Fatwa ID: 01976

Answered by: Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Question

I have a question regarding suicide.

If a Muslim commits suicide, maybe due to depression or stress or for any reason, will Allah ever forgive that person? Like other Muslims, once we have done time for our sins in hell, inshallah, we will be forgiven. But will the person who committed suicide, will they be forgiven after he/she has done their time?

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

Suicide is haraam (unlawful) in Islam.

Allah in the Holy Quran has said:

“And do not kill yourselves. Surely, Allah is most Merciful to you.” 

(Surah Nisaa v.29)

“And do not throw yourselves into destruction.” 

(Surah Baqarah v.195)

The Prophet of Allah  has said: “If somebody commits suicide with anything in this world, he will be tortured with that very thing on the Day of Judgement.”  

(Sahih Bukhari)

The opinion of the Hanafi scholars is that the person who commits suicide is a sinner and his body will be washed, his janazah salah will be performed and he will be buried with the Muslims.

(Raddul Muhtar) 

Furthermore, it is mentioned in Aapke Masaail by Molana Yusuf Ludhyanwi that the scholars should not perform the janazah salah, however the common people should.

(Aapke Masail p.130 v.3)
 

With regards to your question, it is known from the verses of the Holy Qur’an and explicit hadeeth that if a person declares the testimony of faith, they will eventually go to Jannah irrespective of the sins they may have committed in this world. Once they have been purified, they will enter Jannah. The hadiths, which state a person who committed suicide will be in Hell, is not interpreted literally. Rather, after he is punished for committing such a grave crime, eventually he will be admitted into Jannah as long as he declared the testimony of faith.

(Mazahirul Haqq p.271 v.4)

Many a times punishment mentioned is apparently eternal, yet not. It is there to show how much it is disliked. For example, when a person drinks alcohol, his Salah will not be accepted for forty days. It's an exaggeration (mubalagah) to show how severe the sin is. The Salah for forty days will still be obligatory upon him, however, he will not be rewarded for the Salah he performs in them forty days.

(At-Tayseer Sahrah Jami’ Sagheer Vol:1 Pg:1086 & see also Faidh al-Qadeer Vol:3 Pg: 678)

The same is mentioned as a punishment for committing suicide. The sin and the punishment are so severe that the words used to describe it indicate eternity and the punishment will be so severe, it will be like eternal punishment.

Only Allah knows best

Written by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham