Islam on Pornography: A definite NO! NO!!NO!!!
ASSEMBLED BY MALLAM ABBA ABANA, KUBWA, ABUJA, NIGERIA
http://variousislamicdawadocuments.blogspot.com
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emails:gonidamgamiri@yahoo.com; abba.abana@gmail.com
Wednesday 20th Rabiul Awwal 1443 AH and 27th October 2021 CE
Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah. As-Salaam Alaikum WA-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu.
Praise be to Allaah; we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His slave and Messenger.
Don't forget your own Self while PREACHING to others – [Umar ibn khattab]
May Allah Ta’ala keep us all debt free? Amin.
Note: Before sharing anything with others, make it a point of practicing it first.
Preamble
Every Friday we hear the Imam conclude his sermon by reciting the following verse of the Quran:
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأۡمُرُ بِٱلۡعَدۡلِ وَٱلۡإِحۡسَـٰنِ وَإِيتَآىِٕ ذِى ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَيَنۡهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَٱلۡمُنڪَرِ وَٱلۡبَغۡىِۚ يَعِظُكُمۡ لَعَلَّڪُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ (٩٠)
"Surely God enjoins justice, kindness and the doing of good, to kith and kin; and He forbids all that is shameful, indecent, evil, rebellious and oppressive." Innaallah Yamuru Bil Adel, Wal Ehsane, Wa Itae Zil Qurba; Wa Yanha Anil Fuhshae, Wal Munkari Walbaghi; Yaizukhum Lallakum Tazakkaroon. (Holy Quran Chapter 16:90)
Pornography and the culture of pornography has all the three elements which God has prohibited in the above verse of the Quran: Fuhsha; Munkar, Baghi.
May Allah keep us all safe and pure spiritually and physically?
Here is a bit of terminology before we review the rest of the evidence prohibiting pornography.
Fuhsha:
According to the Al-Mawrid Arabic-English dictionary of Munir Baalbaki, Fuhash is obscenity, vulgarity, indecency, shamelessness and something that is dirty, filthy and foul.
Al-Mawrid's English-Arabic dictionary translates pornographic as Fahish. The Hans Wehr Dictionary Of Modern Written Arabic adds monstrosity, abomination, vile deed and fornication to its meaning as well.
Fuhsha, translated as anything shameful, is a Quranic term which in the Quran and Hadith has been used widely for unIslamic sexual behavior. The Quran uses it as in the above verse (Holy Quran Chapter 16:90). It is a set of vices that embraces the whole range of evil and shameful deeds. Scholars of the Quran have included every vice which is intrinsically of a highly reprehensible character into this category whether it be fornication, nudity, public foreplay as depicted in films and photos, pornography, hurling abuses and curse words, promiscuous mixing, or dresses designed to expose the body.
وَلَا تَقۡرَبُواْ ٱلزِّنَىٰٓۖ إِنَّهُ ۥ كَانَ فَـٰحِشَةً۬ وَسَآءَ سَبِيلاً۬ (٣٢)
Nor come nigh to adultery: for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to other evils). (32)
وَلُوطًا إِذۡ قَالَ لِقَوۡمِهِۦۤ أَتَأۡتُونَ ٱلۡفَـٰحِشَةَ مَا سَبَقَكُم بِہَا مِنۡ أَحَدٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ
We also (sent) Lut: he said to his people: "Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you? (80)
وَلُوطًا إِذۡ قَالَ لِقَوۡمِهِۦۤ أَتَأۡتُونَ ٱلۡفَـٰحِشَةَ وَأَنتُمۡ تُبۡصِرُونَ (٥٤)
We also sent Lut (as a messenger): behold, he said to his people "Do ye do what is shameful though ye see (its iniquity)? (54).
At the highest level of Fuhsha, Allah has included adultery (Holy Quran Chapter 17:32) and same gender sex (Holy Quran Chapter 7:80; 27:54).
All scholars agree pornography is included in the term Fuhsha.
Al-Munkar
Al-Mawrid English - Arabic Dictionary describes Munkar as gross, abominable, detestable, atrocious, outrageous, and flagrant.
As a major Quranic term it means something which is universally acknowledged as bad and immoral. This category includes all evils which have been unanimously condemned by the human conscience and which have been forbidden by Divine Law in all ages.
People of all faiths abhor
pornography. Even the norms of West (i.e. American) society do not allow its
propagation in mainstream newspapers and prime time TV, forcing it to hide in
dark alleys. Those who are addicted to pornography try to watch it mostly
discreetly. This indicates that it is a universally accepted immoral act which
Quran calls al-Munkar.
Al-Baghi
According to Al-Mawrid English - Arabic dictionary, this term means wrong, injustice, outrage, and transgression.
Al-Baghi in the Quranic terminology means transgression and trespassing into the space and the rights of others, whether those rights be of God or of a fellow human being. Pornography is a transgression towards God as well as towards human beings and animals. The pornographic industry trespasses on the rights of women especially by turning them into sex objects. Pornographic emails trespass the private email boxes of Americans at least four times a day.
How big a sin is "Watching" Pornographic material with your wife once in a while?
Watching pornography is forbidden, whether a person is married or not. The one who does that has to repent to Allaah. How can a person watch such things with his wife and he can he permit her to watch it too? Women are weak and are easily influenced; indeed watching such things may lead to problems between the spouses which may end up in divorce – Allaah forbid. Undoubtedly if a man approves of such a thing he is lacking in Gheerah (protective jealousy), which is what distinguishes a Muslim from others, from Kaafirs and Duyooths (cuckolds) who approve of obscenity and immorality in their families. Moreover, watching such material makes one take the matter of immorality lightly and encourages promiscuity. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound. Let the one who has committed such a sin beware of the punishment of Allaah; let him hasten to repent. He should be keen to look for anything that may help his wife to remain chaste, not for things that will encourage immoral actions.
God is Against Pornography (Fuhsha) whether Open or Hidden
قُلۡ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّىَ ٱلۡفَوَٲحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنۡہَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَٱلۡإِثۡمَ وَٱلۡبَغۡىَ بِغَيۡرِ ٱلۡحَقِّ وَأَن تُشۡرِكُواْ بِٱللَّهِ مَا لَمۡ يُنَزِّلۡ بِهِۦ سُلۡطَـٰنً۬ا وَأَن تَقُولُواْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ
Say: The things that my Lord hath indeed forbidden are: shameful deeds, whether open or secret; sins and trespasses against truth or reason; assigning of partners to Allah, for which he hath given no authority; and saying things about Allah of which ye have no knowledge. (33)
Innama Haram Rabbial Fawahisha Ma Zahar Aminha Wma Batan.. (Holy Quran Chapter 7:33).
Therefore, watching pornography or other indecent acts in the privacy of the home or on the internet is also forbidden.
Allah Asks Us Not to Even Go Close to It
قُلۡ تَعَالَوۡاْ أَتۡلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّڪُمۡ عَلَيۡڪُمۡۖ أَلَّا تُشۡرِكُواْ بِهِۦ شَيۡـًٔ۬اۖ وَبِٱلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَـٰنً۬اۖ وَلَا تَقۡتُلُوٓاْ أَوۡلَـٰدَڪُم مِّنۡ إِمۡلَـٰقٍ۬ۖ نَّحۡنُ نَرۡزُقُڪُمۡ وَإِيَّاهُمۡۖ وَلَا تَقۡرَبُواْ ٱلۡفَوَٲحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنۡهَا وَمَا بَطَنَۖ وَلَا تَقۡتُلُواْ ٱلنَّفۡسَ ٱلَّتِى حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّۚ ذَٲلِكُمۡ وَصَّٮٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ (١٥١)
Say: "Come I will rehearse what Allah hath (really) prohibited you from": join not anything with Him; Be good to your parents: kill not your children on a plea of want;― provide sustenance for you and for them;― come not nigh to shameful deeds, whether open or secret; take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom. (151) (Holy Quran Chapter 6:151 partial)?
Wa La Taqrabul Fawahisha Ma Zahara Minha Wa Ma Batan?
Allah has mentioned this instruction along with shirk and murder which means that Allah considered shameful things like pornography among the major sins.
Allah knows best. He knows His creation. He knows that we are weak. Therefore, He likes us to stay away from shameful things.
Those who Propagate Shameful things among the Believers
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ أَن تَشِيعَ ٱلۡفَـٰحِشَةُ فِى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ۬ فِى ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأَخِرَةِۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ وَأَنتُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ (١٩)
"Verily those who love that indecency should spread among the believers deserve a painful chastisement in the world and in the Hereafter. Allah knows, but you do not know." Holy Quran Chapter 24:19
Innal Lazeena Yuhibbuna An Tasheeal Fahishatu Fillazeena Amanou Lahum Azabun Aleemun Fid Dunya Wal Akhirate, Wallahu Yalamu Wa Antum La Talamoon.
The words used in the verse (fahishatu) embrace all the various forms that might be used to spread shameful and lewd behavior though any means be it pictures, films, or internet.
Don't follow Satan
At several places in the Quran,
يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَٲتِ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنِۚ وَمَن يَتَّبِعۡ خُطُوَٲتِ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنِ فَإِنَّهُ ۥ يَأۡمُرُ بِٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَٱلۡمُنكَرِۚ وَلَوۡلَا فَضۡلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَرَحۡمَتُهُ ۥ مَا زَكَىٰ مِنكُم مِّنۡ أَحَدٍ أَبَدً۬ا وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُزَكِّى مَن يَشَآءُۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ۬ (٢١)
O ye who believe! Follow not Satan's footsteps: if any will follow the footsteps of Satan he will (but) command what is indecent and wrong: and were it not for the grace and mercy of Allah on you not one of you would ever have been pure: but Allah doth purify whom He pleases: and Allah is One Who hears and knows (all things). (21)
God warns us not to follow the steps of Satan: "He will incite you for shameful things (fuhsha) and encourage you to do universally accepted wrong things (al-munkar) Holy Quran Chapter 24:21
Restrain Your Gaze & Guard Your Private Parts
قُل لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ يَغُضُّواْ مِنۡ أَبۡصَـٰرِهِمۡ وَيَحۡفَظُواْ فُرُوجَهُمۡۚ ذَٲلِكَ أَزۡكَىٰ لَهُمۡۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا يَصۡنَعُونَ (٣٠) وَقُل لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنَـٰتِ يَغۡضُضۡنَ مِنۡ أَبۡصَـٰرِهِنَّ وَيَحۡفَظۡنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبۡدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنۡهَاۖ وَلۡيَضۡرِبۡنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِہِنَّۖ وَلَا يُبۡدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ ءَابَآٮِٕهِنَّ أَوۡ ءَابَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ أَبۡنَآٮِٕهِنَّ أَوۡ أَبۡنَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ إِخۡوَٲنِهِنَّ أَوۡ بَنِىٓ إِخۡوَٲنِهِنَّ أَوۡ بَنِىٓ أَخَوَٲتِهِنَّ أَوۡ نِسَآٮِٕهِنَّ أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَـٰنُهُنَّ أَوِ ٱلتَّـٰبِعِينَ غَيۡرِ أُوْلِى ٱلۡإِرۡبَةِ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ أَوِ ٱلطِّفۡلِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمۡ يَظۡهَرُواْ عَلَىٰ عَوۡرَٲتِ ٱلنِّسَآءِۖ وَلَا يَضۡرِبۡنَ بِأَرۡجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعۡلَمَ مَا يُخۡفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّۚ وَتُوبُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ (٣١)
Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. (30) And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! Turn ye all together towards Allah that ye may attain Bliss. (31)
"Enjoin believing men to restrain their gaze and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Surely Allah is well aware of all what they do.
And enjoin believing women to restrain their gaze and guard their private parts and additionally not to reveal their adornment except that which is revealed of itself." Holy Quran Chapter 24:30-31
Sayings of the Prophet (ﷺ): Hadith
No man or woman should look at the naked body of each other (unless married). Sahih Muslim
By God, I would prefer to be thrown from the skies and spatterred in parts than to look at someone's private parts or let someone look at my private parts. Narrated by Salman. Almabsooth kitabul istehsan.
Don't expose your thigh to anyone and don't look at the thigh of any person even if she/he is dead. Narrated Ali ibn abi Talib. Ibn e Maja, Abi Dawud, Darqutani. Tafseer Kabeer
Once someone's thigh was open in public. The Prophet (ﷺ) said don't you know thigh is supposed to be kept covered? Jerhad Aslami. Muatta Imam Malik, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud
Allah has written for Adam's son his share of adultery which he commits inevitably. The adultery of the eyes is the sight (to gaze at a forbidden thing), the adultery of the tongue is the talk, and the inner self wishes and desires and the private parts testify all this or deny it. Abu Hurairah. Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud.
Other Scholarly Perspectives
"It's absolutely Haram," notes Shaykh Muhammad Nur Abdullah. He is the Imam of the Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis in Missouri.
"If someone is looking at someone committing Zina (sex outside of marriage) whether it is in movies or pictures or the actual thing, it's all Haram," he adds.
"Pornographic pictures and movies are haram (prohibited). Muslims should not watch, sell or make such movies. The Prophet (ﷺ), is reported to have said: 'The eyes commit adultery, the tongue commits adultery, the hands commit adultery, the feet commit adultery and then the private parts confirm it or deny it." (Reported by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal)
"This means that watching
pornographic movies, listening to such songs or singing them, using one's hands
and feet for this purpose, all these are sins that are related to Zina and then
the final act of Zina takes place through haram intercourse." Dr. Muzammil
Siddiqi
Guide to Breaking Free of Pornography
Porn – the silent sin. The habit that has consumed your soul but you can’t seem to find your way out of it.
The reality is that many Muslims, males and females, watch porn. Even when they know that it is a sin, even when they strive to fulfil all their obligations as Muslims. Somehow in this internet age, porn has become that one vice that even religious people sometimes struggle to break free from.
Is Pornography a Sin?
Many people try to justify their addiction to porn. You sometimes hear statements like “but, I am not having intercourse with them, I am just watching”. Or they hold on to some belief that different schools of thought in the Shari’ah hold different opinions about the permissibility of pornography.
The first thing that a Muslim who sincerely wants to break free from porn needs to know is that watching pornography is a sin in Islam. You may not be participating in this unlawful act, but you are watching people commit fornication and adultery, both of which are sins.
وَلَا تَقۡرَبُواْ ٱلزِّنَىٰٓۖ إِنَّهُ ۥ كَانَ فَـٰحِشَةً۬ وَسَآءَ سَبِيلاً۬ (٣٢)
“And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way.” (Holy Qur’an Chapter 7:32)
The major reason why a lot of people watch porn is to get a sexual release from watching other people perform this act. And we know that the only permissible way that Muslims can satisfy their sexual urges is with their lawfully wedded spouse. So, without a doubt, any other means of deliberately satisfying your sexual urge, including porn, is forbidden in Islam.
How to Break Free from Watching Porn
Like I said earlier, many Muslims watch porn. Also, many would like to break free from this addiction but don’t know how to.
1. Seek Forgiveness and Repent
“Every son of Adam sins, and the best of the sinners are the repentant.” (Jami at-Tirmidhi)
Like every other sin committed by a Muslim, the first thing to do to break free from porn addiction is to sincerely repent to Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala]. You can’t skip this step. You can’t quit watching porn without first asking your Rabb for forgiveness from this sin.
Repenting sincerely from watching porn is a way to tell Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] that you acknowledge that this is a sin, you are sorry, you crave His forgiveness, and that you hope to never go back to this evil act again.
Another benefit of repenting from this sin is that it also shows that you are ready for Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] to help you. Remember that He has said that He will not change the condition of people except they change what is in them.
So, for Him to turn your heart away from porn addiction, you need to sincerely repent and make a promise to walk away from your addiction.
2. Do Good Deeds
“Have taqwa (fear) of Allah wherever you may be, and follow up a bad deed with a good deed which will wipe it out”. (Hadith Nawawi)
Following a bad deed with a good deed is a means of purifying ourselves. The good deed wipes out the bad deed as if you never committed it, and this helps you feel even better about the past that you are trying to leave behind.
But taking up more good deeds as you try to break free of pornography addiction also has another benefit. It turns your heart from that is which unlawful, to that which is lawful and rewarding.
Imagine that a person who used to spend their spare time watching porn started hanging out at their local masjid. They volunteered to clean the masjid or supervise the children’s area while adults have a Halaqah session. The more time this person spends at the masjid, the less time they spend on the internet and the more their heart becomes attached to the masjid and their faith, in sha’a Allah.
So, a good step towards breaking free of porn is to take up good deeds that redirect your love heart towards that which is good for you.
3. Seek More Islamic Knowledge
The more you know about your faith, the closer you seek to get to your creator, and the easier it becomes for you to rein in destructive desires.
Yes, there are people knowledgeable in the Deen but still fall prey to porn addiction, but the difference between you and them will be sincerity.
A person who seeks knowledge for the sake of Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] finds the knowledge more beneficial for their soul.
4. Get Married
For many Muslims addicted to pornography, the answer to breaking free lies in simply getting married. But these days, we place so many restrictions on ourselves for marriage, that at the end of the day, we fall prey to that which is haram.
While it is a good idea to have a source of income before starting a family or to finish your education, whatever your reasons may be, it is better to get married early than to sink into porn addiction.
If you have the basic resources (according to the standard of living in your area), you really should just get married and engage in lawful sexual intercourse, instead of getting addicted to porn.
As a Muslim, you don’t need all the fancy schmancy destination weddings to get married. Remember that all you need is a good Muslim, their guardian (for females), Mahr and witnesses.
5. Put Efforts in Your Marriage
Another interesting reality of porn is the number of married people who engage in the act. When asked, many of them claim dissatisfaction with marital intimacy as a reason for turning to pornography.
Many married people that are addicted to porn can break free of this addiction by simply focusing on their spouse. Help them to understand what they are doing wrong in terms of intimacy and what you want them to do better.
Be patient with them and help them become that person that fulfils your desires in a halal manner. Because this is better for you both in this life and in the hereafter.
6. Make Dhikr a Lot
A heart that is attached to Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] finds it difficult to engage in sinful acts. Like doing good deeds and gaining Islamic knowledge, dhikr moves your heart closer to your Rabb.
The more you say “Subhan Allah wa Bihamdihi” several times in a day, the more your heart focuses only on your faith, and if Allah wills, this will make sins like porn addiction less appealing to you.
Right now, it may be fun and sexually satisfying to continue to be addicted to porn, but think of the long term. Think of the guilt that follows, and the shame you would feel if anyone you love finds out.
Think of Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] watching you do this and the angels recording this act. Think of how happy you would be to have this addiction erased from your book of deeds and begin your journey towards breaking free of pornography addiction.
Logging in and browsing pornographic sites is forbidden because a Muslim is always commanded to lower his/her gaze, let alone give a loose rein to his/her ? eyes to look at the private parts of others.
As a Muslim, you don’t need all the fancy schmancy destination weddings to get married. Remember that all you need is a good Muslim, their guardian (for females), Mahr and witnesses.
May Allah keep us all safe spiritually and physically?
Pornography: A Definite NO!
And Allaah knows best.
Sources
https://islamqa.info/en/answers/12301/it-is-not-permissible-to-watch-pornography-at-all-not-even-with-ones-wife
https://quranacademy.io/blog/guide-to-breaking-free-of-pornography/
