# Is masturbation haram in Islam?

*Yasir Qadhi's answer on masturbation: the three positions, Ibn Abbas and Ibn Hazm*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/yzrvpdckjxq/s/1/
- Date: 2021-01-04 · Kind: lesson · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Yasir Qadhi on Masturbation | Mufti Abu Layth (0:02–4:00)
- 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=yZrVPdcKjxQ&t=2s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/yzrvpdckjxq/

**Topics:** Sexual ethics; Exchanges with Yasir Qadhi

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** In the clip Yasir Qadhi says the majority hold masturbation to be haram, but that others held it makruh or permissible, citing Ibn Abbas's reply to a young man and Ibn Hazm, and that he believes there is no sin in it although it is better avoided. This is Qadhi's view played for discussion, not Mufti Abu Layth's own statement.

## Longer summary

Mufti Abu Layth opens the 'masala segment' by recalling that the previous week they discussed a recent trend among the Salafis, when Zakir Naik announced a change of view on the matter [?], and says that no sooner had they spoken about it than another figure followed; he then plays a clip of Yasir Qadhi answering the question whether self-stimulation, or masturbation, is permissible or sinful. In the clip Qadhi says the majority of scholars and of the madhhabs view masturbation as haram, basing this on Allah forbidding all sexual activity except with one's spouse and on the verse praising those who guard their private parts except from their spouses or right-hand possessions, but that some scholars of the past considered it makruh [?] and others mubah, so there are three primary positions; one of these allows it so that a person avoids the greater sin of zina, and the same ruling is stated for a woman who fears falling into zina. Qadhi cites reports from the Sahaba and Tabi'un, including a young man who told Ibn Abbas that he was unmarried and stimulated himself, to whom Ibn Abbas replied that what he was doing was better than zina, though marrying a slave girl would be better still, and says Ibn Hazm has an entire section on it and holds that it is allowed to touch one's organ even with the left hand. Qadhi adds that self-stimulation is nevertheless not natural or the norm despite what psychologists say, that the default sense of shame and regret shows this, that one should seek marriage and make dua for it, and that although he believes there is no sin in the act, it is better not to do it.

## Sources and names cited

- Yasir Qadhi
- Zakir Naik
- Quran 23:5-6 (those who guard their private parts except from their spouses or right-hand possessions; also 70:29-30): https://quran.com/23/5-6
- Ibn Abbas
- report: a young man came to ibn abbas and said he stimulates himself and ibn abbas said what you are doing is better than zina but marrying a slave girl is better than what you are doing
- Ibn Hazm
- zina
- haram
- makruh
- mubah
- Salafi

## Transcript (machine tier, 0:02–4:00)

[0:02] all right the masala segment people the masala so as you all know right there's we this is we discussed last week if you recall uh that what's this yes what's this uh interesting craze that recently the salafia have embarked upon where zakir naiksab all of a sudden

[0:40] had his enlightenment and said that look uh the island you know so no sooner had we spoken about that and then our own so the first question we're going to be in the permissibility of self-stimulation or

[1:08] you're teasing us self-stim let's go back let's go back to this question with yasir the people pay attention not you first question we're going to be doing is the permissibility of self-stimulation or masturbation is it permissible in islam or is this act sinful speaking the majority of scholars the majority of mathematics view masturbation as being haram or sinful uh and they base this on the fact that allah subhanahu wa ta'ala forbids all sexual activity except with one's

[1:47] spouse and allah says in the quran that uh uh whoever that allah praises those who protect their private parts except allah says in the quran except with their spouses or their right hand possessions whoever is within this confines they are they are that is permissible however some of the scholars of the past uh they did consider it to be and others considered to be mubarak so there are uh three primary positions in this so that he avoids the

[2:26] bigger sin of actual zina of actual uh intercourse that is uh haram and he also mentions very explicitly that the same ruling applies for a woman that a woman can also resort to this if there is a fear of falling into a zina and there are a number of reports from the sahaba and taberun that indicate that this position was found amongst them as well a man came to ibn abbas the cousin of the process of a young man came to ibn abbas and he mentioned that you know he's not you know married and that he uh basically stimulates himself until he ejaculates

[3:05] to him what you are doing is better than committing zina but if you were to marry a slave girl that is even better than what you are doing now and of course evan has an entire section on this as well the famous scholar vendors as i mentioned and he mentions ibn hasan mentions that uh it is allowed to touch one's organ even if it's with the left hand it is allowed to touch one's organ and if it's not the norm no doubt self-stimulation is not natural despite what psychologists might say it is not the norm and that is why the default is the default is that there is a sense of shame and a sense of regret

[3:45] uh when somebody does this even if you're not a muslim you know they are uh they are looking to get married and making dua to allah to help us to get married and we also understand that uh even if the act is permissible and i do believe that there's no sin in doing it it's no sense the default is that it is and means it's better not to do so the default is that as azim says not from the nobility of deeds

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment yZrVPdcKjxQ/s/1. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/yzrvpdckjxq/s/1/

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