# If pornography is not called haram, does that mean it is encouraged?

*Is pornography an outlet? Haram, disliked and 'should not be done', and Imam Ahmad on mut'ah*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/housirokbvu/s/20/
- Date: 2020-04-19 · Kind: discussion · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Shaykh Kashif Khan | Policing thought, Pornography & Pandora's box | MindTrap with Mufti #15 (1:44:16–1:47:50)
- Status: a view quoted in order to be discussed, not a position held
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOusirOkBVU&t=6256s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/housirokbvu/

**Topics:** Sexual ethics; Legal theory and method; Guest conversations

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** The guest distinguishes saying something should not be done from declaring it haram; Mufti Abu Layth restates that they are not encouraging pornography, which may be harmful, but not calling it haram.

## Longer summary

Mufti Abu Layth asks whether the guest is saying that pornography is an outlet for people of any age or gender, statistically mostly men, dealing with their desires. The guest says one must understand fiqh terminology: saying something should not be done or is disliked differs from declaring it haram. He says Imam Ahmad's statements of this kind were read by Hanbali commentators as possibly not meaning haram, that a scholar [?] said it is not authentically established that any of the four imams declared the matter haram, and that another shaykh [?] considered mut'ah a legitimate difference of opinion like other recognised differences. Mufti checks that he understands the guest correctly: they do not encourage pornography, which may well have detrimental effects, but they are not saying it is haram.

## Sources and names cited

- Shaykh Kashif Khan (guest)
- Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal
- Hanbali commentators
- makruh
- haram
- mut'ah (temporary marriage)

## Transcript (machine tier, 1:44:16–1:47:50)

[1:43:58] applying the same prohibition of believing of leaving women to the non believing woman so technically if even if they are naked right even if you're naked walking naked like to like it's the whole MA there's not applied to them it only applies to the believing woman and they took evidences from the Quran as well to be honest re the the call of the pianist old I think in the freedom negative and and then under the Ayatollah so people struggling today or if I say struggling I don't know it's struggling is the right word but let's say I was gonna say young people but people of any

[1:44:36] age of any gender male female I suppose statistically it's more so always male that they in order to kind of deal with their desires they've reserved to pornography are you saying that that you know in that sense that is that is an outlet for them you will send I think though like you understand the pic so when we use terms like Haram and its many Cigna he its prohibited is a different saying that it should not be done and something is

[1:45:15] haram Tecate every day so like a mom I'm

[1:45:18] a bit humbled when he was yeah even the humbly collar

[1:45:57] they have theory under the commentaries of the statement that it it could mean that it wasn't Haram according to him it could mean the bass sounds like is usually the kind of statement that Malik or Ahmed these great amounts would make I think I don't know what what it was I think it was a hearty was someone who said it is not authentically stablished from any of the for amount that they that they have said them both I forum that is not established for each other I

[1:46:36] think I think it was shake hard him it was a parting of the view that the muta is a legitimate legitimate difference of opinion within the significance and he had slightly different like defended scholars classical scholars who say that the difference of who me opinion of Mota is like the different or difference of you know Jacob Jacob I love Ali like [ __ ] Bela Willie of like they'll eat you if I've understood

[1:47:15] you correctly share what you're saying is even though we don't encourage things like pornography or watching it Annie you know may very well have detrimental effects but we're not saying it's Haram that's what is that I've understood that correctly at the time of color right when they used to masturbate see the prohibition of masturbation is not authentically proving from any sahabi it's not let alone authentically I don't obey them even a week tradition where the Sahaba said that some neither ah

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment hOusirOkBVU/s/20. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/housirokbvu/s/20/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.