Question:
What is the ruling on masturbation (by hand or finger)?
Answer:
There is no doubt that this (bad) habit is forbidden, for its prohibition rests on two grounds:
1. The first ground: Allah the Exalted, describing the praiseworthy qualities of the believers, says:
«قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١﴾ الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ ﴿٢﴾ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنِ اللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُونَ ﴿٣﴾ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِلزَّكَاةِ فَاعِلُونَ ﴿٤﴾ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ ﴿٥﴾ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ ﴿٦﴾ فَمَنِ ابْتَغَىٰ وَرَاءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ»
“Certainly the believers have succeeded. Those who are humbly submissive in their prayers. And those who turn away from ill speech. And those who are payers of zakah. And those who guard their private parts, except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they are not blameworthy. But whoever seeks beyond that, then it is those who are the transgressors.”
Imam al-Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) derived from this verse the prohibition of masturbation. In this verse, Allah the Exalted specified for the truly believing two ways of fulfilling their desire: marrying free women, or benefiting (sexually) from slave women. Then He said:
«فَمَنِ ابْتَغَىٰ وَرَاءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ»
“But whoever seeks beyond that, then it is those who are the transgressors.”
That is, whoever seeks a means other than marriage (to free women) and slave women to satisfy sexual desire, he is a transgressor and an oppressor who exceeds the limits.
2. The second ground: It is medically established that the outcome for one who does this is very bad, and this habit damages health, especially for those who commit it morning and evening. The Prophet ﷺ said:
«لا ضرر ولا ضرار»
“Do not suffer harm and do not cause harm.”
Therefore, it is not permissible for a Muslim to engage in something that harms himself or someone else.
It is also necessary to mention here another matter: the following verse of Allah the Exalted also applies to those who adopt this habit:
«أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ الَّذِي هُوَ أَدْنَىٰ بِالَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ»
“Do you ask for that which is inferior in exchange for that which is better?”
It is indeed authentically established that the Prophet ﷺ also said:
«يا معشر الشباب من استطاع منكم الباءة فليتزوج فإنه أغض للبصر وأحصن للفرج، ومن لم يستطع فعليه بالصوم فإنه له وجاء»
“O assembly of youth! Whoever among you has the ability to marry, let him marry, for indeed marriage lowers the gaze and guards the private part; and whoever is not able, let him fast, for fasting will cool his desire.”
