Does a person who commits suicide remain in Hell forever?
Submitted by on Wed, 09/03/2016 - 22:52
Dear Brother / Sister,
According to the religion of Islam, to commit suicide, to drink alcohol, to abandon prayers, to commit suicide are among major sins. However, according to Ahl as-Sunnah, these deeds do not make a person an unbeliever. If a person utters kalima ash-shahada and accepts all of the decrees of Islam and then commits one or some of the major sins mentioned above, he becomes a sinner, not an unbeliever. Therefore, his janazah prayer is performed like other Muslims. (Halil GÜNENÇ, Günümüz Meselelerine Fetvalar, I/202)
A believer does not become an unbeliever when he commits suicide or another major sin; therefore, he will not remain in Hell forever. Allah will punish such Muslims and then send to Paradise or He will forgive them and send them to Paradise directly.
To commit suicide is among major sins. However, those who commit major sins do not become unbelievers; therefore, they will not remain in Hell forever.
Questions on Islam
- What is the religious judgement about a person who commits suicide though he/she is a Muslim?
- Is it permissible to call a sinner an unbeliever?
- Can a person who commits a lot of sins be called an unbeliever? When the word “deniers” is used, I generally understand those who deny the existence of Allah. Can it be understood in another sense, for instance, as a sinner?
- Does committing a major sin make a person an unbeliever?
- How does Islam view committing suicide? Does a Muslim become an infidel by committing suicide?
- Why is Hell eternal for unbelievers?
- What is the wisdom behind “except as thy Lord willeth” in verses 107 and 108 of the chapter of Hud after the sentence “They will dwell therein for all the time”? If our Lord wills, will He make an exception for us to allow us to stay there forever?
- Will you mention the basic principles of Ahl as-Sunnah?
- Fiqh decree on abandoning prayers
- Do we not have the right to perish forever after we die? Why do we have to exist forever?