Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim
Human nature is skewed in a way to give sporadic appreciation to Allah the Creator of all things for numerous reasons. Appreciating the principalities of worth gives right-thoughts and deeds against heinous vices of which suicide is integral. Abundant blessing be upon the soul of noble Messenger for harbinger of celebrated ways to both mundane and spiritual success. This edition would take on discourse around the mystery of suicide as a plague becoming endemic eating deep into the fabrics of the modern society. In this part of the clime, we have nearly lost count of suicide cases and it had become worrisome if not shaking the root of human existence.
What is suicide? In a layman's languages of understanding, it is taking one's soul. This is open to various means ranging from using kinetic to non-kinetic and to spiritual. It is act of killing oneself deliberately or otherwise. It is a non-human prerogative to aid or albeit termination of soul of other beings how much more of one's soul. The Glorious Qur'an in several portions bears categorically on the sanctity of life. 'Do not take a soul which Allah has made sacred.....(Qur'an 6:51, 17:33 & 25:68). Suicide is absurd to the nature of fragility and gentility of soul when alive and at the point of exit. A statement credited to the noble Messenger Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (SAW)) maintains that: 'يخرج روح المؤمن من جسده كما يخرج الشعر من العجين' meaning: 'Soul takes process of exit from son of Adam like a piece of hair being extracted from cassava floor.'
Against the backdrop of suicide act, the report from the noble Messenger is enough to contend with against the act. 'Anyone who terminated his own life would be resurrected carrying on his hand the exact object or substance with which he perpetrated the cat of suicide.' More often that not the act of killing began from the son of Adam (Alayhi s Salaam) i.e Qabil to Habil over 'who marries the twin sister of who'. The culprit Qabil bears the brunt of the killing in particular and that of every other killings emanating from mankind as the originator of the act. This is premised on Allah's categorical statement in Qur'an 5: 27-30 which says: 'For that We had declared that whoever kills a soul unjustly is as if he kills all human and vice versa'. Further strength is given to the provision by the statement of the noble Messenger saying
من سن سنة يلتمس به الى الخير فله اجره واجر من اقتدى به
meaning: 'Whosoever innovated something from where others find ways to certain level of advantage will be rewarded without hindering the reward of those who emulated him.'
The maiden killing mentioned above is equally attached with the law of retribution (Qisas), a Shari'ah provision which allows to revenge for life or taking Diyyah (Blood money) as compensation in return. Granted that this is allowed in murder and manslaughter, who pays blood money to whom in the case of suicide. This offers psychological trauma of not only complete denial and cutting off the benefits usually accrued to human beings such as area of inheritance and other economic sustainance. The vertex bone that breaks the camel back is that suicide unleash immense trauma of stigmatization to parents, children, relatives, friends and allieds.
To this end, the World Suicide Prevention Day was first on September 10, 2003 and since enjoyed the collaborations of the International Association on Suicide Prevention (IASP), World Health Organisation (WHO) and World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) to hold World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) and it held in nothing less than forty countries of the world. Demographically, the WHO's Mental Health Atlas (WMHA) had published the staggering data which implant on suicide. No Low-Income nations had strategies in place for prevention of suicide. This emanates from the fact that there exists little or no drive for such a provision in tandem for the question about dearth of Human Rights Activities materials on sales in Saudi Arabia as at our visit in 2016. Furthermore, less than 10% of Middle-Income nations have prevention policies on suicide as compared with 33% of Upper-Income nations that have suicide prevention policies in place. In the exact premise, about 720,000 suicide-related death is recorded annually according to WHO's Suicide Atlas and this is said to be common among 15-29 year olds as it firms the 3rd cause of death among the class of people.
What are the likely areas of intervention on prevention of suicide? First, the above-mentioned International Organisations' target in this direction include organising global, regional and sub-continental focus groups to awaken unalloyed awareness on suicide prevention. Not only that, efforts are directed towards avoidance of stigmatisation. Another main area of prevention faces include de-mystifying the taboo of discussion about suicide act. Strengthenig nations of verifiable data generation would enhance experimental analysis on suicide prevention. The sensibility and illegality of suicide is al galvanised for possible stamping out the menace. Ensuring no under-reporting and miaclassification of suicide act would go a long way in preventing suicide.
Suicide Risk Factors that implant on preventive measures include but not limited to ameliorating the feelings of pains and hopelessness. It must be clarified that beyond the level of ordinary polemics about suicide prevention, relevant Authorities should fasten up concerted measures on prevention of uncontrolled access to means of killing oneself. This means that stiffer measures are long overdue on ban on importation and local production of firearms, incriminating chemicals and inprdinate behaviour.
Meanwhile, Allah (SWT) is not unaware of vicissitude in life around which unlimited promotion is attached. In matters of mundane and spiritual abounds several challenges the summountation of which endears someone to Allah (SWT). Not only that, managing challenges of life offers tremendous succor for contentment and avalanche of success. These are however, hingeg on level of piety (Taqwa) in relation to Allah and better disposition towards several other beings. There is no amount of complains that can guarantee success with towing the line accredited by Allah, the Creator of fortune and misfortune.
It is to this end that the noble Messenger Muhammad (SAW) was reported having said: 'Allah (SWT) warns that O children of Adam on never disenchant worship, and I will fill your mind with wealth capable of preventing poverty; else you are declared for unnecessary engagements that would engross with penury.' It is evident from the Hadith that being successful may not be immune of challenges but steadfastness leads to unimaginable achievements.
No one even the noble Messenger Muhammad and several Prophets before him had to coope with several challenges. This is the reason de tat for Allah's declaration to the Messenger Muhammad to serve as warn to the followers. 'Say: 'I have no power over any good or harm to myself except as Allah wills. If I had knowledge of the unseen. I should have multiplied all good, and no evil shouldhave touched me: I am but a warner, and bringer of glad tidings to those who have faith (Qur'an 7:188 & 10:49)'. Based on this Qur'an provision, this topic is evaluated on the basis of the fact that no one is immune of misfortune and extenuating its effects to the level of committing suicide is not only heinous but also inhuman. It is on this basis that complete Islamic orientation for people around us becomes imminent. Taking to patience as the the ultimate solution (Qur'an 2:154), taking good counsel and addressing positive thinking are important. Nothing should be taken with 'do or die' syndrome, being prayerful and spoiling for ultimate benefits would help the course of humanity. Above all, being less-cortipt in practice, addressing self to human services, complete reliance on Allah and good governance are expected measures to prevent suicide act and its numerous effects. Till we meet again in the next edition, stay blessed and thanks for reading.
DR.RAZAQ BOLAWAYE UTHMAN, IMAM & MISSIONER ANSAR-UD-DEEN SOCIETY OF NIGERIA IPAJA BRANCH LAGOS STATE NIGERIA. https://www.slaipaclass.com ©Copyrights 2025
0 Comments