What is the Shariah ruling on masturbation (istimna' by hand)? And for a young man who has become afflicted with this habit, what is the Shariah and practical method for freeing himself from it?

According to the majority of the scholars, masturbation is forbidden (haram), and this is the purport of the fatwas of al-Lajnah al-Da'imah and of Shaykh Ibn Baz and Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen, may Allah have mercy on them. Allah Most High says: ﴿وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ ۝ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ ۝ فَمَنِ ابْتَغَىٰ وَرَاءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ﴾ (And those who guard their private parts — except from their wives or those that their right hands possess, for indeed they are not blamed; but whoever seeks beyond that, those are the transgressors) (Surah al-Mu'minun: 5–7). Imam al-Shafi'i, may Allah have mercy on him, argued from these very verses that satisfying desire by any means other than the wife and the slave-woman is transgression. The Noble Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, did not guide the youth towards a third option; rather, he said: «O young men! Whoever among you is able to marry, let him marry, for it lowers the gaze more and guards the private part more; and whoever is not able, let him fast, for fasting is a shield for him» (Sahih al-Bukhari: 5066; Sahih Muslim: 1400). Shaykh Ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him, says that this "secret habit" is forbidden for the pilgrim and the non-pilgrim alike (Majmu' Fatawa Ibn Baz: 17/138).

If a fasting person does this act during the day and semen is discharged, his fast will break; making up that day will be obligatory upon him, not an expiation (because the expiation is only in intercourse), and repentance is also obligatory, because along with the sin he has also violated the sanctity of the fast.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, has narrated that this act is forbidden according to most of the scholars; however, some of the Salaf and the later scholars gave a concession for it in the situation where a man has a genuine fear of falling into zina or of illness, and has no recourse other than it (al-Fatawa al-Kubra: 1/302). This concession is for a purely compelled (emergency) situation, not for a routine habit; the preponderant and cautious view is prohibition itself.

(a) Sincere repentance, seeking forgiveness (istighfar), and keeping present in mind that Allah Most High is watching. (b) The cure told by the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him: hastening to marriage if one has the ability, otherwise voluntary fasts in abundance. (c) Guarding the gaze: ﴿قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ﴾ (Tell the believing men to lower their gazes and to guard their private parts) (Surah al-Nur: 30) — and completely abandoning all the triggers, that is, obscene pictures and videos and the unrestricted use of a mobile phone in solitude; most of the time these very triggers are the real root of this habit. (d) Reducing solitude, adopting righteous company, and filling one's time with knowledge, worship, exercise and useful occupation. (e) Not despairing if a lapse happens again and again; repenting each time with a fresh resolve, because despair is also one of Satan's tactics. In the view of medical experts as well, excess of this habit produces harms such as psychological weakness and disinterest in married life.

A Maqasid Note: The Shariah has placed the protection of chastity (hifz al-'iffah) and the protection of progeny (hifz al-nasl) among its objectives, and has appointed only one pure path for the satisfaction of desire — marriage. Every path other than it produces, in exchange for momentary pleasure, weakness of conscience and a disposition towards sin; therefore the wise one is he who adopts the Prophetic shield, that is, fasting, patience and guarding the gaze.

Translated from the original Urdu fatwa.