Curing the Dangers of Pornography Addiction
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Porn addiction is considered a behavioral addiction when a person’s desires are to watch pornographic content regularly. Years ago porn addicts use to satisfy their cravings by saving images from the magazine and storing videos, but today with the global spread of social media from Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat the images of naked men and women continues to be one of the greatest trials to hit people trying to maintain their chastity. Naked images can trigger the mind to evil thoughts, arouse evil desires, and drive a person to commit major sins. In this article, we will highlight the dangers of watching porn and the destruction it can have on one’s heart. We’ll look at the causes of this addiction and the ways to stop it.
The Prohibition of looking the private parts of the opposite sex
The Messenger of Allah[ﷺ] said: “No woman should look at the nakedness of another woman, and no man should look at the nakedness of another man.”[1]
Al-Hafith Ibn Hajr said: There is a consensus among the scholars that the opposite sexes looking each other’s private part are unlawful; if they aren’t married.[2]
This hadith supports the prohibition of watching pornography. The command to avoid looking at the opposite sexes nakedness isn’t allowed based on this hadith. Therefore the one doing it is committing a sin.
The importance of lowering the eye gaze.
Allah said: Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.). That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.)[An-Nur:30-31]
Notice Allah mentioned lowering the gaze first before mentioning protecting the private parts. From this, we can infer that men looking at women and women looking men can be led to fall into illegal sexual acts.
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim said: Since lowering the gaze is the origin of protecting the private part Allah mentioned it first.”
Then how much more so for watching pornography! From the many cases of adultery and fornication, I’ve encountered most were related to some sort of porn addiction. The person with the sane mind must protect his private part by lowering his eye gaze.
Shaykhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: The command to lower the gaze is to protect the eyes from looking at the body’s nakedness and to guard the eyes against looking at the places of on the body which stimulate desires.[3]
The eyes are the mirror of the Heart.
Whatever we see that arouses our sexual desires we tend to fantasize about it and think about. Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim said: Allah has made the eyes the mirror of the heart, so if the servant lowers his eyes gaze the heart won’t have evil desires or have the will to carry out its lust. On the other hand, if the eyes roam freely looking here and there at the opposite sex it will stimulate its evil desires.”[4]
Just reflect over this wisdom about the eyes and how they can affect the heart if they are left unchecked and uncontrolled. What do you think about a person who privately sits and watches porn? Wouldn’t he and she be driven and motivated to fulfill their lusts and desires? Allah’s Help is sought!
The prohibition to look at the non-Mahrem sex.
Looking at, staring at, and watching the opposite sex which is lawful for you marry isn’t allowed in Islam.
The Prophet: (ﷺ) as said: Allah has fixed the precise portion of adultery which a man will indulge in, and which he of necessity must commit. The adultery of the eye is the lustful look, and the adultery of the tongue is the licentious speech, the heart desires and yearns, which the parts may or may not put into effect.[5]
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim said: The Prophet [ﷺ] began with the adultery of the eyes because it’s where illegal sexual acts begin for the hands, the feet, and the private part. He mentioned that the adultery of the tongue is by speaking which leads to kissing. He mentioned that the private part affirms everything the other body parts lead it to by committing this disgraceful act, or rejects everything the other body parts lead it by not committing Zina.
There’s an authentic hadith when the Prophet[ﷺ ] said Ali: Do not give a second look, Ali, (because) while you are not to blame for the first, you have no right to the second.[6]
Ibn Al-Qayyim said: The glance can affect the heart.[7]
Here this section shows us the dangers of just a mere glance, so what about looking at a masculine male or an attractive female with an amazing body naked!?.
Al-Hafith Abee Bakr Muhammad ibn Abdillah Al-Aamiri[530H] mentioned a story about a righteous man who was destroyed by looking at one beautiful lady. This man was a devout servant and well-known for his worship and asceticism. He was respected to point sick people would ask him to supplicate for their health. One day a man took his ill daughter to visit him in his small room to treat her. This girl was very beautiful. When he was alone with her privately he was taken away by her looks and became attached to her. The devil came to him and convinced him he’d be safe if left alone privately with her until he committed Zina with her. After this ,the devil convinced him to kill her and bury her next to his chamber of worship. Then some people and her family came to ask about her and proclaimed that she died of natural causes, so they believed him based on his reputation. Then one day the devil informed the girl’s sisters about what really happened and told them where they could find the body. So they went there and dug up their sister and took the servant to crucify him publicly. While the servant was on the wooden pole Shaytan came to him and told him that he was responsible for everything that had happened to him and could fix everything if he made one prostration to him, so he did and died a disbeliever.[8]
A person’s evil desires lead him to humiliation
Which result in a long term trial [on the soul]
This story highlights the dangers of ignorance about Allah prohibitions and looking at non-Mahrem women in private and what it can lead one to do. Moreover, no one should feel safe and confident from the trials, traps and deception of the devil.
Watching porn takes a person from reality.
The person addicted to porn is detached from the realties around him which include his marriage, his children, his work, his family and his friends and most importantly; the next life and his relationship with Allah.
Imam Ibn Jawzi said: The eyes are the hearts informant and shows it everything it witnesses and conveys the images it grasp thus resulting in the heart contemplating about it, and forgetting about the things which are beneficial for the soul and the afterlife. Letting the eyes roam freely is a reason for evil desires to be planted in the heart. This is why Allah has commanded that the gaze be lowered and restricted fearing the things which result in a punishment[9].
When the eyes aren’t controlled the person is bound to fall into sin and illegal sexual acts sooner or later.
Abullah ibn Abee Al-Huthayl said Abdullah ibn Masu’d went to visit the a sick person one day and some of his family members were present in the house. A guest started looking at one of the ladies there and Ibn Masud told him: “Going blind now is better for you than to keep staring at that lady.”
Abdullah ibn Masu’d said : The devil has a hand in every look and stare at the opposite sex.
The severe warning agaisnt watching pornography privately
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“I certainly know people of my nation who will come on the Day of Resurrection with good deeds like the mountains of Tihamah, but Allah will make them like scattered dust.” Thawban said: “O Messenger of Allah, describe them to us and tell us more, so that we will not become of them unknowingly.” He said: “They are your brothers and from your race, worshipping at night as you do, but they will be people who, when they are alone, transgress the sacred limits of Allah.”[10]
This hadith is a grave warning against watching porn privately. He said those who transgress the limits of Allah when they are alone will come on the Day of Judgment with their deeds made like scattered dust. Transgressing the limits of Allah in general includes all of his prohibitions. In other words ,doing the things ,Allah has prohibited and avoiding the things he has commanded.
Mujahid said: “Preventing the eyes from looking at the things Allah has prohibited earns Allah’s love.[11]
Ibn Al-Jawzi said: I advise you to acknowledge that your sight is a blessing to you from Allah. So don’t commit sins with the bounty Allah gave you. Don’t look at the things Allah has made Haraam. Beware that having your eyesight snatched away could possibly be a punishment.[12]
The psychological impact of Porn addiction
Watching porn can have a damaging impact on a person’s character, behavior, and natural disposition [Fitra]. The people tested with this affliction mental health will worsen as time goes on.
Ibn Al-Jawzi said: May Allah grant you success! If you follow the command to lower the gaze from the beginning you will safe from bottomless trials. However, if you regularly look at prohibited things then your heart won’t be safe from a seed that once it’s planted it’s almost impossible to uproot it. Nonetheless, if this happens then the cure is easy; simply stop looking freely at prohibited things.[13]
The porn addict eventully wants to enact the things he watches. Acts which destroy the disposition until he /she behaves worst than an animal.
Signs a person is addicted to porn
- Being unable to stop using porn or stop engaging in the behaviors associated with porn, despite repeated attempts to do so.
- Experiencing cravings to view porn. Much like substance users report feeling strong urges to use drugs, porn addicts can experience strong urges to view porn.
- Becoming angry, hostile, or irritable when asked to stop using porn.3Porn addicts may deny their porn viewing or be upset when loved ones request that they stop.
- Keeping all or part of one’s porn use secret from loved ones. Porn addiction has been shown to lead to increased secrecy in relationships.
- Feeling as though one is living a double or secret life because of porn use. A person with a porn addiction may feel guilty or ashamed and work hard to hide his or her porn viewing from others.
- Continuing to view porn despite negative consequences, such as broken relationships or a job loss. Relationships where one partner is addicted to porn can lead to a reduction in intimacy, emotional distance, reduced sexual satisfaction, and an overall poorer quality of the relationship.1Being unable to abstain from porn during work hours can lead to disciplinary action or even job loss.
- Losing track of large chunks of time due to being absorbed in porn use. Porn addicts may spend much of the day viewing pornography. This can lead to porn becoming a priority, with everything else set aside in favor of viewing porn.
- Requiring increasing amounts or more explicit porn to gain the same satisfaction or thrill, similar to the development of a tolerance.[14]
Some measures and approaches to stop watching porn
- Acknowledge you have a problem
- Read Quran
- Make Thikr
- Frequently remember death
- Limit your time on social media
- Get married
- Block access to porn sites on your computers/smart phones
- Avoid using the computer privately
- Stop doing the things that lead to watching porn. i.e staying up late at night, seclusion, not going to bed when the rest of your family does
- Exchange your visits to porn sites with visits to other sites that offer Islamic benefits or educational benefits
- Ask Allah to help you perfect your character
The benefits of staying away from watching porn
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim mentioned several benefits for lowering the gaze and the avoidance of looking at things that arouse sexual desires
- Lowering the gaze clears the heart from the pain of grief and regret. As long as the person lets his eyes roam freely he will always fell grief
- Looking freely at prohibited things does to heart what an arrow does when it leaves its bow. If the arrow doesn’t kill its target it damages it.
- The heart will inherit light and this brightness will be in the eyes on the face and on the body parts. Conversely, letting the eyes look here and there causes darkness to manifest on a person’s face and in his actions.
- Lowering the gaze from allows a person to have sound insight into affairs
- Lowering the gaze allows the doors to knowledge to be open, thus making it easy for him to acquire knowledge.
- Lowering the gaze makes the heart strong, firm and brave
- Lowering the gaze allows the heart to be free from evil desires. If the eyes roam freely the heart will be imprisoned to evil lusts and desires.
- Lowering the gaze frees the heart from being negligence.[15]
And Allah knows best
Written and prepared by the one in need of Allah’s Mercy
Brother, Abu Aaliyah Abdullah Ibn Dwight Battle
Doha, Qatar
1440©
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[1] Ibn Majah: Book 1, Hadith 706
[2] Fathul Bari vol 9/338
[3] Fatawa Al-Kubara vol1/pg 284
[4] Rawdatul Muhibeen pg 407, by Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim
[5] Al-Bukhari (6243)Muslim (2657)
[6] Abu Dawud (2149)
[7]Rawdatul Muhibeen pg 407, by Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim
[8]The prohibition to look at non-mahram women/ Page 53
[9] ذم الهوى /pg 55
[11] ذم الهوى /pg 94
[12] ibid
[13] Ibid pg 96
[14] https://www.projectknow.com/research/porn-addiction/?utm_term=p_addiction
[15] Rawdatul Muhibeen pg 409-410, by imam ibn Al-Qayyim