I say, and with God's help: The established view in the doctrines of our juristic imams is that it is forbidden to practice it to arouse desire, and the one who does it is subject to punishment, unlike the one who does it out of fear of adultery or to calm excessive desire, as detailed below. Here are the jurisprudential texts regarding this matter: First: According to the Hanafi scholars: Al-Barakawi and Al-Khadimi said in Al-Bariqa Al-Muhammadiyya 4: 115: "As for masturbation with the hand, it is forbidden except under three conditions: 1) That he is unmarried and has no wife. 2) That he has excessive desire. 3) That he intends to calm his desire, not to fulfill it. It was reported from 'Al-Zahiriyya' that an unmarried man with excessive desire may treat himself to calm his desire. Abu Hanifa was asked whether he would be rewarded for that, and he said: 'Whoever saves himself has gained.'" Similar statements can be found in Fath Al-Qadeer 2: 331, which adds: "If he is overwhelmed by desire and does it intending to calm it, it is hoped that he will not be punished." This is also mentioned in Al-Bahr Al-Ra'iq 2: 294, and in Al-Minhaj Al-Khaliq 2: 294, and Al-Durr Al-Mukhtar 2: 400, which states: "If he intends to calm his desire, it is hoped that he will not be held accountable. However, if he does it to arouse desire, he is sinful." In Al-Jawhara Al-Naira 2: 155, and in Al-Fatawa Al-Hindiyya 2: 171: "Masturbation is forbidden, and it involves punishment." Second: According to the Maliki scholars: Al-Khursi said in Sharh Mukhtasar Khalil 2: 359: "Know that a person masturbating with his hand is forbidden, whether out of fear of adultery or not. However, if he cannot avoid adultery except through it, he may resort to it as a lesser of two evils." This is also stated in Mawahib Al-Jalil 3: 167; based on the verse: {And those who guard their private parts} [Al-Mu'minun: 5]. Ibn Al-Arabi said in Ahkam Al-Quran 3: 316: "The majority of scholars agree on its prohibition, which is the truth that should not be denied... If evidence were to support its permissibility, a person of honor would refrain from it due to its lowliness." Third: According to the Shafi'i scholars: Imam Al-Shafi'i said in Al-Um 5: 102-103: "Allah says: {And those who guard their private parts, except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they are not to be blamed. But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors} [Al-Mu'minun: 5]. It is clear in mentioning their guarding of their private parts except for their wives or what their right hands possess, the prohibition of anything else besides wives and what their right hands possess. It is not permissible to engage in masturbation except with a wife or a concubine, and masturbation is not permissible. And Allah knows best. He also said regarding Allah's statement: {And let those who find not the financial means to marry keep themselves chaste until Allah enriches them from His bounty} [An-Nur: 33], its meaning is, and Allah knows best, that they should be patient until Allah enriches them." Al-Nawawi said in Al-Majmu' 7: 307: "As for masturbation with the hand, it is forbidden without dispute; because it is forbidden outside of Ihram, and in Ihram it is even more so." This is also mentioned in Asna Al-Matlab 1: 415, and in Al-Rawdah Al-Bahiyyah 9, which states: "It is forbidden and incurs punishment as deemed appropriate by the judge." Fourth: According to the Hanbali scholars: Al-Buhuti said in Dalail Uli Al-Nahyi 3: 397: "Whoever masturbates, whether male or female, without necessity, his action is forbidden and he is punished for it; because it is a sin. If he does it out of fear of adultery or sodomy, there is no penalty on him, just as if he did it out of fear for his body, and it is even more so. Masturbation is not permissible for a man with his hand unless he is unable to marry, even to a concubine; because if he is able to do so, there is no necessity for it, and the same applies to a woman, as it is not permissible for her unless no one desires to marry her." Al-Mardawi said in Al-Insaf 10: 251-252: "Whoever masturbates with his hand without necessity is punished according to this view, and this is the opinion of the majority of scholars, due to his sinful act. It is firmly established in Al-Wajiz and others, and it is preferred in Al-Furu' and others. Some say it is disliked. Ibn Mansur reported: 'I do not like it without necessity.' He said: 'If he does it out of fear of adultery, there is no penalty on him.' This is the view, and it is the opinion of the majority of scholars, as it is permissible then..." And Allah knows best.