10 things Islam teaches about masturbation

Knowing what the Q'uran says about various aspects of your lives will help us become better Muslims and more aware of ourselves. Below are 10 things the Holy Q'uran says about masturbation.

1. The majority ruling regarding masturbation is that it is Haraam (Unlawful).

2. "And those who guard their private parts save from their wives and those (slave-girls) which their right-hands own - so there is no blame upon them. Then whoever seeks beyond that (which is lawful), they are the transgressors." (Surah Al Mu'minoon : Verse 5 & 6) - It is believed that this the interpretation of this Ayaat is that Allah Ta'aala has praised the believers for guarding their private parts from that which He has made forbidden upon them. Allah has permitted them to approach their wives and slave-girls. Thereafter, these Words of Allah Ta'aala follow:- Whoever seeks beyond that which is lawful are oppressors who overstep from halaal (permitted) towards haraam (prohibited).

3. "And those who do not find the means to marry should remain chaste until Allah gives them resources by His Grace." (Surah Al Mu'minoon : Verse 32) This aayah, according to scholars shows masturbation to be haraam because of two reasons: Firstly: In this aayah Allah Ta'aala has given the command of chastity and, according to the principles of fiqh, a command (an imperative) denotes wujoob (incumbency, obligation). Hence to remain chaste is wajib (compulsory) and wherever chastity is wajib it becomes wajib to refrain from that which is contrary to it, for example, adultery, fornication, and sodomy.

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4. Secondly, In this aayah (Number 3 above) Allah Ta'aala has made chastity obligatory on those who are unable to execute the command of nikah. Here Allah Ta'aala has not determined any connection or link between marriage and chastity. Hence, this demands that masturbation should be haraam.

5. "Those who seek beyond this (i.e wives and slave girls] are transgressors." (Surah Ma'aarij : Verse 31) Under the tafseer of this aayah, Qadhi Thanaullah Paani Patti writes: "Imaam Baghawi has deduced from this aayat that masturbation is haraam.

6. "O group of youth! Whoever from amongst you can marry should do so because it keeps the gaze low and it protects the private parts. And he who cannot marry should make it compulsory upon himself to fast because it breaks lust." (Bukhari : vol.6, pg.117 ; Muslim: vol.10, pg.172) In this Ayaat, Nabi sallallahu alaihi wasallam has directed the person who is incapable of bearing the burden of nikah towards saum (fasting). If assuming, masturbation was permissible Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam would have mentioned it at this point.

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7. Many Islamic scholars have ruled that masturbation is makruh (disliked), and never explicitly said he that it was haram.

8. A narration attributed to Anas ibn Malik reports: Rasulullah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said, 'The person who performs Nikah with his hands (i.e. masturbates) is cursed.

9. A narration attributed to Sa'id ibn Jubayr reports: Rasulullah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said, 'Allah Taãla will inflict a punishment on a group of people because they played with their private parts.'

10. In conclusion:  While most scholars agree that Masturbation is Haraam, some are of the belief that since it is not explicitly mentioned, then this means it is permissible.