How Should We Muslims View Assisted Suicide?
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One of my closest friend's dad passed away this morning and I came a short while ago from the graveyard where his dad was buried. He was diagnosed with a terminal cancer and I have had several talks with my friend over the past 1 year about his dad's situation where he almost spent the last year in hospital until his death. For past few months his dad was like in a state of comma and could not recoganise any one except the relatives keep visiting him and my friend told me that he could not stand seeing his dad in pain (when in pain his dad starts to make sounds only because he was not able to move his legs, hands). My friend said that doctors have tried all pain killers as they have to change the pain killers because after some time one type of pain killers does not work effectively. He was too old for second chemo therapy(he had one 3 years ago).
Yesterday evening after office hrs, myself, him and another friend were talking about his dad, as my friend wanted to go to pharmacies for search of another pain killer which doctors asked him to look for.
And that very moment, i shared the story of Brittany Maynard's case and my friend was not aware of it. His first reaction was he may go for such procedure so he would not see his father in such continuous pain, while my other friend kept saying that these are tests that our Lord has implied upon us and pain is part of test and if we believe in life after death then we can only have patience (the patient and all his close relatives) and keep on praying to provide cover (death) as suicide can never be an escape, though it may appear one. My friend said he and his family has been praying this for a year now (not knowing that tomorrow his dad will pass away) and seems nothing is happening.If you ask my opinion, I would say I can not say yes or no, these things are better to get an opinion from those who are involved with such cases directly, for sure it is the most sever pain to see your loves ones in such a state and yet you can not do anything about it. There is nothing in the world (as per my friend) that could comfort you, if your loved one is in pain, it is a 24x7 job for people around him to feel part of his pain, yet they have to keep on with their daily routine.
There are other type of situations where your loved one do not have a cancer but has a medical condition that is not terminal but you have to bear it rest of your life, so since the physical pain as well as emotional maybe the same as caner patients, one would also opt for same kind of assisted death for those cases as well, no??From a traditional islamic point of view, I have been told one should not take life with his/her own hands as it is Allah who will do that and you need to have patience if you believe in akhira.
I also feel, If we make a rule for such cases, then we introduce new elements into society where we will not be able to control and verify such cases, and there might be some misuse of this rule, God knows people may get rid of others or do bad things. But I think your question is conceptually if humans create such a policy, would it be haram or halal in the islamic sense.
Suicide and all its forms are not permissible in Islam as far as I know. But since this being a new forum for me with complete new look at islam, I would like to see what other folks say on this matter.
of course from the hadith point of view suicide is a major sin and I also hear your not supposed to conduct the funeral prayer for that person, but I also hear there is a difference of opinion on this one.
I Found verses from Quran, just for others to review them for a discussion.
2195 And spend in the cause of God, but do not throw your resources to disaster. And do good, for God loves those who do good.
6151 Say ?Come let me recite what your Lord has forbidden for you that you should not set up anything with Him; and do good to your parents; and do not kill your children for fear of poverty, We provide for you and for them; and do not come near immorality, what is public of it and private; and do not kill the life, as God has forbidden this, except in justice. That is what He enjoined you that you may comprehend"
2286 God does not burden a soul except with what it can bear. For it is what it earns, and against it is what it earns. ?Our Lord, do not mind us if we forget or make mistakes; our Lord, do not place a burden upon us as You have placed upon those before us; ourLord, do not place upon us what we cannot bear; pardon us, and forgive us, and have mercy on us; You are our patron, so grant us victory over the disbelieving people.?
In view of above, and if we want to put trust word of God in Quran then we should also have faith when allah said God does not burden a soul except with what it can bear. If i think then I feel yes we may see the person in pain and we can not bear seeing and we feel suicide is an escape but then who are we to decide when allah already confirmed that he will not put a burden more then one can bear... maybe each soul bearing is different.. For example if I do something wrong and I get hurt, i say to myself when in pain that it is due to my mistake that i caused this pain to myself and some how this makes me strong and i go thru the pain, while if some one else look upon me and not knowing what was going inside me, may feel a lot more pain then me...
I am going to say something which folks may not like it but i wish for example if prophet was within us (theoretically) and he will guide us in such cases as this one or have said something that I know from prophet, and am sure then that kind of statement from the prophet will never be like going against Quran.
Not sure how i said this, but i wish if you know what i really mean by this...Cheers
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Salam,
Don't worry Fusion, I understand what you mean on that last bit.
I think of suicide as a sin, but I try not to be arrogant about it. Hadithers like to believe particular sins are end game scenarios where there is no hope left for a person, obviously death is the end of your test and suicide is effectively telling God that you have nothing left to give him. Though it is his to Judge, not any prophet, not any supposed learned man of hadith, but God. God will measure our sins and weigh it against our good deeds, and its up to him and him alone to decide whether or not that sin was such a grievous crime that it can never be forgiven. My personal reading of the Quran suggests to me that there is no sin that is totally unforgivable, but I wouldn't like to say it as a certainty just my own view.
The problem is there is multiple levels of what might be defined as suicide
Accidental death The person commits an act that leads to their death, though it was unintended (not suicide)
Suicide suicide The person themselves make a commitment to end their life on purpose, goes through with the act and is successful. (obviously suicide)
"Assisted suicide" The person themselves make a commitment to end their life but for physical and/or psychological reasons are unable to commit to the act themselves, requiring a second person (grey area*)
End of life The person themselves are unable to make a commitment to end their life as they are not able to make a conscious decision to another party, but another party decides to end life support resulting in a recorded death (not usually defined as a killing, as person is regarded as already dead before life support is turned off).- To me its less of a grey area, if you need someone else to kill you, that's not assisted suicide, that's the other person killing you, though that doesn't necessarily constitute murder.
Its all very technical and in many cases political.
From a traditional islamic point of view, I have been told one should not take life with his/her own hands as it is Allah who will do that and you need to have patience if you believe in akhira.
I have heard this opinion too myself, but from people who also believe that God wills everything and everything we do is pre-determined. To me that's a contradiction that someone can end their life "before their time" if they are due to die at a set time. My additional reasoning for this is that this "rupture" of set timelines alters everyone else in a butterfly effect resulting in new destinies to everyone who is even marginally effected by the death as indirect to themselves it could be. I put this thinking down to "doublethink" the 1984 book phrase of believing two statements that would normally contradict themselves simultaneously in order to fit a particular view or belief as necessary at the time the position is argued. It generally extends to all 'traditional' sectarian belief in destinies and free will. In simpler terms, these people don't have a clue what they are on about so pick and choose different things at different times.
My viewpoints on suicide are likely wrong, I must also add that I consider suicide at minimum on a daily, usually multiple times a day basis; but always choose not to go ahead with it.
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Mike,
When you said the following
"I have heard this opinion too myself, but from people who also believe that God wills everything and everything we do is pre-determined. To me that's a contradiction that someone can end their life "before their time" if they are due to die at a set time. "
I would like to understand what you said in view of the following two verses of Quran , which also needs further explanation in their own part, if you can please provide your viewpoint.? He it is Who has created you from clay, and then has decreed a stated term. And there is with Him another determined term (ajal musamma), yet you doubt.? (Al-An?am/ Livestock 6/2)
And then in other places Quran talks about fixed natural period of death.
I found the following article.
http//www.islamandquran.org/?p=812Cheers
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Fusion, I am sorry to hear about friend's dad. When we presented our findings, some students in the class, gave the exact description you gave here. They were giving us their experiences. That's what complicated my understanding even more. It does sound like those specific moments are cruel. But its like a nightmare to think how the terminally ill patients on the verge of death feel.
The biggest truth is that no death comes without pain. My research said there is actually nothing called "painless death". But here is the issue
His first reaction was he may go for such procedure so he would not see his father in such continuous pain
Those who experienced such moment had that exact thing to say. Its the struggle of the relative that they hated to see and in the future thats why they want the law to be passed.
Did you ever hear about this Islamic info that good people don't suffer during death like the bad people? I have no idea where it came from. My best bet is hadith book ??? Never had the chance to observe such "phenomenon".
If anyone over has any info on this please do post.
I looked into all religions to know what they had to say. Of course, they are against it. Muslim scholars said a big NO to it. But this doesn't still stop me from wondering!
There are other type of situations where your loved one do not have a cancer but has a medical condition that is not terminal but you have to bear it rest of your life, so since the physical pain as well as emotional maybe the same as caner patients, one would also opt for same kind of assisted death for those cases as well, no??
You have got a point! This didn't come in my head before. Helps me see it more logically now.
I also feel, If we make a rule for such cases, then we introduce new elements into society where we will not be able to control and verify such cases, and there might be some misuse of this rule
This is another reason why I have been against the whole thing.
My additional reasoning for this is that this "rupture" of set timelines alters everyone else in a butterfly effect resulting in new destinies to everyone who is even marginally effected by the death as indirect to themselves it could be.
But won't Allah already have knowledge that the person is destined to commit suicide?
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Faith be with you,
If "God" knew every ending we would not be having this test, because it is a testing to see if we can "shake off the flesh" from ourselves. It is hard to speak for those who commit suicide because one must know what goes on in their minds and we must let "God" handle everyone.
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In the past, people who were agonising in the battle field were given the coup de grace to end their suffering. It was considered an act of mercy because it was cruel to let them suffer for hours awaiting death.
Many of us whether knowing it or not in fact ,ay make our lives shorter because at any given point we may be suffering horrible pain, and it is decided that the risk of shortening life and going through very cruel pain is reasonable, it is not suicidal it is avoiding cruel suffering.
There is no suicide in many terminal people in giving them painkillers, because the idea is not to kill them, but to spare them cruel suffering. I think that is a no brainer.
Another thing are people who may have enduring, cruel and painful limitations and may live with those many years, because those conditions will not kill them. I myself do not know what to say to that. I would have to be in their place and that is not possible. I would hate anybody to die that way or to wish to die or kill him or herself, but really, really I cannot judge them. I could not condemn them or think that they are going condemned by God. May be at a certain point they have already endured the endurable... I guess it also depends on the character of the patient.
I really do not dare to either approve of it or qualify it as sinful or condemn it. To be in such situation is really too much and whatever act of courage on the part of the patient should amount for a lot and deserve respect even in spite that at some point he or she may become unable to bear it any more.
Salaam
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During my research, I came to know that assisted suicide is nothing new and that doctors in the past did it secretly because the patients asked for it and it was too difficult for them to see them in severe pain.
past, present and future when we believe in the knowledge of humans thus disbelieving God's need, we are guided to astray. the knowledge first gives us fear, this fear is god's help - meaning do not proceed. but we are guided by the knowledgeable! people around us, "don't fear, go ahead". we get strength! from this knowledge to overtake fear. initially the output gives "right" with a big smile in the head followed by "is't a problem?? again the knowledgeable come to rescue to give us 'strength', "nay, not a problem". slowly our knowledgeable path is made (by Him) to see as 'beautiful!' and deep so that we are drowned in it. those who praise this knowledge dive in it. the final result now starts with pain, agony and distress increased day by day. now we will strive hard to kill ourself and may make it a law, even come to knowledgeable conclusion "this is not wrong!?, God will not make us accountable for this act". the knowledgeable now say, "don't you see it, how is it possible to see this horror, pain - we have done our best - we'll pray for betterment in the aftermath,..."
on the other hand, if it is God's guidance, the individual will have only peace at heart. the peace in their heart increases slowly but steadily in their life till its end. no ill-fate of any kind touches their heart. except that individual, others will hardly believe the guidance. to accept the guidance / proof /sign from God he/she should wish to be a believer, so that they too see the sign in their life which gives them the real strength at heart.
peace
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If "God" knew every ending we would not be having this test, because it is a testing to see if we can "shake off the flesh" from ourselves.
When I read the verse that says if Israelis behave properly there wont be punishment over them, I thought Allah gives us options. Perhaps, this is one such situation like that?Like you said, its a test.
There is no suicide in many terminal people in giving them painkillers, because the idea is not to kill them, but to spare them cruel suffering. I think that is a no brainer.
I fully agree. Terminally ill patients are dying naturally all around the world everyday. But I guess these days, some people in the west are just becoming so impatient that they need easy solution for everything including death. I would have had no problem with assisted suicide if and only if the law was designed to only help such a patient. But it doesnt look like things will be that easy.
on the other hand, if it is God's guidance, the individual will have only peace at heart. the peace in their heart increases slowly but steadily in their life till its end. no ill-fate of any kind touches their heart. except that individual, others will hardly believe the guidance. to accept the guidance / proof /sign from God he/she should wish to be a believer, so that they too see the sign in their life which gives them the real strength at heart.
Actually, what you said has proved to be true in research. Thousands of studies show that those who believe in God are more able than the atheists in coping with illness and pain. It doesn't matter what the religion is. I wanted to find a research that took into account terminally ill patient's coping method through religion. Unfortunately, I guess they haven't done one just yet.
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peace,
I wanted to find a research that took into account terminally ill patient's coping method through religion. Unfortunately, I guess they haven't done one just yet.
except that individual, others will hardly believe the guidance. to accept the guidance / proof /sign from God he/she should wish to be a believer, so that they too see the sign in their life which gives them the real strength at heart.
belief in God is not connected with religion. it is connected with heart. you will never have an object to measure belief. there is no coping or method, it's unique and individual.
peace
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belief in God is not connected with religion. it is connected with heart. you will never have an object to measure belief. there is no coping or method, it's unique and individual.
true bro, but its common here in US to allow patients in the hospital to meet up with priests and all so they may gain inner strength to fight the diseases.
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Salamun Alaikum.
If "God" knew every ending we would not be having this test, because it is a testing to see if we can "shake off the flesh" from ourselves.
The teacher who follows his students' progress closely knows pretty well which students are going to pass and which students are going to fail the exam. Quite often the purpose of the test is to make the ones being tested know for themselves what they are capable of.
3142 Or do you think you will enter the garden while Allah has not yet made those who strove among you known and made the patient ones known.
(My personal translation, cross checking recommended.)
Just because there is a test does not mean that the results of the test are unknown to God.
Sorry if I have diverted from the topic; please carry on. I am still looking forward to the most enlightening post on this topic.
May Allah guide us all to the straight route.
Regards,
Arman -
Mike,
When you said the following
"I have heard this opinion too myself, but from people who also believe that God wills everything and everything we do is pre-determined. To me that's a contradiction that someone can end their life "before their time" if they are due to die at a set time. "
I would like to understand what you said in view of the following two verses of Quran , which also needs further explanation in their own part, if you can please provide your viewpoint.? He it is Who has created you from clay, and then has decreed a stated term. And there is with Him another determined term (ajal musamma), yet you doubt.? (Al-An?am/ Livestock 6/2)
And then in other places Quran talks about fixed natural period of death.
I found the following article.
http//www.islamandquran.org/?p=812Cheers
Salam fusion, I wouldn't associate any of those verses with a pre determined time set for each individual human being and animal, only a "rough" term of a general life span (in the cases of humans 70-110 years). It's the age old debate of fate over free will, it's not that I don't believe in an all knowing God or even determinalism but I believe both of those concepts to be separated from the concept of fate. My arguments in my previous post is more to highlight the duality many people choose when it comes to life and death. Both opinions can't be both right, either we have the power to choose our future or we don't. To which point if we don't it doesn't matter what we do and all of God's warnings in the later half of that article becomes pointless Because we have no power over sin or forgiveness or our place after judgement. Basically removes the need for a Quran and possibly even a God.
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There are extreme situations of suffering which I find ruthless and too daring to judge when one is not in it. From the outside we may think and speculate as much as we want, but we do not know. We are not the ones undergoing it.
God tells as in an aya to ask Him not to burden us beyond our capacity, but however we ask, He may want to do just that or what is burden beyond our capacity? Is the limit set by our capacity to not commit suicide? We are all horrified by the sufferings inficted by criminals and torturers and at some time we stop looking or reading about those things because we cannot bear it. However the people we were undergoing that could not stop being in it, like we can stop thinking or reading about it.
I really cannot say that somebody who wants suicide under a extreme situation has failed a test. To the best of my ability I do not think I would ever be able to say that. I am sure God is not unjust and in would not on top of it punish that person, but would be rahim and wadud to the sufferer of so much pain.
I think that imagination in those cases does not give a clue to justice. I have certain misgivings as to make it legal, because of the abuses it might give cover to. However, without being legal I am sure it is being done because people prefer the risk of being discovered rather than see the suffering of somebody they ay love. Also it is done due to greed to people who might not want to commit suicide, but of course that comes under the common crimes.
I think any laws on that kind of thing should be aimed at not punishing people for things we have no power over them or which escape our capacity to judge with justice and at the same time prevent abuse of any gap that might be left. Although even so, we know it perfectly, it is not laws that avoid crime but abiding by them what does it. The world is full of laws in many places which are very good, but which are not throughly applied, because people disregard them and there is no abiity or will to enforce them and they are useless.
I do not think this domain of life and death should be made a matter of right or wrong, but rather acknowledge our own limits as humans and see that these extreme cases are not used to cover other cases that may be clear willful interested crimes.
We are not God nor gods, and I feel that there are things with which God reminds us of our limits when disposing of things and living beings, we are doomed to knot know and have to act on best intentions.
Salaam
