Bukhari

Benefits and Issues:
Relevance between the Chapter and the Hadith:
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah established a chapter regarding the punishment for one who commits suicide, and the hadith mentions this punishment. In reality, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah established an ambiguous chapter as to whether the funeral prayer should be performed for the one who commits suicide or not.

Ibn al-Munir states:
It is the habit of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah that when he is uncertain about a matter, he establishes an ambiguous chapter on it. It is as if he wants to draw attention to the method of ijtihad (independent reasoning). It is narrated from Imam Malik that the repentance of a murderer is not accepted, and this necessitates that the funeral prayer should not be performed for him. This is the intent of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah. In the hadith of Sunan al-Nasa’i, there is an indication of this matter: when the funeral of a person who had committed suicide was brought to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he said, “But I will not perform his funeral prayer.” Therefore, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not perform the funeral prayer, but the Companions did. This means that, as a lesson, the imam or a pious person should not perform the prayer, but others may do so, because the one who commits suicide is not outside the fold of Islam. Imam Nawawi rahimahullah also established a chapter on this issue in Sahih Muslim, intending to prove that the one who commits suicide is not a disbeliever.

Safiyyur Rahman Mubarakpuri rahimahullah states in his commentary on Sahih Muslim:
“The majority leans towards the view that the funeral prayer will be performed for him, and it is said that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not perform the funeral prayer for the one who committed suicide so that it would serve as a warning for the people.” [منة المنعم، ج2، ص78]

This issue is also indicated by another hadith, which Ibn Asakir rahimahullah mentions in his book Tarikh Ibn Asakir:
“A man asked the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam: My mother suffered greatly and did not break her fast, and she died in that state. Should I perform the funeral prayer for her? The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: Go and perform the prayer for her, and indeed your mother killed herself.” [تاريخ دمشق، ج9، ص104]

Therefore, from the above narration of Tarikh Ibn Asakir, it is clear that the funeral prayer can be performed for one who commits suicide. Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhlawi writes:
«ويؤيد مذهب الجمهور ماتقدم من رواية النسائي : ”اما انا فلا أصلي“»
The aforementioned hadith supports the view of the majority, as the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, as mentioned in Sunan al-Nasa’i: “But I will not perform it.”

Imam Nawawi rahimahullah writes:
«وأجاب الجمهور عن هذا الحديث بأن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم لم يصل عليه بنفسه زجرًا للناس عن مثل فعله، وصلّت عليه الصحابة . . .» [المنهاج، ج7، ص47]
That is, the majority said that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not perform the funeral prayer for the one who committed suicide so that people would be warned (that this is a very grave sin), and the Companions performed the prayer for him. This is exactly like the case when the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not perform the funeral prayer for a debtor, but the Companions did, so that people would be warned who are negligent in paying debts.

Ibn Battal rahimahullah states:
«اجمع الفقهاء و اهل السنة ان من قتل نفسه لا يخرج بذالك من الاسلام، و انه يصلي عليه و اثمه عليه و يدفن فى مقابر المسلمين، و لم يكره الصلاة عليه الا عمر بن عبد العزيز و الاوزاعي فى خاصة انفسهما، والصواب : قول الجماعة، لأنه صلى الله عليه وسلم بين الصلاة على المسلمين، ولم يستثن منهم أحدا فيصلي على جميعهم : الاخيار والاشرار، الا الشهداء الذين اكرمهم بعد بالشهادة» [شرح ابن بطال، ج249/2، التوضيح شرح الجامع الصحيح، ج10، ص137]
“That is, there is consensus among Ahl al-Sunnah and the jurists that one who commits suicide is not outside of Islam. The funeral prayer will be performed for him, and the sin (of suicide) will be upon him, and he will be buried in the Muslim graveyard. No one has considered it disliked to perform the funeral prayer for such people except Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz and Imam Awza’i, and this is specific only to these two (i.e., no one else holds this view). And the correct view is that the majority say that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam clarified the obligation of performing the funeral prayer for Muslims, and he did not make any exception in this ruling. Therefore, the funeral prayer will be performed for all, whether they are righteous or sinful, except for the martyrs upon whom Allah has bestowed honor through martyrdom.”

From the above quotations, it is clear that the imam of the time should not perform the funeral prayer for the one who commits suicide, but others may do so, so that people may take a lesson from it.

Ibn al-Mulaqqin rahimahullah states:
It is disliked for the imam and people of virtue to perform the funeral prayer (for the one who committed suicide), and likewise, anyone who commits a major sin is not outside of faith; this is a deterrent for them. Thus, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not perform the funeral prayer for the one who killed himself with a spear. [التوضيح لشرح الجامع الصحيح، ج10، ص127، تحفة الفقهاء، ج1، ص248، 249، الاختيار، ج1، ص169]

An Objection and Its Answer:
Imam Qurtubi rahimahullah has raised an objection here that perhaps he became a disbeliever at the time of death. On this basis, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not perform the funeral prayer for him. Because if a Muslim commits suicide, then according to all scholars, the funeral prayer will be performed for him.

The answer is that in Sunan al-Nasa’i, there is a clear statement from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam: «انا اصلي عليه» “But I will not perform the prayer.”

In reality, the Companions were not being prohibited from performing the prayer; rather, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam only said for himself that he would not perform it. Therefore, the Companions radi Allahu anhum performed it.

Muhammad bin Ali al-Aytubi hafizahullah writes:
«فدل على انه مسلم وليس بكافر، وأما تركه صلى الله عليه وسلم الصلاة عليه مع كونه مسلمًا، زجرًا بغيره لئلّا يتجاسروا بقتل أنفسهم» [ذخيرة العقبيٰ فى شرح المجتبيٰ، ج19، ص264، 265]
“That is, this is evidence that he (the one who committed suicide) was a Muslim, not a disbeliever. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not perform the funeral prayer for him, despite his being a Muslim, so that people would be warned and not kill themselves.”

Therefore, the relevance between the chapter heading and the hadith is that the funeral prayer for the one who commits suicide may be performed by ordinary people, but not by the people of virtue or the imam of the time. This is the intent of the chapter heading. «والله عالم»

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In a narration from Jabir bin Samurah radi Allahu anhu, it is reported that a man who had killed himself with a spear was brought to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and he did not perform his funeral prayer. (Sahih Muslim, Al-Jana'iz, Hadith: 2262(978))
However, in the narration of Sunan an-Nasa'i, it is mentioned that he said:
"I will not perform his funeral prayer."
(Sunan an-Nasa'i, Al-Jana'iz, Hadith: 1966)
But he did not prevent his noble Companions radi Allahu anhum from doing so.
From this, it is understood that scholars and leaders of influence should refrain from performing the funeral prayer for such a person so that others may take heed from it, because now, for punishment and admonition, we have nothing else besides this.
This appears to be the inclination of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah as well.

(2)
There are two scenarios regarding swearing an oath by a religion other than Islam:
٭ If someone says, "If I do such-and-such, then I am a Jew or a Christian."
This is one type of oath.
If he breaks it, he must offer expiation.
If he knowingly does the act, intending to actually become a Jew or a Christian, then in such a case he will be declared outside the fold of Islam.
If this is not the case, then the ugliness and reprehensibility of this evil statement remains, but he will not be a disbeliever.
٭ If he swears by the other religion, saying, "By Judaism or Christianity, I will do such-and-such," then this statement will be considered a lie.
He will not become a disbeliever by this, because there is no reverence for the other religion in his heart; however, saying such a thing as an oath does indicate a kind of reverence.
And Allah knows best.