Source: Excerpt from the book “Ahkām wa Masā’il Kitāb‑o‑Sunnat ki Roshni Main” by Shaykh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani
In the light of the Qur’an and Hadith, please explain whether suicide (intentionally killing oneself) is ever permissible, and if so, under what circumstances?
Suicide is strictly forbidden (ḥarām) in Islam and is not permissible under any circumstance.
Sayyidunā Thābit bin Ḍaḥḥāk رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ بِشَيْءٍ عُذِّبَ بِهِ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ»
“Whoever kills himself with something will be punished with that same thing in the Fire of Hell.”
Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«مَنْ خَنَقَ نَفْسَهُ فَهُوَ يَتَخَنَّقُ فِي النَّارِ، وَمَنْ طَعَنَ نَفْسَهُ فَهُوَ يَطْعُنُهَا فِي النَّارِ»
“Whoever strangles himself will keep strangling himself in the Fire, and whoever stabs himself will keep stabbing himself in the Fire.”
From these authentic narrations, it is clearly established that:
◈ Suicide—intentionally destroying one’s own life—is ḥarām in Islam.
◈ The method used to kill oneself will become a means of punishment in the Hellfire on the Day of Resurrection.
◈ No situation, condition, or hardship makes suicide permissible.
➤ Regardless of how severe or difficult the circumstances may be, a Muslim is strictly required to abstain from suicide.
➤ Preserving life is an obligation, and despair never justifies self-destruction in Islam.
❖ Question:
In the light of the Qur’an and Hadith, please explain whether suicide (intentionally killing oneself) is ever permissible, and if so, under what circumstances?
❖ Answer:
Suicide is strictly forbidden (ḥarām) in Islam and is not permissible under any circumstance.
Sayyidunā Thābit bin Ḍaḥḥāk رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ بِشَيْءٍ عُذِّبَ بِهِ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ»
“Whoever kills himself with something will be punished with that same thing in the Fire of Hell.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Janāʾiz, Bāb mā jāʾa fī qātil al-nafs: 1363
Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«مَنْ خَنَقَ نَفْسَهُ فَهُوَ يَتَخَنَّقُ فِي النَّارِ، وَمَنْ طَعَنَ نَفْسَهُ فَهُوَ يَطْعُنُهَا فِي النَّارِ»
“Whoever strangles himself will keep strangling himself in the Fire, and whoever stabs himself will keep stabbing himself in the Fire.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Janāʾiz, Bāb mā jāʾa fī qātil al-nafs: 1365
❖ Ruling Derived from These Aḥādīth:
From these authentic narrations, it is clearly established that:
◈ Suicide—intentionally destroying one’s own life—is ḥarām in Islam.
◈ The method used to kill oneself will become a means of punishment in the Hellfire on the Day of Resurrection.
◈ No situation, condition, or hardship makes suicide permissible.
Conclusion:
➤ Regardless of how severe or difficult the circumstances may be, a Muslim is strictly required to abstain from suicide.
➤ Preserving life is an obligation, and despair never justifies self-destruction in Islam.
