Tag: Muamalah

  • Q n A : She loves her husband madly and is looking for a solution


    Q
    She loves her husband madly and is looking for a solution


    A

    Praise be to Allah.
    It is wonderful to see Muslim homes that are filled with love
    and compassion. When we see that love and compassion between the spouses in
    particular, we are very happy about it, because that love and compassion
    will have a good effect on the family members. One of the greatest signs of
    Allah is that He created woman from man and it is a sign of His wisdom that
    He created woman to be a course of comfort and tranquillity for the man.
    Allah, may He be exalted, mentioned that with regard to Adam and Hawwa’, and
    all people in general, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

    “It is He Who has created you from a single person (Adam),
    and (then) He has created from him his wife (Hawwa (Eve)), in order that he
    might enjoy the pleasure of living with her”

    [al-A‘raaf 7:189].

    This has to do with Adam and Eve. With regard to humanity in
    general, Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

    “And among His Signs is this, that He created for you
    wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them”

    [ar-Room 30:21].

    And Allah, may He be exalted, created love and compassion
    between the spouses, as He says at the end of the verse from Soorat ar-Room
    quoted above (interpretation of the meaning):

    “…and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily,
    in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect”

    [ar-Room 30:21]. 

    Ash-Shanqeeti (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    Allah, may He be exalted, says: “and
    (then) He has created from him his wife (Hawwa (Eve)), in order that he
    might enjoy the pleasure of living with her”

    [al-A‘raaf 7:189]. 

    In this verse we see that Allah created Hawwa’ from Adam so
    that he might enjoy the pleasure of living with her, i.e., find comfort in
    her. Elsewhere Allah said that He created the spouses of Adam’s offspring
    likewise. That is the verse in which Allah says (interpretation of the
    meaning):

    “And among His Signs is this, that He created for you
    wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has
    put between you affection and mercy.”

    [ar-Room 30:21]. 

    Adwa’ al-Bayaan, 2/304, 305 

    Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    There is no love between any two souls greater than that that
    exists between the spouses. 

    Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 3/525 

    But we do not mean that the love should be “mad” or “crazy”
    as people say. Rather it should be moderate and appropriate. Zayd ibn Aslam
    narrated that his father said: ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab said to me: O Aslam, do
    not let your love (for anyone) be obsessive and do not let your hatred (of
    anyone) be destructive. 

    I said: How is that? 

    He said: When you love, do not go to a level of obsession as
    a child does with the thing he loves, and when you hate, do not hate in such
    a way that you want your opponent to be destroyed and doomed. 

    Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaaq in al-Musannaf, 20269; its
    isnaad is saheeh. 

    The Rightly-Guided Caliph (‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab) gave this
    advice because obsessiveness in love (loving madly) has negative effects on
    the one who loves and the one who is loved. Its effects on the one who loves
    are: 

    (a)His thoughts are focused on his
    beloved, which causes him anxiety and tension, and this distraction causes
    him to waste time and leads to mental and physical illness

    (b)Another of the effects of
    loving madly is that it makes the one who loves turn a blind eye to any
    shortcomings in his beloved’s performance of duties and to his committing
    any haraam actions. And if his beloved asks him to join him in his actions,
    then his insane love will lead him to do so.

    (c)Another of the negative effects
    of this love is that it dominates his heart in such a way that there is no
    room for love of Allah and His Messenger, which is the means of his
    salvation, let alone love for anyone else such as family and children

    (d)Another of the negative effects
    is that the one who is madly in love cannot cope with the absence or illness
    of his beloved, let alone his death!

    The negative effects of insane love on the one who is loved
    include the following: 

    (a)He may suffer tension because
    of the lover’s insistence on seeing him and sitting with him, which may lead
    to his neglecting his work or falling short in tasks on which he should
    focus his mind and heart, such as seeking beneficial knowledge and doing
    righteous deeds.

    (b)Another of the negative effects
    it may have on him is that he will never find this lover offering him
    sincere advice; rather he will turn a blind eye to his mistakes and
    shortcomings. As it is said, your love of a thing makes you blind and deaf!

    (c)Another of its negative effects
    is that if he responds to the one who loves him, he will waste his time with
    him, and if he does not, he will cause him anxiety, which may lead him to
    hate him in the end.

    Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him)
    said: 

    If a man’s heart is attached to a woman, even if she is
    permissible for him, he will remain captive to her and she will be able to
    control him as she wishes. Outwardly he will appear to be her master because
    he is her husband, but in reality he is her captive and slave, especially if
    she realises his need for her and his love for her, and that he cannot find
    any alternative to her. In that case she will have control over him like an
    unjust, domineering master over his weak slave who cannot free himself from
    him, or even worse! Because captivity of the heart is worse than physical
    captivity and enslavement of the heart is worse than enslavement of the
    body. The one whose body is enslaved will not care if his heart is free and
    at peace; rather he may be able to find away to freedom. But if the heart
    that is in control of the body is that is enslaved and infatuated with
    something other than Allah, then this is true humiliation, the worst kind of
    captivity and enslavement to that which enslaved the heart. … True freedom
    is freedom of the heart and true enslavement is enslavement of the heart,
    just as true richness is richness of the soul. The Prophet (blessings and
    peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Richness is not having a great deal of
    accumulated wealth; rather richness is richness of the soul.” This applies
    if what has captured his heart is something permissible; as for the one
    whose heart is enslaved by something haraam, such as a woman or boy, this is
    pain and suffering from which there is no way out, and these are the people
    whose suffering will be the worst and their reward will be the least, for if
    a person’s heart is devoted to something and remains attached and enslaved
    to it, then this will cause him all kinds of evil and corruption that cannot
    be enumerated except by the Lord of mankind, even if he manages to avoid
    committing the greater act of immorality.

    End quote from Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 10/185-186 

    We are very happy to hear of your honouring your husband and
    of your love for him, but we would be even happier if you made your love for
    him reasonable. You should understand that bothering your husband, always
    calling him, or insisting that he stay at home or not undertake a particular
    trip will all cause him stress and make it difficult for him to get on with
    different tasks in life.  We want there to be in your house a healthy
    atmosphere of love that could help the family and future children, in sha
    Allah, to achieve high goals and to strive to support His religion and be a
    help to His righteous slaves. 

    What we also advise you to do is: 

    (a)Fulfil the religious duties
    that are required of you and do naafil acts of worship too.

    (b)Regularly recite the adhkaar of
    the morning and the evening

    (c)Seek knowledge by reading or
    listening

    (d)Call women among your
    neighbours and relatives to Allah

    (e)Try to have shar‘i love in your
    heart towards Allah and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
    him) by following the commands, heeding the prohibitions, loving the
    religion of Allah, defending it and spreading it among people, and having
    natural love towards your parents and children.

    All of that will give a meaning to your life that is more
    sublime than devoting your life only to your husband and loving him only. 

    We ask Allah, may He be exalted, to help you to do that which
    He loves and which pleases Him, and to make the love and compassion between
    you lasting and to bless you with righteous offspring, 

    And Allah is the source of strength.

  • Q n A : Dealing with the fitnah (temptation) of women


    Q
    Dealing with the fitnah (temptation) of women


    A

    Praise be to Allah.Allah has created man in a world of trials and tests, and He has made Paradise the abode of His friends and beloved ones, who preferred His pleasure over their own and preferred obedience to Him over their physical comfort. And He has made Hell the abode of those among His slaves who disobey Him and preferred their own whims and desires to the pleasure of their Lord. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
    “Such is the Paradise which We shall give as an inheritance to those of Our slaves who have been Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)”
    [Maryam 19:63]
    “But as for him who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained himself from impure evil desires and lusts.
    Verily, Paradise will be his abode”
    [al-Naaz’i’aat 79:40-41]
    And He says concerning the people of Hell (interpretation of the meaning): 
     
    “Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up As-Salaat (the prayers) [i.e. made their Salaat (prayers) to be lost, either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by not offering them in their proper fixed times] and have followed lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell”
    [Maryam 19:59]
     And He says (interpretation of the meaning): 
    “That shall be their recompense, Hell; because they disbelieved and took My Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and My Messengers by way of jest and mockery”
    [al-Kahf 18:106] 
    “Then for him who transgressed all bounds, (in disbelief, oppression and evil deeds of disobedience to Allah).
    And preferred the life of this world (by following his evil desires and lusts),
    Verily, his abode will be Hell-fire”
    [al-Naazi’aat 79:37-39]
    So the Muslim must strive to worship Allah and keep away from that which angers Allah, for Allah will not cause the reward the one who does good to be lost: 
    “As for those who strive hard in Us (Our Cause), We will surely guide them to Our paths (i.e. Allah’s religion — Islamic Monotheism). And verily, Allah is with the Muhsinoon (good-doers)”
    [al-‘Ankaboot 29:69 – interpretation of the meaning]
    One of the fitnahs (temptations) with which we are tested is the fitnah of women, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I have not left behind me any fitnah (temptation) more harmful to men than women.” There follow some of the methods by which we can avoid this temptation. We ask Allah to set the affairs of the Muslims straight. 
    1 – Faith in Allah.
    Faith in Allah and fear of Allah provide a safety valve and protect a person against committing haraam actions and following his own whims and desires. 
    If the believer becomes aware that Allah is always watching and if he ponders the meanings of His names and attributes, such as the All-Knowing, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, the Watchful, the Reckoner, the Preserver, the All-Encompassing, that will generate fear of Him in secret and in public, and will put a stop to disobedience towards Allah, and will reduce the strength of desire that leads many people to commit haraam actions.  
    2 – Lowering the gaze and avoiding looking at haraam things
    The gaze can generate bad thoughts in the heart, which then lead to ideas and then to desires, then to will and resolve, and then inevitably to doing haraam things. Think about the meaning of this verse which makes a connection between the first steps towards haraam and the end result. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
    “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts). That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do”
    [al-Noor 24:30]
    Ibn Katheer said: “This is a command from Allah to His believing slaves, to lower their gaze and avoid looking at that which is forbidden to them so that they only look at that which they are permitted to look at.  If it so happens that a person’s gaze accidentally falls upon something haraam, he should turn his gaze away from it quickly. 
    3 – Warding off evil thoughts
    Bad thoughts pose a danger to the heart… If a person dwells on them and does not push them away, they will develop into an idea, then into will and resolve, then this will inevitably lead to haraam actions.  Beware of dwelling on passing thoughts; rather what you must do is to ward them off and crowd them out with good thoughts. 
    The treatment, then, is to ward off these passing thoughts and keep yourself busy with beneficial thoughts. 
    4 – Marriage
    It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allah ibn Mas’ood said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “O young men, whoever among you can afford it, let him get married, and whoever cannot, let him fast, for it will be a shield for him.” Narrated by al-Bukhari, 5065. 
    5 – Fasting for those who cannot afford to get married
    – because of the hadeeth quoted above, in which it says, “…and whoever cannot, let him fast, for it will be a shield for him.” Narrated by al-Bukhari, 5065. 
    Al-Qurtubi said: 
    The less a person eats, the weaker his desire becomes, and the weaker his desire is, the less sins he commits. 
    6 – Keeping away from bad companions.
    The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “A man will follow the way of his close friends, so let each one of you look at who he takes as a close friend.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 8433; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 4046. 
    7 – Keeping away from places of temptation.
    It is obvious that we are living in a society that is filled with temptation – media of all types, magazines, flirting in the marketplaces, satellite TV, the internet, etc… So you have to flee from all of these in order to keep your religious commitment sound. 
    8 – Do not make your houses graves.
    Make your house a reminder of obedience, not of sin. If a room is connected to sin for example, that will make a person commit sin repeatedly, because every time he enters that room he will remember the sin and may be provoked to commit the sin again. So he should make his room and his house a reminder of obedience to Allah, so when he enters he sees the Mus-haf which he reads, and he remembers praying qiyaam al-layl for Allah, and the regular Sunnah prayers that he offers in this room. Doing a lot of acts of worship in your house will make a connection in your mind between the house and doing good deeds, so you will do more and will think less of sin, and the calls of desire will grow less. 
    9 – Trying to make the most of your time in worshipping and obeying Allah. 
    Time is one of the great blessings that Allah has bestowed upon His slaves, but there are many who are not making the most of it. It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Two blessings which many people do not make the most of: good health and spare time.” Narrated by al-Bukhari, 6412. 
    See also question no. 3234. 
    10 – Remembering the blessings of the Hereafter. 
    Particularly appropriate in this context is remembering al-hoor al-‘iyn and their attributes, whom Allah has prepared for those who are patient and steadfast in avoiding sin. This can help the Muslim to look away from these transient haraam pleasures which only lead to regret and loss. 
    We ask Allah to help us to avoid temptation, both obvious and hidden. Praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds.

  • Q n A : Should she tell her husband about her previous relationships?


    Q
    Should she tell her husband about her previous relationships?


    A

    Praise be to Allah.Your friend made a mistake by telling the one who came to propose marriage to you about your previous relationship from which you have repented. What she did is not good and is not in accordance with sharee’ah, nor is it wise.  The Muslim is enjoined to conceal his brother’s faults if he sees him committing sin in secret, so how about a sin from which the person has repented?! 
    What she did is not naseehah (sincerity or sincere advice) which is enjoined by sharee’ah on the one who is asked about a person with a view to marriage because that has to do with what he knows of the characteristics that are present at the time of asking, and it is not permissible for anyone to mention a bad past from which the person has repented. 
    What we understand from your words is that your friend told your husband  of your previous relationship before he proposed to you. This indicates that he has forgiven you for that because he knows that you have repented and become righteous. 
    He did right by doing so, for there is no one who does not make some mistakes, but if he repents from them, he cannot be blamed or punished. The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The one who repents from sin is like one who did not sin at all.” Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 4250; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah. 
    What you should do is avoid bringing this subject up with your husband, but if he brings it up you should tell him that it was a passing relationship and one of the tricks of the Shaytaan, but you regret it, and Allaah has guided you and enabled you to repent. 
    Do not worry about this past so long as you have indeed repented and become righteous. Ask Allaah for strength and guidance and to accept your repentance.  
    “And verily, I am indeed forgiving to him who repents, believes (in My Oneness, and associates none in worship with Me) and does righteous good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them (till his death)”
    [Ta-Ha 20:82]
    The Messenger of Allaah says: “Every son of Adam is prone to err, and the best of those who err are those who repent.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2499; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi. 
    We ask Allaah to bless you and bring you both together in goodness.  
    And Allaah is the Source of Strength.

  • Q n A : She feels attracted to someone other than her husband


    Q
    She feels attracted to someone other than her husband


    A

    Praise be to Allah.
    Allaah has caused men to be attracted to women, and women to
    be attracted to men, and this inclination sometimes results in haraam
    relationships such as zina, and sometimes it results in permissible
    relationships such as marriage. Allaah has made the wife a covering for her
    husband and has made the husband a covering for his wife. Allaah says
    (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “They are Libaas [i.e. body-cover, or screen, or Sakan
    (i.e. you enjoy the pleasure of living
    with them)] for you and you are the same for them”

    [al-Baqarah 2:187]

    One of the blessings that Allaah bestows upon some spouses is
    that He creates love and compassion between them, and helps each of them to
    do that which causes harmony to grow in the family and ward off disputes and
    arguments. This is a very great blessing indeed, which is not appreciated by
    anyone but those whose family relationships are disrupted and disputes and
    arguments arise amongst them, which turn the marital relationship into an
    unbearable hell. If that happens, each spouse starts to dream of a stable
    family life, and the man wishes for a wife with whom he can live in peace,
    and the wife wishes for a man with whom she can live in peace. 

    From your question, it may be understood that Allaah has
    bestowed all these blessings upon you, so what you should do is be grateful
    to Allaah for this great blessing and strive to preserve it and the family
    with which Allaah has blessed you, for millions of women wish that they
    could be in the good situation in which you are, but you do not appreciate
    its value. 

    You should note that it is not permissible for a woman to
    form a relationship with a non-mahram man. If she is married, then such a
    relationship is even more haraam, because it is a transgression against the
    husband’s rights and honour. 

    Based on this, it is not permissible for you and this evil
    lover to pray istikhaarah, because istikhaarah is only prescribed in cases
    where it is not clear if the matter is good or bad, and the Muslim does not
    know where his interests lie, so he prays istikhaarah asking that Allaah
    will help him to attain that which is good if it is good, or divert it from
    him if it is bad. But if a Muslim prays istikhaarah with regard to
    disobeying Allaah or going against His commands, this is a sin for which he
    has to repent to Allaah. 

    To explain further: if a Muslim woman prays istikhaarah about
    marrying someone other than her husband when she is still married to her
    husband, then in fact she is praying istikhaarah about wrecking her home and
    family, and praying istikhaarah about hurting her children, and praying
    istikhaarah about divorcing a husband who is treating her well and taking
    good care of her. So she is praying istikhaarah about betraying him and
    stabbing him in the back by tearing apart his family, so that his home and
    hers will be destroyed at her hands. She is praying istikhaarah about
    responding to great kindness and good treatment with a great wrong and
    denying the rights of one who has treated her well. 

    All of these factors and many others apply to the istikhaarah
    prayer that you offered. 

    As for the positive result that you say your friend got,
    undoubtedly this is a case of the shaytaan making following one’s whims and
    desires appear attractive. The Muslim should not pray istikhaarah about
    doing something that is haraam, so how can he pray istikhaarah and claim
    that he got a positive result?! 

    Moreover, after praying istikhaarah the Muslim should resolve
    firmly either to do it or not to do it. Whatever Allaah makes easy for him
    is what is good, but if he waits until he feels good about it or sees a
    dream and the like, these are usually illusionary matters on which no shar’i
    ruling can be based. 

    Based on the above, you should push away all whispers from
    the shaytaan that have to do with this matter, and do not give evil any way
    of reaching you or your family or children. You should realize that you have
    fallen into a trap of the shaytaan, because he has made you attractive to
    this young man and has made him attractive to you so that he may achieve
    what is his greatest dream, namely the destruction of a stable, believing
    Muslim family and the divorce of two spouses who love one another, and the
    neglect of their children. 

    Thwart the plans of the shaytaan by not letting this young
    man destroy your life and your family. Cut off all means that may enable him
    to continue to have any place in your life. 

    One of the ways in which you can ward off these devilish
    whispers is to ask yourself the following questions and answer them
    honestly: 

    1.If this young man is righteous,
    then how can he accept to destroy the home of his Muslim brother and split
    up his family?

    2.If this person really loves
    you, why is he striving to wreck your home and destroy your family? Does he
    love you or does he love himself and is only looking out for his own
    interests and desires?

    3.If this young man were to get
    what he wants and you were to get divorced from your husband – Allaah forbid
    – what would be the fate of your children who are a trust about which Allaah
    will question you on the Day of Resurrection?

    4.What guarantee do you have that
    this young man will treat you as nicely after marriage as he does now? It
    should be noted that many marriages that are based on “love” are doomed to
    failure after only a few months, because they are based on a weak
    foundation, not on a foundation of pleasing Allaah and His Messenger
    (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

    5.Do you expect that trust will
    last between you after you get married? If he loves you although you are
    married, then how can you be sure that he will not fall in love with someone
    else who is also married or not married? How can he trust you if you
    destroyed your home for his sake? This pattern may be repeated when you are
    married to him. These doubts will persist and will be a cause of anxiety for
    both of you. You have both accepted something haraam and you have not
    refrained from establishing a haraam relationship even though there is a
    legitimate marriage contract between you and your husband, so who can
    guarantee that it will not happen again?

    With regard to your request for a du’aa’, I ask Allaah, the Most High, the Almighty, by His grace and favour, to make goodness easy for you and to ward off all evil from you, and to continue to bless you and your family with stability and love, and to keep you and your husband and children safe, and to ward off from you the whispers of the shaytaan and his making falsehood attractive. 

    And Allaah knows best.

  • Q n A : Is It Haram to Think Sexually?


    Q
    Is It Haram to Think Sexually?


    A

    Praise be to Allah.Is it haram to have sexual fantasies?
    Sexual fantasies are among the thoughts that cross a person’s mind because it is something that is stored in the subconscious which is affected by the environment in which he lives and the scenes that he sees. These are thoughts that occur to most people, especially the youth, but they vary from one person to another with regard to their type, strength and effect. 
    Islamic shari’ah is the shari’ah of the fitrah (natural state of man) and it is in harmony with human nature, and it takes into account the psychological fluctuation that Allah has made a part of the human make-up. So it does not go beyond human limitations or impose impossible burdens. 
    Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
    “Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope.” [al-Baqarah 2:286]
    Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:  “Allah has forgiven my ummah for whatever crosses their mind so long as they do not speak of it or act upon it.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari (2528) and Muslim (127)
    Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said commenting on this hadith: 
    “Whatever crosses a person’s mind, so long as he does not dwell on it or continue to think of it, he is forgiven for it, according to scholarly consensus, because it does not happen voluntarily and he has no way of avoiding it.” (Al-Adhkar, p. 345) 
    Passing fancies come under the heading of that which crosses a person’s mind, which is forgiven according to the hadith quoted above. So if a person imagines haram things that came to his mind unbidden, there is no blame or sin on him, rather he has to ward them off as much as he can.
     How does Islam view haram sexual fantasies? 
    If a person dwells on haram thoughts and calls them to mind, then the jurists differed as to how to view this situation – is it covered by that forgiveness or does it come under the heading of thinking and resolving to do something haram) for which a person may be called to account? 
    This issue was discussed by the jurists in the following manner: 
    If a man is having intercourse with his wife and is thinking of the charms of another woman, so that he imagines he is having intercourse with her, are those thoughts and fantasies haram? The jurists differed concerning that. 

    The first view is that it is haram, and that the one who deliberately brings haram images to mind whilst having intercourse with his wife is sinning. 

    Ibn ‘Abidin al-Hanafi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 
    “The view that is closest to the spirit of our madhhab is that it is not permissible, because imagining that woman as if he is having intercourse with her is imagining oneself committing a sin with a woman who is not permissible for him.” (Hashiyat Radd al-Muhtar, 6/272) 
    Imam Muhammad al-‘Abdari, who is known Ibn al-Haj al-Maliki (may Allah have mercy on him), said: 
    “A man should refrain from thinking such thoughts and tell others to avoid this behaviour too, i.e., this obnoxious characteristic that has unfortunately become very common, which is when a man sees a woman whom he likes, he goes to his wife and has intercourse with her, and starts to imagine that woman whom he has seen. 
    This is a kind of zina (adultery) because of what our scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) have said about the one who takes a tankard and drinks water from it, but he imagines that it is alcohol that he is drinking – so that water becomes haram for him. 
    What we have mentioned does not apply only to men, rather it also includes women, and it applies even more so to them, because what is common nowadays is that they go out or look out from windows, and if they see someone whom they like, they start thinking about him, then when they have intercourse with their husbands they bring that image that they have seen to mind, so each of them may be committing zina in some sense – we ask Allah to keep us safe from that. 
    He should not only avoid that himself, he should also draw his family’s and other people’s attention to it, and tell them that this is haram and is not permitted.” (Al-Madkhil (2/194, 195) 
    Ibn Muflih al-Hanbali (may Allah have mercy on him) said:  
    “Ibn ‘Aqil stated in al-Ri’ayah al-Kubra that if a man imagines the image of another woman who is forbidden to him whilst having intercourse with his wife, he is sinning, but a passing thought that he cannot prevent does not constitute a sin.” (Al-Adab al-Shar’iyyah (1/98) 
    The evidence for this opinion is the view favoured by a number of scholars, that if thoughts that cross the mind become entrenched and may turn into something that one resolves to do, then they come under the heading of things for which one is accountable, and that haram fantasies that a person deliberately calls to mind are not covered by forgiveness, because they have been thought of deliberately and the person will be called to account for that. 
    Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The reason why passing thoughts are forgiven is what we have mentioned above, that they cannot be avoided. But it is possible to avoid dwelling on them. Hence dwelling on them is haram.” (Al-Adhkar (345) 

    The second view is that it is permissible, and that there is no sin on the one who does that. This is the view of a number of later Shafi’i scholars, such as al-Subki and al-Suyuti. 

    They said: That is because there is no resolve or determination to sin in fantasies. He may imagine that he is having intercourse with that woman, but there is no resolve in his heart or any plan to do that, rather he may refuse if given the opportunity to do it. 
    It says in Tuhfat al-Muhtaj fi Sharh al-Minhaj (7/205, 206) – which is a Shafi’i book: 
    “Because when he thinks of that or imagines it, it does not occur to him to actually commit zina or do any of the things that lead to it, let alone resolve to do it. All that is happening to him is that he imagines something reprehensible as something good.” (See: al-Fatawa al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kubra, 4/87) 
    It seems that the correct view is the view that such fantasies are makruh, even if we do not say that they are haram. That is for the following reasons: 

    Many psychologists regard sexual fantasies as a psychological disorder if they dominate a person’s thinking to such an extent that he cannot enjoy any pleasure except through these fantasies, and that may lead to abnormal sexual fantasies.
    Islamic shari’ah teaches the principle of sadd al-dharai’ or blocking the means that may lead to haram things and closing every door that may lead to evil. It is to be expected that sexual fantasies may lead to a person committing haram deeds. A person who frequently imagines something and wishes for it will inevitably develop the motive to do it and will try to do it a great deal. So he starts by looking at haram images, and his eyes become accustomed to looking at haram things, then he will try to fulfil his fantasies.
    Most of these fantasies come to people’s mind by haram means in people’s minds, such as permissive satellite channels and by watching scenes of decadent societies from kafir lands all over the world, where there is no modesty and watching sex scenes is becoming a daily habit, as is obvious to anyone who lives or works in those countries.
    Finally, such fantasies may lead to spouses losing interest in one another, so the wife is no longer attractive to her husband, and vice versa, which leads to marital problems, and then sufferings and problems start.

    How to avoid sexual fantasies 
    For all of these reasons, our advice to everyone who is tested with such fantasies is to hasten to put a stop to them and rid himself of them. The following means may be of help: 

    Completely avoiding everything that may provoke such fantasies, such as haram movies and TV shows which are shown on satellite TV, as well as avoiding reading stories that generate such fantasies. Al-Ghazali said in Ihya ‘Ulum al-Din (1/162): 

    The way to ward off distracting thoughts is to cut off their source, i.e. avoid the means that could create these thoughts; if the source of such thoughts is not stopped, it will keep generating them.”

    Regularly reciting the adhkar that are prescribed in shari’ah, especially that which is said before having intercourse: “Allahumma jannibna al-shaytana wa jannib al-shaytana ma razaqtana (O Allah, keep the Shaytan away from us and keep the Shaytan away from that with which You bless us).” Narrated by al-Bukhari (141)and Muslim (1434). 
    Focusing on the present enjoyment instead of that which is absent. In both spouses there is that which will keep the other from thinking of haram things. If each spouse focuses on the attractions of the other, they will not be distracted by fantasies of other things. 
    Imagine if your husband had fantasies like you do, would you accept that? Wouldn’t that make you feel unhappy? How can you accept to make your husband feel like that? Try to use this thought to get rid of what you are feeling. 
    Consult psychologists. There is nothing wrong with going to a female psychologist or female doctor and asking her for advice; you may find something to help you in sha Allah. 

    I ask Allah to guide and bless you and your husband. 
    And Allah knows best.

  • Q n A : She was raped when she was small and now she wants to get married


    Q
    She was raped when she was small and now she wants to get married


    A

    Praise be to Allah.
    Firstly: 

    A person may not know the real reason for which Allah tests
    him in this world until the Day of Resurrection, when he will discover the
    high status that Allah, may He be exalted, has prepared for him in Paradise
    if he is patient and seeks reward. At that time he will realise that Allah,
    may He be exalted, tried and tested him by His grace and in His wisdom. 

    It was narrated from Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him)
    that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
    “On the Day of Resurrection, those who were hale and hearty will wish that
    their skin had been cut with scissors, when they see the reward of those who
    were put to trial.”

    Narrated by at-Tirmidhi, 2402; classed as hasan by al-Albaani
    in as-Silsilah al-Hadeethah, 2206 

    It seems that you have, praise be to Allah, overcome that
    situation and its psychological effects; in fact I hope that you have
    emerged psychologically stronger, with higher morale and a purer spirit, for
    in every trial there is a blessing and after every calamity comes well
    being. No one should regret what has passed and dwell on the past that will
    never come back; rather he should learn a lesson from it for today and be
    optimistic about his future. 

    In your story there is a lesson for parents who are
    responsible for their children before Allah, may He be exalted, that they
    should not send them to places of danger on the grounds of thinking well of
    relatives. The unfortunate reality compels us to say that many cases of
    molestation come from relatives. We ask Allah to keep us safe and sound. 

    This is not a call to sever ties of kinship and cause
    division among people; rather it is a call to be always careful and take
    precautions as dictated by the situation. Parents have to take proper
    precautions without going to extremes or being negligent. Islam has given us
    an important principle in this regard, which is the principle of blocking
    the means (that may lead to evil). In fact Islam teaches us to take
    precautions even among siblings in the same house. That was when the Prophet
    (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed us to separate
    children in their beds, as was narrated by Abu Dawood (495) and classed as
    saheeh by al-Albaani. 

    Al-Munaawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: i.e., separate
    your children in their beds in which they sleep when they reach the age of
    ten years, so as to avoid temptations, even if they are his siblings.

    End quote from Fayd al-Qadeer, 5/531] 

    At-Teebi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Telling them to
    pray and separating them in their beds are mentioned together in childhood
    for the purpose of discipline and adhering to all the commands of Allah… And
    for the purpose of teaching them good manners among people, and so that they
    will not find themselves in suspicious circumstances, and so that they may
    avoid all things that Allah has prohibited.

    End quote from Sharh Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 2/155 

    In your story there is also a lesson for parents that they
    should check on their children’s situations and make the children get used
    to talking frankly about every issue they face, whether it is in school, in
    the street or in the home. Many children encounter problems and suffer
    mental illness as a result, and the parents are completely unaware of that,
    when they could have relieved their children of what was affecting them. But
    lack of frankness within the family leads to embarrassment in the children
    that prevents them from complaining to their parents. 

    Secondly: 

    With regard to what you mentioned about the young man who has
    proposed marriage to you, and your speaking frankly to him and telling him
    what happened to you when you were small, and his accepting it and not
    objecting – that is a blessing from Allah to you. Allah has brought you
    someone who will excuse you for what happened to you when you were small and
    will conceal a matter in which you were mistreated, and he wants to marry
    you you in the manner prescribed by Allah. May Allah reward him with good. 

    But you made a mistake when you continued to talk to one
    another before the shar‘i connection between you was made (i.e., marriage).
    You could have done the Islamic marriage contract and delayed consummation
    of the marriage until he graduates or finds work. But if the matter is
    allowed to remain as it is now, that is undoubtedly haraam, because there is
    no legitimate shar‘i relationship between you. Rather all it is at present
    is wishes and promises of marriage. 

    What you have to do is adhere to the Islamic ruling; it is
    not permissible for you to continue talking to one another until the shar‘i
    marriage contract has been done. If he is sincere in his promise to marry
    you, then he will respond to the ruling of Allah and will hasten to do the
    marriage contract, or he will cut off contact until he graduates. If he does
    not respond to the ruling of Allah, may He be exalted, then be very careful
    in that case, for his aim may be only to have fun and pass the time talking
    to girls, in which case he is using the promise of marriage as a means to
    get what he wants, especially if he knows the situation; this may be an
    opportunity for the Shaytaan to whisper to him and cause trouble. 

    You do not have to tell any suitor of what happened to you,
    and it does not matter if the hymen has been broken, because the hymen may
    be broken by jumping or by heavy menstrual bleeding. 

    We have previously published on our website several answers
    having to do with the ruling on talking and chatting between the sexes, such
    as the answers to questions no.
    7492, 13791,
    26890,
    45668,
    66266,
    82702

    We ask Allah, may He be exalted, to protect you, guide you
    and bless you with contentment and happiness. 

    And Allah knows best.

  • Q n A : His wife is weak in religious commitment – what should he do?


    Q
    His wife is weak in religious commitment – what should he do?


    A

    Praise be to Allah.The problem that you describe is one that is faced by many young men who thought that their wives could learn and make da’wah, and that they would strive hard in worship and help their husbands to be religiously-committed, no matter how much the husband fell short in that. But in fact the wife cannot be influenced by anybody as much as her husband. So if the husband does not set a good example, the wife’s commitment will soon become weak. This is what usually happens. This does not mean that there are not good situations in which the woman is the example who leads her husband along the path of guidance. 
    The fact that you have found out that your wife is an ordinary girl does not mean that you have failed, and it should not be a cause of regret. Rather that should be a motive for you to seek the reward for calling her to guidance. 
    What you have mentioned of her good qualities will help you to achieve that, in sha Allaah. 
    So you should be the one who calls her, reminds her and advises her… fill her free time with beneficial things such as tapes, books and magazines.  Do not give up on rebuking her if she gossips or watches TV, but do that in a gentle, compassionate and loving manner. 
    Try to make her join an organization for memorization of Qur’aan, or get her to attend public lectures with you, or to form ties with some righteous families. These are the best ways in which you can help your wife to strengthen her faith. 
    Perhaps what you mention about her not worshipping much is related to your own shortcomings in that regard, or to your neglecting to get her to join in. Try to help her and remind her of the virtue of naafil prayers, the reward for praying qiyaam al-layl and fasting. Do as many of these acts of worship with her as you can. 
    Be the qawwaam (leader; protector and maintainer) of your wife, prevent her  from doing haraam things or doubtful things.  
    Ask of Allaah, saying, “Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders of the Muttaqoon (the pious)” [al-Furqaan 25:74 – interpretation of the meaning].  
    We ask Allaah to set your affairs and the affairs of all the Muslims straight.

  • Q n A : His wife committed zina twice with a Christian man; should he divorce her? If she apostatises will there be any sin on him?


    Q
    His wife committed zina twice with a Christian man; should he divorce her? If she apostatises will there be any sin on him?


    A

    Praise be to Allah.
    Firstly: 

    If a woman persists an immoral action and does not repent
    from it or give it up, even if the matter did not go as far as zina, such as
    if she had a relationship with this Christian man or anyone else, then it is
    not permissible for the husband to keep her, because that is a kind of
    cuckoldry (diyaathah), and cuckoldry is a major sin, because of the report
    narrated by al-Nasaa’i (2562) from ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be
    pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
    Allah be upon him) said: “There are three at whom Allah, may He be glorified
    and exalted, will not look on the Day of Resurrection: the one who is
    defiant towards his parents, the woman who imitates men, and the cuckold.”

    Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Nasaa’i. 

    The cuckold is the one who approves of evil conduct in his
    family. 

    Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah be pleased with him)
    was asked about the one who came into his house and found a stranger with
    his wife, so he gave her her dues and divorced her by talaaq, then he went
    back and reconciled with her and heard that she had been found with a
    non-mahram man.  

    He replied: In the hadeeth from the Prophet (blessings and
    peace of Allah be upon him) it says that when Allah, may He be glorified and
    exalted, created Paradise, He said: “By My glory and majesty, no miser, liar
    or cuckold will enter you.” The cuckold is the one who has no protective
    jealousy or pride. In al-Saheeh it is narrated that the Prophet
    (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The believer has
    protective jealousy (gheerah) and Allah has protective jealousy, and the
    protective jealousy of Allah is that no slave should do that which is
    forbidden to him.” And Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “The
    adulterer — fornicator marries not but an adulteress — fornicatress or a
    Mushrikah; and the adulteress –fornicatress, none marries her except an
    adulterer — fornicater or a Mushrik [and that means that the man who agrees
    to marry (have a sexual relation with) a Mushrikah (female polytheist, pagan
    or idolatress) or a prostitute, then surely, he is either an adulterer —
    fornicator, or a Mushrik (polytheist, pagan or idolater). And the woman who
    agrees to marry (have a sexual relation with) a Mushrik (polytheist, pagan
    or idolater) or an adulterer — fornicator, then she is either a prostitute
    or a Mushrikah (female polytheist, pagan, or idolatress)]. Such a thing is
    forbidden to the believers (of Islâmic Monotheism)” [al-Noor 24:3]. The
    correct scholarly opinion is that it is not permissible to marry a zaaniyah
    (a woman who commits fornication or adultery) until after she has repented.
    The same applies if the wife commits zina: the husband has no right to keep
    her in that case; rather he should leave her, otherwise he will be a cuckold
    (duyooth). End quote from Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 32/141

     Secondly: 

    If the woman has repented, turned over a new leaf and is
    living a righteous life, and she has cut off all ties to that non-mahram
    man, then the husband may keep her, and perhaps Allah will reward him for
    treating her kindly and concealing her sin. 

    We have stated that it is not permissible for him to keep her
    as his wife if she committed zina and has not repented from it sincerely,
    and we stated that if she repents and turns over a new leaf, then he may
    keep her and conceal her sin, if he has the patience to do that. What we
    have said about it being permissible to keep her if she repents is not
    obligatory for him, rather it is up to him. In all cases he may leave her,
    because zina on the part of the wife is extremely abhorrent and most people
    cannot forgive that. And if he divorces her, then he is not responsible for
    what she commits of sin, and if she apostatises from Islam, she alone is
    responsible for that, because she is accountable and of sound mind: if she
    does good deeds that it is in her favour and if she does bad deeds then it
    counts against her. 

    We ask Allah to protect the Muslims from all trials, evils
    and turmoil. And Allah knows best.

  • Q n A : She advised him and he came to thank her, and they committed zina


    Q
    She advised him and he came to thank her, and they committed zina


    A

    Praise be to Allah.Firstly: 
    Perhaps your letter will be a lesson to those who claim that a relationship between a man and a non-mahram woman can be “innocent”, and to those who claim that such relationships are Islamically acceptable if they are for the purpose of giving advice, and to those who want to “water down” the religion to allow relationships between men and women in the name of modernity, and claim that there is no reason why this should not be done, and that woman are able to control themselves… and other such foolish justifications. 
    It is a lesson for all those who are heedless of the laws of Allaah and pay no attention to the warning of our Lord, may He blessed and exalted, against following in the footsteps of the shaytaan, and they continue to take these matters lightly until they find themselves in deep trouble. You were heedless with regard to this young man and you went ahead and spoke with him and advised him, then you agreed to receive him in your house, then you agreed to be alone with him, then the Shaytaan made attractive to you the idea that he was like your brother, then what? Then you committed zina in the same meeting and in your house, with one whom the shaytaan made you think was like your brother! Which was the first step of the shaytaan? It was speaking to this non-mahram man, then the other steps of the shaytaan came one after another until you committed this most abhorrent of sins. Hence we can see the wisdom in the words of Allaah, may He be exalted (interpretation of the meaning): 
    “And come not near to unlawful sex. Verily, it is a Faahishah (i.e. anything that transgresses its limits: a great sin), and an evil way (that leads one to hell unless Allaah Forgives him)”
    [al-Isra’ 17:32]
    Allaah did not only forbid zina itself, rather He forbade coming near to it. The aim here is to forbid the things that lead to it. We ask Allaah to conceal your sin and to forgive you, and to help you to repent sincerely. 
    Secondly: 
    There is no doubt that zina is a grave sin, and it is one of the major sins. Hence the punishment for it is one that points to the seriousness of this sin and the abhorrence with which it is regarded in sharee’ah and by wisdom and common sense. 
    Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 
    Allaah ordained punishment for zina that differs from the punishment for other crimes in three ways: 
    1 – Execution in the most unpleasant form; when the punishment is reduced, it still combines the physical punishment of flogging with the emotional punishment of banishment. 
    2 – He forbade people when carrying out the punishment on the adulterers, to feel pity for them that would prevent them from carrying out the punishment. By His mercy towards them He prescribed this punishment, and He is more merciful to them than you, but His mercy did not prevent Him from ordaining this punishment, so your pity should not prevent you from carrying out His command… 
    3 – He enjoined that their punishment be carried out in the presence of some of the believers; it should not be done in isolation where no one can see them. That is more effective in serving the purpose of the punishment, and serves as a deterrent. End quote. 
    Al-Jawaab al-Kaafi, p. 144, 115 
    Thirdly: 
    Although this sin is so serious and abhorrent, Allaah has opened the door of repentance to those who commit it, and He has promised that if they are sincere in their repentance, He will turn their bad deeds into good deeds.  
    Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: 
    What should the person who has committed zina do in order to rid himself of the effects of that action of his? 
    He replied: 
    Zina is one of the most serious of haraam actions and the worst of major sins. Allaah warns the mushrikeen, murderers and adulterers of multiple punishments on the Day of Resurrection, and of eternal humiliation and torment, because of the seriousness and abhorrence of their crimes, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
    “And those who invoke not any other ilaah (god) along with Allaah, nor kill such person as Allaah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse — and whoever does this shall receive the punishment.
    69. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace;
    70. Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds”
    [al-Furqaan 25:68-70]
    The one who has fallen into such sin has to repent to Allaah sincerely, and follow that with sincere belief and righteous deeds. Repentance is sincere if the penitent gives up the sin, regrets what has happened in the past and resolves never to go back to it, out of fear of Allaah and awe of Him, hoping for His reward and fearing His punishment. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
    “And verily, I am indeed forgiving to him who repents, believes (in My Oneness, and associates none in worship with Me) and does righteous good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them (till his death)”
    [Ta-Ha 20:82]
    Every Muslim man and Muslim woman must beware of this great evil and the things that lead to it, and hasten to repent from whatever is already past. Allaah will accept the repentance of those who are sincere and forgive them. 
    Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 9/442 
    Fourthly: 
    It is not permissible for two people who have committed zina to get married except after having repented sincerely, because Allaah has forbidden that to the believers: 
    “The adulterer — fornicator marries not but an adulteress — fornicatress or a Mushrikah; and the adulteress –fornicatress, none marries her except an adulterer — fornicater or a Mushrik [and that means that the man who agrees to marry (have a sexual relation with) a Mushrikah (female polytheist, pagan or idolatress) or a prostitute, then surely, he is either an adulterer — fornicator, or a Mushrik (polytheist, pagan or idolater). And the woman who agrees to marry (have a sexual relation with) a Mushrik (polytheist, pagan or idolater) or an adulterer — fornicator, then she is either a prostitute or a Mushrikah (female polytheist, pagan, or idolatress)]. Such a thing is forbidden to the believers (of Islamic Monotheism)”
    [al-Noor 24:3]
    We have already explained the ruling on this issue in the answer to questions no. 14381, 22448, 11195. 
    Fifthly: 
    If the soul has been breathed into the foetus, then aborting it would be another crime in addition to zina. We have explained the ruling on this issue in the answer to questions no. 13317, 11195 and 40269. 
    Sixthly: 
    The solution to your problem is to inform wise people among your family about your situation. The one who transgresses the laws of Allaah must inevitably face the consequences of his sin, in many cases. The family has to stand with their daughter sooner rather than later. Even if she aborts the foetus before the soul has been breathed into it, she is no longer regarded as a virgin, and this will also cause some problems at the time of marriage. Whatever the case, they have to solve their daughter’s problem, for she has repented and regretted her sin, and “the one who repents from sin is like one who has not sinned at all” – narrated by Ibn Maajah, 4250; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 3145. Even if she does not commit any sin after she repents, her sin has serious repercussions which must be dealt with before news of it becomes widespread and affects the family as a whole. The solution is not to marry her to that zaani before he repents, because marriage to a zaani is haraam, as stated above. But if they both repent, there is nothing wrong with them getting married in sha Allaah. 
    It is not permissible for her to marry anyone else until her womb is emptied, which is when she gives birth. The evidence for that is the report narrated by Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who said: “Do not have intercourse with a pregnant woman until she gives birth, or with one who is not pregnant until she has menstruated once.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2157. al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said in al-Talkhees al-Habeer (1/171,172): Its isnaad is hasan. 
    In order to understand the greatness of Allaah’s bounty in accepting His slaves’ repentance and to know that He accepts the repentance of the penitent no matter how great and how many their sins, please see the answers to the questions no. 624, 13990, 47834, 23485 and 20983 
    And Allaah knows best.

  • Q n A : He suffers from vasocongestion and pain, and the doctor advised him to masturbate


    Q
    He suffers from vasocongestion and pain, and the doctor advised him to masturbate


    A

    Praise be to Allah.
    Firstly: 

    Masturbation is haraam because of evidence that we have
    quoted previously in the answer to question no.
    329

    As it is haraam, then there is no way that it could be a
    remedy, because Allah has not put healing in that which He has forbidden to
    His slaves. 

    Ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Allah has
    not put your healing in that which He has forbidden to you. Narrated by
    al-Bukhaari in a mu‘allaq report in Kitaab al-Ashribah, Baab Sharaab
    al-Halwa wa’l-‘Asl. 

    A person may imagine that something is a remedy when in fact
    it is a disease, such as the one who imagines that there is healing in khamr
    (wine, alcohol), as it says in the hadeeth that was narrated by Muslim
    (3670) via Suwayd al-Ja‘fi who said that he asked the Prophet (blessings and
    peace of Allah be upon him) about khamr and he forbade him or discouraged
    him from making it. He said: I only make it as a remedy, and the Prophet
    (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “It is not a remedy; rather
    it is a disease.” 

    Masturbation is also like that; you may think that it is a
    remedy when in fact it is a disease. The one who suffers from it can hardly
    give it up and has no limit at which he can stop. With regard to fasting, it
    is a beneficial prophetic remedy, but it needs to be done regularly and on
    an ongoing basis, whilst also following other preventative measures such as
    lowering the gaze, avoiding idleness, keeping busy with acts of worship and
    obedience, and choosing righteous friends. 

    Some fuqaha’ allowed masturbation in cases where the
    individual fears for his religious commitment or physical well-being, under
    the heading of committing the lesser of two evils. 

    Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him)
    was asked about a man who was faced with provocation of desire, so he
    masturbated although he knew that the problem could be dealt with by
    fasting, but it was too difficult for him. 

    He replied: 

    With regard to that (semen) that is emitted involuntarily,
    there is no sin on him for that, but he has to do ghusl if the water came
    out gushing. But if it was emitted voluntarily, in that he masturbated, this
    is haraam according to most of the scholars. It is also one of the two views
    narrated from Ahmad; in fact it is the more correct view; according to
    another view it is makrooh (disliked). But if he is compelled to do that,
    such as if he feared that he might fall into zina if he did not masturbate,
    or he feared that he might become ill, then in this case there are two
    well-known scholarly views. Some of the earlier and later scholars granted a
    concession in such cases, and others forbade it. And Allah knows best.

    End quote from al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 3/439. See also
    Mataalib Ooli an-Nuha, 6/225; Kashshaaf al-Qinaa‘, 6/125 

    Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: He
    said: “The one who masturbates unnecessarily should be given a disciplinary
    punishment.” The phrase “unnecessarily” means if there was no need to do
    that. Needs are of two types: religious or spiritual needs and physical
    needs. 

    With regard to religious or spiritual needs, that refers to
    when the individual fears that he may fall into zina, if he is in a country
    where it is easy to commit zina. If he experiences intense desire, he will
    have two options: either he can extinguish it by doing this action or he can
    go to any place where there are prostitutes and commit zina. In that case we
    say to him that this is a legitimate need, because the established principle
    in Islam says that it is essential to ward off the greater of two evils by
    means of the lesser, and this is what is in accordance with reason. If this
    person has no option but to fulfil his desire in one of these two ways, then
    in that case we say that it is permissible for him to do this action because
    it is a case of necessity. 

    With regard to physical needs, that refers to when the
    individual fears that some harm may befall his body if he does not discharge
    this fluid from his body, because some people may experience strong desire,
    and if this accumulating fluid is not discharged it will result in
    psychological problems, so he will not like to mix with people or sit with
    them. 

    So if he fears some kind of physical harm, then it is
    permissible for him to do this action because it is a physical need. But if
    there is no need and he does this action, then he should be given a
    disciplinary punishment that will serve as a deterrent.

    End quote from ash-Sharh al-Mumti‘, 14/318 

    Secondly: 

    You should avoid anything that may provoke desire of looking,
    listening, reading and so on, and you should avoid keeping company with
    those whose company may lead to that, so as to protect your religious
    commitment and your physical well-being. Please see the answer to question
    no. 20161 for some advice on
    resisting the danger of sexual temptation. 

    Thirdly: 

    If a man offers to give you his daughter in marriage and to
    spend on you both, and this man is religiously committed and righteous, and
    there is no fear that he will break his promise or remind you of his
    kindness later on, then there is nothing wrong with accepting that from him;
    perhaps this is provision that Allah has granted to you and a way out by
    which you can be safe from falling into haraam. 

    As for marrying with the intention of divorcing, that is
    haraam, because it involves deceiving and cheating the wife. This has been
    discussed previously in the answer to question no.
    111841 

    We ask Allah to make things easy for you, purify your heart
    and protect your chastity. 

    And Allah knows best.