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Ruling
concerning wishing for death due to harm that has come
Question:
I have faced so many difficulties in my life that it has made
me hate this life. Every time I turned to Allaah, I pleaded
for Him to take my life away from me at the earliest. This
is my wish until now as I do not see any solutions to my problems
except death; it is the only thing that can save me from this
punishment. Is this behavior forbidden for me?
Response:
When a person wishes for death because of something that has
afflicted him, he is doing something that the Prophet (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam) has prohibited. The Prophet (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam) said:
((None
of you should hope for death because of some harm that has
come to him. If he has wish such, he should say, 'O Allaah,
give me life if You know that life is better for me. And give
me death if You know that death is better for me)).
Therefore,
it is not allowed for anyone to wish for death because of
some harm, hardship or difficulty that has come to him. In
fact, he should have patience and expect a reward from Allaah
for what he is passing through. He should also wait for relief
to come, as the Prophet (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam) has said:
((Know
that victory comes with patience, relief with distress and
ease with hardship)).
The
one who is afflicted with any affliction should know that
those afflictions expiate some of the sins that he has committed.
No believer is afflicted with any kind of worry, grief or
pain except that Allaah expiates sins for him due to that,
even the pricking of a thorn. When the person has patience
and expects rewards from Allaah, he reaches the stage of being
among the patient. This stage is a very elevated stage. Allaah
has stated about its inhabitants:
{And
give glad tidings to the patient. Who, when afflicted with
calamity, say, 'Truly, to Allaah we belong and, truly, to
Him we shall return}, [Soorah al-Baqarah, Aayahs
155-156].
The
woman in the question feels that there is no solution for
her problems except death. I believe that this is a mistaken
view. Death does not solve any problems. In fact, the situation
of adversity may get even worse. How many humans die while
being afflicted with pain and problems but they had been wronging
themselves and did not give their sins and repent to Allaah.
Then his death is just a quicker coming of his punishment.
If he remained alive, perhaps Allaah would have guide him
to repentance, seeking forgiveness, patience, facing the problem
and expecting relief. This all would have been good for him.
Therefore, you, the questioner, must be patient and expect
relief from Allaah. Allaah says in His book:
{So,
verily, with the hardship there is relief. Verily, with the
hardship, there is relief}, [Soorah
ash-Sharh, Aayahs
5-6].
And
the Prophet (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam) stated, in an authentic narration:
((Know
that victory comes with patience, relief with distress and
ease with hardship)).
Shaykh
Ibn 'Uthaymeen
Fataawa al-Mar.ah
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