it entered, and add a stronger barrier.

After a relapse:

1. Do not continue on the pretext that the day has already been ruined.
2. Renew repentance, and do not abandon prayer or the Quran because of shame.
3. Identify the immediate cause: a device, staying up late, isolation, forbidden viewing, or psychological pressure.
4. Repair the weakness in the plan that same day.
5. Seek accountability or professional treatment if the same pattern keeps recurring.

For further detail, read How to Repent from the Same Sin Repeatedly.

Rulings of Purification, Ghusl, and Wudu

The rulings of purification differ according to what occurred:

1. If semen is discharged, ghusl is required for both men and women, and prayer is not valid before ghusl when a person is able to perform it.
2. If madhy is discharged, a man washes his private part and testicles, a woman washes the affected area, and the Muslim sprinkles or washes whatever reached the clothing, then performs wudu. Ghusl is not required because of madhy.
3. If neither semen nor madhy is discharged, ghusl is not required. However, directly touching the private part without a barrier invalidates wudu according to the stronger view, so wudu must be performed for prayer.
4. Prayer while in a state of janabah without purification is invalid. Whoever did so must repent and repeat the prayers performed without purification. If many previous prayers are involved or their number is uncertain, the person should ask a trustworthy scholar how to make them up and should not open the door to obsessive doubt.

The correct method of ghusl is explained in How to Perform Ghusl from Janabah.

The Ruling on Masturbation While Fasting

Whoever deliberately masturbates during the daytime of an obligatory fast and ejaculates has invalidated the fast, must repent to Allah, and must make up that day. The expiation required for intercourse is not due according to the stronger view, because the severe expiation was prescribed for intercourse, while the act remains prohibited and repentance from it remains obligatory.

If a person deliberately commits the act but does not ejaculate, the fast is not invalidated by that alone according to the stronger view, although the person is sinful for the prohibited act and for violating the sanctity of the fast. If madhy rather than semen is discharged, it does not invalidate the fast according to the stronger view, but the affected area must be washed and wudu performed for prayer.

Whoever is unsure about the type of discharge or has a complex case should ask a trustworthy scholar and should not base worship on guesswork.

Between the Islamic Ruling and Medical Claims

The prohibition of masturbation is established by Islamic evidence, so there is no need to attribute every illness circulated among people to it. It is not correct to state with certainty that it causes blindness, permanent infertility, or other claims without reliable medical evidence.

Nevertheless, when it develops into compulsive behavior, it may consume time, weaken concentration, become connected to viewing forbidden material, isolation, and anxiety, and affect worship, study, work, and marriage. Whoever experiences physical or psychological symptoms should present them to a qualified physician or therapist and should not diagnose himself or herself based on unidentified videos.

A Comprehensive Supplication for Chastity

One of the supplications of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, is:

"اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْهُدَى، وَالتُّقَى، وَالْعَفَافَ، وَالْغِنَى".

Meaning: "O Allah, I ask You for guidance, piety, chastity, and contentment."

Reported by Muslim.

A Muslim should make this supplication and ask Allah to guard his or her gaze and chastity, purify the heart, and turn away evil and immorality, while sincerely striving and taking the proper means.