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Fatwa CenterWoman Committing Suicide If Raped
Question
Can a woman commit suicide if she is going to be raped?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
It is unlawful for the woman who was forced to commit Zina (fornication or adultery) to kill herself for the following reasons:
A. Killing oneself is a major sin greater than the sin of Zina. By committing Zina, one neglects the rights of Allah only, while killing a self means neglecting both the rights of Allah and those of a living person.
If a woman is raped while she resisted before and after the act, then she is not responsible for this Zina. The Prophet said: “Allah has forgiven for my Ummah what they do by mistake, what they do out of forgetfulness, and what they are forced to do.” [Ibn Maajah and Al Haakim who said that it is a sound Hadeeth] But killing a soul is a major sin and whoever commits it will be severely punished on the Day of Judgement. Al Bukhaari narrated that the Prophet said: “Whoever purposely throws himself from a mountain and kills himself, will be in Hellfire falling down into it and abiding therein perpetually forever; and whoever drinks poison and kills himself with it, he will be carrying his poison in his hand and drinking it in Hellfire wherein he will abide eternally forever; and whoever kills himself with an iron weapon, will be carrying that weapon in his hand and stabbing his abdomen with it in Hellfire wherein he will abide eternally forever.”
B. If the woman was able to resist even by beating the aggressor or killing him, this is considered in the Sharee’ah as a legitimate defense and no retribution is inflicted on her for this act. It is reported that a man was a guest in the Tribe of Hudhayl and he made sexual harassment to a woman. The woman threw a stone on him and he died. ‘Umar Ibn Al Khattab 
said: “By Allah, no blood money is due to him (this man) from her).” If the woman was killed while trying to prevent someone from violating her, she is a martyr. The Prophet said: “Whoever is killed while defending his honor, he is Shaheed (martyr).” [At-Tirmithi who classified it as Hassan]
Allah knows best.
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