Question: When I was 14 and 15 years old I used to masturbate during the day in the Blessed month of Ramadhaan for a number of days. I don't know how many. I was ignorant about this being haraam in Ramadhaan and other than it and I used to be ignorant as to this being known as masturbation. So, I used to make ablution and pray without making the ritual purification (ghusl). What is the ruling regarding my prayers and fasts? Is it obligatory for me to repeat the prayer and fast, knowing that I don't know how many days to do this. What is obligatory for me?
Response: Firstly: it is impermissible (haraam) to masturbate (i.e. using one's hand in such a manner as to satisfy one's desire, resulting in the excrement of sperm, or for sisters, as in this case, any discharge). During the month of Ramadhaan is even more so!;
Secondly: It is obligatory upon you to make up the days you broke your fast due to masturbating, because this (action) nullifies the fast. Also, strive hard to work out how many days it was that you broke your fast;
Thirdly: It is obligatory to make expiation by feeding a needy person half a saa' of barley or that which is similar to it from that which is the accepted norm in the land. This is also for each day you missed if you delay your fast until the arrival of the next Ramadhaan;
Fourthly: It is obligatory to make perform ghusl if you masturbated as you have stated, and it is not sufficient to make ablution if any liquid was excreted;
Fifthly: It is obligatory to make up the prayers which you prayed without performing ghusl because the minor purification does not suffice in place of the major purification.
And with Allaah lies all the success, and may Allaah send prayers and salutations upon our Prophet Muhammad (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) and his family and his companions.
The Permanent Committee for Islaamic Research and Fataawa, comprising –
Head: Shaykh 'Abdul 'Azeez ibn Abdullaah ibn Baaz;
Deputy Head: Shaykh 'Abdur-Razzaaq 'Afeefee;
Member: Shaykh 'Abdullaah Ibn Ghudayyaan
Fataawa Ramadhaan – Volume 2, Page 449, Fatwa No.376;
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa.imah lil-Buhooth al-'Ilmiyyah wal-Iftaa. – Fatwa No.10551
