Fatwa ID: 06811
Answered by: Mufti Mohammed Dilwar Hussain
Question:
My question is regarding suicide, we hear more and more Muslims committing suicide. A lot of this is due to depression and mental health issues. Will these people still go to hell as they are not mentally sane?
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Suicide is strictly forbidden in Islām.
“Do not kill yourselves. Surely, Allāh is most Merciful to you.” [Surah an-Nisā; 4:29] [1]
“Do not throw yourselves into destruction.” [Surah al-Baqarah; 2:195] [2]
The blood of every single Muslim has been made sacred. [Sunan ibn Mājah: Hadiths 3931, 3933; Sunan Abī Dāwūd: Hadith 4882; Sāhīh al-Bukhari: Hadiths 105, 6043] [3]
Allāh Ta’ālā has declared that HE will test us to see whose Imān is true and whose Imān waivers under afflictions;
“We shall surely test you with fear and hunger, loss of property, lives and crops; but give glad tidings to those who have fortitude. Who, when struck by misfortune, says: ‘We belong to Allāh, and surely to Him we shall return.’” [Surah al-Baqarah; 2:155-156] [4]
“He Who created Death and Life, that He may test which of you is best in worship: and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.” [Surah al-Mulk; 67:2] [5]
However, regardless of whatever difficulties we are going through we should never become despondent in the mercy of Allāh. Allāh Ta’ālā forgives all sins (big or small). [Surah az-Zumar; 39:53] [6]
Allāh Ta’ālā reminds us that He does not burden us with any trial greater than that which we can bear. [Surah al-Baqarah; 2:286] [7]
Whatever troubles we go through, Allāh Ta’ālā has specifically chosen to test us with these because Allāh Ta’ālā knows that we can handle it and through these hardships, Allāh Ta’ālā wants to give us the opportunity to turn back to Him and draw nearer to him.
Allāh Ta’ālā says that with every hardship comes two sets of ease. [Surah al-Sharh; 94:5-6] [8]
The Prophet ﷺ said: “No calamity befalls a Muslim but Allāh expiates some of his sins because of it…” [Sāhīh al-Bukhari: Hadith 5640] [9]
Taking into consideration everything that has been said above, there is no exception or acceptable excuse for suicide in Islām. Its severity and consequences are clear, and we are all aware of them.
However, the mercy of Allāh Ta’ālā transcends His wrath and anger. Thus, we find that as long as a person has even an ounce of Imām in their heart, they will eventually enter Jannah after becoming purified from their sins.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “On the Day of Resurrection I will intercede and say: “O my Lord! Admit into Paradise (even) those who have faith equal to a mustard seed in their hearts.” Such people will enter Paradise, and then I will say: “O (Allāh) admit into Paradise (even) those who have the least amount of faith in their hearts.” Anas RA then said: it was as if I were just now looking at the fingers of Allāh’s Messenger.” [Sāhīh al-Bukhārī: Hadith 7509] [10]
Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ said: “When the people of Paradise have entered Paradise, and the people of the Fire have entered the Fire, Allāh will say: “Take out (of the Fire) whoever has got faith equal to a mustard seed in his heart.” They will come out and by that time they will have burnt and become like coal. Then they will be thrown into the river of al-Hayyat (life) and they will spring up just as a seed grows on the bank of a rainwater stream.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “Don’t you see that the germinating seed comes out yellow and twisted?” [Sāhīh al-Bukhārī: Hadith 6560] [11]
Only Allāh Ta’ālā knows best.
Written by Mufti Mohammed Dilwar Hussain
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
}[1]يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَأۡكُلُوٓاْ أَمۡوَٰلَكُم بَيۡنَكُم بِٱلۡبَٰطِلِ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَ تِجَٰرَةً عَن تَرَاض مِّنكُمۡۚ وَلَا تَقۡتُلُوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمۡ رَحِيما {
}[2]وَأَنفِقُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تُلۡقُواْ بِأَيۡدِيكُمۡ إِلَى ٱلتَّهۡلُكَةِ وَأَحۡسِنُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ {
[3]حَدَّثَنَا بَكْرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْوَهَّابِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ نَافِعٍ، وَيُونُسُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، جَمِيعًا عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ قَيْسٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، مَوْلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَامِرِ بْنِ كُرَيْزٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ “ كُلُّ الْمُسْلِمِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ حَرَامٌ دَمُهُ وَمَالُهُ وَعِرْضُهُ ” .
}[4]وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيۡء مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡص مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٰلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ. ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِيبَة قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٰجِعُونَ {
}[5]ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلۡمَوۡتَ وَٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبۡلُوَكُمۡ أَيُّكُمۡ أَحۡسَنُ عَمَلاۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡغَفُورُ {
}[6]قُلۡ يَٰعِبَادِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسۡرَفُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ لَا تَقۡنَطُواْ مِن رَّحۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًاۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ {
}[7]لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَاۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتۡ وَعَلَيۡهَا مَا ٱكۡتَسَبَتۡۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذۡنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوۡ أَخۡطَأۡنَاۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحۡمِلۡ عَلَيۡنَآ إِصۡرا كَمَا حَمَلۡتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِنَاۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلۡنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦۖ وَٱعۡفُ عَنَّا وَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَٱرۡحَمۡنَآۚ أَنتَ مَوۡلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ {
}[8]فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرًا. إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرًا {
[9]حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ الْحَكَمُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَتْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ مَا مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ تُصِيبُ الْمُسْلِمَ إِلاَّ كَفَّرَ اللَّهُ بِهَا عَنْهُ، حَتَّى الشَّوْكَةِ يُشَاكُهَا ”.
[10]حَدَّثَنَا يُوسُفُ بْنُ رَاشِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ، عَنْ حُمَيْدٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَنَسًا ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ “ إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ شُفِّعْتُ، فَقُلْتُ يَا رَبِّ أَدْخِلِ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ خَرْدَلَةٌ. فَيَدْخُلُونَ، ثُمَّ أَقُولُ أَدْخِلِ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ أَدْنَى شَىْءٍ ”. فَقَالَ أَنَسٌ كَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى أَصَابِعِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم.
[11]حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى، حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ يَحْيَى، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ” إِذَا دَخَلَ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ الْجَنَّةَ، وَأَهْلُ النَّارِ النَّارَ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ حَبَّةٍ مِنْ خَرْدَلٍ مِنْ إِيمَانٍ فَأَخْرِجُوهُ. فَيُخْرَجُونَ قَدِ امْتُحِشُوا وَعَادُوا حُمَمًا، فَيُلْقَوْنَ فِي نَهَرِ الْحَيَاةِ، فَيَنْبُتُونَ كَمَا تَنْبُتُ الْحِبَّةُ فِي حَمِيلِ السَّيْلِ ـ أَوْ قَالَ ـ حَمِيَّةِ السَّيْلِ ”. وَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” أَلَمْ تَرَوْا أَنَّهَا تَنْبُتُ صَفْرَاءَ مُلْتَوِيَةً ”.
