Is okay if i fingered myself multiple times, but i didnt know it was haram? I wont do it again. Im still young and i didn't know that its haram

Question

Last month ago I fingered myself for the first time, then I did it again and again, but I didn't know it was haram until I searched it up, and when I was fingering myself there was blood once, is it normal?? Please ya Allah forgive me

Answer 1

There are differing Islamic views regarding masturbation:

1. Masturbation is haram

   • This is the majority view among the scholars
   • Within this opinion, there are those that believe in exceptions when:
     1. if the person is unmarried,
     2. if he or she fears that without masturbation he/she will commit Zina, and
     3. if the masturbation here is, rather than fulfilling a sexual desire, just to release the sexual tension resulting from stimulation.
   • Islam and masturbation

2. Masturbation is makrooh (disliked)

   • Masturbation is not Haraam or Sinful but Makrooh and Discouraged in Islam — Dr Zakir Naik

3. Masturbation is mubah (permissible)

   • Some famous scholars that held this view was Imam Al-Shawkani and Imam Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, founder of the Ḥanbalī school of fiqh, who says there is no issue with it.
   • IslamQA: Masturbation is not clearly forbidden or allowed in Islam
   • الاستمناء لشدة الشهوة

Where do these differences of opinions arise from?

There's no where in the hadiths that masturbation is addressed and the only legal text used in the Quran to justify the prohibition on masturbation is Quran 23:5-7

those who guard their chastity

^{Quran 23:5}

except with their wives or those ˹bondwomen˺ in their possession, for then they are free from blame,

^{Quran 23:6}

but whoever seeks beyond that are the transgressors;

^{Quran 23:7}

There are two primary interpretations to the ayahs above. One is that no one can derive sexual pleasure other than his/her spouse and what his right hands posses. The other interpretation is no one can have sexual intercourse with anyone else besides his/her spouse and what his right hands possesses, and masturbation isn't considered a form of sexual intercourse with someone, so this is why there are opinions that masturbation is makruh or mubah, but not haram.

Conclusion

Please refrain from panicking and follow the valid Islamic opinion that sits best with your rationality. Ask forgiveness either way and try your best not to do it again, but if you happen to masturbate, don't stress yourself out too much.

In the hadiths, it says to marry if you can, but if you cannot then fast as fasting diminishes sexual urges:

Narrated `Abdullah:

We were with the Prophet (ﷺ) while we were young and had no wealth. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "O young people! Whoever among you can marry, should marry, because it helps him lower his gaze and guard his modesty (i.e. his private parts from committing illegal sexual intercourse etc.), and whoever is not able to marry, should fast, as fasting diminishes his sexual power."

^{Sahih al-Bukhari 5066}