I am student of medicine living in abroad in non-Muslim country. I am unmarried and my parents say that when I will finish study they will marry me. But here, in this country, it is impossible for me to marry because of my family restrictions. Here are a lot of bad girls and very difficult for me to save myself from major sin. So, I am masturbating in order to save myself from adultery. I tried to fast many times to stop my sexual desires but it was not worthy. So, please tell me that in such a situation can I masturbate? Now I am too much depressed and can't concentrate in my study without masturbating. So, please tell me what I should do. In the light of Qur'an and Hadith please give me answer?

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.

If the state of affairs is as you have mentioned, then we would like to inform you of the following:

Residence in non-Muslim countries is not permissible unless there is need such as studying a branch of knowledge that is needed for Muslims and which is not available in their countries or due to some special case and one can perform Islamic obligations among non-Muslims.

Thus, if one is compelled to reside in non-Muslim countries and sees in each and every place of those countries what may darken his heart and spoil his belief, then we advise one to fear Allah and observe His Orders, to lower one's gaze and avoid visiting markets except for need, where there is shameful nakedness.

In addition, one is advised to treat one's lust through supplications, fasting, practicing sport and so on in order to weaken such a critical lust.

After that, if one cannot control himself and has no option except committing Zina or masturbation, then one can resort to masturbation, which is the lesser evil if compared with fornication. But, one has to know that masturbation also constitutes a sin. So, one has to seek Allah's pardon and forgiveness and say more supplications. You may for instance supplicate with the following supplication: “O The Ever-Living, The Everlasting One, I seek help in Your Grace, so give me not over to myself ever for as little as a wink of an eye.”

For more benefit on the prohibition of masturbation, please refer to Fataawa 179859, 376036, 87952, and 81167.

Allah knows best.