Pornography addiction is a huge problem among Muslim men. Unfortunately, this spiritual pandemic has affected our youth and grownups alike, and even many married men regularly view porn despite knowing its spiritual and worldly harms.
A Muslim should be modest, pious, and conscious of Allah all the time.
But when addiction dominates your mind, you forget everything and satisfy your urges, only to regret later.
So, if you’re one of the thousands of Muslims who’re struggling with porn addiction and living dual lives, this article is for you.
I’ll share proven ways to help you overcome porn addiction and live as a pious Muslim who can face the Holy Prophet ﷺ on the day of judgment.
Please share these tips with your friends and family as well, it’s a sadqa e jariyah.
How To Overcome Porn Addiction As A Muslim
Quitting porn takes effort because you’ve programmed your mind to watch nudity which triggers your emotions and ultimately leads to unlawful sexual activities.
But with sincere efforts, persistence, and strategy, you can cleanse your heart and win back your life.
Here are some tips to help you.
Tip #1: Acknowledge The Problem
First of all, acknowledge that you have an addiction problem. When the urges are too strong, you indulge in porn, knowing it’s bad for you and your relationship with Allah.
Yet, you still watch it.
Because you’re addicted to it.
Accept this problem and understand its severity.
It can destroy your life, your afterlife, and your relationships. On the flip side, overcoming this addiction can open the gates of success and happiness for you and your family.
So, take responsibility for your actions and focus on improving yourself.
Tip #2: Seek Allah’s Help
Now that you know you have a problem, the first step to solving it is to seek Allah’s help.
There are specific Duas in hadith that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught Sahaba to combat unlawful sexual urges.
Here’s one such Dua that you can read to overcome your porn addiction.
Make sincere Dua to Allah SWT, plead for His mercy, and seek His help in overcoming this bad habit.
In particular, offer Tahajjud Namaz regularly and cry in front of Allah SWT to help you control your sexual desires.
Insha Allah, with Allah’s help, you’ll be able to fight these urges with more strength.
Tip #3: Sit In Pious Company
The most effective way to combat sexual desires and overcome the habit of watching internet porn is by sitting regularly in the company of pious scholars and elders.
Allah SWT has instructed us in the Quran to stay in the company of people with Taqwa (Allah’s fear) so that their piousness is transferred in our hearts.
So, look for an experienced Shaykh or pious scholar in your community, go meet them, ask them for dua, sit in their lectures, and benefit from their wisdom.
Insha Allah gradually your heart will start hating all sins including porn.
Tip #4: Consider The Harms Of Porn
Porn literally destroyed your spirituality and eeman.
It completely erodes you of haya and modesty, which are among the fundamentals of Islam.
In one hadith, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is narrated saying, “‘Every deen has an innate character. The character of Islam is Haya (modesty).’” (Source)
But that’s not all.
Watching porn in privacy while pretending to be pious to the outside world is an indication of Nifaq (hypocrisy). And according to a hdaith, sinning in your privacy destroys all your good deeds.
Just read the words of warning in this Hadith.
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, “I certainly know people of my nation who will come on the Day of Resurrection with good deeds like the mountains of Tihamah, but Allah will make them like scattered dust.”
Thawban said: “O Messenger of Allah, describe them to us and tell us more, so that we will not become of them unknowingly.”
He said: “They are your brothers and from your race, worshipping at night as you do, but they will be people who, when they are alone, transgress the sacred limits of Allah.” (Source: Ibn e Maja 4245)
Now imagine for a moment that just because of following your sexual urges, all your good deeds are rejected by Allah SWt on the day of judgement.
What a loss.
Plus, how would you face Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and look at him? Will he not be disappointed that you couldn’t control your urges even though He had sacrificed so much for you (and all Ummah)?
Think about these things regularly so that when your sexual urges trigger, you can remind yourself about their harms.
Tip #5: Protect Your Gaze
You cannot quit porn addiction if you do not control your gaze. Allah SWT has clearly instructed us in Surah Nur Ayah 30 of the Holy Quran not to look at women who are not our wives, mothers, sisters, or maternal aunts, and control our sexual urges.
قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا۟ مِنْ أَبْصَـٰرِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا۟ فُرُوجَهُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَزْكَىٰ لَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ
“Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.). That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do.“
Without controlling your gaze, you cannot control your sexual desires. So if you keep staring at women with lust, you’ll ultimately fall in the trap of unlawful sexual desires and resort to pornography.
Tip #6: Identify Your Addiction Pattern
Carefully analyze what triggers your porn addiction.
What is the most frequent time when you watch porn? Early morning, late night, in the toilet, in your bedroom, where?
Plus, are there specific websites, people, or events that trigger this urge?
What devices do you use to watch porn?
What sites lead you to porn?
Note down all of these things and then consiosly avoid these triggers so that you don’t fall in the trap of porn again.
For example, if you watch porn late night, start sleeping early. If you watch it in the toilet, make sure you never take your smartphone with you (you shouldn’t take it there anyway).
Tip #7: Limit Internet Use
Do you randomly surfg the internet without any reason or objective? This is among the most common reasons people indulge into porn.
Only use the internet and your smartphone when there’s a genuine need.
Don’t make scrolling Twitter or Facebook a routine activity.
Becuase if you keep browsing the internet, you’ll ultimately come across something that triggers your addiction and ultimately makes you helpless in front of your unlawful desires.
Tip #8: Make Abundant Zikr
Allah’s zikr and remembrance is the real food fro your soul. When you regularly make zikr, read the Holy Quran, recite Durood Shairf, and perform astaghfar, your heart gets filled with Allah’s noor and light.
This light provides your would with the spritiual strength you need to fight your Nafs and Shaytan.
So, don’t skip Zikr.
Read the following Zikr every day in the morning after Fajr Namaz and after Maghrib Namaz in the evening.
- 100 times Kalima Tayyiba – La Ilaha Ilallah
- 100 times 3rd Kalima – Subhan Allah, Wal Hamdulillah, Wala Ilaha Illallahu Wallahu Akbar
- 100 times Durood Sharif
- 100 times Astaghfar
Tip #9: Get Married
If you’re not married yet, don’t delay it anymore. Marriage is the best way to discipline your sexual energy and live a pure and pious life.
Having a spouse not only helps you channel your sexual desires the right way but also strengthens your eemaan and makes you more consious of your responsilities as a Muslim.
So, don’t delay marriage.
But if you’re married and still watch porn, remember that it will completely destroy your relationship, lower your spouse’s attraction for you, and make your sexual life a burden rather than an enjoyment.
Unfortunately, I’ve come across several cases where pious women are felling depressed because their husbands are porn addicts and do not show any affection towards them.
This ultimately leads to depression, fights, and sometimes even families breaking apart.
Don’t let this happen to your family.
Get closer to your spouse, enjoy each other’s company, and fulfil your desires the Halal way.
Tip #10: Seek Therapy
Quitting porn addiction requires professional help. So, don’t be shy to visit a therapist and seek their help. It is not only a spiritual problem. Once you become addicted to porn, your brain needs to reprogrammed to get our of this vicious cycle of watching porn, regretting it, and then relapsing.
Only a professional therapist can help you break this chain.
Tip #11: Live An Active And Focused Life
People with high aims and goals in life rarely get the time and energy to waste on porn. If you’re young, ask yourself if you’ve designed any meaningful goals for your life.
Have separate goals for your health, spirituality, financial status, education, and relationships.
Work on improving yourself by hitting the gym, enrolling yourself in community service, starting a business, and keeping yourself so busy all the time that you’re too exhausted to even think about porn.
Live a productive life and beat this habit.
Tip #12: Offer Prayers 5 Times In Masjid
Your biggest refuge from porn addiction in Islam is in Allah’s mercy and blessings. To get them, become regular at prayers and offer all five prayers in a mosque.
Stay in the state of Wudu all the time, keep your body clean, and always ready for the next prayer.
Insha Allah if you’re regular in Fajr prayers, you’ll have to sleep early, not giving you any free time to watch porn.
Is Porn Addiction A Forgivable Sin In Islam?
While you’re fighting porn addiction in Islam, remember that there might be days when you feel helpless and hopeless.
But don’t lose heart.
Keep trying.
Because addictions don’t go away overnight. But you can gradually reduce their hold on your heart and mind. If you follow the tips I’ve shared, you will see a gradual decrease in your porn viewing time and insha Allah soon you’ll completely get rid of this evil.
Till then, keep trying and seeking Allah’s help.
Allah forgives every sin when you repent with true intention and try your best. So, don’t lose hope.