The Punishment for Masturbation In Islam

Masturbation is Haraam.

This is the ruling of the four mazhabs i.e. Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanafi and a narration from Imam Hanbali himself. They have drawn their conclusions from the following proofs:

PROOFS FROM THE QUR'AN

Allah Ta'ala says:

"And those who guard their private parts 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."

The intended meaning of these Ayats is clear. Allah Ta'ala has praised the believers for guarding their private parts from that which He has made forbidden for them. Allah has permitted them to approach their wives and slave-girls. Thereafter - whoever seeks beyond that which is lawful are oppressors who overstep from Halaal (permitted) towards Haraam (prohibited).

Hafiz ibn Kathir RA writes Imam Shafi'i RA and those who have agreed with him have concluded that masturbation is Haraam from this Ayat. He says:

"Masturbation is excluded from these two types which Allah has made Halaal i.e. with wives and slave-girls."

Similarly, these Fuqaha (Jurists) have drawn their conclusion from the following Ayat:

"And those who do not find the means to marry should remain chaste until Allah gives them resources by His grace."

The above Ayat shows masturbation to be Haraam because of two reasons:

Firstly: in this Ayat, Allah has given the command of chastity and, according to the principles of Fiqh, a command (an imperative) denotes Wujub (incumbency, obligation). Hence to remain chaste is Wajib (compulsory) and wherever chastity is Wajib it becomes Waajib to refrain from that which is contrary to it, for example, adultery, fornication, and sodomy. This is due to the fact that obligatory chastity will not materialise except by complete refrainment from all that which is contrary to chastity.

Secondly: in this Ayat, Allah has made chastity obligatory on those who are unable to execute the command of Nikah. Here Allah has not determined any connection or link between marriage and chastity. Hence, this demands that masturbation should be Haraam. And if assuming, it was permissible, then Allah would have mentioned it at this point because this was the place of explanation. The silence maintaned by Allah with regard to it at a place which requires its explanation, denotes that masturbation is Haraam.

Imam Qurtubi RA has written in the Tafsir of this Ayat:

"And when Allah Ta'ala has not determined any order between Nikah and chastity, then this shows that besides these two, everything else is Haraam. However, this Hurmat (unlawfulness) does not include slave-girls because another command of the Qur'an makes them Mubah (permissible), i.e. "That which the right-hands earn (i.e. slave-girls)." Hence, in this manner an addition of slave-girl has come. Masturbation, however still remains Haraam."

"Those who seek beyond this (i.e. wives and slave-girls) are transgressors." (Al-Ma'arij: 31)


PROOFS FROM AHADITH

Similarly, the Fuqahaa have drawn their conclusion from a Hadith reported by Abdullah bin Mas'ud RA in Bukhari and Muslim. He reports that Rasulullah SAW said:

"O group of youth! Whoever from among 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."

Nabi SAW directed the person who is incapable of bearing the burden on Nikah towards Sawm (fasting). If assuming, masturbation was permissible, Rasulullah SAW would have mentioned it at this point. Rasulullah SAW however maintained silence. Hence, this indicates that masturbation is Haraam because silence at the place of explanation gives the benefit of restriction.

Some of the Fuqahaa have drawn their conclusion from a narration reported by Hasan bin Arfah RA that Nabi SAW said:

"Seven persons are such that Allah will not look at them on the Day of Qiyamat nor will He purify them nor will He include them among the learned and Allah will enter them into Jahannam. They will enter Jahannam first except for those who repent. As those who repent Allah will accept their repentance. 1. A person who masturbates. 2. A person who performs the act of sodomy. 3. The person upon whom the act of sodomy is performed. 4. A perpetual drunkard. 5. The person who hits his parents so much that they appeal for help. 6. The person who harms his neighbours so much so that they curse him. 7. The person who commits adultery with his neighbour's wife. (Ibn Kathir: Volume 5: Page 458)

Anas RA narrates that Rasulullah SAW said:

"The person who performs Nikah with his hands (i.e. masturbates) is cursed. (Tafsir Mazhari : Volume 12: Page 94)

Sa'eed bin Jubayr RA narrates that Rasulullah SAW said:

"Allah Ta'ala will inflict a punishment on a group of people because they played with their private parts."


SAYINGS OF OUR PIOUS PREDECESSORS WITH REGARD TO MASTURBATION

Attaa RA says:

"Some people will be resurrected in such a condition that their hands will be pregnant. I think they are those who masturbate."