SUICIDE

Answer: Although there is not a specific verse on suicide in the Holy Qur’an, we can say that the verdict on killing someone else can be applied to the case of killing one’s own self. As’ killing another human being is a murder, taking one’s own life is also a murder. As Allah (The Lord of Glory and Majesty) commands in the Holy Quran that killing one human being is equivalent of the entire humanity:

“It is because of this that We ordained for (all humankind, but particularly for) the Children of Israel: He who kills a soul unless it be (in legal punishment) for murder or for causing disorder and corruption on the earth will be as if he had killed all humankind; and he who saves a life will be as if he had saved the lives of all humankind. ” (5:32)

On the other hand, one of the five principles that a man should protect is his own self. One can even deduce that the entire legal system is based on these five principles, which are protection of self, mind, religion, generation and estates or belongings. Moreover protection of self becomes before all of these principles. From this perspective, a person is responsible for protecting its own self as like that person has to protect its belief system, its country’s boundaries, its future, its estates, its honor and chastity. One’s self is so worthy, and protection of self is so important that, in case of an attack against one’s self, that person is permitted to intervene other’s selves.

Betraying the Entrust

The self is an important entrust given to mankind by Allah. As faith, religious affairs, serving for God’s sake are responsibilities assigned to mankind, so as the carrier of all these tasks, the self is also such an invaluable entrust to humankind. As one does not have a life, one cannot carry on and conduct any of those tasks in its life. In this regard, ending one’s own life with its own willpower means killing the self that is responsible for handling all others entrusts given by the Almighty.

Mankind comes to this world as a soldier and undertakes certain responsibilities. In this regard, a person has to learn to be patient and endure until it gets the invitation to pass away. As in the case of a soldier leaving its unit before honorably discharged by its commanding officer, it will be treated as a fugitive, so is the case of a person taking its life before the owner signs its discharge document, and all the good deeds done during its entire life will vanish. Let suicide aside, even for praying God and asking for one’s own death due to various problems is considered as a sin. As such a wish could mean to oppose or rebel against the destiny and faith designed by the Almighty. For that reason, if someone utters such words even by accident, should run to repentance and ask for forgiveness as if it had committed a real murder. If thoughts like these are considered as wrongdoing, deciding on the time of its own discharge from the tasks of this life will be accounted as a great disrespect to the Almighty. The ultimate decision on this matter is up to the Lord. God is the One sending man to this world, so will be the One sending a man to the Hereafter. Mankind does not have a say on this issue.