Suicide is a Major Sin
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
Suicide is a major sin, and the one who does that is faced with a warning of eternity in the Fire of Hell, where Allah will punish him with the means that he used to commit suicide. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoever throws himself down from a mountain and kills himself will be throwing himself down in the Fire of Hell for ever and ever. Whoever drinks poison and kills himself will be sipping it in the Fire of Hell for ever and ever. Whoever kills himself with a piece of iron will have that iron in his hand, thrusting it into his belly in the Fire of Hell for ever and ever.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5442) and Muslim (109),
It was narrated from Thaabit ibn Dahhaak (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever kills himself with something will be punished with it on the Day of Resurrection.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5700) and Muslim (110).
It was narrated that Jundub ibn ‘Abd-Allah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “A man among those who came before you was wounded. He panicked and took a knife and cut his hand, and the bleeding did not stop until he died. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, said: ‘My slave hastened his death; I have forbidden Paradise to him.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (3276) and Muslim (113).
The believer has to be patient and to seek the help of Allah, may He be exalted, and understand that no matter what hardship befalls him in this world — no matter how severe it is — the punishment of the Hereafter is worse than it. It is not acceptable according to anyone who is of right mind to run away from the heat of the desert and throw himself into the fire. How can he flee from temporary hardship and difficulty — which inevitably will come to an end — to an eternal punishment which has no end?
The Muslim should ponder and realise that he is not the only one in this world who is affected by calamity and hardship. Calamities befell the greatest of mankind, namely the Prophets, Messengers and the righteous. They also befell the worst of mankind, namely the disbelievers and atheists.
Calamity is part of the natural order of things and hardly anyone is safe from it.
If the believer handles it well and is patient, and it becomes a means that makes him turn back to Allah and strive hard in worship and righteous deeds, then the calamity will have been good for him and will be expiation for his sins, and perhaps he will meet Allah with no burden of sin.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “No pain, hardship, sickness or grief befalls a believer, not even worry that befalls him, but some of his bad deeds will be expiated.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5642) and Muslim (2573).
Al-Tirmidhi (2399) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Calamities will continue to befall believing men and women in themselves, their children and their wealth, until they meet Allah with no burden of sin.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth al-Saheehah (2280).
— Funeral for someone who commited suicide
The Prophet (ﷺ) refrained from offering the funeral prayer for one who had committed suicide, as a punishment to him and so as to deter others from doing what he had done. But he gave the people permission to offer the funeral prayer for him, so it is Sunnah for the people of knowledge and virtue not to offer the funeral prayer for one who has committed suicide, following the example of the Prophet (ﷺ).
It was narrated that Jaabir ibn Samurah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: A man who had killed himself with a broad arrow-head was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ) and he did not offer the funeral prayer for him.
Narrated by Muslim, 978.
This hadeeth is evidence for those who say that the funeral prayer should not be offered for one who killed himself because of his sin. This is the view of ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azeez and al-Awzaa’i. But al-Hasan, al-Nakha’i, Qataadah, Maalik, Abu Haneefah, al-Shaafa’i and the majority of scholars said that the funeral prayer should be offered for him. They responded to this hadeeth by pointing out that the Prophet (ﷺ) did not offer the funeral prayer for him himself so as to deter the people from doing something similar, but the Sahaabah offered the funeral prayer for him. End quote.
Sharh Muslim, 7/47
This does not mean – if it is proven that a person did commit suicide – that you should not pray for mercy and forgiveness for her, rather you must do that because she needs that. Suicide is not kufr that puts a person beyond the pale of Islam as some people think, rather it is a major sin that is subject to the will of Allah on the Day of Resurrection: if He wills, He will forgive it, and if He wills He will punish for it. So do not neglect to make du’aa’ for her and be sincere in doing so; perhaps that may be the means of Allah forgiving her.
And Allah knows best.
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