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Statement on Prohibition of Suicide
Author : The General Iftaa` Department
Date Added : 20-03-2023

Statement on Prohibition of Suicide

 

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

Suicide is one of the major sins, which come after associating partners in worship with Allah, because it is taking life, which Allah Has Made sacred where He Said (What means): "Nor take life - which God has made sacred - except for just cause." {Al-Isra`, 33}. Life is Allah`s property, not man`s. He The Almighty Says {What means}: "Nor kill (or destroy) yourselves: for verily God hath been to you Most Merciful!" {An-Nisa`, 29}.

Suicide is taking one`s life by any means: pistol, poison, fire, drowning or hunger and thirst; all of which are forbidden by scholarly consensus. It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) observed: He who killed himself with steel (weapon) would be the eternal denizen of the Fire of Hell and he would have that weapon in his hand and would be thrusting that in his stomach for ever and ever, he who drank poison and killed himself would sip that in the Fire of Hell where he is doomed for ever and ever; and he who killed himself by falling from (the top of) a mountain would constantly fall in the Fire of Hell and would live there for ever and ever. {Bukhari & Muslim}.

 

According to the apparent meaning of this text, one who commits suicide is doomed to Hell and shall abide therein forever. However, it actually addresses the one who considers suicide lawful while, according to some scholars, this text multiplies the punishment for suicide as means of deterring people from committing this heinous crime. If one attempting suicide didn`t succeed in killing him/herself, then he/she should be disciplined and taught that what he/she committed is an act of evil because he/she attempted to take life that Allah has made sacred.

 

A Muslim mustn`t wish for death because he is afflicted by evil circumstances. Anas reported God's messenger as saying: "None of you must wish for death because he is afflicted by evil circumstances, but if he cannot help doing so he should say, ‘O God, give me life as long as life is better for me, and take me when death is better for me." {Bukhari}.

 

If a Muslim`s soul whispers suicidal thoughts or the like, the he/she should frequently seek refuge with Allah from the evil suggestions of the devil, seek forgiveness, deliver acts of obedience, and remember the Hereafter and the reward that Allah has prepared for those who patiently persevere. Allah Says {What means}: "Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere, Who say, when afflicted with calamity: "To God We belong, and to Him is our return":- They are those on whom (Descend) blessings from God, and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance." {Al-Baqarah, 155-157}.

 

We remind that the culture of suicide is strange to our society because belief in Allah bans a Muslim from committing such acts. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.

 

 

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

Is it permissible for a woman in her menstrual period to recite from the Mus-haf (copy of the Quran ), or to recite by heart?

A menstruating woman is permitted neither to recite nor to touch the Quran according to what Ali Bin Abi Talib (May Allah be pleased with him) reported about the Prophet (PBUH) who was only held from reciting the Holy Quran by Janabah (Major impurity) [Al-Tirmizi in a sound Hadith]. Although Janabah and menstruation are major impurities, a menstruating woman is permitted to supplicate Allah (Duaa`) and make Zikr (Tasbihat ), even if these involved saying words from the Holy Quran, provided that she does not mean the words for themselves but as a supplication, or Zikr. Moreover, she is rewarded for not reciting the Quran during her menstrual period because she abided by the injunctions of Allah.

What is the ruling on doubting whether one or two prostrations were performed?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
If a worshiper is in doubt regarding the number of units (rak'ahs) or prostrations (sajdahs) performed, he must build upon the minimum (i.e., assume the lower number) and perform the prostration of forgetfulness (Sujud al-Sahw) before the Salam at the end of the prayer. This is based on the report from ‘Ata’ ibn Yasar that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'When anyone of you is in doubt about his Salat (prayer) and does not know how many he has prayed, three or four (Rak'at) he should cast aside his doubt and base his prayer on what he is sure of. Then, he should perform two prostrations before Taslim (salutation). If he has prayed five Rak'at, they will make his Salat (prayer) an even number for him and if he has prayed exactly four, they (i.e. two prostrations) will be humiliation for the devil..' (Narrated by Abu Dawud).
 
It is stated in Al-Muqaddimah al-Hadramiyyah: 'If one doubts [whether he performed] a bowing (ruku’), a prostration, or a rak'ah, he must perform it and prostrate [for forgetfulness], even if the doubt is removed before the Salam—unless the doubt is removed before he performs what would potentially be an addition. Thus, if he doubts whether he prayed three or four, he is obligated to build upon the minimum.' And Allah the Exalted knows best.

When does the time for Udhiyah begin?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
The time for Udhiyah (sacrificial offering) begins once the sun has risen on the day of Eid al-Adha—which is the tenth of Dhul-Hijjah—and a period of time has passed equivalent to two brief prayer units (Raka'at) and two brief sermons (Khutbah). It then continues until the sunset of the last of the days of Tashreeq, which are the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth of Dhul-Hijjah.
 
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "All the mountain passes of Mina are places of sacrifice, and in all the days of Tashreeq there is slaughtering." [Narrated by Al-Bayhaqi and Ibn Hibban].
 
The best time to slaughter is after finishing the Eid prayer, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him):
 
"Indeed, the first thing we begin with on this day of ours is to pray, then we return and slaughter. Whoever does that has attained our Sunnah, and whoever slaughters before [the prayer], it is only meat he has presented to his family; it is not part of the ritual sacrifice (Nusuk) in any way." [ٌReported by Bukhari & Muslim].
 
It is valid to sacrifice at any time, whether by night or by day; however, it is disliked (Makruh) at night. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on eating and drinking at night after making the intention? Is it necessary to renew the intention?

Eating and drinking at night, even after making the intention (for the next day), does not affect the fast, and it is not necessary to renew the intention after eating and drinking.

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