Soalan:

Assalamu’alaikum, I hope this message finds you in good health. I am struggling with a severe addiction to pornography and masturbation. My questions for you:

• How can I genuinely repent and seek forgiveness for my actions?
• Are there specific prayers or supplications I should engage in to help overcome this addiction?
• What practical steps can I take to create a healthier lifestyle that aligns with Islamic principles?
• How can I strengthen my relationship with Allah and prevent relapses?

May Allah reward you for your service to the community.

Jawapan:

Alhamdulillah, all praise is to Allah SWT, praise and salutations to our beloved Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives and family, Companions and those who follow his footsteps till the Day of Judgement.

We will start with the definition of pornography. Pornography means written or visual material that stimulates sexual desire and is intended to please the viewer or reader. It is also known as “porn”, “smut” and obscene materials.

In answering the question above, we include the statement of Allah SWT:

وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ ‎﴿٥﴾‏ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ ‎﴿٦﴾‏ فَمَنِ ابْتَغَىٰ وَرَاءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ ‎

Meaning: “And they who guard their private parts – Except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed – But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors.“

(Surah al-Mu’minun: 5-7)

Imam al-Syafi’i, when commenting on the verse above, said: “It is not permissible to use the penis except for the wife or the female slave owned. It is also not halal for fornication.” (See Al-Umm, 5/102)

Coming back to the questions that you posed in the beginning, the following are some of the steps you can take to help with your addiction as stated by scholars:

• Tell a close relative who knows about your problem that you are struggling and trying to stop. Ask for support, especially from a counsellor or doctor who has experience in this matter.
• Get rid of all the videos, and pictures that you still have on your computer and any social media. When those things are still stored, it is very difficult for you to move on or change yourself.
• Take care of yourself by busying yourself with useful and beneficial things.
• Never go online unless you have a specific objective.
• Try to identify the main reason that throws you into the valley of sin which is pornography addiction. It may be due to boredom, fatigue and weakness. So, overcome it with various other activities.
• When you feel like watching pornography, try going to the bathroom and taking a cold shower or drinking cold water.
• My recommendation is to spend time going to the mosque, always go to the mosque to perform the five fard prayer in congregation, then followed by zikr, reading the Qur’an and more importantly learning knowledge through teachers and ustaz-ustaz.
• Do a lot of zikrullah, istighfar and repentance because it has a good effect on a person’s life.

Among the supplication you can recite when repenting:

اَللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبُّنَا لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنَا وَنَحْنُ عَبِيْدُكَ، وَنَحْنُ عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْنَا، نَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْنَا، نَبُوْءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيْنَا، وَنَبُوْءُ بِذُنُوْبِنَا، فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ

Maksudnya: “O Allah! You are our Lord. None has the right to be worshipped except You. You created me and we are your servant and we abide by your covenant and promise as best we can. We seek refuge in you from the evil, which we have committed. We acknowledge Your favor upon us and we know our sins, so forgive us, for verily none can forgive sin except You.”

• Read Allah SWT’s punishment and punishment for those who are always slaves and slaves to lust as a result of adultery and homosexuality. It will truly terrify us.
• Choose friends who are good and pious and do many activities with them that bring peace of mind and happiness in life. This is because a person will be influenced by his peers.
• Finally, remember that we can die at any time, therefore, high vigilance so that we die in husnul khatimah, as well as good practices, become the hope in our lives.
• Don’t forget to always renew your resolve to stay on the right path and supplicate:

يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ، ثَبِّتْ قُلُوْبَنَا عَلَى دِينِكَ

Meaning: “O Changer of the hearts, make our hearts firm upon Your religion”

We pray that you will always be on the right path and are strong and steadfast in practising and obeying Allah SWT’s religion and commandments and be amongst those who are forgiven.

Bertarikh: 15 September 2023 bersamaan 29 Safar 1445