Dear Brothers in faith!

Western societies these days live in social and physical

diseases as a result of a negative effect of its material civilization. Alcohol and
drugs are widely taken in an attempt to escape from the bitter psychological
condition and in search of happiness. Suicide as a matter of fact, is regarded the
ultimate means of permanent escape from the hell and woes of this life. This
phenomenon is indisputably caused by the breakdown of family structure in these
societies and harmful craving for the material hence making an average westerner
feel confused, lost and dejected thereby wishing to get out of these problems by
ending his or her life. Statistics from these societies are enough an evidence to
testify to this.

Each year, 38,000 Americans die by suicide, according to the National Institute of
Mental Health more than those who die by homicide. In fact, self-harm has
been taking more lives annually around the world than war, murder and natural
disasters combined.

It is not strange that a kaafir commits suicide, because, he does not have any
fortress of faith that could protect him, neither a strong family structure nor a
loving community.

Indeed, frequency of suicidal cases all over the world most especially in the
western countries is a vivid indication that, despite all this huge advancement that
the modern civilization boasts of, it has failed woe-fully in providing the primary
needs of man.

Suicide is not a new phenomenon. Al-Bukhaaree reported in his Saheeh on the
authority of Sahl Ibn Sad As-Saaidee (RA) that:
The Prophet (SAW) looked at a man who was fighting the unbelievers and he
was of the wealthy Muslims who are in the least in need of idolators. The
Prophet (SAW) said: Who ever wishes to know a man among the dwellers of
Hell-fire should look at this man. So, a man followed him. The man kept on
fighting until he was injured. He could not wait to die of that wound so he took
the tip of his sword, put it in between his breasts and press his body against it
until it pierced through his shoulders. Then, the Prophet (SAW) said: A man
may be doing what people might perceive as a deed of people of Paradise while
he is indeed, among the dwellers of Hell. And he may be doing what will seem in
peoples perception a deed of dwellers of Hell, while in actual sense, he is among
the dwellers of Paradise. Verily, all deeds are judged according to its ending.

This was what happened in the first generation of Islam, though it was very rare.
However, when cases of suicide become frequent in any given Muslim society,
alarm has to be raised so that the situation may be adequately studied, analyzed and
given solutions.

Fellow Muslims! Life is a gift from Allah the Creator. It is a right that should be
protected. Man has no hand in its creation. It is rather a trust put in his hand.

Therefore, committing aggression against it is an offence that has as its
consequence the severest sin and a great punishement in the hereafter. The Prophet
(SAW) said:
It is sacred for every Muslim, the life, property and honour of every
Muslim. (Muslim)

It is also because of preserving the life that Islam forbids fighting and war among
Muslims. Abu Bakr (RA) reported that the Prophet (SAW) said:
If two Muslims were to face each other with their words; the killer and the
killed would be in Hell. He (Abu Bakr) said: This is the killer, what about the
killed? He said: Because he was eager to kill his companion. (Al-Bukhari &
Muslim)

Brothers in Faith! No matter how a disease or poverty affects man, he has no right
to kill himself. If he however does that, he becomes a dweller of Hell. Allah says:

And do not kill yourselves. Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you.

And whoever commits that through aggression and injustice, we shall cast him
into the fire, and that is easy for Allah. (Surah An-Nisaa 4:29-30)

Amr Ibn Al-Aas used this verse as an evidence for his abstention from taking
bath with cold water when he became impure during the battle of Dhaatus-Salaasil
because he was afraid of dying of cold, and the Prophet approved his deed, smiled
at him and said nothing. Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah also
said:
He who strangles himself to death, shall keep on strangling himself in the Hell
and He who stabs himself to death shall keep on stabing himself in Hell. (Al-
Bukhari)
He (SAW) also said:
There was among those who were before you, a man who had a wound. The
man could not bear the pain of that wound, so he took a knife and cut his hand
with it and as a result, bled to death. Allah then said: My slave has caused
death on himself hurriedly and for this, I have made Paradise forbidden for
him. (Al-Bukhari)

The person who killed himself has no excuse, however his distress may be, for,
what he resorted to is more severe than what he escaped from and what he losses
would be greater than whatever he might have gained by killing himself. There is
no argument in the fact that the distress and grief of this world that is caused by
illness, poverty, disgrace and misery are great and successive but all that by no
means should not drive the affected person into destroying his own life. If we are
to accept the excuse of the person who kills himself, this world would have
remained without inhabitants and Allahs Law on this worldly life would have
changed.

Let us ask the person who killed himself, what did he want to gain from
perpetrating this act? Did he want by drinking a deadly poison, burning himself
or hanging himself to escape into a world that is free from all problems? If that
was his intention he has done a great mistake because, he would be treated
according to Divine Justice with what contradicts his intention and wish by
preparing for him a reward that is of the same kind of what he did in order to make
his punishment perpetual.

It is weakness of faith that makes a person when he fails at an undertaking or is
affected by a pain or losses in a business deal or suffers family problems unable
to bear what befalls him. He therefore, sees the whole world as full of darkness and
as a bitter torment, thereby losing hope and attempting killing himself to escape
from that torment.

Dear Brothers! It is of the law of Allah to test his servants with different kinds of
tribulations. The Almighty says:

And certainly We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth,
lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient ones. (Surah Al-Baqarah
2:155-157)

Allah tests His slaves by making them different from one another in terms of
talents and wealth and that is in accordance with His law. He says:

And it is He who has made you generations coming after generations, replacing
each other on earth. And He has raised you in ranks some above others that He
may try you in that which He has bestowed on you. (Surah Al-Anaam 6:165)

If you ponder over Quranic verses, Sunnah texts and stories of true believers, you
will see many who have been afflicted with various kinds of huge tribulations, but
these people rather persevered, stood firm and were pleased with what Allah had
decreed for them.

It should also be noted that this affliction might be a prevention of a reprehensible
incidence or remedy for a sin or for elevation in position. If one then accepts it
wholeheartedly, he would get the desired result. The Prophet (SAW) says:
A Muslim will never be afflicted with hardship, suffering, distress, sorrow,
harm or sadness even prickled by a thorn except that Allah erases by that his
sins. (Al-Bukhari)

Dear brethren! Some people invite affliction to themselves through permanent
anxiety and sorrow by saying that: Why should I live a destitute life while others
are rich? Why should I be overpowered by illness while others are healthy? These
type of questions actually means protesting against Allah. This makes one lose his
faith and imposes despair over ones life. Allah says:

Is it they who would portion out the mercy of your Lord? I t is We Who portion
out between them their livelihood in this world and We raised some of them
above others in ranks.. (Surah Zukhruf 43:32)

If every member of the society is given a sound religious education, nobody will
gamble with his eternal felicity because of what he losses in this mundane world.
The belief in predestination in both its good and bad aspects makes one give good
interpretations to misfortunes of this life thereby regarding poverty as abstinence
from worldly luxuries, illness as a sort of Jihaad, regarding a failure as a way to
patience and a sorrow as an aspect of hope. The Messenger of Allah says:
The affair of the believer is wonderful! All affairs of his are good and that is
for none except the believer. I f he is blessed with prosperity he thanks (Allah)
and that is good for him. And when he is afflicted with an adversity he
perseveres and that is also good for him. (Muslim)

In order to alleviate the pain of affliction on the soul; the afflicted person should
console himself by looking at those who are also afflicted with one calamity or
another. Let him look at the Prophets peace be on them who are the most
afflicted. Prophet Yousuf was jailed;

So he stayed in prison a few more years. (Surah Yousuf 12:42)
Muhammad (SAW) was driven out of his birthplace and wounded during the battle
of Uhud. Prophet Ayoub was afflicted with tribulations for good eighteen years
and the tribulations claimed all his properties and children. Allah says:

And (remember) J ob (Prophet Ayoub) when he cried to his Lord: Verily,
distress has seized me, and You are the most merciful of all those who show
mercy. So We answered his call, and We removed the distress that was on him,
and We restored his family (that he had lost) to him, and the like thereof along
with them as a mercy from Ourselves and a Reminder for all those who worship
Us. (Surah Al-Anbiyaa 21:83-84)

Brother in Faith! Whenever you find your self in fear, sorrow or grief, just rise up
and pray; you will get relief and peace of mind.
The Prophet (SAW) when an issue gave him concern used to say: O Bilaal, make
a call to prayer and relieve us with it. (Abu Daawood)

When you have little money, much debts and meager income just say: Hasbuna
llahu wanimal-wakeel.[i.e. Allah Alone is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best
Disposser of affairs].

Also keep the company of good people because being in solitude and keeping
away from righteous company make one succumb to the whims of Satan. Have
patience and perseverance however big the calamity may be, for, victory comes
through perseverance.

Fellow Muslims! There is no doubt in the fact that, the person who committed
suicide would bear the consequences of his act, but the society should also bear a
part of it. That is because, if the victim of suicide had found considerate and
sympathetic people in the society If only he had found sincere guides and
counselors If only he had found a student of knowledge who could drive away
his insinuations If only he had found a society that is cohesive and united in
solidarity, the problem of suicide would not have occurred.

Brethren in Islam! Some films present suicide as means of escaping from problems
and adversities and impressing that on the psyche of the growing generations of
this time as it also increase tension and worriness and stimulate love of aggression,
alcohol and drugs. In order to protect our youths from these evils, we should
inculcate in them through our educational institutions how to understand trials,
Islamic perspective of this mundane life and how to bear hardships with patience
right from childhood. We should also implant the faith in Allah in their hearts and
make them understand the true concept of Imaan in Predestination and Allahs
Decree and prevent them from watching films that may destroy these concepts in
their minds. The community should also strengthen social and brotherly
relationship among individuals. The Imaams and Scholars have a major role to
play in this regard.

Brothers in Faith! Let us close this sermon with a saying of the Prophet (SAW) that
goes thus:
Whoever throws himself down from the top of a mountain, and killed himself
shall be in the Hell-fire throwing himself down forever. Whoever drinks a poison
and kills himself thereby shall be holding the poison in his hand in the Hell-fire
drinking it forever. Whoever kills himself with a piece of iron shall be holding
his piece of iron in his hand in the Hell-fire and stabbing himself with in the
stomach forever.