Wants Fatwa to kill himself
Fatwa No: 82984

Question

I am 17 years old and I am Muslim I want to know if I can kill myself? I suffered since I was little first by illness and then with my father who drinks too much and tortures me and my mother. Now I suffer because of the people I love. I don't want to live any longer; I hope for death. So can I kill myself in Islam? Please try to find me a Fatwa to allow me to kill my self.

Answer

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

Know, Dear Sister, that the life in this world is a life of trials. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {Who has created death and life, that He may test you which of you is best in deed.}[67:2] Allah also Says: {Verily! We have made that which is on earth as an adornment for it, in order that We may test them (mankind) as to which of them are best in deeds. [i.e. those who do good deeds in the most perfect manner, that means to do them (deeds) totally for Allâh's sake and in accordance to the legal ways of the Prophet].}[18:7]
These trials are of many kinds. They can be of the good as they can be of the bad. Diseases and illnesses are but forms of trials, so are poverty and parents being harsh to their children. The believer should feel and see the blessing through these trials as Allah might raise his status in Paradise through them if the person is patient and if he accepts these trials and see them as a preordination. The person should then be patient and forbearing if he wants Allah to reward him. The person might have committed sins and Allah wants to purify him through these trials from these sins in this life hence not punishing him on The Day of Judgement.
Allah has tried, the Prophets, His best people with all kinds of trials. Prophet Ibrahim (Peace and blessing be upon him) was afflicted by a father who was a disbeliever and who refused to become a Muslim. His father preferred worshipping idols. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {He (the father) said: "Do you reject my gods, O Ibrâhim (Abraham)? If you stop not (this), I will indeed stone you. So get away from me safely (before I punish you)."}[19:46]
Prophet Ayyoub (Peace and blessing be upon him) was afflicted by disease for eighteen years. The disease caused him much pain. But he continued to patient and forbearing, seeking the reward of Allah. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {And (remember) Ayûb (Job), when he cried to his Lord: "Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy."}[21:83]. Our beloved Muhammad (Peace and blessing be upon him) underwent the worst of trials. He was harmed in the worst way possible. But this only made him more patient and more forbearing, seeking the great reward from Allah. Prophet Muhammad while undergoing these trials said addressing Allah: "……. If you are not angry with me, I do not mind". In fact the Prophets are our ideals.
So, we should imitate them in everything, in their worshipping and in their behaviour towards trials and everything else. No person has lived without being afflicted by some kind of trial. Those who accept, their preordination with patience and forbearance are rewarded by Pleasing Allah and those who do not are punished by Allah's Anger. Have you visited the hospitals and the psychiatric centers? Have you visited the prisons and the areas which were struck by natural disasters? Had you tried to make a comparison between yourself and these people you may be pleased with your situation. Are these people suffering more than you?
Dear sister, be patient and accept the trials Allah has afflicted you with to get the great reward of patience.
Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {Only those who are patient shall receive their rewards in full, without reckoning."}[39:10].
The Prophet also said: "Whoever struggles to keep patient, Allah gives him patience. Nobody has been given a gift better and larger than patience" [Reported by Imams Al Bukhari and Muslim].
Indeed one of the worst sins that a servant might commit is to lose hope in Allah and to have despair in his heart. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {…and never give up hope of Allâh's Mercy. Certainly no one despairs of Allâh's Mercy, except the people who disbelieve."}[12:87] Allah also Say: {[Ibrâhim (Abraham)] said: "And who despairs of the Mercy of his Lord except those who are astray?"}[15:56].
On the other hand, whoever thinks that killing himself will dispense all his worries he is wrong. In fact, what comes after death for such a person is permanent worry and, indeed, permanent punishment. The Prophet said: "Whoever throws himself from the top of a mountain killing himself, he will be thrown in Hell-fire tumbling in it forever and whoever drinks some poison and is killed his poison will remain in his hand and he shall keep on drinking it in Hell-fire where he will stay forever. And whoever kills himself with an iron (made material) his iron will remain in his hand and he shall keep on stabbing himself in the Hell-Fire, where he will stay forever". [Reported by Imam Al Bukhari].
The only way out of all these worries is the true belief in the reward that Allah keeps for the patient and the forbearing. So, seek refuge with Allah and supplicate Him, do as much Dhikr as you can and Allah will ease all your worries. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls Him, and Who removes the evil, and makes you inheritors of the earth, generations after generations. Is there any ilâh (god) with Allâh? Little is that you remember!}[27:62]
Remember that this life is temporary. When it ends and when the servant comes in front of Allah if he is from the dwellers of Paradise, he will be immersed in Paradise once and no matter how unhappy and miserable he was in this life he will forget all worries and misfortunes. Muslim reported from Anas that the Prophet said: "The happiest person in this life from the dwellers of Hell, on the Day of Judgement will be immersed in Hell-Fire once and then asked: "Have you ever seen any good?" He replies: "No. O! My Lord". Then the most unhappy and most miserable person in this life from the dwellers of Paradise on the Day of Judgement will be immersed in Paradise. Then he will be asked: "Have you ever seen any bad? Have you ever experienced any hardship? He replies: "No! O! My Lord. By the Name of Allah I have never seen any bad and have never experienced any hardship".
Try to advise your father explaining to him that he is following the wrong path and committing an abominable sin, if you can do so. If this does not help, then neither you nor your mother are committing a sin by doing so. Last if you find no other solution than leaving your father's home, it is lawful for you to do so. And maybe after a short period Allah will ease your worries and cure you from your disease. So be patient and encourage your mother to be patient too. Do as many good deeds as you can. Be true with Allah and seek refuge with Him. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {…And whosoever fears Allâh and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).}[65:2] Allah also Says: {…and whosoever fears Allâh and keeps his duty to Him, He will make his matter easy for him.}[65:4].

Allah knows best.

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