Can I pray over a person who committed suicide?

Answered by Sh. Mustafa Umar1 min read

Short answer

The leaders and scholars in the Muslim community will not pray over someone who committed suicide or attend his funeral as a deterrent to prevent other people from engaging in a similar sin. However, other Muslims will wash the body and pray over the deceased.

What the Qur’an and Sunnah Say

Allah says: “…do not kill yourselves. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful.” (Qur’an 4:29)

What the Scholars Said

Imam Ibn Abidin says: ”It is clear that the Messenger of Allah refrained from offering the funeral prayer to prevent others from doing something similar (suicide) just as he refrained from offering the funeral prayer of a debtor…The person who commits suicide is a sinner but his body will be washed, his funeral prayer will be performed, and he will be buried with the Muslims.”Radd ul-Muḥtār 6:292

Can I withdraw or withhold life sustaining care?
You may withdraw or withhold life sustaining care if the person is terminally ill with almost no chance of recovery and totally dependent on artificial means to survive.
What do I do if I miscarried a fetus/baby?
Be patient and know that this is the will of Allah. Say “inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rājiʿūn”. Know that Allah will reward you if you pass this difficult test.
Can I perform an autopsy or postmortem surgery to determine the cause of death or for research purposes?
The human body is sacred in Islam, while alive and after death, Muslim or non-Muslim. Cutting up or tampering with a dead body is prohibited and considered dishonoring it. So unless there is a need, and proper protocols of covering the private parts are observed, it is not allowed. A case of genuine need is when the operation will help identify a criminal, when it is needed for medical research that cannot be accomplished through another method (though a similar objective can often be obtained by using animal or artificial bodies), or when forced by law, despite protest, to have it done.
Who can bathe a dead person?
Only males may bathe males and only females may bathe females, with the exception of your spouse and children under seven.

Can I pray over a person who committed suicide?

Short answer

What the Qur’an and Sunnah Say

What the Scholars Said

Related questions

Can I withdraw or withhold life sustaining care?

What do I do if I miscarried a fetus/baby?

Can I perform an autopsy or postmortem surgery to determine the cause of death or for research purposes?

Who can bathe a dead person?