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Fatwa CenterSuicide does not shorten one’s destined life term
Question
Does suicide change one’s life term that has been determined for him?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
Allaah The Almighty predetermined a life term for every soul as He Says (what means): {And for every nation is a [specified] term. So when their time has come, they will not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede [it].}[Quran 7:34] No living being will die except after its predetermined sustenance and life term come to an end. This was reported on the authority of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam . [Ibn Hibbaan]
Hence, the life term of the person who commits suicide comes to an end because of this suicide. However, the fact that it has already been predetermined does not mean that he is not worthy of punishment for what he does. Allaah The Almighty has granted man the ability and will to enable him to do whatever he wants and avoid whatever he chooses. Therefore, if one commits a prohibited act despite the fact that he can avoid it, then he is willingly violating the commands of Allaah The Almighty. This makes him worthy of punishment. One cannot violate a law in Sharee‘ah and justify his action by the fact that Allaah The Almighty predestined it to happen since no one would accept such an allegation from a person who does him wrong.
Moreover, one does not know what Allaah The Almighty has predestined, hence, when he proceeds to commit some sin, he can never be certain whether Allaah The Almighty has predestined that to happen or not. This is why the person who commits suicide deserves to be punished.
Allaah Knows best.
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