In the name of Allaah, the Benevolent, the Merciful. Assalam Alykum Wa Rahmatu Allah Wa Barakatuh. I am a young man and I pray sometimes and do not pray at other times. I also watch pornographic movies and masturbate but I keep telling myself: this is better than committing adultery or fornication, which I do not do. When I go to work I pretend that I am drunk or was drunk last night, although surely I am lying. All praise is due to Allaah that the gate of repentance is open, please pray for me. I have two questions for you: 1- What is the ruling on masturbating assuming it is less harmful than committing adultery and fornication? 2- What is the ruling on lying to my friends that I was drunk though I only drank alcohol once in my life? Will I be considered as sinful as one who really drinks alcohol even though I was lying and did not really drink alcohol?

In the name of Allaah, the Benevolent, the Merciful. All praise is due to Allaah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allaah, his family, companions, and those loyal to him. My advice to you is to immediately give up and abstain from being involved in such destructive sins and not to follow in the footsteps of Shaytan and to take the means that can help you such as marriage as it guards eyes and private parts. Also, take pious people as your friends who will remind you of Allaah whenever you forget and help you to stay on the right path also attend Masjids and circles of knowledge and lectures. Indeed, watching pornographic movies or scenes that include unlawful images is sinful as much as is masturbating and lying about being drunk for indeed this is not something to be proud of at all so that you claim it to yourself. On the contrary, it is shame that you bring on yourself and your parents! So, fear Allaah, Exalted is He, and repent before it is too late. And your case does not require a Fatwa because the preacher to the right path inside of you screams deeply in you that what you are doing are wrongdoings and destructive sins. So, repent to Allaah, Exalted is He, and know that Allaah accepts the repentance of His slaves and forgives their sins whenever they are repent from and correct their past with regret and correct their present with the immediate quitting of these destructive sins and correct their future by remaining determined not to do these sins again. We ask Allaah to grant you repentance, my son, and to put in your way those who can help you to do that. And Allaah, the Most High, knows best.