Is Listening to Sexual Audio Without Visuals Permissible?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

What is the ruling on listening to audio of women moaning to stimulate oneself to climax?

If someone deliberately listens to such audio without visual content to increase arousal and reach climax, is this sinful? How is this viewed in terms of intention and behavior in Islam?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

Unless the woman whose voice one is listening to to gain arousal is his spouse, it is strictly prohibited to listen to. [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

This is based on multiple issues. Amongst them is the fact that the scholars deem the voice of a woman to be fitna (something that can cause lust and therefore demands caution), not ‘awra (intrinsically sinful to listen to). That said, the woman’s voice, even with this opinion, is sinful to listen to if there is fear of desire or actual desire. [Ibid.]

Listening to the sexual moaning of a woman is both highly likely and/or certain to cause desire, and, in this case, it is being listened to for that exact intention. [Ibid.]

The Sunna of Foreplay

Imam Ghazali (Allah have mercy on him) cites multiple narrations from the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) where he encouraged spouses to engage in foreplay before intercourse. Despite there being scholarly discussion on the strength of these narrations, the point still stands. [Ghazail, Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din]

Foreplay is more effective for both parties to reach full sexual fulfillment with their spouse. This will also help the husband reach higher levels of arousal in preparation for intimacy. [Ibid.]

Masturbation: A Spiritually Deadly Addiction

From your question, it is not clear whether you meant reaching sexual climax through self-stimulation or with one’s spouse. That said, it would be remiss not to emphasize the harms of masturbation.

Masturbation and/or any self-induced sexual stimulation or fulfillment is strictly prohibited (Haram). It also leads to immense mental, emotional, physical, familial, spousal, and communal harms. This is without considering it being a gateway to pornography and the evil culture that produces it.

Allah Most High has granted the Muslims many permissible ways of fulfilling their sexual desire within the Sacred bonds of marriage. If married, one must have a candid conversation with one’s spouse to achieve this aim of marriage. If not married, marriage is the greatest solution to issues with sexual desire.

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Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he went on to study at Darul Uloom Seminary in New York and completed his studies at Darul Mustafa in Tarim, Yemen.

There, he completed the memorization of the Quran and his study of Islamic Sciences. Throughout his years of study, he was blessed to learn from many great scholars: Habib Umar bin Hafiz, Habib Kazhim al-Saqqaf, Shaykh ‘Umar bin Husayn al-Khatib, and others.

Upon returning, he joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.