Question

I self masturbaed intentionally in the month of ramadan after speaking sexually to a non marham via text message. I know what I did was wrong and was asking to fall into sin. I am 21, non married and I have had this problem for over a year now. I know my fast is broken, but do I need to keep the 60 day fast?

Answer

Alhamdlilah brother for having concern over your sins and showing remorse over what you have done.

Sadly,  due to the constant exposure of our youth to sexually explicit material they are filled with desires without any Halal (lawful) means of fulfilling them resulting in committing fornication or masturbation.

Dear brother, you must try to break all relations with non mahrams as this will take you away from ALLAH Ta-aala and closer to Shaytaan.

The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam said:

لا يخلون أحدكم بامرأة فإن الشيطان ثالثهما

 

‘None of you should ever be alone with a lady for indeed Shaytan is the third of them’

 

(See. Musnad Ahmed p. 215/1 Dar Al-Hadeeth)

Texting and messaging also comes under this as a person is considered alone with the person they are communicating with. Shaytan takes advantage of this and fills their hearts with evil thoughts and from there it escalates until it leads to zina (fornication) and deteriorates the moral character of a person.

Also it most be understood that breaking your fast without any genuine excuse is a grave sin.

Imam Al-Kasaani states:

وإبطال العمل من غير عذر حرام ، لقوله تعالى { : ولا تبطلوا أعمالكم }

 

And invalidating deeds without any excuse is haraam (unlawful) because of the saying of ALLAH Ta-aala “and do not nullify your deeds”.
(See. Badaai’ As-Sanaai’ p.94/2 Dar Al-Kutub Al-I’lmiyya)

You should make sincere tawba (repentence) to ALLAH Ta-aala of what you have done.

As for your fast then it will be broken however you will only be required to make up a fast for that day again after Ramadan and not required to keep 60 fasts (kaffaarah).

The answer given above is the opinion of the scholar who has answered the question and does not reflect the opinion of other scholars, volunteers or employees of As-Suffa Institute and As-Suffa Institute as an organisation.

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