Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Suicide and Islam

I have been told that suicide in strictly forbidden in Islam. However it seemed that Muhammad wished his enemies would do it.

Whoever thinks that Allah will not help him (Muhammad SAW) in this world and in the Hereafter, let him stretch out a rope to the ceiling and let him strangle himself. Then let him see whether his plan will remove that whereat he rages! (22:15 Hilali-Khan)


This seems like a very human response to the situation.

12 comments:

Sophie said...

"What about that bit in the bible where Paul wishes those who demand circumcision of Christians would just go ahead and cut their own wangs off? Isn't THAT a human response?" That's what I would ask right now if I were a Muslim and I knew the New Testament.

Unknown said...

Samuel, even worse, Muhammed has attempted suicide himself after feeling desperate, and tried to jump of the mountains.. as recorded inauthentic islamic literature and hadith

hugh watt said...

SophieB:

Don't you think there's a difference between Paul wanting those who were hindering souls from entering Heaven to - and it pains me to say it - "cut their own wangs off?" There, I said it; and Muhammad wishing Hell on his personal enemies?

Btw, if you read the context of the Paul ref' it's not as you wrongly applied it, and it didn't hurt me to say that.

Ps: Please, no more of these cutting off comments.

otto said...

Sorry but i have to bring this up again.

I dont think Paul is wishing "cut wangs off", he is being sarcastic and saying the false preachers might as well go beyond circumcision and castrate themselves if they want to mutilate their bodies and live in slavery. Castration is NOT "cutting wangs off."

Besides, Paul is saying this figuratively to underscore a point that circumcision is not necessary for salvation and anyone who preaches circumcision is "removing the offense of the cross".

If I im mistaken someone please show me.

Philippians 3:2 look out for those who mutilate the flesh.

hugh watt said...

"Sorry but i have to bring this up again.

Ok, that does it! What, with this and the raisin thing going on elsewhere, I need a vacation.

GreekAsianPanda said...

A few days ago, I was watching the National Geographic Channel and they had a show about Islam. When they talked about the rules regarding suicide in the Quran, they quoted this one verse that said something like, "Destroy not yourself." Unfortunately, I don't remember which verse it was, but I'm pretty sure that forbids suicide.

Sophie said...

Hugh: "No more of these cuttin goff comments" - what? When have I posted a cutting off comment? I've posted maybe 4 or 5 comments on this whole website and most of them were for old blog or debate entries that you probably haven't even seen for ages so you probably haven't read my comments, and I don't remember ever writing any comments about cutting stuff off.

I thought this blog was about discussing issues relating to Islam? So I put myself in the shoes of the average Muslim commenter on this blog and brought up how I thought they might respond to this 'insult to Mohammed', thinking someone might refute it in a less than belligerent tone of writing. But I see that's not your style.

Sophie said...

...and my apologies for using the word 'wang' when I should have said 'penis', I guess. To me, 'wang' sounds less graphic. I had no idea the readership of this blog had such delicate sensibilities :-)

Samuel Green said...

Thanks SophieB,

you have a good point. The Bible has many "human responses", eg. the Psalms, yet it understands itself as the word of God. The Qur'an however is just meant to be from God with no human element at all. I think that 22:15 really shows a human element.

My main point though, is not the human element but that there is a reference to suicide is in the Qur'an.

David Wood said...

GreekAsianPanda said: "I'm pretty sure that forbids suicide."

They were probably ripping 4:29 out of context. It says, "Do not kill yourselves," but in context, it means that Muslims shouldn't kill their fellow Muslims.

There are, however, clear commands in the Hadith against suicide. But these condemn the "O my girlfriend left me so I'll kill myself" sort of suicide (not the "I'm going to bring down a bunch of infidels with me" sort of suicide).

hugh watt said...

SophieB said:

"Hugh: "No more of these cuttin goff comments" - what? When have I posted a cutting off comment?"

Well, not so long ago, actually.

"What about that bit in the bible where Paul wishes those who demand circumcision of Christians would just go ahead and cut their own wangs off?"

I thought this blog was about discussing issues relating to Islam? So I put myself in the shoes of the average Muslim commenter on this blog and brought up how I thought they might respond to this 'insult to Mohammed', thinking someone might refute it in a less than belligerent tone of writing. But I see that's not your style."

So, how does cutting off ones own penis relate to "Suicide and Islam?" Your first post contradicts what you said later on!

"..and I don't remember ever writing any comments about cutting stuff off."

Btw; you need to lighten-up. It's not such a big deal, really.

hugh watt said...

I wonder why you've chosen to side with "the average Muslim commenter."
Since you're not Muslim, I find this a bit puzzling.