CONTENTS

Introduction 2

Problems 3

Promotes Aggression Towards Women: 3

Shapes Negative Attitudes and Behaviour Towards Women: 3

Affects Healthy Intimate Relationship: 4

Can Lead to Addiction: 4

Cheap and Ubiquitous: 6

What all does it Normalize? 6

The Negative Impact on Performers: 10

Harm to Consumer: 12

Breaking the Habit 15

Gravity of Zina: 16

Porn = Zina: 16

The Blessings: 17

The Concept of ‘Haya’: 19

Adam’s punishment: 19

Yusuf’s Test: 20

Some Practical Solutions: 22

Connect with us: 27

References 29

Introduction

The internet has indeed revolutionized the world significantly. It has bridged distances and has provided a global platform to the its users. But its advantages were followed by its disadvantages as well. Pornographic content has been on the internet since its inception. It has been promoted by large corporate houses throughout the world due to which it is one of the largest industries today.

But the question is that why are we addressing this issue? Pornography has been blatantly promoted and justified in the garb of freedom of speech and expression. Many producers, consumers and even psychologists say that it is just another harmless recreational activity. The purpose of this document is to refute this bogus claim and to present a holistic view of this issue.

Pornography is one the most prevalent poisons that has engulfed not just an impulsive and young population but also adults and the religiously inclined people as well. Its high time that we acknowledge the fact that if you have a device and an internet connection, you are exposed to such content. Exposure to such content corrupts those young minds due to which several evils emanate, not just on an individual level but on a social level as well.

In this document, we have analysed the various problems and negative impacts of Pornography on the society. We have also focused on the ways to quit this abominable habit and have provided practical as well as spiritual mechanisms to help those who are in need of guidance but can’t talk to anyone.

May this small contribution be helpful for the ones who are dealing with porn addiction and may Allah help them to get out of it.

Problems

Promotes Aggression Towards Women:

Pornography is arguably more sexist and hostile towards women than other sexual images in the media.¹ The aggression and violence towards women found in much of today’s popular pornography can teach boys and young men that it is socially acceptable, and even desirable, to behave aggressively towards and demean women. Pornography also portrays people and sexual relationships that do not accurately reflect how real people look and act and behave in intimate relationships. Unrealistic expectations of intimate partners may impede youths’ ability to build and maintain healthy relationships.

Shapes Negative Attitudes and Behaviour Towards Women:

Studies on sexual content and violence in the media indicate that youth accept, learn from, and may emulate behaviours portrayed in the media as normative, attractive, and without risk.² This is particularly concerning in light of the number of pornographic materials that portray violence towards women. Past studies of the content of pornography concluded that the typical sexual script focuses on the sexual desires and prowess of men.³ A 2010 study of 50 popular pornographic films suggests that popular pornography contains high levels of physical and verbal aggression. The study found that only 10.2% of pornographic scenes did not contain an aggressive act.18 Physical aggression occurred in 88.2% of scenes and verbal aggression in 48.7%.16 Men committed 70.3% of all aggressive acts and 94.4% of aggression was directed towards women.⁴

A 2009 analysis of studies on pornography and violence towards women reveals a significant relationship between pornography consumption and attitudes supporting violence towards women.⁵ The relationship is much stronger for violent as compared to nonviolent pornography. A 2001-2004 survey of middle and high school youth found 76% of boys who reported committing some form of sexual harassment also reported use of sexually explicit media.⁶ A 2006 to 2008 survey of youth aged 10-15 found that youth who reported exposure to pornographic materials were 6.5 times more likely to report sexually aggressive behaviour.⁷ Youth who reported exposure to nonviolent material were more than three times as likely to report sexually aggressive behaviour, while youth who reported exposure to violent material were 24 times more likely to report sexually aggressive behaviour.

Affects Healthy Intimate Relationship:

Establishing romantic and sexual relationships is a central developmental task for youth and young adults. Exposure to sexual content can compromise their ability to establish and maintain healthy intimate relationships. Sexual socialization theory suggests frequent exposure to consistent themes about gender and sexual behaviour can affect a young person’s developing sense of what is expected sexually for men and women and may also affect later behaviour. As mentioned earlier, for example, studies show a significant correlation between the use of pornography and aggressive attitudes and behaviors towards women.⁸ Sexual content on television often sends messages about sexuality that are distorted, stereotypical, and potentially harmful. Frequent viewing of sexually oriented TV content like soap operas, music videos, and prime time programs is associated with greater acceptance of common sexual stereotypes and dysfunctional beliefs about relationships.⁹ A 2006 survey of high school youth aged 14-18 found regular media use was associated with support of sexual stereotypes and that youth who reported watching television for companionship were more likely to agree that sex is recreationally oriented, men are sex-driven, and women are sexual objects. Media images also offer information about sexual relationships without addressing the risks and responsibilities of sex, such as pregnancy and STIs. If television can have such negative effects on children and youth, pornography, with its more violent and graphic images, can have an even greater impact. Research shows that young adults who are repeatedly exposed to pornography may have lower levels of trust in intimate partners and may lose hope of finding sexual exclusivity with a partner.¹⁰

Can Lead to Addiction:

Addiction is a risk for children and youth who continually access pornographic materials. In simple terms, addiction involves an activity that was once enjoyable and eventually evolves into a necessity. Addiction is an extension of reward-based learning that can physically alter the brain and affect later behaviour. It is traditionally characterized by an uncontrollable urge, often resulting in loss of control, preoccupation with use, and continued use despite problems caused by the behaviour. The medical field has recognized that pornography consumption can be problematic. The recently updated DSM-V includes the diagnosis Hypersexual Disorder, which includes the compulsive use of pornography.¹¹

Children and teens are capable of developing compulsive sexual behaviours, which can lead to sexual addiction. A research article published in 2000 found an increasing number of children and youth seeing mental health professionals for issues related to online sexual activities. The time a child or youth spends online may indicate a disorder when it results in clinically significant impairment or distress.¹² Failure to resist the urge to view pornographic images, despite the negative effects the behaviour has on social or recreational functioning, is a sign of impairment.

Medical literature supports the premise that a person with one addiction is likely to have another. Youth are more likely than adults to be diagnosed with more than one mental health issue, including sexual acting out, substance abuse, and other disorders. Personality disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, and substance abuse and dependence are associated with sexual compulsivity. People recovering from drug addiction are at risk for sexual addiction, as they may “engage in substitute behaviours that serve similar pleasurable functions.”¹³ Physical, sexual, family, and social trauma can also lead to the development of sexual addiction or compulsivity. A history of sexual behaviour problems is another potential indicator for online sexual addiction.

Sexual addiction for children and youth “likely sets up a life-long struggle” in which the youth’s focus, biological reward system, and behaviour are interwoven with “themes of sexual pleasure.” Lack of impulse control (a consequence of addiction) may lead those addicted to pornography and/or other online sexual activities to engage with sexually inappropriate or deviant material.¹⁴ Addiction can also impact other areas of a person’s life. For example, excessive use of the Internet for non-academic purposes has been linked to poor academic performance.

o No discernable symptoms: – The biggest problem with porn addiction is that there are no observable symptoms, and it is cheap unlike drugs and alcohol. A porn addict develops unnatural and abominable fetishes which rewires the brain in a very dangerous manner. According to neurochemistry, you are what you consume and the more you consume a particular thing, that thing becomes a part of your life and the brain forms pathways and synaptic connections, which once formed, are very difficult to alter. Porn, as traditionally known is not just limited to filthy videos but

it is available in the form of written content, filthy magazines, soft porn in movies, web series and advertisements. Written content is much more harmful than videographic content because the brain perceives a particular scenario in its own personal context which might jeopardize interpersonal relations. Parents, friends, teachers and society cannot detect porn addiction in a person. It is a habit which is known to the person who is involved in it. Though there are symptoms like avoiding events to watch porn or not being able to avoid it even after resisting it but such symptoms are also known to the one who is addicted to porn and not anyone else. Moreover, it is cheap and a porn addict does not need money to purchase and consume porn. This financial aspect acts as a barrier to the consumption of intoxicants like drugs, alcohol and cigarettes but unfortunately, as discussed above, porn is so ubiquitous on the internet that a person can access everything with just a single click. As there are no observable symptoms, a porn addict without any obstacle keeps on consuming such content. The constant unhindered consumption of pornographic content has a severe effect on one’s brain. As mentioned above, it rewires the brain and leads to the formation of new pathways. When these pathways are formed, it becomes very difficult for a person to get rid of this addiction.

Cheap and Ubiquitous:

Porn, unlike other intoxicants is extremely cheap and easily available. A drug addict requires money to purchase drugs. He has to go out of his house to purchase those drugs. He has to find drug dealers. But in case of porn, all one needs is an internet connection and a device. These days, even toddlers and people from the lower income groups have these facilities.

What all does it Normalize?

Normalization of Incest:

Incest is one of the most viewed porn categories in which sexual relations between mother and son, brother and sister, father and daughter etc. are depicted. Many people who repetitively watch such content become desensitized towards their blood relations. Such content undermines and belittles the sanctity of blood relations which eventually leads to the destruction of the family unit.

There have been instances where people have raped their mothers and sisters. This was possible due to prolonged exposure to such pornographic content. Moreover, ‘Game of Thrones’ which is a renowned series, also depicts incestuous relationships. The young minds, without any hesitation expose themselves to such content and then later on, they end up fantasizing about their blood relations and in more severe cases they resort to raping them as well. This leads to the ruination of the family institution which is the basic unit of the society. Paul Bureau writes:

“Let it be enough to say that immorality between near relatives, even sometimes between father and daughter and between brother and sister are not very uncommon in certain popular quarters of our great towns.”¹⁵

Dr. Edith Hooker says that even in cultured societies it is not uncommon to find girls, seven years old or so, involved in clandestine love affairs with boys of their own age group with whom sometimes they have sex relations also. She relates the case of a seven-year-old daughter of a respectable family who had her first sex experience with her own elder brother and some of his friends.¹⁶

Normalization of Bestiality:

Bestiality is the act of having sexual relations with animals. In this case, humans are attracted sexually attracted towards animals and satisfy their sexual urges with them. There have been various cases of men having sex with domestic cattle and women having sex with dogs and horses.

There are countries where bestiality is legal. Not just legal, but there are even legislations in some countries to regulate it. In many countries like Germany and Mexico, there are bestiality brothels and it is considered a ‘lifestyle choice’. Moreover, Hungary is known for producing animal porn.

There is a plethora of pornographic content which advocates bestiality. We know that bestiality may lead to several diseases like penile cancer etc. but still the porn industry does not care about this. Moreover, so many animals are exploited while producing animal porn but no animal rights activist bats an eye.

Normalization of Adultery:

A person who is involved in an extra marital sexual relationship is said to be adulterous. This form of sexual anarchy is most common in the Western world as it is not difficult to find people cheating on their partners. Porn normalizes adultery as it often depicts sexual relations between unmarried people.

The youth, after being exposed to pornographic content, starts thinking that adulterous relationships are normal and there is no problem in having sex without getting married. Not just the youth but even adults who are married often engage themselves in extra marital affairs which has destructive effect on their families, partners, children and marriage.

There are ‘wife-swapping’ groups which provide the facility of exchanging each other’s wives for indulging in sexual relations. All these abominable activities have a long-lasting effect on the children of such couples. Their children often become depressed and they also indulge in these activities when they grow up.

Normalization of Rape:

Pornographic companies produce content that can go to extremes. They glorify sexual violence against women in the form of Sadistic content or BDSM. Moreover, they also depict rape scenes which induce people to commit rapes. Diana E.H. Russell writes: ‘In order for rape to occur, a man must not only be predisposed to rape, but his internal inhibitions against acting out rape desires must be undermined. My theory in a nutshell is that pornography-

• Predisposes some men to want to rape women or intensifies the predisposition in other men already so predisposed.
• Undermines some men’s internal and social inhibitions against acting out their rape desires.¹⁷

Many people fail to acknowledge that in many instances the actual making of pornography involves or even requires violence and sexual assault. A witness testified that how women and young girls were tortured and suffered permanent physical injuries to answer publisher demands for photographs depicting sadomasochistic abuse.¹⁸

Research indicates that in our current milieu 25 to 30% of the male college students studied at universities in the United States and Canada report that there is some likelihood that they would rape a woman if they could get away with it. [As recently as 1984 Malamuth (Professor of Psychology, University of California) reported that an average of about 35% of male students in several studies indicated some likelihood of raping a woman (1984, p. 22). However, he says this figure has decreased to 25 to 30% since then for reasons he does not know (personal communication, July 1986).]¹⁹

A rapist interviewed by Timothy Beneke (1982) provides a dramatic example of how pornography can generate rape fantasies in someone who didn’t have them before. This is how he put it: I went to a porno bookstore, put a quarter in a slot, and saw this porn movie. It was just a guy coming up from behind a girl and attacking her and raping her. That’s when I started having rape fantasies. When I see that movie, it was like somebody lit a fuse from my childhood on up… I just went for it, went out and raped.

Don Smith did a content analysis of 428 ‘adults only’ paperbacks published between 1968 and 1974. His sample was limited to books that were readily accessible to the general American public, excluding paperbacks that are usually available only in so-called adult bookstores. He reported the following findings:

• One-fifth of all the sex episodes involved complete Rape
• The number of rapes increased with each year’s output of newly published books
• Of the sex episodes, 6% involved incestuous rape,
• The focus in the rape scenes was almost always on the victim’s fear and terror which became transformed by the rape into sexual passion. Over 97% of the rapes portrayed in these books resulted in the satisfaction of the victims.
• Less than 3% of the rapists experienced any negative consequences and many were rewarded.

The conclusion that we need to extract from all the content provided above is that porn is not some refreshing or recreational exercise which can help you in filling your sexual void. It is as heinous as an activity can be if not more than being in place of someone who is committing a sexual assault or rape, for the reason provided below.

Normalization of Homosexuality:

There are certain categories of porn which desensitize people to get engaged in unnatural sexual behaviours. In fact, the data reveals that lesbian and incest are the most prominent categories. The promotion of such pornographic content lures the shift of peoples view to adjudgment of this horrendous activity. Now that we are broaching homosexuality, the popular narrative might say, so what’s wrong with homosexuality?

Homosexuality: beyond the pale – It is seemingly evident from the data which is available by many research organisations, that homosexuality promotes an immoral attitude in terms of sexual discipline and it also instigates many diseases, for instance, it promotes promiscuity. A study of homosexual men shows that more than 75% of homosexual men admitted to having sex with more than 100 different males in their lifetime: approximately 15% claimed to have had 100-249 sex partners, 17% claimed 250-499, 15% claimed 500-999 and 28% claimed more than 1,000 lifetime sexual partners.²⁰ Also, the inevitably unnatural intercourse that homosexuality carries cause many harmful diseases like anal cancer, Chlamydia trachomatis, Cryptosporidium, Giardia lamblia, Herpes simplex virus, HIV, Human papilloma virus, Isospora belli, Microsporidia, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, Hepatitis B and C and others. Homosexuals also have very high rates of sexually transmitted infections such as HIV which pose a major burden to the health service. The data on commonality of HIV among homosexuals can be fetched through the reference provided here.²¹

The Negative Impact on Performers:

The impact that the movie of such obscene content generates is brimmingly harmful for all individuals. Even it is evident from the actors and actresses that were once a part of this muddle. The experiences themselves reflect the negativity and the dark parallel that this billion-dollar industry covertly carries.

The Statements of the Victims (Ex-performers):²²

Trent:

On set one time, I watched a girl get slapped by her boyfriend hard enough to break her jaw. It made me want to rip his head off. Once, I was in a scene with a girl while three different guys had sex with her, and she vomited all over us. [The producers] still wanted us to keep going at it while she was limp and fainting. The director wanted the money shot or he would have to call us all back for another day. ‘Do it or don’t get paid.’ That’s the mentality of the porn industry.”

Alex:

“[One particular film] was the most brutal, depressing, scary scene that I have ever done. I have tried to block it out from my memory due to the severe abuse that I received during the filming. The [male performer] has a natural hatred towards women, in the sense that he has always been known to be more brutal than ever needed. I agreed to do the scene, thinking it was less beating except a punch in the head. If you noticed, [he] had worn his solid gold ring the entire time and continued to punch me with it. I actually stopped the scene while it was being filmed because I was in too much pain.”

Alexa:

“Like most porn performers, I perpetuated this lie. One of my favourite things to say when asked if I liked doing a particular scene was, “I only do what I like! I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t like it!” (I would say this with a big fake smile and giggle.) What a total lie! I did what I had to do to get “work” in porn. I did what I knew would help me gain “fame” in the industry.”

Andi:

“After a year or so of that so-called ‘glamorous life,’ I sadly discovered that drugs and drinking were part of the lifestyle. I began to drink and party of out control—cocaine, alcohol, and ecstasy were my favourites. Before long, I turned into a person I did not want to be. After doing so many hardcore scenes, I couldn’t do it anymore. I just remember being in horrible situations and experiencing extreme depression and being alone and sad.”

These are just few of the stories, there are plenty more. These individuals conspicuously indicate of the fact that how serious and griming this façade is.

Suicide:

The suicide rate of this industries performers indicates just how depressing and secluded it makes the people working Infront of the camera. They cohabit to drugs and alcohol for filling up their void and to hide behind their persona.

Read the report of International Adult Film Database (IAFD), you will find more.

A very common trend that has been quite conspicuous on viewing these records is the commonality of drug overdose in many suicide victims. Industry is so dark that either people take drug due to depression or scene or some time they are force to take the drugs which becomes the reason of their death here. Thus, besides being a menace for the society and consuming the morality existing, it also normalizes the use of drugs.

Harm to Consumer:

Physical Harm:

Porn-Induced Erectile Dysfunction: Like all potentially addictive substances and behaviours, porn can cause serious changes to the brain over time and encourage behaviours that harm other parts of the body. Non-fatal strangulation or ‘air play’ as the porn industry calls it euphemistically, is one such example that is becoming increasingly common today

The most alarming physical change that is stated by men, especially men under 40 today in many of the recovery sites, is erectile dysfunction (ED). That is, they cannot attain a stiff or erect penis. For others, delayed ejaculation or a sluggish response to real partners is common. The real deal is that they do not experience ED when using porn, they realise it only when they try to have intercourse with a real partner. That means many men without partners do not even realise they have developed an erectile problem.²³

As University of Cambridge lead researcher Valerie Voon said:

“[Porn addicts] compared to healthy volunteers had significantly more difficulty with sexual arousal and experienced more erectile difficulties in intimate sexual relationships but not to sexually explicit material.”

This can cause serious problems when a couple get together. Either partner may feel inadequate for not being able to perform sexually or seemingly not being able to invoke sexual desire in the other person. It has caused many men a great deal of shame and embarrassment and upset or a sense of failure in their partners.

Porn also influence the physical power dynamics in sexual relations: There is a lot of recent evidence that some men are becoming more dominant and aggressive, especially in sexual relationships. This undesirable behaviour appears to be driven to major degree by men’s consumption of internet pornography.

A 2010 study of the content of best-selling DVDs found that of the 304 scenes analysed, 88.2% contained physical aggression. This was principally spanking, gagging, and slapping. In addition, 48.7% of scenes contained verbal aggression, primarily name-calling. Perpetrators of aggression were usually male, whereas targets of aggression were overwhelmingly female. Targets most often showed pleasure or responded neutrally to the aggression.²⁴

Masturbation: One major hand in hand consequence of watching internet pornography is the habit of masturbation. Now, popularly being undermined by majority of the movies and series, is one such habit which delivers some major health problems. The bad effects of masturbation show themselves in the following ways.

1. Defects in sexual organs, like going bent, thinner, shorter, with veins raised reducing the chances of erection or causing no erection.
2. Causing hasty fatigue
3. Causing fatigue
4. Becoming impotent
5. Causing organic weakness
6. Causing wild reactions, irritation, frustration and enhancing embarrassment etc.

Mental Harm:

Porn addiction leads to depression and other mental health problems. A porn addict tries to avoid family gatherings and avoids socializing with people. It wires the brain in an abnormal manner and once wired in that manner, it becomes very difficult to rewire it. The addiction causes multiple social and biological problems which ultimately leads to people getting depressed and having social anxiety. The following are the overview of porn risk.

Social Isolation

• Withdrawing from social activity
• Developing a secret life
• Lying to and deceiving others
• Becoming self-centred
• Choosing porn over people

Mood Disorders

• Feeling irritable
• Feeling angry and depressed
• Experiencing mood swings
• Pervasive anxiety and fearfulness
• Feeling powerless in relation to porn

Sexually objectifying other people

• Treating people as sex objects
• Judging people primarily in terms of their body parts
• Disrespecting other peoples’ needs of privacy and safety
• Being insensitive about sexually harmful behaviour (discussed in detail on pg 5)

Engaging in risky and dangerous behaviour

• Accessing porn at work
• Accessing child abuse imagery
• Participating in degrading, sexual, violent or criminal sexual activity due to insatiability of their dopamine centre which keeps increasing after every consumption of such content.
• Producing, distributing or selling porn.
• Engaging in physically unsafe and harmful sex

Neglecting important areas of life

• Personal health (sleep deprivation, exhaustion and poor self-care)
• Family life (neglecting household responsibilities)
• Work and school pursuits (reduced focus, productivity and advancement)
• Finances (spending on porn depletes resources)
• Spirituality (alienation from faith and spiritual practice

The above list is adapted from the book “The Porn Trap” by Wendy Malz.

Addiction – effects on sleep, work, relationships

The most basic effect of watching too much internet porn or even gaming is how it affects sleep. People end up ‘wired and tired’ and unable to concentrate on work next day. Constant bingeing and seeking that dopamine reward hit, can lead to a deep habit that is hard to kick. It can also cause ‘pathological’ learning in the form of addiction. That is when a user continues to seek a substance or activity despite negative consequences – such as problems at work, home, in relationships etc. A compulsive user experiences negative feelings such as depression or feeling flat when he or she miss the hit or excitement. This drives them back to it again and again to try and restore feelings of arousal. Addiction can start when trying to cope with stress, but also causes a user to feel stressed too. It is a vicious cycle.

When our internal biology is out of balance, our rational brain tries to interpret what is going on based on past experience. Low dopamine and depletion of other related neurochemicals can produce unpleasant feelings. They include boredom, hunger, stress, tiredness, low energy, anger, craving, depression, loneliness and anxiety. How we ‘interpret’ our feelings and the possible cause of the distress, affects our behaviour. Not until people quit porn do they realise that their habit has been the cause of so much negativity in their lives.

The problems and the darkness of this world of porn ought to be enough for the youth to deter before opening such content and annihilating their physical, mental and most crucial of all spiritual self.

Breaking the Habit

Gravity of Zina:

Zina, as we know is a horrendous act and promotes many evils. It is a comprehensive term and represents sexual anarchy. The Quran unequivocally addresses this issue and prohibits it.

And do not even approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way. [Al-Isra : 32]²⁵

The command: ‘Do not even approach zina’ is directed both at individuals and at society. Individuals are required not only to shun unlawful intercourse, but also to strictly stay away from all that leads to it. As for human society, it is incumbent upon it to root out unlawful intercourse as well as the causes and factors which lead to it. To this end, all possible measures – legislation, education, reform of public life, and a healthy restructuring of society – all should be effectively employed.

The present provision ultimately served as the basis of a substantial part of the Islamic way of life. In accordance with the above verse, both unlawful intercourse and false allegations of unlawful intercourse were declared cognizable offences; rules designed to prevent promiscuity and to ensure the observance of grace and modesty in the public appearance of women, and to minimize the chances for inducing sexual excitement were laid down; intoxicants, music, and the spread of every kind of lewdness and obscenity were forbidden; dances and pictures – which are closely linked with, and impel people towards illicit sex – were prohibited, and a set of rules for conjugal relationships encouraging people towards formal marriage and eradicating the causes of illicit sex were promulgated.²⁶ Moreover, such sexual lewdness leads to the breakdown of major institutions like family and marriage. For all these reasons, it was commanded to not even go close to such a grave sin which has severe repercussions.

Porn = Zina:

Many people say that watching pornographic content is merely a harmless recreational activity and it does not have any negative effect. ‘It’s alright’, ‘We are just watching and not doing the act’ are some common justifications given in support of it. Let’s see whether its equal to zina or not.

The order, “Do not even go close to unlawful intercourse’ establishes the first basis for equating porn with zina. As we have discussed above that how pornographic content has severe mental, physical and social effects, it indeed is a gateway of zina. ‘Zina of the eyes’ is a very underestimated concept in the modern world. Allah has clearly mentioned in the Quran:

Tell the believing men that they must lower their gazes and guard their private parts; it is more decent for them. Surely Allah is All-Aware of what they do. And tell the believing women that they must lower their gazes and guard their private parts, and must not expose their adornment, except that which appears thereof, and must wrap their bosoms with their shawls, and must not expose their adornment. (An-Nur : 30-31)²⁷

It is clear from the above verses that it prohibited to even look at non-mahrams. Casting lustful gazes at the opposite sex is the first step towards immorality. Both men and women are required to guard their chastity and cover their bodies in order to protect one another from any kind of fitnah. The Islamic canonical law is so sensitive and strict in this respect that it does not even allow a man to look at the private parts of another man, or a woman to look at the private parts of another woman. Hazrat Abu Sayeed Khudri reports that the Prophet of Allah said in this regard:

“Neither a man should look at the genitals of another man, nor a woman should look at the genitals of another woman. Neither a man should lie with another man covered with just a single sheet of cloth, nor a woman should lie with another woman covered with a single sheet of cloth.”²⁸

Abu Hurairah narrates that the Prophet of Allah said, “Allah has written the very portion of zina which a man may indulge in. There will be no escape from it. The zina of the eye is the lustful look, the zina of the ears is the listening, the zina of the tongue is the speech, the zina of the hand is the grip, the zina of the feet is the walking (to the place to commit zina), the heart yearns and desires and the private parts approve all that or disprove it.”²⁹

From the above hadith, it becomes very clear that Zina is not just limited to the act but it is a comprehensive term that encompasses all the aspects that may lead one to commit the act.

Therefore, watching explicit content also amounts to zina and therefore, it is a major sin.

The Blessings:

Say, “He is the One who has originated you, and made for you ears and eyes and hearts.

How little you pay gratitude!” (Al-Mulk : 23)³⁰

In this verse, Allah has specifically reminded us that we have been bestowed with certain senses like hearing and sight. Not just that but the phrase ‘How little you pay gratitude’ also highlights the importance of these senses. These senses which we take for granted are precious blessings which we have been blessed with. Not just blessings but they are an ‘Amanah’^[1] which have to be protected. It is extremely difficult for a blind or a deaf man to lead a normal life but the ones who have these senses misuse and abuse them. Yes! Watching porn is an abuse of these blessings and a misuse of Allah’s Amanah.

“And when all have arrived, their ears, their eyes, and their skins shall bear witness against them, stating all that they had done in the life of the world. They will ask their skins: “Why did you bear witness against us?” The skins will reply: “Allah gave us speech, as He gave speech to all others. He it is Who created you for the first time and it is to Him that you will be sent back. When you used to conceal yourselves (while committing misdeeds) you never thought that your ears or your eyes or your skins would ever bear witness against you; you rather fancied that Allah does not know a great deal of what you do. This thought of yours about your Lord has led to your perdition and you have become among the losers.” (Fussilat : 20-23)³¹

Ahadith indicate that when a diehard criminal denies his misdeeds and contests the evidence brought against him, then by God’s command the different organs of his body will testify against him. Each of these organs will relate to what use they were put by that person.³²

Not only will the parts of one’s own body bear testimony on the Day of Judgement, but the very objects that witnessed one’s misdeeds will speak out. This same point is made eloquently in the following verses: ‘And the earth will throw up all her burdens, and man will cry out:

“What is the matter with her?” On that Day it will relate all her news, for your Lord will have commanded her’ (Al Zilzal : 2-5).³³

From the above discussion, we can conclude that the conduct of all our organs especially the eyes is a very important aspect of our lives as they are the gates through which we perceive the world. Allah has bestowed us with this precious blessing so that we may perceive the beauty

of Allah’s world and the accuracy of His word. If we misuse it, we will surely be called to account for this misdemeanour.

The Concept of ‘Haya’:

One of the most imperative concepts of Islam is ‘Haya’ or modesty. Modesty and bashfulness are inherent in human nature. The primary manifestation of this instinct is seen in the sense of shame that one feels when one is required to expose the private parts of one’s body in the presence of others. According to the Quran, this bashfulness is not artificial, nor an outcome of advancement in human culture and civilization. On the contrary, modesty has been an integral part of human nature from the very beginning.³⁴

Modesty is not just limited to dressing but it encompasses a wide range of activities that one should enjoin in order to lead a modest life. The modesty of the eyes, thoughts, the suppression of feelings such as lust, infatuation etc. all constitute modesty.

Adam’s punishment:

Then Satan whispered to them, so that he might expose to them their shame that was hidden from them; and said, “Your Lord has not prohibited this tree for you, but to avoid your becoming angels or your becoming eternal.” He swore an oath, “I am one of your well-wishers.” Thus, he cast both of them down by deception. When they tasted (the fruit of) the tree, their shame was exposed to them, and they began to patch together some leaves of Paradise upon themselves, and their Lord called them, “Did I not forbid you from that tree? Did I not tell you that Satan is your declared enemy?” (Al-A’raf : 20-22)³⁵

The very first stratagem adopted by Satan in his bid to lead man astray from the right path consisted of undermining man’s sense of modesty, to direct him towards lewdness and make him sexually deviant. In other words, the sexual instincts of man were taken by Satan as the most vulnerable aspect of human nature. Accordingly, he sought to weaken man’s natural instincts of modesty and bashfulness. This devilish stratagem is followed by the disciples of Satan in our time.³⁶

If we analyse this further, we get to know that nudity was a punishment and not liberation. It was the intrinsic ‘Haya’ of our parents that they covered themselves up with leaves in order to avoid looking at each other. Even a person who watches porn, intrinsically does not approve of it. He would never want the world to know about his habit even if he believes that it is harmless. This proves that our intrinsic modesty always sends across messages of shame but our corrupt mind ignores them. Moreover, nudity is not what the modern world portrays. In the name of art, culture and unbridled freedom, people have justified nudity. But as represented in the above verses, it is a punishment and a curse of Allah. We have discussed that how nudity degrades the status of women in the society and therefore, it has a highly negative impact.

Yusuf’s Test:

And it so happened that the lady in whose house Yusuf was living, sought to tempt him to herself, and one day bolting the doors she said: “Come on now!” Yusuf answered: “May Allah grant me refuge! My Lord has provided an honourable abode for me (so how can I do something so evil)? Such wrong-doers never prosper.” And she advanced towards him, and had Yusuf not perceived a sign from his Lord he too would have advanced towards her. Thus was Yusuf shown a sign from his Lord that We might avert from him all evil and indecency, for indeed he was one of Our chosen servants. (Yusuf : 23-24)³⁷

Allah wanted to entrust Yusuf with the mission of Prophethood in Egypt, at that time the most advanced country. Allah, therefore, placed Yusuf in the house of an Egyptian high official. Thus, Yusuf had the opportunity to develop his potentialities to the full.³⁸ As Yusuf was exceptionally handsome, the official’s wife, Zulekha, decided to seduce him one day when the official was not around. She bolted the door and started to seduce him. It was Yusuf’s God consciousness that spontaneously forced him to say, “ مَعَاذ َ هاللّٰ” (May Allah grant me refuge).

The situation in which Yusuf was placed was in fact an important part of his moral training. In order to enable Yusuf to attain the highest degree of spiritual purity and excellence, it was an essential part of Allah’s plan to test him and expose him to such temptation. In this test, Yusuf was required to marshal his will-power and piety so as to subdue his sensual desires once and for all. The upper-class ladies of Egypt were infatuated with Yusuf. Therefore, it is not difficult to imagine the extent to which they would have gone in order to seduce him.³⁹

And some ladies in the city began to say: “The chief’s wife, violently in love with her houseboy, is out to tempt him. We think she is clearly mistaken.” Hearing of their sly talk the chief’s wife sent for those ladies, and arranged for them a banquet, and got ready couches, and gave each guest a knife. Then, while they were cutting and eating the fruit, she signalled Yusuf: “Come out to them.” When the ladies saw him they were so struck with admiration that they cut their hands, exclaiming: “Allah preserve us. This is no mortal human. This is nothing but a noble angel!” She said: “So now you see! This is the one regarding whom you reproached me. Indeed I tried to tempt him to myself but he held back, although if he were not to follow my order, he would certainly be imprisoned and humiliated.” Yusuf said: “My Lord! I prefer imprisonment to what they ask me to do. And if You do not avert from me the guile of these women, I will succumb to their attraction and lapse into ignorance.” Thereupon his Lord granted his prayer, and averted their guile from him. Surely, He alone is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. Then it occurred to them to cast Yusuf into prison for a while even though they had seen clear signs (of Yusuf’s innocence and of the evil ways of their ladies). (Yusuf : 30-35)⁴⁰

It is significant that those ladies fully agreed that the young man was overwhelmingly attractive, and that it was quite understandable why any woman would have had such a crush on him. Zulekha felt no reluctance in brazenly declaring that if Yusuf did not respond to her advances, she would have him cast into prison and suffer humiliation. Every possible effort is made to arouse his passions and to destroy the foundations of his righteous character. Wherever he goes, he encounters temptation and seduction in their most alluring forms. Placed in such a situation this God-fearing youth overcomes all Satanic temptations successfully.⁴¹

To all those who watch porn, emulate the model of Yusuf in this sexually corrupt society. It is difficult but not impossible. Whenever you are faced with such temptations, just remember when Zulekha tried to seduce Yusuf and how he responded to it. Sincerely say “ مَعَاذ َ هاللّٰ” (May Allah grant me refuge) with the same intensity so that you know that there is a Lord over you who will help you out. Another thing to learn from this incident is that tests can take the form of such temptations. Indeed, this life is a test and Allah tests those whom He loves so that people can identify their potential and lead an ethical life. We need to control these desires in order to pass this test.

When people are asked to dress and behave modestly in public especially with the opposite sex, they often allege that such instructions are the product of a radicalised mind. A couplet has been composed in order to sympathize with such people:

Zeheniyat e awaam kitni gandi ho gai Haya kab se inteha pasandi ho gai? (The mindset of the people has become so corrupt,

When did modesty become an act of extremism?)

Some Practical Solutions:

As we have seen that pornography has negatively impacted the youth and the society as a whole. It is very difficult to get rid of it but it is not impossible. If someone is struggling with porn addiction and genuinely wants to get out of it, he/she should follow the steps given below:

• Avoid the triggers: A person generally succumbs to porn when he is unable to identify the cues or the triggers. Triggers can be those things or situations which induce someone to watch porn. It can be an advertisement, erotic scenes in movies and web series etc. The person who wants to avoid porn should also avoid the triggers. This is neuroscientifically proven that avoiding the triggers is the first step towards leaving a bad habit. The Quranic statement also alludes to this phenomenon.

Do not even go close to unlawful sexual intercourse. It is indeed a shameful act, and an evil way to follow. (Al-Isra : 32)⁴²

This verse of the Quran orders the readers to avoid each and every trigger that might eventually lead one to commit zina.

Similarly, alcohol was prohibited in three stages. This shows that how the Quranic psychology gives consideration to our neurochemistry. First, it was condemned, then a stopping cue was introduced and then it was finally prohibited. Similarly, a porn addict should first believe that porn is wrong and should feel guilty whenever he watches porn. The next step would be to take measures to get rid of it. They can be: not enjoying too much privacy; accessing the internet in someone’s presence; not using the mobile phone after 10:00 pm; avoiding movies, web series, ads which could lead one to access porn; telling a trustworthy friend about your addiction; putting up a wallpaper that reminds you of the hereafter or hell; reading and understanding the Quran; watching Islamic lectures; changing your company etc.

• Develop new habits: Generally, people who don’t have much to do fall for pornography. A person should develop productive habits in order to get rid of bad habits. Once the brain of that person will get used to those habits, it will be easy for him to avoid porn. A person should always keep himself busy with something or the other. Rather than wasting his time uselessly, he should develop some productive habits.

Some examples of good habits can be reading books; watching lectures; taking up a course in your subject of interest; exercising; joining study circles; volunteering for different organisations; starting a business etc.

Remember that it takes some time for a habit to settle. Don’t back out after some time thinking that you won’t be able to continue. There might be some resistance in the beginning but gradually you will get used to it. One good way to develop a habit is to do it in a group. For example, if you want to join a gym, try to go with a friend so that there is mutual motivation. Similarly, of you want to start reading books, join a study circle so that there is an obligation to read books. This way you will be able to compel yourself to indulge in that activity and eventually develop a habit.

• Move towards spirituality and Seek repentance: One should establish a connection with the Almighty in order to get rid of these immoral habits. Once your soul starts getting the food it needs, you will develop contempt for porn and eventually you will get out of it.

A person who watches porn knows that it is awful and there is an instant guilt after gratification. The first thing that the person needs to do is to retain that guilt. Don’t normalise it even if you can’t get rid of it.

Cry your heart out each and every time and repent sincerely. Your Tawbah has to be sincere so that you promise yourself to leave this bad habit. Even if there are relapses, just seek repentance.

And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in Allah.

Indeed, He is Hearing and Knowing. (Al-A’raf : 200)⁴³

One way to do this is to punish yourself whenever you watch porn. Yes! You need to be your own lawyer, a witness against yourself and your own judge. Start praying two rakahs every time you watch porn and increase the rakahs by two each time you watch porn again.

For example, if you watch porn from now on – sincerely repent and pray two rakahs.

If you watch again, then sincerely repent and pray 4 rakahs, if again then six rakahs.

You can also give some money in charity whenever you watch porn and increase the amount whenever you relapse. These ways have been tried and tested and have proved to be very fruitful. But the catch is that you need to be consistent. Even if you relapse

10 times, don’t lose hope in Allah’s mercy as Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Cry your heart out every time you repent and have a conversation with Allah. Say, “O Allah, you know I am trying my best to get rid of this abominable addiction. You know that I want to come out of it. O Allah you are Al Jabbar (the compeller), enable me to get rid of my addiction. O Allah I know that you are watching me and my deeds were being recorded. Please forgive me O Rahman (the most merciful). Please don’t reveal my deeds in front of everyone in this world and the next. O Allah if you reveal my deeds, how will I show my face to the Prophet. O Allah I want to leave it and I WILL leave it.”

Steps to sincere repentance:

1. Examine your conscience and contemplate on your mistakes and sins.
2. Realize the wrong you have done and admit it.
3. Resolve to amend your life.
4. Confess your sin. Initially, not to any person, priest or friend but only to Allah.
5. After, confession, make a promise not to do it again.

Remember that Tawbah is not the negation of the past, it is a contract for the future. Be determined to get rid of your addiction and be resolute. In Sha Allah you WILL be able to get out it.

You can also practice ‘Muraqabah’ by closing your eyes and remembering Allah. Keep on reciting Allah’s name and think about the hereafter and your sins. Think about Allah’s Mercy and cry your heart out. This a very effective way to deal with porn addiction. It will increase your God-consciousness and fear of the Day of judgement which will eventually appal you of your addiction. Praying Tahajjud has also reaped good results. Therefore, establishing a connection with Allah is extremely important to cope up with porn addiction. And as Allah has said:

Surely in Allah’s remembrance do hearts find rest. (Ar-Ra’d : 28)⁴⁴

• Good company: A person who is dealing with bad habits, should replace his friend circle. He should stay away from people who invite him towards these horrendous activities and befriend the ones who live a productive and morally healthy life. Always remember that the ones who invite you towards such activities are not your friends, they are the friends of Satan. On the Day of Judgement, friends shall be together. If you have pious friends in this world, you shall succeed in this world and the next. But if you have evil friends, then they will ruin your lives in this world and the next. Be very careful while choosing your circle. We have seen so many people getting into trouble because of their friends. Their so called ‘friends’ invited them to watch porn, consume drugs and alcohol, commit zina etc. which ruined, not just their lives, but ruined their families as well.

There are several Quranic instructions regarding the same:

And leave those who take their religion as amusement and diversion and whom the worldly life has deluded. (Al-An’am : 70)⁴⁵

Allah has clearly commanded us to abandon people who don’t take the Islamic way of life seriously. We may give dawah to them but befriending them can lead to our ruination if they have an upper hand on us.

And do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy. He only orders you to evil and immorality (Al-Baqarah : 168-169)⁴⁶

This verse indicates that Satan is attacks us from all sides and is a clear enemy and he orders us to do evil deeds. Moreover, he makes false promises but those promises are nothing more than deception. We know many people who have bad company but they say that it does not affect them or their Imaan. The fact is that it does, maybe slowly but it will have a negative impact in the long run.

Therefore, it is highly important to choose your circle wisely.

• Counsel your friends: If you know someone, who is addicted to porn, it is your duty to help him out. Try your best to follow the above steps and make him get rid of his addiction. Invite him to your circle so that he can enjoy a good company. Take him to the masjid, lectures etc. so that his corrupt mind gets exposed to a new and better environment.

And let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful. (Ali

‘Imran : 104)⁴⁷

This verse orders each and everyone of us to act and not just be a mute spectator. If there is a problem in the society, you cannot just save yourself but you need to save others as well. The Quran unequivocally commands us to invite to what is good and forbid what is evil. Keeping this verse in mind, we counsel people and take them out this fitnah and forbid it.

As friends and family, it is our duty to warn others of the negative consequences of this act and positive effects of leaving it. May you be a good friend or relative and help the ones in need.

The above discussion can be summarised in the following manner:

• If you are addicted to porn, the first step to get rid of it is sincere repentance. Cry out your heart and tell Allah that you are trying your best and you want to come out of it. Confess your sin only in front of Allah and admit that you are wrong but you want to improve.
• Just imagine that if you quit porn, how productive and beautiful would your life become and how satisfied would you be mentally.
• Avoid each and every trigger that might induce you to watch porn. It can be social media ads, movies, web series, mixed gatherings etc.
• Abandon those friends of Satan who invite you towards this filth. CHANGE YOUR COMPANY and befriend pious people who invite you towards goodness. Please get rid of those friends who discuss such things and make you do these things. Remember that the purpose of friendship should be success in the Akhirah.
• If you commit this sin again after sincere repentance, make it a rule that you have to pray salat al tawbah and increase the number of rakahs by two whenever you do it again.
• The best trick of Satan is to make you lose hope in Allah’s mercy. So never fall in that trap. Even if you pray 50 rakahs, don’t think that you won’t get out of it. Just be sincere every time.
• Please STOP LISTENING TO MUSIC as music, movies, web series etc. excite your sexual desires which end up in a guilt trip.
• Please engage yourself in productive habits like reading Islamic literature, reading the Quran, starting a business, starting a blog or anything else you like but keep yourself busy as AN EMPTY MIND IS DEVIL’S WORKSHOP.
• You can select some Ayaat or Surahs of the Quran which are specific to your problem and you can recite them daily and ponder upon them. These can be related to the Hereafter. For example, Surah Qiyyamah. Put up wallpapers on your devices with such verses so that whenever you receive such a suggestion, you can immediately look at your wallpaper.
• Avoid consuming food which is high on dopamine like fast food, chocolate, coffee etc. Develop healthy eating habits and exercise regularly.
• You have to be your own lawyer, a witness against yourself and your own judge. Pray salat al tawbah and try to do a good amount of charity whenever you commit this sin.

Connect with us:

If your addiction is severe or you can’t get over it, you can opt for personal discussions, counselling and conversations. Once you bring an accountability partner, it becomes easy for you to stick to your commitment and adhere to your repentance. We know that its difficult to open up about such things but it becomes necessary when the problem gets aggravated. Alhamdulillah, we have a good support network and people who can help you to quit your porn addiction. You can contact us and seek help. It can be in the form of video calls, voice calls, DMs etc.

You can book these appointments on ‘moralitycentral@gmail.com’ or you can DM on our Instagram handles: @moralitycentral and @khulaqalam.Your identity will not be revealed to anyone and all the conversations will remain discreet. There will be male counsellors in case of males and female counsellors in case of females.

We hope that this small initiative benefits people and helps them to get rid of their porn addiction. May Allah help all those who are struggling with this problem and who sincerely want to quit it. May Allah make the process easy for everyone and may Allah guide us on the straight path.

Ameen!

References

1. Flood, Michael. “The Harms of Pornography Exposure Among Children and Young People.” Child Abuse Review 18, November 2009, 384, 386-87
2. Rich, Michael. “Sex Screen: The Dilemma of Media Exposure and Sexual Behavior.” Pediatrics 116, July 2005, 329, 330.
3. Brown, Jane D. and Kelly L. L’Engle. “X-Rated: Sexual Attitudes & Behaviors Associated With U.S. Early Adolescents’ Exposure to Sexually Explicit Media.” Communication Research 36, February 2009, 129, 133

⁴Brown, Jane D. and Kelly L. L’Engle. “X-Rated: Sexual Attitudes & Behaviors Associated With U.S. Early Adolescents’ Exposure to Sexually Explicit Media.” Communication Research 36, February 2009, 129, 133

1. Hald, Gert Martin, et al. “Pornography and Attitudes Supporting Violence Against Women: Revisiting the Relationship in Nonexperimental Studies.” Aggressive Behavior 35, 2009, 1, 3, 5
2. Brown and L’Engle, 2009, 145.
3. Ybarra, Michele L., et al. “X-Rated Material and Perpetration of Sexually Aggressive Behavior Among Children and Adolescents: Is There a Link?” Aggressive Behavior 37, 2011, 1, 3, 7
4. Hald et al., 2009, 3, 5; Brown and L’Engle, 2009, 145; Ybarra et al., 2011, 3, 7

⁹Ward, L. Monique and Kimberly Friedman. “Using TV as a Guide: Associations between Television Viewing and Adolescents’ Sexual Attitudes and Behavior.” Journal of Research on Adolescence 16, 2006, 133, 135. ¹⁰ Zillmann, Dolf. “Influence of Unrestrained Access to Erotica on Adolescents’ and Young Adults’ Dispositions Towards Sexuality.” Journal of Adolescent Health 27, 2000, 41, 42.

¹¹Hilton, Donald L., Jr. and Clark Watts. “Pornography Addiction: A Neuroscience Perspective.” Surgical Neurology International 2, February 2011, 19, 21

¹²Putnam, Dana E. “Initiation and Maintenance of Online Sexual Compulsivity: Implications for Assessment and Treatment.” Cyberpsychology & Behavior 3, 2000, 553

1. Hilton, Donald L., Jr. and Clark Watts. “Pornography Addiction: A Neuroscience Perspective.” Surgical Neurology International 2, February 2011, 19, 21
2. Young, Kimberly S. “Internet Sex Addicton: Risk Factors, Stages of Development, and Treatment.” American

Behavioral Scientist 52, July 2008, 21, 31

¹⁵Paul Bureau, Towards Moral Bankruptcy, pg.35

1. Dr. Edith Hooker, Laws of Sex, pg.328
2. Diana E.H. Russell, “Pornography and Rape: A Causal Model”, Vol.9, International Society of Political Psychology
3. Ibid, Pg 42 ¹⁹ Ibid, Pg 43
4. Fethers K et al. Sexually transmitted infections and risk behaviours in women who have sex with women.

Sexually Transmitted Infections 2000; 76: 345-9

1. Valleroy L, et al. HIV prevalence and associated risks in young men who have sex with men. JAMA. 2000; 284: 198-204
2. https://fightthenewdrug.org/10-porn-stars-speak-openly-about-their-most-popular-scenes/
3. https://www.yourbrainonporn.com/videos/porn-induced-erectile-dysfunction-2014/
4. Bridges AJ, Wosnitzer R, Scharrer E, Sun C, Liberman R. Aggression and Sexual Behavior in Best-Selling Pornography Videos: A Content Analysis Update. Violence Against Women. 2010;16(10):1065-1085.
5. Quran [17:32]
6. Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, Towards Understanding the Quran, V.5, pg.40
7. Quran [24:30-31]
8. Abu Daud (authenticated by Sheikh Al Albani)
9. Sahih Bukhari
10. Quran [67:23]
11. Quran [41:20-23]
12. Sahih Muslim
13. Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, Towards Understanding the Quran, V.10, pg.166
14. Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, Towards Understanding the Quran, V.3, pg.12
15. Quran [7:20-22]
16. Supra note 10
17. Quran [12:23-24]

1. Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, Towards Understanding the Quran, V.4, pg.160
2. Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, Towards Understanding the Quran, V.4, pg.163-164
3. Quran [12:30-35]
4. Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, Towards Understanding the Quran, V.4, pg.167-168
5. Supra note 1
6. Quran [7:200]
7. Quran [13:28]
8. Quran [6:70]
9. Quran [2:168-169]
10. Quran [3:104]

1. Thing or property committed to the trust and care of a person or group of persons. ↑