What actions are permissible for a divorced woman to undertake to fulfill her desires and cravings without violating the limits of Islam, especially if she is suffering from the effects of loneliness and psychological and physical ailments?

A Muslim must resort to Allah and frequently supplicate and humble himself before Him, asking Him to relieve his distress, soothe his loneliness, grant him chastity, and enrich him. It should be noted that marriage is not the ultimate goal and divorce is not the end; rather, what matters is contentment with Allah's decree and destiny.

Resisting instincts and sexual urges requires practical steps. Masturbation is originally forbidden. However, some jurists permitted it in cases of dire necessity, such as fear of committing fornication (zina) or falling ill, based on the principle of committing the lesser of two evils, as mentioned by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen.

The necessity that permits masturbation can be either religious (like the fear of falling into fornication) or physical (like the fear of bodily harm due to not expelling excess fluid). If there is no such necessity, it remains forbidden, and its perpetrator deserves disciplinary action.