I am a married woman. I masturbated while my husband was away. Is that adultery?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Masturbation is not in itself a Zina (adultery) act as there is no retribution in Islam to the one who does it. But it is a sin as it contradicts the teachings of Islam.

In fact, Allah has made lawful only one way to satisfy one’s sexual desire, that is through legal relationship between husband and wife and Allah has named everything apart from that as a transgression. Allah Says (what means): {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 -} [Quran 23:5-7]

On the other hand, doctors have established that masturbation causes much psychological and physical harm to the person who does it. It causes a weakening of the nervous system and affects the mind. Doctors also say that the woman who masturbates loses a part of her natural sexual pleasure when she sleeps with her husband. She also becomes addicted to this bad habit and cannot then give it up easily.

Mustapha Az-Zargha (a Muslim scholar) said: “That which is proved by research to be harmful to the person is forbidden in the Sharee’ah.” This is a consensus of all Muslim scholars. So, repent to Allah from this sin and thank Him for having blessed you by giving you a lawful way to enjoy your sexual desire with your husband. Know that sins bring misfortune and destruction.

Allah knows best.