Masturbation for men and women
Though a sensitive topic that can create discomfort, it is an issue that should be discussed, as it concerns many people, especially those who are unmarried.
Islam provides answers to topics such as sexual intimacy and the prohibition of zina, but what about masturbation?
The scholars have discussed masturbation and its ruling in Islam. They differed among each other, believing it to be impermissible, makruh, or that there is nothing wrong with it.
اختلف أهل العلم في الاستمناء
[الأوسط - ابن المنذر - الجزء ٩ - الصفحة ١٢٥]
Ibn al-Mundhir said: "The scholars differed among each other regarding the issue of masturbation."
[Al-Awsat - Ibn al-Mundhir - Volume 9 - Page 125]
[واختلفوا في الأستمناء]
[اختلاف الفقهاء - الإمام الطبري - صفحة ٣٠٣]
Imam al-Tabari mentioned: Chapter: They differed on the issue of masturbation
[Ikhtilaaf al-Fuqaha - Imam al-Tabari - Page 303]
Those who believed it to be forbidden used the verse in the Quran, and they did not allow a person to masturbate to reduce sexual urges, rather they believed such person should be patient and fast to reduce sexual urges while aiming to marry as soon as possible.
As for the group who regarded it as permissible, they would dislike its action but regard it as permissible, because they believed there is no clear evidence forbidding it.
We take the second position that it is allowed. And this is the position of major Tabi'een like 'Amr ibn Dinar, Al-'Alaa ibn Ziyad, and Jabir ibn Zayd.
In this article, you will see the different positions scholars took, and what is said about the married and unmarried regarding masturbation.
Scholars who said masturbation is allowed
There was a group among the Sahaba who permitted masturbation, among them was Ibn 'Abbas. The students of Ibn 'Abbas also permitted it, such as Mujahid, 'Ata, 'Amr ibn Dinar, and Jabir ibn Zayd.
Hasan al-Basri, Al-'Alaa ibn Ziyad, and Al-Dahhak ibn Muzahim narrated that they saw nothing wrong with it, as a group among the Sahaba used to do it during their military expeditions.
These scholars regarded it permissible to masturbate, and they did not prohibit it, as they believed there is no evidence for its prohibition. But majority of them did regard its practise to be makruh.
It is also said that Imam Ahmad held this position, but we did not come across a direct saying of his in the books of his students.
Ibn Umar
٧٥٨٧ - حدثنا إسحاق، عن عبد الرزاق، عن الثوري، عن عبد الله بن عثمان، عن مجاهد قال: سئل ابن عمر عنه فقال: ذاك فاعل بنفسه (١).
[الأوسط - ابن المنذر - الجزء ٩ - الصفحة ١٢٥]
Ibn al-Mundhir mentioned: Ishaq told us, from ʿAbd al-Razzaq, from al-Thawri, from ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUthman, from Mujahid, who said: He was asked about it, and Ibn ʿUmar said: “He is doing it with himself.”
[Al-Awsat - Ibn al-Mundhir - Volume 9 - Page 125]
Ibn Abbas
وروي عن ابن عباس أنه قال: نكاح الأمة خير منه، وهو خير من الزنا.
[الأوسط - ابن المنذر - الجزء ٩ - الصفحة ١٢٥]
Ibn al-Mundhir said:
"It has been reported from Ibn Abbas that he said marrying a female slave is better than it. It (masturbation) is better than zina."
[Al-Awsat - Ibn al-Mundhir - Volume 9 - Page 125]
وقال ابن عباس هو خير من الزناء ونكاح الأمة خير منه.
[اختلاف الفقهاء - الإمام الطبري - صفحة ٣٠٣]
Imam al-Tabari said:
"Ibn Abbas said it (masturbation) is better than zina, and marrying a female slave is better than it."
[Ikhtilaaf al-Fuqaha - Imam al-Tabari - Page 303]
عبد الرزاق عن الثوري ومعمر عن الأعمش عن أبي رزين عن أبي يحيى عن ابن عباس قال: قال رجل: إني أعبث بذكري حتى أنزل، قال: إن نكاح الأمة خير منه، وهو خير من الزنا.
[المصنّف عبد الرزاق - المجلد ٧ - الصفحة ٣٩٠-٣٩١]
'Abd al-Razzaq narrated from al-Thawri and Muʿammar, from al-Aʿmash, from Abu Razin, from Abu Yahya, from Ibn ʿAbbas, who said: A man said, ‘I masturbate until I ejaculate.’ He (Ibn ʿAbbas) said: ‘Marrying a female slave is better than that, and it (masturbation) is better than zina.’”
[Al-Musannaf Abdurrazzaq - Volume 7 - Page 390-391]
حدثنا أبو بكر قال نا سفيان بن عيينة عن عمار عن أبي مسلم عن أبي عمران عن أبي يحيى قال: رأيت رجلا سأل ابن عباس فقال: يا ابن عباس إني رجل أعبث بذكري حتى أنزل، قال فقال ابن عباس: أف أف! هو خير من الزنا ونكاح الإماء خير منه.
[المصنف - ابن أبي شيبة الكوفي - ج ٣ - الصفحة ٤٤٢]
Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned: Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah narrated from ‘Ammar from Abu Muslim from Abu ‘Imran from Abu Yahya, who said: I saw a man ask Ibn ‘Abbas: “O Ibn ‘Abbas, I am a man who masturbates until ejaculation.” Ibn ‘Abbas said: “Ugh! It is better than zina, and marrying a female slave is better than it.”
[Al-Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 3 - Page 442]
In the response of Ibn Abbas one can see that there is some form of dislike in the issue of masturbation, though it is permissible.
Another argument is that Ibn Abbas, who was known as the most knowledgeable of the companions in interpreting the Quran, did not consider the verse cited by those who prohibit masturbation as evidence for its prohibition.
Jabir ibn Zayd
13591 - عبد الرزاق عن الثوري عن عباد عن منصور عن جابر ابن زيد أبي الشعثاء قال: هو ماؤك فأهرقه.
[المصنف - عبد الرزاق الصنعاني - ج ٧ - الصفحة ٣٩١]
‘Abd al-Razzaq narrated from al-Thawri, from ‘Ibad, from Mansur, from Jabir ibn Zayd Abu al-Sha‘tha: He said: “It is your fluid, you may do with it as you please.”
[Al-Musannaf Abdurrazzaq - Volume 7 - Page 391]
'Amr ibn Dinar
وحكي عن عمرو بن دينار أنه رخص فيه.
[الأوسط - ابن المنذر - الجزء ٩ - الصفحة ١٢٥]
Ibn al-Mundhir said:
"'Amr ibn Dinar related that he allowed it (masturbation)."
[Al-Awsat - Ibn al-Mundhir - Volume 9 - Page 125]
عبد الرزاق قال: أخبرنا ابن جريج قال: قال عمرو بن دينار: ما أرى بالاستمناء بأسا.
[المصنف - عبد الرزاق الصنعاني - ج ٧ - الصفحة ٣٩٢]
ʿAbd al-Razzāq said: Ibn Jurayj informed us, from ʿAmr ibn Dīnār, who said: “I do not see anything wrong with masturbation.”
[Al-Musannaf Abdurrazzaq - Volume 7 - Page 392]
Mujahid
أخبرنا عبد الرزاق قال: أخبرنا ابن جريج قال: أخبرني إبراهيم بن أبي بكر عن مجاهد قال: كان من مضى يأمرون شبانهم بالاستمناء، والمرأة كذلك تدخل شيئا، قلنا لعبد الرزاق: ما تدخل شيئا؟ قال: يريد السق يقول: تستغني به عن الزنا.
[المصنف - عبد الرزاق الصنعاني - ج ٧ - الصفحة ٣٩٢]
ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, he said: Ibn Jurayj informed us, he said: Ibrāhīm ibn Abī Bakr informed me from Mujāhid, who said: “In the past, they would instruct their young men to masturbate, and similarly the women to insert something (to masturbate with), in order for them to safeguard themselves from zina.’”
[Al-Musannaf Abdurrazzaq - Volume 7 - Page 392]
Mujahid informs us that the unmarried men and women were instructed to masturbate in order to protect themselves from falling into zina.
These were not ordinary people giving this instruction, it were the companions who instructed this.
'Ata
عبد الرزاق قال: أخبرنا ابن جريج عن عطاء أنه كره الاستمناء، قلت: أفيه؟ قال: ما سمعته.
[المصنف - عبد الرزاق الصنعاني - ج ٧ - الصفحة ٣٩٠]
ʿAbd al-Razzāq said: Ibn Jurayj informed us, from ʿAṭā, that he disliked masturbation. I said: “Is there a prescribed punishment for it?” He said: “I have not heard of any.”
[Al-Musannaf Abdurrazzaq - Volume 7 - Page 390]
And 'Ata disliked this because Ibn Abbas disliked it, so he took it from his teacher. However, there is no report on its dislike.
Al-'Alaa ibn Ziyad
فقال العلاء بن زياد لا بأس بذلك قد كنا نفعله في مغازينا "حدثنا بذلك محمد بن بشار العبدي قال حدثنا معاذ بن هشام قال حدثني أبي عن قتادة عنه".
وقال الحسن البصري والضحاك٢ بن مزاحم وجماعة معهم مثل ذلك.
[اختلاف الفقهاء - الإمام الطبري - صفحة ٣٠٣]
Imam al-Tabari mentioned: Al-‘Alā’ ibn Ziyād said: “There is nothing wrong with that; we used to do it in our military campaigns."
Muhammad ibn Bashār al-‘Abdī told us, he said: Mu‘ādh ibn Hishām told us, he said: My father told me from Qatāda from him (Al-'Ala ibn Ziyad).
Al-Hasan al-Baṣrī, al-Ḍaḥḥāk ibn Muzāḥim, and a group with them reported the same.
[Ikhtilaaf al-Fuqaha - Imam al-Tabari - Page 303]
وعلة من قال يقول العلاء إن تحريم الشيء وتحليله لا يثبت إلا بحجة ثابتة يجب التسليم لها وذلك مختلف فيه مع إجماع الكل وإن مادة إعماله فيه فحرام عليه الجمع بينهما إلا لعلة وقد أجمعوا أن له أن يباشر ذلك بما يحل له أن يباشره به فكذلك له أن يعمله فيه.
[اختلاف الفقهاء - الإمام الطبري - صفحة ٣٠٣]
Imam al-Tabari said:
"The reasoning of those who chose the opinion of Al-‘Alā, is that the prohibition or permissibility of something can only be established by a definitive proof that must be accepted.
This matter is a point of difference among scholars, although there is consensus on general principles.
Regarding its practical application, it is impermissible to act on something if it is substantiated with evidence for its impermissibility.
They unanimously agreed that a person may engage in what is permissible for him to engage in, and likewise he may act in accordance with it."
[Ikhtilaaf al-Fuqaha - Imam al-Tabari - Page 303]
Hasan al-Basri
حدثنا محمد بن سعيد بن نبات نا أحمد بن عون الله نا قاسم بن أصبغ نا محمد بن عبد السلام الخشني نا محمد بن بشار - بندار - أنا محمد بن جعفر - غندر - نا شعبة عن قتادة: وقال الحسن في الرجل يستمنى يعبث بذكره حتى ينزل قال: كانوا يفعلون في المغازي
[المحلى - ج ١١ - الصفحة ٣٩٣]
From Muḥammad ibn Saʿīd ibn Nabaṭ narrated, from Aḥmad ibn ʿAwn Allāh narrated, from Qāsim ibn Aṣbagh narrated, from Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Salām al-Khushani narrated, from Muḥammad ibn Bashār (Bundār) narrated, from Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar (Ghundar) narrated, from Shuʿbah, from Qatādah:
Al-Ḥasan (al-Baṣrī) was asked about a man who practices masturbation, playing with his private part until ejaculation. He said: “They (group among the companions) used to do it during the military expeditions.”
[Al-Muhalla - Volume 11 - Page 393]
نا حمام نا ابن مفرج نا ابن الاعرابي نا الدبري نا عبد الرزاق أنا ابن جريج أخبرني من أصدق عن الحسن البصري أنه كان لا يرى بأسا بالمرأة تدخل شيئا تريد الستر تستغنى به عن الزنا
[المحلى - ج ١١ - الصفحة ٣٩٠]
From Hammam, from Ibn Mufraj, from Ibn al-‘Arabi, from al-Dabri, from ‘Abd al-Razzaq, from Ibn Jurayj, from a trustworthy one, from al-Hasan al-Basri, that he did not see anything wrong with a woman masturbating to fulfill desire in order to prevent herself from commiting zina.
[Al-Muhalla - Volume 11 - Page 390]
This narration involves an unnamed person, but it is considered accepted from al-Hasan al-Basri, who indicated that a group of men would engage in masturbation while on military expeditions.
However, Hasan al-Basri most likely would dislike this as was also said by Ibn aL-Mundhir. It is also clear that Ibn Abbas and others disliked this, though permitted it to prevent falling into zina.
وكان الحسن يكره ذلك.
[الأوسط - ابن المنذر - الجزء ٩ - الصفحة ١٢٥]
Ibn al-Mundhir said: "And Hasan al-Basri disliked this."
[Al-Awsat - Ibn al-Mundhir - Volume 9 - Page 125]
Scholars who said masturbation is forbidden
Those who regareded it to be haram are scholars such as: Anas ibn Malik, al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, Imam Malik, Imam Shafi'i, Ibn al-Mundhir, and Ibn Qudamah (though he informed about its exception).
Majority of these scholars based it on the verses:
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَـٰفِظُونَ ٥
إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ ٦
فَمَنِ ٱبْتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْعَادُونَ ٧
Those who guard their chastity, except with their wives or those ˹bondwomen˺ in their possession, for then they are free from blame, but whoever seeks beyond that are the transgressors;
[23:5-7 Quran]
This is the main argument used by those who believed masturbation is prohibited. They said masturbation falls under 'whoever seeks beyond that are the transgressors'.
Anas ibn Malik
وقال أنس بن مالك ملعون من فعل ذلك.
[اختلاف الفقهاء - الإمام الطبري - صفحة ٣٠٣]
Imam al-Tabari mentioned:
And Anas ibn Mālik said: “Cursed is the one who does that.”
[Ikhtilaaf al-Fuqaha - Imam al-Tabari - Page 303]
Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad
حدثنا وكيع عن أفلح عن القاسم قال: سئل عن (الذين هم لفروجهم حافظون إلا على أزواجهم أو ما ملكت أيمانهم فإنهم غير ملومين فمن ابتغى وراء ذلك فأولئك هم العادون): فمن ابتغى وراء ذلك فهو عاد.
[المصنف - ابن أبي شيبة الكوفي - ج ٣ - الصفحة ٤٤٢]
Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned: Waki‘ told us, from Aflah, from Al-Qasim (ibn Muhammad), who said: He was asked about (the verse) “those who guard their private parts except with their spouses or what their right hand possesses, for they are not blameworthy; but whoever seeks beyond that, they are the transgressors”: (it means) Whoever seeks beyond that (by masturbating) is a transgressor.
[Al-Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 3 - Page 442]
Imam Malik
وبلغني أن مالكا سئل عن هذه المسألة فتلا: ﴿والذين عن لفروجهم حافظون﴾ الآية.
[الأوسط - ابن المنذر - الجزء ٩ - الصفحة ١٢٤]
Ibn al-Mundhir said:
“It has reached me that Mālik was asked about this issue, so he recited: ‘And those who guard their private parts…’ [the verse].”
[Al-Awsat - Ibn al-Mundhir - Volume 9 - Page 124]
قال محمد بن الحكم : سمعت حرملة بن عبد العزيز قال : سألت مالكا عن الرجل يجلد عميرة ، فتلا هذه الآية والذين هم لفروجهم حافظون - إلى قوله - العادون .
[تفسير القرطبي - سورة المؤمنون - الآية ٦]
Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥakam said: I heard Ḥarmalah ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz say: I asked Mālik about a man who engages in masturbation, so he recited this verse: ‘And those who guard their private parts – until His saying – the transgressors.’
[Tafsir al-Qurtubi - Surah al-Muminoon - Verse 6]
Imam Malik followed the Fuqaha of Madinah, among which was Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad (grandson of Abu Bakr radiyAllahu 'anhu), who believed that masturbation is forbidden based on this verse in Surah al-Muminoon.
It is for this reason that Imam Malik adopted the view that masturbation is forbidden, and that a person should obstain from it, even when he feels sexual urges. Such person is commanded to fast to reduce sexual urges.
Imam Shafi'i
وممن حرم ذلك: الشافعي (٢)، واستدل في تحريمه بقوله: ﴿والذين هم لفروجهم حفظون * إلا على أزواجهم أو ما ملكت أيمانهم﴾، قال: ثم أكد ذلك فقال: ﴿فمن ابتغى وراء ذلك فأولئك هم العادون﴾ (٣)، قال: ولا يحل العمل بالذكر إلا في الزوجة أو في ملك اليمين، فلا يحل الاستمناء والله أعلم
[الأوسط - ابن المنذر - الجزء ٩ - الصفحة ١٢٤]
Ibn al-Mundhir mentioned:
And Al-Shafi‘i said: "It is not permissible, based on the verse: ‘And those who guard their private parts * except with their wives or those their right hands possess’. ‘But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors’.
It is not permissible to act with the private part except with the wife or with what the right hand possesses. Thus, masturbation is not permissible. And Allah knows best."
[Al-Awsat - Ibn al-Mundhir - Volume 9 - Page 124]
وقال الشافعي:٤ لا يحل ذلك "حدثنا بذلك عنه الربيع.
[اختلاف الفقهاء - الإمام الطبري - صفحة ٣٠٣]
Imam al-Tabari mentioned:
And Al-Shafi‘i said: It is not permissible. Al-Rabi‘ narrated this to us from him.
[Ikhtilaaf al-Fuqaha - Imam al-Tabari - Page 303]
قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ {وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ - إِلا عَلَى أَزْوَاجِهِمْ} قَرَأَ إلَى {الْعَادُونَ} (قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ): فَكَانَ بَيِّنًا فِي ذِكْرِ حِفْظِهِمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ إلَّا عَلَى أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ تَحْرِيمُ مَا سِوَى الْأَزْوَاجِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ الْأَيْمَانُ وَبَيِّنٌ أَنَّ الْأَزْوَاجَ وَمِلْكَ الْيَمِينِ مِنْ الْآدَمِيَّاتِ دُونَ الْبَهَائِمِ ثُمَّ أَكَّدَهَا فَقَالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ {فَمَنِ ابْتَغَى وَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ} فَلَا يَحِلُّ الْعَمَلُ بِالذَّكَرِ إلَّا فِي الزَّوْجَةِ أَوْ فِي مِلْكِ الْيَمِينِ وَلَا يَحِلُّ الِاسْتِمْنَاءُ وَاَللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَعْلَمُ
[الأم - الإمام الشافعي - المجلد ٥ - الصفحة ١٠٢]
Imam Shafi'i said:
"Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said: {And those who guard their private parts – except from their wives} — until {the transgressors}.
It is clear from His mentioning their guarding of their private parts, except with their wives or what their right hands possess, that everything besides wives and what the right hand possesses is prohibited.
And it is clear that wives and what the right hand possesses are from humankind, not from animals. {So whoever seeks beyond that, then they are the transgressors}. Therefore, it is not permissible to act with the private part except with the wife or with what the right hand possesses, and masturbation is not permissible. And Allah, Exalted is He, knows best.
[Al-Umm - Imam Shafi'i - Volume 5 - Page 102]
Ibn al-Mundhir
قال أبو بكر: بقول الشافعي أقول، للحجة التي ذكرها واحتج بها.
[الأوسط - ابن المنذر - الجزء ٩ - الصفحة ١٢٥]
Ibn al-Mundhir said: "I take the view of al-Shafi'i, and also the argument he used (on the prohibition of masturbation)."
[Al-Awsat - Ibn al-Mundhir - Volume 9 - Page 125]
Ibn Qudamah
ويحرم الاستمناء باليد؛ لأنها مباشرة تفضي إلى قطع النسل، فحرمت كاللواط، ولا حد فيه؛ لأنه لا إيلاج فيه، فإن خشي الزنا، أبيح له؛ لأنه يروى عن جماعة من الصحابة - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ -.
[الكافي في فقه الإمام أحمد - ابن قدامة - الجزء ٤ - الصفحة ٩٣]
Ibn Qudamah said:
"Masturbation with the hand is prohibited because it directly leads to the interruption of progeny, so it is forbidden like sodomy.
There is no prescribed punishment (ḥadd) for it, because there is no penetration.
However, if one fears committing adultery, it is permitted, as it is narrated from a group of the Sahaba – radiyAllahu 'anhum."
[Al-Kafi fi Fiqh al-Imam Ahmad - Ibn Qudamah - Volume 4 - Page 93]
Ibn Qudamah is basing his ruling in masturbation being haram on analogy, that it interrupts progeny like sodomy, so it must be haram like sodomy is also haram. This is his ijtihad on why he believes masturbation to be haram.
He does make the exception for when one fears to commit zina. He said it becomes permissible in that case, to fulfill sexual desire.
Some weak narrations on masturbation
قال ابن جريج : سألت عطاء عنه فقال : مكروه ، سمعت أن قوما يحشرون وأيديهم حبالى فأظن أنهم هؤلاء . وعن سعيد بن جبير قال : عذب الله أمة كانوا يعبثون بمذاكيرهم .
[تفسير البغوي - سورة المؤمنون - الآية ٧]
Ibn Jurayj said: “I asked ʿAṭāʾ about it, and he said: ‘It is disliked. I heard that there are people who will be gathered with their hands bound with ropes, and I suppose they are these (who masturbate).’”
And from Saʿīd ibn Jubayr: “Allah punished a nation who used to masturbate.”
[Tafsir al-Baghawi - Surah al-Muminoon - Verse 7]
This was mentioned in Tafsir al-Baghawi without a chain, thus it cannot be taken as evidence.
حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَرَفَةَ
٤١ - حَدَّثَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ الْجَزَرِيُّ، عَنْ مَسْلَمَةَ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ حَسَّانَ بْنِ حُمَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: " سَبْعَةٌ لَا يَنْظُرُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَيْهِمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَلَا يُزَكِّيهِمْ، وَلَا يَجْمَعُهُمْ مَعَ الْعَالَمِينَ، يَدْخُلُونَ النَّارَ أَوَّلَ الدَّاخِلِينَ، إِلَّا أَنْ يَتُوبُوا، إِلَّا أَنْ يَتُوبُوا، إِلَّا أَنْ يَتُوبُوا مِمَّنْ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ: النَّاكِحُ يَدَهُ، وَالْفَاعِلُ , وَالْمَفْعُولُ بِهِ، وَمُدْمِنُ الْخَمْرِ، وَالضَّارِبُ أَبَوَيْهِ حَتَّى يَسْتَغِيثَا، وَالْمُؤْذِي جِيرَانَهُ حَتَّى يَلْعَنُوهُ، وَالنَّاكِحُ حَلِيلَةَ جَارِهِ "
[ص64 - كتاب جزء ابن عرفة]
Al-Ḥasan ibn ʿArfah narrated: ʿAlī ibn Thābit al-Jazrī narrated to me, from Maslamah ibn Jaʿfar, from Ḥassān ibn Ḥumayd, from Anas ibn Mālik, that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Seven people whom Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will not look at on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, nor gather them with the righteous, and they will enter the Fire among the first to enter — except those who repent, except those who repent, except those who repent: Person who masturbates, the person who performs the act of sodomy, the person upon whom the act of sodomy is performed, the habitual drunkard, the person who hits his parents so much that they appeal for help, the person who harms his neighbours so much so that they curse him, the person who commits adultery with his neighbour's wife.
[Kitab Juz ibn 'Arafah - Page 64]
This narration is weak due to Maslamah ibn Ja'far and Hassan ibn Humayd, who is unknown.
Fasting for those who cannot marry
حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ حَفْصِ بْنِ غِيَاثٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُمَارَةُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، قَالَ دَخَلْتُ مَعَ عَلْقَمَةَ وَالأَسْوَدِ عَلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ كُنَّا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم شَبَابًا لاَ نَجِدُ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ لَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهُ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَا مَعْشَرَ الشَّبَابِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ الْبَاءَةَ فَلْيَتَزَوَّجْ، فَإِنَّهُ أَغَضُّ لِلْبَصَرِ، وَأَحْصَنُ لِلْفَرْجِ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَعَلَيْهِ بِالصَّوْمِ، فَإِنَّهُ لَهُ وِجَاءٌ ".
`Abdullah (ibn 'Abbas) narrated: We were with the Prophet (ﷺ) while we were young and had no wealth. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "O young people! Whoever among you can marry, should marry, because it helps him lower his gaze and guard his modesty (i.e. his private parts from committing illegal sexual intercourse), and whoever is not able to marry, should fast, as fasting diminishes his sexual urges."
[Sahih al-Bukhari 5066]
Among the people who adopt the position that masturbation is haram say that this advice the Prophet (ﷺ) gave is in itself evidence that masturbation is prohibited.
They say: "He never told those young people to masturbate". This is their argument and we disagree. Just because the Prophet (ﷺ) does not directly advices something does not mean it is prohibited.
At the same time Ibn 'Abbas, the one who actually narrated this Hadith, does not believe that masturbation is haram, and he surely understood the Prophet's advice better.
Our conclusion
We believe the most correct opinion is that masturbation falls under the actions that are permissible, but disliked.
Its absolute permissibility is supported by Tabi'een such as 'Amr ibn Dinar, and Jabir ibn Zayd.
Other Tabi'een like Hasan al-Basri and 'Ata regarded masturbation to be disliked, though permissible.
We hold the view that masturbation is makruh, as it carries a sense of shame, not one of dignity or nobility.
However, we do not consider it to be haram, since there is no explicit evidence prohibiting it. The narrations on the matter are weak, and the verse cited in Sūrah al-Muminūn refers specifically to sexual intercourse. Masturbation is not intercourse but self-stimulation.
قَوْلُهُ: {وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ} [المؤمنون: ٥] مِنَ الزِّنَا.
[تفسير يحيى بن سلام - سورة المؤمنون - الآية ٥]
Yahya ibn Sallam said: "{those who guard their chastity} [Al-Mu’minoon: 5] — meaning from Zina."
[Tafsir Yahya ibn Sallam - Surah al-Muminoon - Verse 5]
{فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ} [المؤمنون: ٧] الزُّنَاةُ تَعَدُّوا الْحَلالَ إِلَى الْحَرَامِ.
[تفسير يحيى بن سلام - سورة المؤمنون - الآية ٧]
Yahya ibn Sallam said: "{Then they are the transgressors} [Al-Mu’minoon: 7] — The fornicators have transgressed from what is lawful to what is unlawful."
[Tafsir Yahya ibn Sallam - Surah al-Muminoon - Verse 7]
So we follow the opinion of the Tabi'een who regarded masturbation to be permissible, and they never prohibited it in any case. However, some of them did regard it makruh, and we also believe that to be the case.
Touching the private part with the right hand
It is disliked to touch the private part with one's right hand, so this would also apply during masturbation.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِذَا بَالَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلاَ يَأْخُذَنَّ ذَكَرَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ، وَلاَ يَسْتَنْجِي بِيَمِينِهِ، وَلاَ يَتَنَفَّسْ فِي الإِنَاءِ ".
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"Whenever anyone of you urinates he should not hold his penis or clean his private parts with his right hand. And while drinking, one should not breathe in the drinking utensil."
[Sahih al-Bukhari 154]
The majority of scholars understood this to mean that it disliked, not prohibited. It is from the etiquettes to touch the private parts with the left hand.
Only speaking when knowing the ikhtilaf between scholars
١٥٣٤ - وَقَالَ يَحْيَى بْنُ سَلَامٍ: " لَا يَنْبَغِي لِمَنْ لَا يَعْرِفُ الِاخْتِلَافَ أَنْ يُفْتِيَ، وَلَا يَجُوزُ لِمَنْ لَا يَعْلَمُ الْأَقَاوِيلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ: هَذَا أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ "
[جامع بيان العلم وفضله - ابن عبد البر - الجزء الثاني - الصفحة ٨١٨]
Ibn 'Abdul-Barr mentioned: Yahya ibn Sallam said: "I don't find it right for one who does not know the differences of opinion to give verdicts, and it is not allowed for the one who does not know about the various statements [of the scholars] to say: I prefer such-and-such opinion."
[Jami' Bayan al-Ilm wa Fadlih - Ibn 'Abdul-Barr - Volume 2 - Page 818]