Suicide in Islam

Suicide is prohibited in the Quran. ۞ وَلَا تَقۡتُلُواْ ٱلنَّفۡسَ ٱلَّتِي حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّۚ ذَٰلِكُمۡ وَصَّىٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ And do not kill the self that Allah has prohibited, except with the truth (i.e., by right, in the course of justice). [6:151] Allah Almighty sanctified our soul, so we are forbidden to kill it. The only time He sanctioned killing it is in the pursuit of justice. In another ayah, Allah Almighty said: يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَأْكُلُوٓا۟ أَمْوَٰلَكُم بَيْنَكُم بِٱلْبَـٰطِلِ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَ تِجَـٰرَةً عَن تَرَاضٍۢ مِّنكُمْ ۚ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًۭا ٢٩ And do not kill yourselves for Allah is most merciful towards you, And whoever does that out of hostility and wrongdoing, We will cast him into a fire and that is easy for Allah Almighty. [4:29-30] ‘Kill yourselves’ refers to killing others as well as killing one’s self. In another ayah, He said: وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ ۗ وَمَن قُتِلَ مَظْلُومًا فَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا لِوَلِيِّهِ سُلْطَانًا فَلَا يُسْرِف فِّي الْقَتْلِ ۖ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مَنصُورًا And do not kill the soul which God has made sacred, except in the course of justice. If someone is killed unjustly, We have given his next of kin certain authority. But he should not be excessive in killing, for he will be supported. [17:33] It is very clear from these verses that Allah Almighty is saying that you are forbidden to kill yourself or anyone else. Suicide is prohibited in the sunnah The sunnah confirms this prohibition in many narrations. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that 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 … Continue reading Suicide in Islam