Prohibition of Suicides In Islam

Islamic Sources broadly fall in to two categories, the Divine and the Inspired. The Quran
being the verbatim record of God’s Revelation, whilst the inspired category is made up
of the Deeds, Words, Acts and Approvals of Prophet Mohammad. There is nothing in
either of these sources that require Muslims to court or love death.

It is useful to make a note at the beginning, of the very important Islamic notion that there
is No Death in the hereafter, the Quranic Words that state this fact very emphatically are
“Hum Feeha Khalidoon” – Meaning “therein you will abide for ever”1.This sense of
permanence of the Life in the Hereafter can be Ameliorative or Pejorative.

So, if some one kills an innocent person in this would he could very well be helping that
person to live a life of permanent bliss whilst he himself will be languishing in an
everlasting perdition in the hereafter.

Suicides are specifically prohibited in the Quran with the words “…Do not Kill
yourself…” 2 and the punishment for doing so will be a never ending roasting in the hell
fire.

This point of prohibition of self-induced harm is emphasised in a much wider sense in

another verse of the Quran which states that “…., and Let Not your own hands be the
cause of your destruction.”3 This would then mean that NOT ONLY is the extreme act
of suicide forbidden but knowingly doing some thing or consuming a substance known to
cause harm either instantaneously or in the long run is also not permitted.

And, if a Muslim intentionally kills another Muslim, then his recompense will be the Hell
Fire where he will abide forever facing a dreadful penalty, and will additionally face the
wrath and curse of Allah.4

Thus, a murderer draws upon himself not only the sin of what he has done, but would in
addition also be drawing upon himself the sins of his victim/s too, and with these two
burdens will be residing in the hell fire.5 Forever. This is the severity of the punishment
for the murder of an innocent soul.

1
Quran [2:25, 2:39, 2:81-82, 2:217, 2:257, 2:275]; [3:107, 3:116]; [7:36, 7: 42]; [10:26-27]; [11:23];
[13:5]; [23:11]; [58:17]
2
Quran 4:29
3
Quran 2:195
4
Quran 4:93
5
Quran 5:29

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If Punishment is to match the Crime, then the pro-rata magnitude of the punishment is
such that each slaying of an innocent person will be treated by God as if the entire
humanity has been slain6 whilst each saving of a life will merit reward in similar ratio.

There is therefore, absolutely No Permission in Islam for acts of Suicides. The matter is
so crystal clear that many mosques will not allow funeral prayers over a Muslim who has
died as a result of self-immolation. Some, who might relent a little bit on the matter, will
do so in cases of suicides resulting from severe mental illness, but even here will only
permit such funeral prayers if they are lead by an insignificant member of the
congregation, but still will not allow the Imam of the mosque to lead them as this may
lead to a misconstrued notion that they are condoning acts of suicides which they
shouldn’t be. Thus, those who claim justification for acts of suicides must prove that
“they” understand the Quran better than Prophet Mohammad through whom it was
revealed who never sent out any body on any suicide mission.

The protagonists of suicides as a strategy, in their haste to justify their stance, readily
quote two historical incidents in their discourses whence they claim some individuals
hurled themselves towards the enemy forces in the face of almost certain knowledge that
they would perish. But what these protagonists fail to acknowledge is that no body would
have been happier than those two individuals had they survived after achieving their
objectives over the enemy. Anyhow, eventually the death of those two individuals came
about as a result of enemy action rather then them having grabbed and pierced themselves
with enemy arrows whilst falling upon them.

Paradise is Forbidden to the Suiciders

Prophet Mohammad has said that , ‘Amongst the nations before you there
was a man who received a wound, and growing impatient (because of the
pain), he took a knife and cut his wrist with it and the blood did not stop
flowing until he died. Then, Allah said, “My Slave hurried to bring death
upon himself, so I have forbidden him the Garden (Paradise).” 7

A Battlefield Casualty who was not regarded as a Martyr:8After one of the battles in
history, the Muslims were collecting their Casualties and Martyrs when they came upon a
corpse which they immediately recognized as being that of a soldier who had done very
well during the battle inflicting many casualties on the enemy.
6
Quran 5:32
7
A Hadith (Prophetic Tradition) quoted in the collection of Hadiths known as Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume 4,
Book 56, Number 669
8
A Hadith (Prophetic Tradition) quoted in the collection of Hadiths known
as Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 297
.

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They said to one another, that this person is surely in Paradise by now, not just for laying
down his life for the sake of Allah but also for having fought so bravely inflicting many
casualties on the enemy before he eventually met his own death.

Prophet Mohammad(Peace be upon him) who happened to pass by upon hearing the
above conversations said “…No, Not Him…”, his companions said in surprise
astonishment ..O! Messenger of Allah, but this man did so well during the battle, and
now that he has died surely, he is a Shaheed (Martyr), Prophet Mohammad said again
“…No, Not him….”.

Being the Messenger of Allah, Prophet Mohammad(Peace be upon him) was inspired by
Allah to know the true nature and circumstances of that soldier’s death. He informed his
companions accordingly, that, whilst that soldier did very well during the battle and was
very close to entering paradise on account of his braveness in battle, however, what had
happened was that eventually he got injured and his injuries were so severe that
momentarily he lost his Trust in Allah as the one able to relieve him from his suffering,
and consequently, he thrust his own sword into his belly thereby committing suicide.

Hence, whilst this soldier was very close to entering paradise because of his braveness
during battle, but due to his act of suicide at the very last moment, he is going somewhere
else.

What is the Islamic definition of a Martyr?

Islamic texts use the term Shaheed to refer to a Martyr, who is defined as one who dies in
the way of Allah. However, dying in the way of Allah does not mean seeking death while
“aggressively” promoting God. God does not need anyone or anything in order to
promote himself. For if God wishes to Promote Himself His wish will be done without
any human interface.
It is true that the Shaheed, the martyr who dies in the way of Allah, will get many
rewards in the hereafter, but only if his death occurs in a defense posture and due to
enemy action, and not if it is brought upon oneself through self venture.
Apart from dying in the way of Allah, there is a set of four other specific conditions
stated in the Prophetic Traditions9 which state who will receive the status of a Martyr.
These are:

1. The one killed by a plague,

2. The one killed by a disease of the belly,
3. The one who drowns,
4. The one killed by a collapsing building,
9
A Hadith (Prophetic Tradition) taken from a collection known as Muwatta by the famous scholar Imam
Malik Al-Muwatta’ of Imam Malik : 8.2.6

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5. The Martyr in the path of Allah.”
As you can see, that in the above definition of Martyrs, there is no inclusion
of those who kill themselves and who intend in their act of suicide also to kill
other innocent by standers and non-combatants all of which is forbidden.

A SUICIDER Will Be Punished In Hell Fire by Using The Same Method That He
Used For Committing Suicide

In a famous Prophetic Teaching Statement known collectively as Hadith, Prophet

Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) Has said :

“He who killed himself with a steel weapon will be the eternal denizen of the Hell Fire
and he would have that weapon in his hands and will 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 jumping
from a high place will constantly fall in the Fire of Hell where he would live for ever
and ever10

Therefore, suicide bombers will most likely be made to blow themselves up repeatedly in
the Hell Fire, the difference then, will be that, then, the only victims will be THEY
themselves while the victims of their atrocity on earth may well be sitting in Paradise
watching them receive their punishment repeatedly in the Hell Fire where there is no
death.

Permission To Act In Self Defence But Not To Commit Aggression.

Muslims, like any other group, are permitted by their rules to act in self-defence but are
not allowed to commit AGGRESSION for the sake of Aggression or for the purposes of
grabbing someone else’s land. And, if the situation reaches the threshold of active battle,
then Islamic rules forbid the killing of civilians specially women and children, the aged
and the infirm. Targeting of all non-combatants is also prohibited including non-
combatant soldiers. These rules also forbid the harming of priests of other faiths and the
desecration of places of worship of other people, these restrictions are summarised in the
Instructions by Muslim Commanders to their soldiers.

10 Commandments for Muslim Commanders in Battle11.

1. Do not harm women and children

2. Do not harm non-combatants
3. Do not harm the aged or the weak and infirm
4. Do not harm Priests of other faiths and their places of worship
5. Do not cut down fruit bearing tress
6. Do not slaughter animals except for food
7. Do not burn bees
10
Quoted from the Collection of Hadiths known as Sahih Muslim [Ref: No. 48 :199]
11
Instructions given by Abu Bakr, the 1st Caliph to a Muslim Commander

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 8. Do not scatter them
9. Do not steal from the booty
10. Do not be cowardly

Killing In Anger Is Not Permitted, Even in Battle.

In Islamic History there is the example of Ali, the son-in-law of Prophet Mohammad,
who in the course of a battle had defeated an enemy soldier and sitting on his chest was
about to bring down his sword on that enemy soldier when that person spat at him,
withdrawing his sword, Ali immediately got up and allowed the man to run away.

Some years later, they met in peaceful circumstances when that man queried what had
happened in the battle field which appeared to him as a very strange behaviour!!, and
asked Ali why didn’t he carry out the act of slaughter even after he had spat at him? Ali
replied that, had he done so after being spat at then that could have been seen as an act in
anger or an act of retaliation for an insult rather than a battle field manoeuvre, in which
case if he (Ali) had carried out the slaughter then he would have been in error rather than
the enemy soldier and would have been punished by God for killing in Anger.

Principle of Retaliation (Qisas) in Islam.

The principle which governs the law of retaliation in Islam is underpinned by a famous
verse of The Quran that states that “….In the law of Equality there is saving of life to
you, O ye men of understanding that ye may restrain yourself…”12. Saving of Life
should be preferred in all cases and be the prime objective even in cases where
Retaliation is permissable e.g. an eye for an eye. Hence, a Muslim who does not restrains
himself in the face of Provocation and does not consider the guiding principle of “Saving
of life”, will in the light of this verse be classified as a person possessing no
understanding.

Restraining oneself from retaliating in kind is of extreme importance in Islam. God is

with those who restrain themselves says the Quran13 the flip side of this would mean that
those Muslims who retaliate will loose the companionship of God.

The first ‘Martyr’ for Islam was a lady who whilst being tortured had been raped with a
lance. If like-for-like retaliation was an option open to Muslims it would have happened
then, but it didn’t.

There is a reward for enduring torment and suffering but those who retaliate in a like-for-
like manner would be taking that reward pre-award ceremony ‘themselves’ in this world
and as a result there would then be no reward left for them in the hereafter. Surely, the
reward waiting with God in the hereafter is unimaginably superior to any compensation
that one can take for ones self in this world through retaliation.

12
Quran 2: 179
13
Quran 2: 194

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Islamic History is full of examples which show that even in the face of the most extreme
of provocations; Muslims chose ‘not to retaliate’. Spitting in the face of a leading figure
by an enemy soldier, as we saw earlier, on one occasion secured him his life.

MUTILATION of the Enemy Corpses is Also Not Permitted in Islam.

Prophet Mohammad’s uncle was martyred in one of the battles in which in a deranged
fervour, the wife of the opposing General cutup the body of the fallen and in full view of
Prophet Mohammad and the other Muslim soldiers she devoured the fallen Uncle’s liver.
This incident should have caused the Muslim Army and the wider population to go on a
rampage, but despite the extreme nature of such a provocation, the Muslims did not
retaliate by similarly cutting up all the enemy’s corpses and eating their organs.

The Two Sons of Adam.

Let us also remind ourselves of the story of the two sons of Adam who quarrelled
amongst themselves when one threatened to kill the other, in response, said the other,
“Even if you stretch out your hand against me to kill me I shall not stretch out my
hand against you to kill you, Lo! I fear Allah, the Lord of the Worlds”14

Even A Divine Offer of Help For Retaliation Was once Not Taken up.
When Prophet Mohammad was stoned and driven out of a valley where he had gone to
preach, Arch Angel Gabriel was sent down by God with two Assisting Angels who
offered to bring down surrounding mountains on top of the people of that valley. Injured,
dripping blood and exhausted though he was, Prophet Mohammad even that excruciating
circumstance, chose not to retaliate, politely declining the offer of divine help for
retribution, asking the Angels instead to leave those people alone, perchance that
someone from their future progeny may choose the Straight Path and worship God.

Prayed For the Enemy during the course of A Battle.

On another occasion during a battle, Prophet Mohammad was injured with his cheek
punctured and blood oozing out of the wound he was scooping up his blood not allowing
any of it to fall to the ground maintaining that if even a drop of his blood were to fall on
the ground then divine punishment would immediately descend on the enemy and he
didn’t want that to happen.

People were very surprised at this attitude of his of showing concern for the enemy even
in the thick of a battle and enquired from him about that, responding to their query,
Prophet Mohammad said, that he had not been sent to condemn or curse anybody, rather
he said that, he had been sent as an Inviter to the Straight Path, and as a Mercy, and then
he prayed for the opposing fighting soldiers

The Subject of Death In The Quran.

There are close to 74 verses of The Quran which touch upon the subject of death to
varying degrees depending on the context in which it is being discussed and ‘none’ of
14
Quran 5:28

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these authorises a Muslim to either court it or to bring it upon oneself. A dead Muslim is
of little benefit to the propagation of Islam and a Strong believer is better than a weak
believer said the Prophet.

Experiencing of Death is Likened to Tasting

The Quran states that Every Soul shall have a taste of death15 However, just as tasting is
related to the Eating of Food as a precursor, so is death related to the hereafter as a pre-
requisite only but not as an end in itself. If tasting of food is done at the wrong time or in
the wrong way or at the wrong temperature this causes the tongue to singe thereby
preventing the enjoyment of food which is the objective. In the same way, the ultimate
objective i.e. the hereafter is defiled if death is brought about deliberately by self
endeavour.

Dominion of God

In a Chapter of the Quran titled “The Dominion”, God is described as being the one who
created death and life16, the reasoning behind which is explained later in that verse when
it says that “…So that God can Test which one of you is better in deeds”. Little chance
then of a Muslim passing this Test if he has deliberately violated an earlier command
which states that do not “…do not kill yourself” see footnote 1

No Robin Hoods in Islam.

For Muslims, death is not the end; but it is regarded as a means towards the final end
which is the eternal hereafter. In Islam the notion of Robin Hoods does not exist. For
Muslims, not only has the end got be fair, just and wholesome but the means and the road
that we take to reach that end also has to be pure and just as well, the eventual goal being
to have a goodly hereafter. If one robs cheats and deceives others, then one will still have
a hereafter, but it won’t be a goodly one.

An Army on Elephants.

Quran says “Seest thou not how your Lord dealt with the Companions of the
Elephants…”17talking about the occasion when an Army on Elephants had come with the
intention of demolishing Islam’s holiest of Places.

The believers at that time were overwhelmingly outnumbered and out gunned, but they
still hung on to their Trust in God, and because of this unflinching Faith in Him, God
assisted the believers by sending a squadron of little birds who pelted the people with the
Army of Elephants with stones of baked clay(the divine equivalent of our present day’s
F16s) and made them like crops devoured by cattle18.

The Trust.
15
Quran 3;135
16
Quran 67: 2
17
Quran 105: 1
18
Quran 105: 1- 5

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Trust in God is one of the definitions of believers For, Believers “are those” says the
Quran who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a tremor in their hearts, and when they
hear His signs being rehearsed, find their faith strengthened, and put (all) their trust
in their Lord; 19

God has Chosen to Allow some People the Choice of Not Worshipping Him.!

Surely, the Guarantees offered by Prophet Mohammad to the residents of the St.
Catherine’s Monastery of Mount Sinai, and the terms of the “Treaty of Jerusalem”20
offered by Omar Bin Khattab the 2nd Caliph to the defeated and departing Romans,
should remind the Muslims of their obligations to guarantee the ‘Freedom of Belief’ and
the Security of Life and Property and Places of Worship of People of Other Faiths
stationed in Muslim Countries.

God in his Immense wisdom, has allowed some people the choice of ‘not worshipping
him’ but still sustains and provides them with their daily bread, so who are we to contend
with, alter or defy and violate this wisdom of God.

Extremism, Terrorism and Jihad

Does Islam espouse Extremism? Let us see what the Quran has to say about this. It is
stated very clearly in there that “Have We made you into a People of the Middle Path,
Justly Balanced”21 and Very Interestingly indeed, this verse which requires Muslims to
adopt a Middle Path in the course of their life occurs bang in the middle of the chapter
where it occurs, being verse No. 143 in a Chapter that has exactly 286 verses.

Hence, it is Not mere wishful thinking but is an Ordainment and a Commandment of God
to Muslims that they should take a Middle Course in whatever they do. There is
therefore, no room for any extremism either of the right or of the left hue in Islam, God
urging Muslims to strive in the middle path.

Extremism is Not Permitted even in the Practice of Religion.

(a)There was an instance when a lady had tied a rope between two pillars in the mosque
with the intention of holding on to it if she got tired whilst standing in prayer. Prophet
Mohammad instructed for that rope to be taken down urging that people should pray as
long as they are able to and rest when they get tired.

(b) Then, there was the occasion when three men had vowed Not to Marry, to Pray
through the nights every night and to Fast every day through out the life. They were
summoned by Prophet Mohammad who ordered them to break their vows giving his own
19
Quran 8 :2
20
The Treaty known as The Treaty of Jerusalem, that was signed by the Muslims after they defeated the
occupying Romans granting the non-Muslim citizens the Freedom of Belief, and The Security of their life,
possessions and places of worship.
21
Quran 2 : 143

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examples of marrying women, sleeping some nights and fasting selectively stating that
those who have no regard for his traditions were not considered to be from amongst his
followers.

Vows that violate the laws of nature such as deliberately denying oneself food, water,
sleep etc are not valid, and Islam asks that such vows should be broken Immediately.

Terrorism.

Does Islam Foster Terrorism? The answer is plain and simple. Restraining the freedom of
an animal and denying it food has landed a woman in hell fire says one Islamic story,
whilst a Prostitute with all her carnal sins is forgiven and destined for Paradise simply for
climbing down a well to bring water in her shoe to give to a thirsty dog holds another
Islamic legend.

And, as a leader, the 2nd Caliph of Islam, was found repairing an undulation in a road for
fear that he as a ruler would be considered liable to God should a passing animal be hurt
because of the fault in the road.

Thus, with such a huge emphasis on care and condition of animals, how can then the
same religion of Islam foster acts of Terrorism between human beings.

Did Islam Spread by the Sword?

“…History makes it clear, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping across the
world forcing Islam at the point of a sword over conquered lands is the most
fantastic Absurd Myth that Historians have ever repeated…”22

Over 14 Million Coptic Christians living in Arab Muslim lands are a further testimony to
the fact that Islam did not spread by the sword. Furthermore, Nearly 80% non-Muslim
Population of India which was once conquered and ruled by Muslims for over 1000 years
disproves that claim as well.

In Addition, there was an increase of 235% in the number of people adhering to the
Islamic faith during the 50 years between 1934 – 1984 , but there was no war in the same
period spearheaded by any Muslim Country.

Jihad

Jihad does “not” mean “Holy War” as the media would like you to believe. The term
“Holy War” was originally coined to refer to the campaigns of the Crusaders. It has “NO”
relevance to the concept of striving for good as enshrined in the Islamic term JIHAD.

22
O’Leary: Islam at the Cross Roads, p8

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Therefore, for the media and for some other elements of the civic society to use the term
“Holy War” in such a way so as to make it appear to describe the Quranic concept of
Striving for good and betterment, is a travesty of Justice. Jihad, is a generic term referring
to any struggle or striving and is not an exclusively Islamic term.

Jihad An-Nafs or Striving to Purify one's soul and actions in day-to-day to affairs is
considered as the best form of Jihad(struggle). The Quran states that : “By The Soul and
the Proportion and order given to it, And it's inspiration as to it's wrongs and
rights...Truly he succeeds who purifies his soul”23

In Islam, looking After and Taking Care of One’s Parents takes priority over going to
war.

There is No Permission in Islam for a War of Aggression, the only scenario in which War
is permissible is in self-defence when attacked, and, even then, the Limits have to be
observed as stated very clearly in this verse of the Quran : “Fight in the Cause of Allah
only those who attack and fight against you but do not transgress limits for Allah
loveth not the transgressors.”24

23
Quran 91 : 7-10
24
Quran 2 : 190

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