Is Janazah and Dua for suicide permissible?

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer

Yes, praying Janazah (funeral prayer) and making Dua (supplication) for someone who committed suicide (killed himself) is permissible. Rather, the Janazah prayer remains obligatory (Fard Kifaayah).

Hadith

عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ، قَالَ: أُتِيَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِرَجُلٍ قَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ بِمَشَاقِصَ، فَلَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَيْهِ

Sayidina Jabir bin Samurah (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) narrated that a person who had killed himself with an arrowhead was brought before the Prophet ﷺ. He ﷺ did not pray over him. (Sahih Muslim 978 – 107).

The authentic Hadith above makes it clear that the blessed Prophet ﷺ did not pray Janazah (funeral prayer) upon someone who had taken his own life (committed suicide). However, this does not mean there was no Janazah prayer for this individual. Rather, this individual has lost the immense blessing of the Prophet himself ﷺ praying over him. As such, this case is similar to the case of someone who died without covering a debt.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يُؤْتَى بِالرَّجُلِ المُتَوَفَّى عَلَيْهِ الدَّيْنُ، فَيَسْأَلُ: هَلْ تَرَكَ لِدَيْنِهِ فَضْلًا؟ فَإِنْ حُدِّثَ أَنَّهُ تَرَكَ وَفَاءً صَلَّى، وَإِلَّا قَالَ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ: صَلُّوا عَلَى صَاحِبِكُمْ. فَلَمَّا فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الفُتُوحَ، قَالَ: أَنَا أَوْلَى بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ، فَمَنْ تُوُفِّيَ مِنَ المُؤْمِنِينَ فَتَرَكَ دَيْنًا فَعَلَيَّ قَضَاؤُهُ، وَمَنْ تَرَكَ مَالًا فَلِوَرَثَتِهِ

Abu Hurairah (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) narrated that a deceased person in debt used to be brought to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He ﷺ would ask, ‘Has he left anything to re pay his debts?’ If he ﷺ was informed that he had left something to cover his debts, then he ﷺ would pray (the funeral prayer). Otherwise he ﷺ would say to the Muslims, ‘Pray over your companion.’ But when Allah (Most High) enabled victories for him ﷺ. He ﷺ said, ‘I am closer to the believers than themselves. Therefore, whoever dies leaving a debt, I will repay it. And whoever leaves wealth, it will be for his inheritors.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, 5371).

In the Hadith narration above, we see that the blessed Prophet ﷺ refrained from praying the funeral prayer (Janazah) over a debtor who did not cover his debt. Yet, he ﷺ commanded the Sahabah to pray (Janazah) over him.

Consequently, the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah concluded that the Prophet ﷺ refraining from praying over someone does not dictate that there is no funeral prayer (Janazah) for that person. Rather, this demonstrates that the person lost the virtue of the Prophets ﷺ prayer due to the severity of the sin.

Imam al-Nawawi

وَقَالَ الْحَسَنُ وَالنَّخَعِيُّ وَقَتَادَةُ وَمَالِكٌ وَأَبُو حَنِيفَةَ وَالشَّافِعِيُّ وَجَمَاهِيرُ الْعُلَمَاءِ يُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ وَأَجَابُوا عَنْ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ بِأَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَيْهِ بِنَفْسِهِ زَجْرًا لِلنَّاسِ عَنْ مِثْلِ فِعْلِهِ وَصَلَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الصَّحَابَةُ وَهَذَا كَمَا تَرَكَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الصَّلَاةَ فِي أَوَّلِ الْأَمْرِ عَلَى مَنْ عَلَيْهِ دَيْنٌ زَجْرًا لَهُمْ عَنِ التَّسَاهُلِ فِي الِاسْتِدَانَةِ وَعَنْ إِهْمَالِ وَفَائِهِ وَأَمَرَ أَصْحَابَهُ بِالصَّلَاةِ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ صَلُّوا عَلَى صَاحِبِكُمْ. (المنهاج شرح صحيح مسلم بن الحجاج)

(Imams) al-Hasan, al-Nakhai, Qatadah, Malik, Abu Hanifa, al-Shafi, and the majority of scholars said that the funeral prayer should be prayed upon him. They commented on this Hadith stating that the Prophet ﷺ did not pray upon him himself to deter people from doing something similar to his action. However, the Sahabah did pray upon him. This is comparable to the Prophet ﷺ initially refraining from praying over the debtor. This was a deterrent against neglect regarding the fulfilment of debts. He commanded the Sahabah to pray upon him. He said, ‘pray upon your companion.’ (Imam Yahya bin Sharf al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim).

The Hanafi Position

The dominant position in the Hanafi Madhab is aligned with the above explanation. Therefore, the person who commits suicide is prayed over (Janazah prayer). However, there is a difference of opinion within the Hanafi Madhab.

ومن قتل نفسه خطأً بأن نازل رجلاً من العدو ليضربه، فأخطأه وأصاب نفسه ومات، فإنه يغسل ويكفن ويصلى عليه، وهذا بلا خلاف.وأما من يعمد قتل نفسه بحديدة، هل يصلى عليه؟ اختلف فيه المشايخ بعضهم قالوا: لا يصلى عليه، وكان الشيخ الإمام شمس الأئمة أبو محمد عبد العزيز بن أحمد الحلواني رحمه الله يقول: الأصح عندي أنه يصلى عليه، وتقبل توبته إن كان تاب في ذلك الوقت لقوله تعالى: {إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآء وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَى إِثْماً عَظِيماً} (النساء: 48) وكان القاضي الإمام ركن الإسلام علي السغدي رحمه الله يقول: الأصح عندي أنه لا يصلى عليه، لا؛ لأنه لا توبة له، ولكن لأنه باغي على نفسه، والباغي لا يصلى عليه. (المحيط البرهاني في الفقه النعماني)

Whoever kills himself erroneously whilst fighting an enemy, he attempted to strike the enemy but missed, struck himself and (subsequently) died, is to be washed, shrouded, and prayed upon. This is without dispute.

As for the one who deliberately kills himself with an iron implement, can he be prayed upon? The scholars differed regarding this. Some of them said, he is not prayed over. The Shaykh, Imam Shams al-Aimah Abu Muhammad Abd al-Aziz bin Ahmad al-Halwaani (May Allah Most High have mercy upon him), used to say: The stronger opinion, for me, is that he is to be prayed upon. His repentance is accepted, should he repent in that moment, by virtue of His (Most High) saying: Allah does not forgive the joining of partners with Him. Yet, he forgives anything less than that for whoever He wills. Anyone who associates partners with Allah has concocted a tremendous sin. (Surah al-Nisa, 48).

The honourable judge, Imam Rukn al-Deen Ali al-Sughdi (Allah have mercy on him), used to say: The stronger opinion, for me, is that he is not to be prayed upon. This is not because there is no repentance for him. Rather, this is because he has rebelled against himself, and the rebel is not to be prayed upon. (Imam Burhan al-Deen al-Bukhari, al-Muheet al-Burhaani).

Imam al-Sarakhsi

وَكَانَ شَيْخُنَا الْإِمَامُ يَقُولُ: الْأَصَحُّ عِنْدِي أَنْ يُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ وَأَنْ تُقْبَلَ تَوْبَتُهُ إنْ كَانَ تَابَ فِي ذَلِكَ الْوَقْتِ لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى {وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ} [النساء: 48]. وَتَأْوِيلُ الْحَدِيثِ فِيمَنْ اسْتَحَلَّ ذَلِكَ، لِمَا رُوِيَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – قَالَ: سِبَابُ الْمُسْلِمِ فِسْقٌ وَقِتَالُهُ كُفْرٌ. قَالَ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ -: وَسَمِعْت الْقَاضِيَ الْإِمَامَ عَلِيًّا السُّغْدِيَّ يَقُولُ: الْأَصَحُّ عِنْدِي أَنَّهُ لَا يُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ، لَا لِأَنَّهُ لَا تَوْبَةَ لَهُ، وَلَكِنْ لِأَنَّهُ بَاغٍ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ، وَلَا يُصَلَّى عَلَى الْبَاغِي. (شرح السير الكبير)

The Imam, our Shaykh, says: ‘The stronger opinion is that he is to be prayed upon and that his repentance is accepted, if he repents in that moment, based on His (Most HighHigh) saying: ‘And he forgives anything less than that for whoever He wills.’ (Surah al-Nisa, 48). The interpretation of the Hadith is that it is referring to those who considered it (suicide) permissible. This is due to what has been narrated from the Prophet, ‘Insulting a Muslim is depravity and fighting him is disbelief (Kufr).’

He (Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘I heard the Judge, Imam ‘Ali al-Sughdi, saying: the stronger opinion is that he is not to be prayed upon. This is not because there is no repentance for him. Rather, it is due to (the fact that) he has rebelled (Bagha) against himself, and there is no prayer upon the rebel (Baaghi). (Imam al-Sarakhsi, Sharh al-Siyar al-Kabeer).

Imam al-Ayni

ومن قتل نفسه بحديدة ظلما ذكر الصدر الشهيد في ” الجامع الصغير ” أنه يغسل ويصلى عليه عند أبي حنيفة – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ – ومحمد بخلاف الباغي. (البناية شرح الهداية)

And whoever kills himself, using an iron, is an oppressor. (Imam) al-Sadr al-Shaheed mentioned in ‘al-Jami’ al-Saghir’ that he is to be washed and prayed upon, according to (Imam) Abu Hanifa (Allah be pleased with him) and (Imam) Muhammad (al-Shaybani), as opposed to the rebel. (Imam Badr al-Deen al-Ayni, al-Binayah Sharh al-Hidayah).

Imam Ibn Abideen

(مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ) وَلَوْ (عَمْدًا يُغَسَّلُ وَيُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ) بِهِ يُفْتَى وَإِنْ كَانَ أَعْظَمَ وِزْرًا مِنْ قَاتِلِ غَيْرِهِ. وَرَجَّحَ الْكَمَالُ قَوْلَ الثَّانِي بِمَا فِي مُسْلِمٍ «أَنَّهُ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ – أُتِيَ بِرَجُلٍ قَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ فَلَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَيْهِ»

(قَوْلُهُ بِهِ يُفْتَى) لِأَنَّهُ فَاسِقٌ غَيْرُ سَاعٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِالْفَسَادِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ بَاغِيًا عَلَى نَفْسِهِ كَسَائِرِ فُسَّاقِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ زَيْلَعِيٌّ (قَوْلُهُ: وَرَجَّحَ الْكَمَالُ قَوْلَ الثَّانِي إلَخْ) أَيْ قَوْلَ أَبِي يُوسُفَ: إنَّهُ يُغَسَّلُ، وَلَا يُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ إسْمَاعِيلُ عَنْ خِزَانَةِ الْفَتَاوَى. وَفِي الْقُهُسْتَانِيِّ وَالْكِفَايَةِ وَغَيْرِهِمَا عَنْ الْإِمَامِ السَّعْدِيِّ: الْأَصَحُّ عِنْدِي أَنَّهُ لَا يُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ لِأَنَّهُ لَا تَوْبَةَ لَهُ. قَالَ فِي الْبَحْرِ: فَقَدْ اخْتَلَفَ التَّصْحِيحُ، لَكِنْ تَأَيَّدَ الثَّانِي بِالْحَدِيثِ. اهـ

أَقُولُ: قَدْ يُقَالُ: لَا دَلَالَةَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ عَلَى ذَلِكَ لِأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ فِيهِ سِوَى «أَنَّهُ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ – لَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَيْهِ» فَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّهُ امْتَنَعَ زَجْرًا لِغَيْرِهِ عَنْ مِثْلِ هَذَا الْفِعْلِ كَمَا امْتَنَعَ عَنْ الصَّلَاةِ عَلَى الْمَدْيُونِ. (رد المحتار على الدر المختار)

Imam al-Haskafi: (Whoever kills himself) even if done (intentionally should be washed and prayed upon). Upon this is the Fatwa. Even if it is a greater sin than killing another. (Imam) al-Kamal considered the second view to be stronger due to what has been narrated in Muslim: A man who killed himself was brought to him ﷺ. But he ﷺ did not pray upon him.

Imam Ibn Abideen: His saying, the Fatwa is upon it, this is because he is a sinner. Yet, he has not spread corruption in the land. Even if he is rebelling against himself, (that is) similar to the other sinful Muslims, al-Zayla’i. His saying, al-Kamal preferred the second opinion, that is the opinion of (Imam) Abu Yusuf. Namely, he is washed, but not prayed over. (Narrated by) Ismaeel from Khizanahtu al-Fatwa.

In al-Quhustani, al-Kifaya and others on the authority of Imam al-Sughdi: The stronger opinion, for me, is that he is not to be prayed upon. This is because there is no repentance for him. In al-Bahr, he said: The authentication differed, but the second was confirmed by the Hadith.

I say: It may be said that there is no evidence in the Hadith to support that. Since there is nothing in it except that he ﷺ did not pray over him. Presumably he ﷺ abstained to deter others from such an act. Just as he ﷺ refrained from praying for the debtors. (Radd al-Muhtaar).

As seen in the Nusoos above, a valid difference of opinion does exist in the Hanafi Madhab regarding the person who killed himself (committed suicide). However, the stronger opinion is that a funeral prayer (Janazah) is established for him. Consequently, the less authentic opinion states that there is no Janazah (funeral prayer).

Making dua for him

To conclude, since the Janazah prayer is prayed over such an individual, supplicating (Dua) for him is certainly permitted, and this is because the Janazah prayer is where the controversy lies. In addition, there is an explicit Hadith in which the blessed Prophet ﷺ Made Dua (supplication) for a person who had taken his own life.

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (10.08.23)

-With special thanks to Sidi Yusuf Asghar for assisting with Nusoos translation