Q. A young man who is unable to get married because of poverty may find himself having frequent wet dreams. Does he incur a sin for having such dreams? Is his worship rewarded in the same way as one who is married?
R.G.S, Khartoum
A. It is a natural function of the human body that when semen gathers, it should be discharged. This is a physiological function. Therefore, an unmarried young man will have wet dreams to allow the semen to be discharged, unless one resorts to some other way culminating in such discharge after excitement through masturbation, sex play or unlawful intercourse. Therefore, a wet dream is a perfectly natural function, for which one incurs no sin.
Besides, when a person is asleep, he is not in control of his actions. God says in the Qur’an: “God causes all human beings to die at the time of their death, and causes those who have not yet died (to be as dead) during their sleep. Thus, He withholds from life those upon whom He has decreed death, and lets the others go free for a term set by Him.” (39: 42)
It is clear from this Qur’anic verse that sleep is a state akin to death, during which we are not held responsible for what is not within our control. Thus, if you see in your dream that you are committing a murder, you are not responsible for that. Nor can you be responsible for a wet dream, which is a natural function.
