7/17/11

Masturbation

   Masturbation is an important subject as it touches a problem most of youth, who are yet get married. As we know, masturbation is practiced by large number of people: children, young, single, old, and even married. However, the situation is different in science and religion.
   Some scholars hold the view that this habit (masturbation) falls under the category of those who seek fulfillment of their sexual desires outside the framework of marriage, and as such they are deemed transgressors. Those scholars put masturbation under the list of the forbidden categories of sexual fulfillment since it constitutes transgression of boundaries.
   The general principles of religion go against this habit, because it is not the normal way of fulfilling sexual desire; however it is a deviation – and that is enough to condemn it, even though this act does not fall under the category of absolute prohibition like adultery. However, the law of necessity, which is one of the principles of religion, should also apply here. For example, if someone is afraid that he would commit a greater sin like adultery or he will be harmed by some psychological disorders, then the ban on masturbation would be relaxed just to remove the hardship, based on the religion principle that states that “necessity is judged according to the circumstances that warrant it.”
   That means going to the extreme in masturbating is not permissible in all cases, for the following two reasons:
1. it would be resorted to not as a case of extreme necessity to release the tension and the pain resulting from sexual arousal, but to fulfill the sexual desire, and
2. it is harmful to one's health, and whatever is physically harmful is not allowed in religion, according to the consensus of the Muslim scholars.

                                                                                  God Almighty knows best.

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