________________________________________________________________________ | w w w |\ | || || | || |\ | o_,_7 _|| . _o_7 _|| 4_|_|| o_w_, |\ | ( : / (_) / ( . |\ | |\ | || || | || |T | | || | |\ | . _, _8 |_D_|| . _,_,_,_D_|| 4_|| q ]_o_7_o _|_c 4_|_|| _|,_p q |\ | (_): / (_): . : / (_S (_S / |\ | |\ | In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful |\ | Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\ |_______________________________________________________________________|\ Assalamu 'alaykum The following question was answered by Mulla Asgher Salaams & Duas Ummulbanin Merali - Moderator - 'Aalim Network **************************************************************************** ******** QUESTION: How great a sin is istimna/masturbation? If one is unable to find a spouse, then does it become allowable if one is afflicted physically and distracted mentally due to unfulfilled natural instincts? ANSWER: Istimna is Haram and committing it is a sin. For a person who can not control his natural instincts, one has to learn avoiding distracting thoughts and get married as soon as possible - either a permanent marriage or a fixed time one. Asgherali M M Jaffer