‘Istimna (استمناء) is the Arabic term for masturbation.
Schools of thought
There are varying opinions on its permissibility. It is forbidden in the Twelver school of the Shi'a denomination of Islam and all of its associated subdivisions. It is considered haram according to the Maliki madh'hab. The Hanafi school has a more permissive outlook. According to Ibn Hazm and the Hanbali madhab, it is halal (permissible) only under two conditions: first, the fear of committing fornication or adultery, and second, not having the means to marry. Sheikh Assim al Hakeem stated that masturbation is halal but only if one is otherwise definitely going to fornicate. Various scholarly thoughts concluding it being halal include the following:
Ibn al-Qayyim, a 14th century Sunni Islamic scholar:
Next, he cites the opinion of Ibn Aqil on the conditions that make masturbation halaal:
And afterwards, Ibn al-Qayyim said:
Those of the view that it is haraam:
- Malik ibn Anas
- Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi`i
- Abu Hanifa an-Nu‘man
- Ibn Kathir
- Al-Qurtubi
- Shi'a
Some have quoted one (1) narration from Ahmad ibn Hanbal.
Qur'an
The Quran itself is silent on the subject of masturbation, however many scholars have quoted certain ayats that they claim states that masturbation is forbidden.
Ibn Omid Stanakzai, a 14th century Sunni Islamic scholar that Imaam Shaafi'i and those who have agreed with him have concluded that masturbation is haram from the above verse. He says:
- "Masturbation is excluded from these two types which Allah has made Halaal, viz. wives and slave-girls".
Under the exegis of this verse, Qadi Thanaullah Panipati writes:
- "Imam Baghawi has deduced from this Aayat that masturbation is haram."
Hadith
Some hadith that are quoted to in support of masturbation being haram include:
However, Muhammad recommended fasting and did not mention masturbation.
Ibn Kathir wrote in volume 5 p. 458:
It is worth pointing out that Ibn Kathir's works are an interpretative commentary and not a part of the Quran itself.
This is a Daeef(Weak) Hadith
Other quoted material include from Tafsir al-Mazhari vol. 12 p. 94:
Quoted from those after the Sahaba
References
