The Ruling on Wishing for Death in Times of Fitnah

The questioner : Shaykh. The one who is afflicted in his religion, you said that he wishes.

The Shaykh : He wishes that he had died and not been afflicted.

The questioner : Yes, this is not considered despair, nor is it regret for this good.

The Shaykh : No, no, absolutely not. If I say, “O Allah, let me die while not being afflicted,” there is nothing wrong with that.

The questioner : No, he is being afflicted now.

The Shaykh : Yes, “I wish I had not been afflicted.” He wishes that he had not been afflicted in his religion. There is nothing wrong with that. Every person wishes that he had not been afflicted. If it is a religious matter that he can get rid of, he does so. If it is a natural matter that can no longer be changed, that is fine.

The questioner : The end of times is a time of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). Yes. In the grave, a door is closed to remove the people of that place.

The Shaykh : Safe from this.

The questioner : Certainly, from the majority.

The Shaykh : It might be said that this is the case, or it might be said that the Messenger informed about the reality. It is not necessary that informing about the reality means the reality is permissible. Just as he informed us that we follow the ways of those before us, and this is not a religion of permissibility. And he informed that the weak woman goes from Sana'a to such and such, and she fears no one but Allah. This does not imply that it is permissible for a woman to travel without a mahram (a relative one may not marry).