Allaah accepts the repentance of the one who repents Fatwa No: 54026
- Fatwa Date:9-1-2014
What is the ruling on the one who was about to commit suicide and was rescued at the last moment? That was because she had some psychological problems and suffered from whispers. It was a 19-year-old young woman. She experienced some harsh social conditions with her family that ended up with the separation of her parents while she was still very young. Then she went to live with her father who married another woman. The death of her father had a serious effect on her especially because he treated her kindly and took good care of her, trying as much as possible to fill the space left by her mother. So, what is the ruling on what she did? Is there any good advice from the Quran for her to help her get rid of these devilish whispers that invade her every night and make her imagine the ghost of her father calling her to come out of her home and join him? May Allaah Reward you.
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.
Committing suicide is one of the grave major sins. Allaah The Almighty Decreed that the one who commits suicide will dwell permanently in Hell. It was narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Whoever kills himself with a piece of iron, that piece of iron will be in his hand and he will be stabbing himself in the stomach with it in Hell forever. Whoever takes poison and kills himself, his poison will be in his hand and he will be sipping it in Hell forever. Whoever throws himself down from a mountain and kills himself will be in Hell throwing himself down therein forever.” [Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim and Al-Musnad]
Consequently, she should thank Allaah The Almighty greatly for Saving her from committing suicide. Also, she should turn to Allaah The Almighty in repentance from this grave major sin immediately, having real regret for she was undutiful and unmindful of Allaah The Almighty, and she should resolve never to return to that sin in the future. If she did so, then let her be happy for Allaah The Almighty Will Forgive her. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And it is He Who Accepts repentance from His servants and Pardons misdeeds, and He Knows what you do.} [Quran 42:25]
Moreover, she should do a great deal of good deeds and recite the Quran for good deeds remove evil deeds. She should bear the death of her father with patience. All people should be tried with some afflictions, however, only those who bear these afflictions with patience receive the great reward for that. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.} [Quran 39:10]
In fact, any affliction is nothing if it is compared with the death of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and not having the chance to see and accompany him.
Furthermore, she should say what the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, taught us to say in such situations. It was narrated that Umm Salamah (the Prophet's, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, wife) said that she heard the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, as saying: “There is no Muslim who is stricken with a calamity and says, ‘Verily to Allaah we belong and unto Him is our return. O Allaah, Reward me for my affliction and Compensate me with something better’ – but Allaah Will Compensate him with something better.” [Muslim]
As for the ghost of her father that orders her to come out of her home to join him, it is a kind of the whispers of the devil because death is not up to us. No one knows when and where he will die. So, she should beware of these whispers to keep herself away from committing the grave major sin of suicide and from being tortured in Hell. At that moment the devil will disassociate himself from her. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means) on behalf of the devil: {But I had no authority over you except that I invited you, and you responded to me. So do not blame me; but blame yourselves.} [Quran 14:22]
Finally, she should seek refuge with Allaah from the whispers of the devil, do a great deal of remembering Allaah The Almighty, and accompany good pious young women to remind and help her in doing every good deed.
Allaah Knows best.