Suicide- not the end but a beginning to endless sufferings
By: RAFIQ AHMAD MAGRAY
Allah Almighty says in the noble Quran: “…And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allah is most merciful to you.” (4:29)
Kashmir valley has been witnessing a sudden surge in the cases of suicide from past several months and the rate with which these cases are reported can only be termed as alarming. With the internet and smart phones around several cases have been brought straight into our living rooms and the horror of it has left us numb and hollow- one wonders how a society that is predominantly Muslim has been brought to this point. But there are several sociological as well as psychological reasons besides others factors that blindfold a person to the point when suicide appears to be the only way out! It is unfortunate and extremely disliked action when seen in the context of Islam.
If a person commits suicide, he/she commits a haraam act and the punishment will be severe. People who think about suicide do so to escape the suffering and pain of this world. They mistakenly think that by ending their lives they will end all their sorrows. But what they don’t know, according to the Islamic belief, is that by committing suicide their troubles have only just begun. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Among the major sins are: associating partners with Allah, disobeying parents, killing oneself and swearing falsely.
In another hadith Narrated by Abu Huraira: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever purposely throws himself from a mountain and kills himself, will be in the (Hell) Fire falling down into it and abiding therein perpetually forever; and whoever drinks poison and kills himself with it, he will be carrying his poison in his hand and drinking it in the (Hell) Fire wherein he will abide eternally forever; and whoever kills himself with an iron weapon, will be carrying that weapon in his hand and stabbing his abdomen with it in the (Hell) Fire wherein he will abide eternally forever.”
Sahih Al-Bukhari – Book 71 Hadith 670
No matter how pious a person may be and no matter how many good deeds have been done, suicide ends all the good deeds. The time of death is fixed and the creator alone has the right to decide how long one should live.
Narrated by Anas bin Malik: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “None of you should wish for death because of a calamity befalling him; but if he has to wish for death, he should say: “O Allah! Keep me alive as long as life is better for me, and let me die if death is better for me.’ ”
Sahih Al-Bukhari – Book 70 Hadith 575
Allah the exalted says in the Quran: فَاذَا جَاءَ اَجَلُهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَاْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلاَ يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ “So, when their appointed time comes, they’ll not be late for a moment, nor will they go before.” Surah Al’rāf (34)
Those who commit suicide think that it is a way out of adversity but they least realise that this world is a test. Every time and at every destination, a person deals with new problems and the only person who succeeds in this is the one who copes with all kinds of worries and reaches the final destination of life. The person who loses patience in the face of hardships and difficulties and ended life in haste and impatience will end in hellfire for committing this sin. In the second life too, the same person will prosper and enjoy who proved to be a servant of God even in the most critical moments in this world and remained steadfast till the last breath of life. That is why Islam has made this world an appendage to the next world to come. The good or bad deeds done here will be rewarded in the next life. Suicide is wrong and a disliked act which will ruin the hereafter.
It is narrated that a man showed great courage and bravery in a battle with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and he kept fighting the enemies on every front. Seeing his bravery, he was praised. Eventually, he was severely wounded while fighting, and could not bear the pain of the wound, so he stuck the tip of his own sword in his chest, which killed him. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) heard of this act, he called him among the dwellers of hell.
Similarly, Hazrat Jundab bin Abdullah Bajli narrates that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: There is an incident of a man among the nations who have passed away before you, who was wounded and could not bear his pain and was stabbed. Cut off his hand He bled so much that he died in it. Upon this, Allah Almighty said, “My servant hurriedly killed himself before I could seize his soul.” So I forbade Paradise for him.”
Not only will God’s dealings with the suicidal person be painful, but such people have no place in the world, and the terrible consequences of such an act will affect the family and loved ones causing great ridicule with their family members. He also loses the sympathy of the society. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) heard that a Muslim had committed suicide, he became angry and said, “I will not offer his funeral prayers.”
Islam does not allow suicide under any circumstances. Guess who created man, guarded him from his mother’s womb to the last part of his life, and blessed his servants with the blessing of peace and comfort. So it is Allah who causes His servants to suffer. When a man finds happiness, he rejoices, and when trouble comes, he escapes from it and inflicts death on himself. How strange it is! Some people argue in favour of suicide that man owns his life and has the power to end it or keep it. A further spectacle is that in some cases they do not like the process but do not consider it an abomination to use it in case of illness and distress and say that such a person is ending his life because he is suffering.
This world is a testing ground to find the best in faith so that they may reap the rewards in the next life to come. This world is full of tragedy, pain and heartbreaks. Depression and suicide are common maladies these days but killing oneself is never the answer. All humans must trust in Allah no matter what calamities befall them.
There are several examples in the Islamic religion and one excellent example of trusting in Allahs will and decree can be found in the story of Prophet Ayub (AS). Prophet Ayub was rewarded for his immense faith and trust in Allah. His health and wealth were restored and his wife even came back to him. So, escaping from the hardships of life is not the solution of the problem but successfully fighting and enduring is!
