Masturbation

No sexual act lawful unless performed between lawfully married persons[edit]

"We have found in the Holy Writings no explicit references to masturbation, but there are a number of principles and teachings which can guide a Baha'i to the correct attitude towards it. In a letter to an individual believer, written by the Guardian's secretary on his behalf, it is pointed out that:

'The Baha'i Faith recognizes the value of the sex impulse, but condemns its illegitimate and improper expressions such as free love, companionate marriage and others, all of which it considers positively harmful to man and to the society in which he lives. The proper use of the sex instinct is the natural right of every individual, and it is precisely for this very purpose that the institution of marriage has been established. The Baha'is do not believe in the suppression of the sex impulse but in its regulation and control.'

"In response to another letter enquiring if there were any legitimate way in which a person could express the sex instinct if, for some reason, he were unable to marry or if outer circumstances such as economic factors were to cause him to delay marriage, the Guardian's secretary wrote on his behalf:

'Concerning your question whether there are any legitimate forms of expression of the sex instinct outside of marriage: According to the Baha'i Teachings no sexual act can be considered lawful unless performed between lawfully married persons. Outside of marital life there can be no lawful or healthy use of the sex impulse. The Baha'i youth should, on the one hand, be taught the lesson of self-control which, when exercised, undoubtedly has a salutary effect on the development of character and of personality in general, and on the other should be advised, nay even encouraged, to contract marriage while still young and in full possession of their physical vigour. Economic factors, no doubt, are often a serious hindrance to early marriage but in most cases are only an excuse, and as such should not be over stressed.'

"In another letter on the Guardian's behalf, also to an individual believer, the secretary writes:

'Amongst the many other evils afflicting society in this spiritual low water mark in history is the question of immorality, and over-emphasis of sex...'

"This indicates how the whole matter of sex and the problems related to it have assumed far too great an importance in the thinking of present-day society.

"Masturbation is clearly not a proper use of the sex instinct, as this is understood in the Faith. Moreover it involves, as you have pointed out, mental fantasies, while Baha'u'llah, in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, has exhorted us not to indulge our passions and in one of His well-known Tablets Abdu'l-Baha encourages us to keep our 'secret thoughts pure'. Of course many wayward thoughts come involuntarily to the mind and these are merely a result of weakness and are not blameworthy unless they become fixed or even worse, are expressed in improper acts. In 'The Advent of Divine Justice', when describing the moral standards that Baha'is must uphold both individually and in their community life, the Guardian wrote:

'Such a chaste and holy life, with its implications of modesty, purity, temperance, decency, and clean-mindedness, involves no less than the exercise of moderation in all that pertains to dress, language, amusements, and all artistic and literary avocations. It demands daily vigilance in the control of one's carnal desires and corrupt inclinations.'

"Your problem, therefore, is one against which you should continue to struggle, with determination and with the aid of prayer. You should remember, however, that it is only one of the many temptations and faults that a human being must strive to overcome during his lifetime, and you should not increase the difficulty you have by over-emphasising its importance. We suggest you try to see it within the whole spectrum of the qualities that a Baha'i must develop in his character. Be vigilant against temptation, but do not allow it to claim too great a share of your attention. You should concentrate, rather, on the virtues that you should develop, the services you should strive to render, and, above all, on God and His attributes, and devote your energies to living a full Baha'i life in all its many aspects."

(From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, a copy of which was sent to the compiler with a letter dated March 8, 1981; quoted in Lights of Guidance, no. 1220)

Being occupied with athletics helps a student to avoid ideas deviating to impurity in free time, while health and strength thereby acquired will help overcome temptations[edit]

"Lastly when a student is busy with athletics during recess time his ideas do not deviate any more to the path of impurity, to think of such trivial things and the health and strength which he acquires will help him in overcoming such temptations. Generally a healthy person is endowed with a will stronger than that of a weak person.

"We see therefore that athletics ameliorate the condition of a person during all his college course.

"Sports, in general, have had an important and estimable function in life and will inevitably in future be regarded as the indispensable factor for intellectual and moral growth."

(Shoghi Effendi, The Function of Sports in Life, published in The Students' Union Gazette, pages 28-30, American University of Beirut, 1914-15 at https://bahai-library.com/shoghi-effendi_function_sports_life )

Self-control has a salutary effect on character/personality development, but encouraged to marry young[edit]

"The Bahá'í youth should, on the one hand, be taught the lesson of self-control which, when exercised, undoubtedly has a salutary effect on the development, of character and of personality in general, and on the other should be advised, nay even encouraged, to contract marriage while still young and in full possession of their physical vigor."

(On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, from a letter dated 13 December 1940, to an individual believer, in Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-86, sec. 126.7c, p. 234)

An ascetic degree of control may produce physical or mental disorders or diverting evil into another more injurious channel, possibly fostering selfishness which is worse than sensuality; must root out selfishness including subtle forms[edit]

"Asceticism of the nature of self-mortification and austerities is declared useless. Marriage to one woman is enjoined and adultery is condemned. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá states the following problem:

"“Cultivate your finer nature through your senses and your emotions, taking care meanwhile that they do not become your masters. . . . Sensations remain as abstractions in the mind, and, though so subtle that they can scarcely be recognized, exert an effective influence towards their own repetition. Yet while making earnest efforts to subjugate the senses man is liable to err; his nature is very complex, and to find the true path requires wisdom . . . . By asceticism worse evils will be encountered; for the effort may produce serious physical or mental disorders, perhaps insanity or death; or it may result in merely diverting the uneradicated evil tendency into some other channel where it may be even more injurious to the character; and it will in any case tend to foster selfishness, which is worse than sensuality.

"“Therefore, the attractions of the senses must be met, not by running away from them, but directly, by a man’s will and the power which is within himself to resist evil when temptation arises. . . . Selfishness must also be rooted out, not only in its gross, but in its exceedingly subtle forms. . . . Lust and selfishness lead men ignorantly to evil acts, and evil acts in turn increase lust, selfishness, and ignorance.

"“To learn one’s own nature is better than to seek for the unknown and the unknowable.”"

(Helen Pilkington Bishop citing 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Star of the West, vol. 25, issue 3, p. 71)

Guidance from prior dispensations[edit]

God forgives masturbation but to know value of seed as creation of one who loves God (from provisional translation)[edit]

"God forgives you your nocturnal pollutions and masturbation; but you know the value of semen, for this semen is the cause of the creation of a man who adores God. You, keep this semen in exquisite places(women).

"The fruit of this order is that it may be by the fruit of your existence that you will come to the aid of the religion of God.

"When the semen leaves you, with your own consent, make ablutions and prostrate yourself and say nineteen times this verse:

"'You are pure and sublime, O my God! You have made neither error, nor need! There is no God if it is not you! I proclaim your sublimity and I am of those who know you as the Pure!'

"If you plunge yourself in water (after ejaculation) that is enough for you(it is useless to recite this verse); then perform your ablutions in this water.

"It is the same if you wash yourself in the following fashion: the head, the belly, the arms, the legs. And when you are occupied with purifying your body in this fashion, glorify God!"

("Translation into English of Nicolas' French translation and notes of Mirza Siyyid 'Ali Muhammad Shirazi

the Bab's Bayan Arabe originally written in Arabic", pp. 76-77, at https://bahai-library.com/bab_bayan_arabic_terry (within "Unity 8", the "10th Door"))

Question (regarding married individuals)[edit]

Given the quotation, "...according to the Bahá'í Teachings no sexual act can be considered lawful unless performed between lawfully married persons." (From a letter dated 13 December 1940 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, A Chaste and Holy Life, no. 31) (or with the lack of any explicit prohibition mentioned for other non-procreative activities), can we assume that this action is not prohibited between married individuals?