Masturbation
 | This section is a general introduction to the rulings of a fiqhi topic. |
Istimnaʾ (Arabic: الاستمناء), Masturbation or Self-gratification is discharging semen by hand, etc. in cases other than sexual intercourse. There are two types of permissible and forbidden istimna. Some scholars have cited the forbidden one among great sins, prohibited in hadiths. The punishment for masturbation is ta'zir (Discretionary punishment) which is determined by the Sharia ruler. Masturbation causes janaba which breaks the fast.
Concept
Masturbation refers to discharging semen intentionally, not any incidence of the effusion of semen. Imna' refers to discharging semen with or without the intention of ejaculation; however, it has been mostly referred to discharging semen without the intention of ejaculation. It has been discussed in the discussions of fasting, i'tikaf, hajj and hudud.[1]
In the Qur'an and Hadiths
In addition to ijma', for the discussion of masturbation, Shi'a jurists have referred to the verse 6 of Qur'an 23, according to which seeking any sexual pleasure by any means other than through one's spouse or slave-woman is forbidden.[2]
In several hadiths, masturbation is prohibited. These hadiths are mentioned in Wasa'il al-Shi'a, under the title of the prohibition of masturbation.[3] Also, according to a hadith, God will not [make a favorable] look at the one who performs masturbation.
Forbidden and Permissible Masturbation
Masturbation can be of two types of forbidden and permissible. Some Shi'a jurists say that if masturbation is performed by the spouse or slave-woman is permissible, otherwise, it is forbidden. Some have considered it among great sins.[4] On the other hand, some other Shi'a jurists have considered it forbidden even if performed by the hand of spouse or slave-woman.[5]
Consequences in Jurisprudence
- Janaba: Masturbation leads to janaba obligating the person to make ghusl[6] and leaves him prohibited to touch the words of the Qur'an until then.[7]
- Breaking the fast: Masturbation, even the permissible way, breaks fasting and intentional break of the fast in the month of Ramadan obligates the person to redo the fast and make the related expiation.[8]
- Masturbation is forbidden for a muhrim and obligates the expiation[10] of giving one camel.[11] However, there is a disagreement among scholars on whether it breaks hajj meaning that the current hajj is broken and needs to be redone next year, depending on whether it is performed before staying in Mash'ar al-Haram or after it.[12] Some authorities have remained silent about it.[13]
How it is Proved and What is its Punishment
Masturbation is proved by testimony of two just men[14] or admission of the committer twice and even once.[15] Some early scholars did not consider one time admission, enough for proving it.[16]
Punishment of masturbation is ta'zir (discretionary punishment), the amount and manner of which is determined by the Sharia ruler.[17] In case of repeating it, a stronger punishment will be determined for it.[18]
Notes
- ↑ Ibn Ḥamza, al-Wasīla, p. 159; Mufīd, al-Muqniʿa, p. 791.
- ↑ Ṭūsī, al-Mabsūṭ, vol. 4, p. 242; Quṭb al-Dīn al-Rāwandī, Fiqh al-Qurʾān, vol. 2, p. 144.
- ↑ Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, vol. 20, p. 352-355.
- ↑ Majlisī, Biḥār al-anwār, vol. 101, p. 30.
- ↑ Ḥillī, Tadhkirat al-fuqahāʾ, p. 577.
- ↑ Tawḍīḥ al-masāʾil, vol. 1, p. 264.
- ↑ Tawḍīḥ al-masāʾil, vol. 1, p. 269.
- ↑ Ḥillī, Sharāʾiʿ al-Islām, vol. 1, p. 172.
- ↑ Ḥillī, Tadhkirat al-fuqahāʾ, vol. 6, p. 257.
- ↑ Ibn Ḥamza, al-Wasīla, p. 159; Ḥillī, Tadhkirat al-fuqahāʾ, vol. 7, p. 381.
- ↑ Ḥillī, Īḍāḥ al-taraddudāt, vol. 1, p. 231.
- ↑ Ibn Ḥamza, al-Wasīla, p. 159.
- ↑ Sabziwārī, Dhakhīrat al-maʿād, p. 619.
- ↑ Mufīd, al-Muqniʿa, p. 791; Najafī, Jawāhir al-kalām, vol. 41, p. 649.
- ↑ Najafī, Jawāhir al-kalām, vol. 41, p. 649.
- ↑ Ḥillī, al-Sarāʾir, vol. 3, p. 471.
- ↑ Mufīd, al-Muqniʿa, p. 791; Najafī, Jawāhir al-kalām, vol. 41, p. 647-649.
- ↑ Ibn Ḥamza, al-Wasīla, p. 415.
References
- Tawḍīḥ al-masāʾil. Edited by Banī Hāshimī. Third edition. Qom: Daftar-i Intishārāt-i Islāmī, 1392 Sh.
- Ḥillī, Muḥammad b. Aḥmad al-. Al-Sarāʾir. Qom: Daftar-i Intishārāt-i Islāmī, 1410 AH.
- Ḥillī, Najm al-Dīn al-. Īḍāḥ al-taraddudāt. Edited by Sayyid Mahdī Rajāʾī. Qom: Kitābkhāna-yi Āyatollāh Marʿashī al-Najafī, 1428 AH.
- Ḥillī, Jaʿfar b. al-Ḥasan al-. Sharāʾiʿ al-Islām. Second edition. Qom: Muʾassisa-yi Maṭbūʿātī-yi Ismāʿīlīyān, 1408 AH.
- Ḥillī, Ḥasan b. Yūsuf al-. Tadhkirat al-fuqahāʾ. Qom: Muʾassisat Āl al-Bayt, 1388 AH.
- Ḥillī, Ḥasan b. Yūsuf al-. Tadhkirat al-fuqahāʾ. Qom: Muʾassisat Āl al-Bayt, 1414 AH.
- Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan al-. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa. Qom: Muʾassisat Āl al-Bayt, 1416 AH.
- Ibn Ḥamza, Muḥammad b. ʿAlī. Al-Wasīla ilā nayl al-faḍīla. Qom: Kitābkhāna-yi Āyatollāh Marʿashī al-Najafī, 1408 AH.
- Majlisī, Muḥammad Bāqir al-. Biḥār al-anwār. Beirut: Muʾassisat al-Wafāʾ, 1404 AH.
- Mufīd, Muḥammad b. Muḥammad al-. Al-Muqniʿa. Qom: Daftar-i Intishārāt-i Islāmī, 1410 AH.
- Najafī, Muḥammad Ḥasan al-. Jawāhir al-kalām. Seventh edition. Beirut: Dār Iḥyāʾ al-Turāth al-ʿArabī, [n.d].
- Quṭb al-Dīn al-Rāwandī, Saʿīd b. Hibat Allāh. Fiqh al-Qurʾān. Qom: Kitābkhāna-yi Āyatollāh Marʿashī al-Najafī, 1405 AH.
- Sabziwārī, Muḥammad Bāqir. Dhakhīrat al-maʿād fī sharḥ al-Irshād. Qom: Muʾassisat Āl al-Bayt, [n.d].
- Ṭūsī, Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan al-. Al-Mabsūṭ fī fiqh al-imāmīyya. Edited by Muḥammad Bāqir Bihbūdī. Third edition. Tehran: al-Maktaba al-Murtaḍawīyya, 1388 AH.