The Ruling on Suicide, the One Who Commits It, and What Should Be Done Regarding Him
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We received a letter from the questioner (A. L. M.) from Khartoum, Sudan. In his letter, he says: My brother died by suicide, but he left a letter in which he wrote: "Paradise or Hellfire... Paradise or Hellfire" several times. So he believes in the Day of Resurrection, in Paradise and Hellfire, but he does not know his fate. His mother is in the greatest pain; she is patient with the divine decree and destiny of Allah, but she is suffering and says: "He died by suicide, and the one who commits suicide is in the Fire, and this is the secret of her torment." So the question is: Is it permissible for me to perform Hajj on his behalf, or to perform any type of worship and dedicate it to him? Please inform us, may Allah reward you.
Answer: Suicide is among the greatest of major sins. Allah the Exalted and Majestic said: [Surat al-Nisa: 29] [Surat al-Nisa: 30] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan Abi Dawud 3257Sahih (Al-Albani).
So suicide is among the ugliest of major sins. However, according to the people of the Sunnah and the community, it does not make one a disbeliever if he was a Muslim who prayed, was known for his Islam, was monotheistic toward Allah the Mighty and Majestic, and believed in Him (Glorified and Exalted is He) and in what He informed about. But he committed suicide for reasons, either severe illness, or severe injuries, or the like of these excuses. So this suicide is abominable and a major sin among the major sins, but it does not take him out of Islam if he was a Muslim before that. He does not leave Islam by committing suicide, but rather he is under the will of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) like other sins. If Allah wills, He will forgive him and admit him to Paradise by his Islam, his monotheism, and his faith. And if our Lord wills, He will punish him in the Fire according to the crime he died upon, which is the crime of killing. Then, after purification and testing, Allah will take him out of the Fire into Paradise. His mother should pray for him a lot, have much mercy for him, and give much charity on his behalf, so that perhaps Allah will be lenient with him and perhaps Allah will have mercy on him if he was a Muslim. But if he was not a Muslim, did not pray, or mocked the religion, or worshipped graves and attached himself to the dead, calling upon the dead and seeking aid from them, then he is not prayed for, and he is not a Muslim in appearance, and his affair is with Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) . We ask Allah for safety and well-being. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah bless you and reward you with good.
Answer: Suicide is among the greatest of major sins. Allah the Exalted and Majestic said:
And do not kill yourselves [or one another]. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful.
وَلا تَقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًاAnd whoever does that in aggression and injustice - then We will drive him into a Fire. And that, for Allah, is [always] easy.
وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ عُدْوَانًا وَظُلْمًا فَسَوْفَ نُصْلِيهِ نَارًا وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرًاIf anyone kills himself with something, he will be punished with it on the Day of Resurrection.
من قتل نفسه بشيء عذب به يوم القيامةSo suicide is among the ugliest of major sins. However, according to the people of the Sunnah and the community, it does not make one a disbeliever if he was a Muslim who prayed, was known for his Islam, was monotheistic toward Allah the Mighty and Majestic, and believed in Him (Glorified and Exalted is He) and in what He informed about. But he committed suicide for reasons, either severe illness, or severe injuries, or the like of these excuses. So this suicide is abominable and a major sin among the major sins, but it does not take him out of Islam if he was a Muslim before that. He does not leave Islam by committing suicide, but rather he is under the will of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) like other sins. If Allah wills, He will forgive him and admit him to Paradise by his Islam, his monotheism, and his faith. And if our Lord wills, He will punish him in the Fire according to the crime he died upon, which is the crime of killing. Then, after purification and testing, Allah will take him out of the Fire into Paradise. His mother should pray for him a lot, have much mercy for him, and give much charity on his behalf, so that perhaps Allah will be lenient with him and perhaps Allah will have mercy on him if he was a Muslim. But if he was not a Muslim, did not pray, or mocked the religion, or worshipped graves and attached himself to the dead, calling upon the dead and seeking aid from them, then he is not prayed for, and he is not a Muslim in appearance, and his affair is with Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) . We ask Allah for safety and well-being. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah bless you and reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.