Can I Divorce My Husband Who Is Addicted to Porn?

Answered by Shaykh Abdurragmaan Khan

Question: Assalam alaykum,

I am pregnant with my first child. Can I divorce my husband who has a long standing problem with porn addiction?

Answer: Wa alaykum al-Salam

May Allah guide and protect you.

The viewing of pornography is impermissible and a serious crime. The reality however is that we living in an era where pornography is wide spread, such that the majority of young men and women would be exposed to it before reaching the age of 18. As devastating a practice this may be, it would not independently suffice for you to have your marriage annulled.

It’s important for both you and your husband to understand that pornography is an addiction similar to that of drug or alcohol abuse. In all these instances, the addict needs help and in most instances cannot recover by him or herself. My advice to you would be to sit down with your husband and search for societies that are able to assist him with this problem. If you are unable to allocate societies in your community, there are a number of online options. See for example purifyyourgaze. Read also this answer.

Finally, have patience and pray for your husband. May Allah grant us all steadfastness on the path of righteousness.

And Allah knows best
Wassalam
[Shaykh] Abdurragmaan Khan

Shaykh Abdurragmaan received ijazah ’ammah from various luminaries, including but not restricted to: Habib Umar ibn Hafiz—a personality who affected him greatly and who has changed his relationship with Allah, Maulana Yusuf Karaan—the former Mufti of Cape Town; Habib ‘Ali al-Mashhur—the current Mufti of Tarim; Habib ‘Umar al-Jaylani—the Shafi‘i Mufti of Makkah; Sayyid Ahmad bin Abi Bakr al-Hibshi; Habib Kadhim as-Saqqaf; Shaykh Mahmud Sa’id Mamduh; Maulana Abdul Hafiz al-Makki; Shaykh Ala ad-Din al-Afghani; Maulana Fazlur Rahman al-Azami and Shaykh Yahya al-Gawthani amongst others.