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Is it forbidden to think about sexual phrases with an imaginary woman, without imagining pictures of women or of intercourse?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

There is no accountability for a Muslim concerning inner thoughts as long as they are not acted upon or spoken, due to the saying of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him: "Indeed, Allah Almighty has forgiven my nation for what they think to themselves, as long as they do not act upon it or speak of it." Nevertheless, one must be cautious not to dwell excessively on these thoughts to avoid falling into forbidden acts and the whispers of Satan. Therefore, a Muslim should occupy their time with what benefits them and avoid following the footsteps of Satan, as Allah Almighty says: "O you who have believed, do not follow the footsteps of Satan." Marriage is the best aid to chastity, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "O young people, whoever among you can afford to marry, let him do so, for it helps lower the gaze and guard chastity. And whoever is not able to, then he should fast, for it will be a shield for him."

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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