Suicide (True Stories)

(Keywords: Killing oneself, Self-immolation, Self destruction, Self-murder, Suicide, hopelessness, Total Desperation, Depression, loss of hope, loss of trust, ending one’s life, wishing to end life, Suicide in Islam, committing suicide)

عَنْ ثَابِتِ بْنِ الضَّحَّاكِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: «وَمَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ بِشَىْءٍ عُذِّبَ بِهِ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ». رواه البخاري.

Narrated Thabit Ibn Ad-Dahhak that the Prophet -prayer and peace be upon him- said: “Whoever commits suicide with something, will be punished with the same thing in Hell-fire.” Related by Al-Bukhari.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: (شَهِدْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَيْبَرَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِرَجُلٍ مِمَّنْ مَعَهُ يَدَّعِي الإِسْلاَمَ:‏ «‏ هَذَا مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ»‏‏.‏ فَلَمَّا حَضَرَ الْقِتَالُ قَاتَلَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ أَشَدِّ الْقِتَالِ، وَكَثُرَتْ بِهِ الْجِرَاحُ فَأَثْبَتَتْهُ، فَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي تَحَدَّثْتَ أَنَّهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ قَدْ قَاتَلَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَشَدِّ الْقِتَالِ، فَكَثُرَتْ بِهِ الْجِرَاحُ‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «‏ أَمَا إِنَّهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ»‏‏.‏ فَكَادَ بَعْضُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ يَرْتَابُ، فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ إِذْ وَجَدَ الرَّجُلُ أَلَمَ الْجِرَاحِ فَأَهْوَى بِيَدِهِ إِلَى كِنَانَتِهِ، فَانْتَزَعَ مِنْهَا سَهْمًا فَانْتَحَرَ بِهَا، فَاشْتَدَّ رِجَالٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَقَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَدَّقَ اللَّهُ حَدِيثَكَ، قَدِ انْتَحَرَ فُلاَنٌ فَقَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «‏ يَا بِلاَلُ قُمْ فَأَذِّنْ: لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ إِلاَّ مُؤْمِنٌ، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَيُؤَيِّدُ هَذَا الدِّينَ بِالرَّجُلِ الْفَاجِرِ»). رواه البخاري.

Narrated Abu Hurairah -may God be pleased with him- said: “We participated in the Kheibar Campaign with the Messenger of God -prayer and peace be upon him. The Messenger of God -prayer and peace be upon him- told his companions about a man who claimed to be a Muslim: ‘This man is from the people of Hell-fire.’

When the battle started, the man fought very bravely, and received many injuries that crippled him. So a man from among the Companions went to the Prophet -prayer and peace be upon him- and said: ‘O Messenger of God, do you remember the man you described as being of the people of Hell-fire, he has fought very bravely for God’s sake and has received many injuries.’ The Prophet -prayer and peace be upon him- said: ‘Indeed, he is one of the people of Hell-fire.’

Some of the Muslims were about to have some doubt about that. But soon the injured man felt overwhelmed by the pain of his injuries, so he put his hand into his quiver, took out an arrow and committed suicide with it.

So some men from among the Muslims hurried to the Messenger of God -prayer and peace be upon him- and said: ‘O Messenger of God, God has made your statement true. So-and-so has committed suicide.’ The Messenger of God -prayer and peace be upon him- said: ‘O Bilal, get up and announce in public: None will enter Paradise but a believer, and God may support this religion (Islam) with the wicked man.’” Related by Al-Bukhari.

وعَنْ جَابِرٍ: (أَنَّ الطُّفَيْلَ بْنَ عَمْرٍو الدَّوْسِيَّ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَلْ لَكَ فِي حِصْنٍ حَصِينٍ وَمَنَعَةٍ – قَالَ حِصْنٌ كَانَ لِدَوْسٍ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ – فَأَبَى ذَلِكَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِلَّذِي ذَخَرَ اللَّهُ لِلأَنْصَارِ، فَلَمَّا هَاجَرَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ الطُّفَيْلُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو وَهَاجَرَ مَعَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ، فَاجْتَوَوُا الْمَدِينَةَ فَمَرِضَ فَجَزِعَ فَأَخَذَ مَشَاقِصَ لَهُ فَقَطَعَ بِهَا بَرَاجِمَهُ، فَشَخَبَتْ يَدَاهُ حَتَّى مَاتَ، فَرَآهُ الطُّفَيْلُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو فِي مَنَامِهِ فَرَآهُ وَهَيْئَتُهُ حَسَنَةٌ وَرَآهُ مُغَطِّيًا يَدَيْهِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: مَا صَنَعَ بِكَ رَبُّكَ؟ فَقَالَ: غَفَرَ لِي بِهِجْرَتِي إِلَى نَبِيِّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَقَالَ: مَا لِي أَرَاكَ مُغَطِّيًا يَدَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: قِيلَ لِي لَنْ نُصْلِحَ مِنْكَ مَا أَفْسَدْتَ‏.‏ فَقَصَّهَا الطُّفَيْلُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم،‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «‏ اللَّهُمَّ وَلِيَدَيْهِ فَاغْفِرْ»). رواه مسلم.

Narrated Jabir said: “At-Tufail Ibn Amr Al-Dawsi went to the Messenger of God -prayer and peace be upon him- and said: ‘O Messenger of God, do you need a strong, fortified protection?’ The tribe of Daws had a fort in the pre-Islamic days. The Prophet -prayer and peace be upon him- declined the offer, since it (the privilege of protecting the Holy Prophet) had already been reserved for the Ansar tribe.

When the Prophet -prayer and peace be upon him- migrated to Al-Medina, At-Tufail Ibn Amr along with a man of his tribe migrated as well and joined the Prophet in Al-Medinah. But the climate of Medina did not suit them, and his tribesman fell sick.

He was impatient, so he took hold of an iron head of an arrow and cut his finger-joints. The blood streamed forth from his hands, till he died. At-Tufail Ibn Amr saw his tribesman in a dream. He was in a good condition, but he saw him wrapping up his hands. At-Tufail said to him: ‘What treatment did your Lord accord to you?’ He replied: ‘My Lord has granted me pardon (forgiven me) for my migration to His Prophet -prayer and peace be upon him.’ At-Tufail asked: ‘Why do I see you wrapping up your hands?’ He replied: ‘I was told: We would not set right anything of yours which you damaged yourself.’ Later, At-Tufail narrated this (dream) to the Messenger of God -prayer and peace be upon him- and upon hearing that, he supplicated: ‘O God, grant pardon even to his hands.’” Related by Muslim.

Killing oneself or committing suicide is a major sin in Islam that is promised severe punishment. Suicide is forbidden in religion for it is considered murder, and is even worse than murder. Suicide indicates a level of distrust, hopelessness and desperation not suited for the believer. Moreover, suicide does not end one’s troubles but start them! Suicide leads to Hell-fire and all problems of the world pale beside the torment and horrors of Hell-Fire.

The believer is instructed to believe in God’s Great Mercy and Forgiveness. The believer is urged to seek God’s help and assistance whenever afflicted with problems and calamities, and avoid doing things that bring the wrath of God.

The second hadith shows that whoever dies as a believer, eventually will be forgiven by the Most Merciful God. But the one who commits suicide may be punished in Hell first. The hadith shows that the man was forgiven later. Thus, the believer should put his trust and hope in God, and beseech Him to find a way of trouble, rather than showing signs of despair and hopeless and committing suicide. The believer should have full trust and hope in God’s Great Mercy and Forgiveness, and should continue to supplicate Him constantly and patiently until God finds him a way out of his problems and troubles. And God knows best.