MAFAHIM ISLAM

Created by : Azhari
Translated by : Asrini Marcelewicz

Different case of suicide often appears these days with various reasons of committing the act. A father could not afford to cover the debt of his daughter’s wedding party, a wife is left by the husband, a young woman broke up with her boyfriend, a grandfather is chronically ill, a junior high school student feels ashamed because her friends keep on teasing as a fact that her father sells porridge, an elementary school student also feels embarrassed because he can not pay his school fees. There is another very touching case, where an 11-year-old elementary school kid in Magetan, committed suicide because not able to bear her/his acute ulcer disease as she was eating only once a day.

The main factor for committing suicide can be varied, from stress, mental disorder, poverty, family, health, education problems and so on. It is easy for people to end their life just because of trivial or complex dilemmas. It is estimated that there are around one million case of suicide worldwide and every 40 minutes people kill themselves. So, suicide is actually more dangerous than a war, terrorist attacks and other crimes (Source from note no:1).

In Japan, suicide mainly committed not because of poverty but rather as punishment or dishonour. This is known as “Seppuku” or “Harakiri” and usually done because they feel ashamed by getting caught for corruption, failure to fulfil his responsibilities or their involvement in politic scandal. Usually people performing Harakiri will start their ‘ritual’ by stabbing their own stomach with samurai (Japanese sword). Thus, the suicide level in Japan is considered to be one of the highest in the world counted for 23.8 per 100.000 populations. Meanwhile in Indonesia this case known to be 1.6 to 1.8 per 100.000 populations (source from note no:2).

In contrast with Japanese culture, Islam forbids suicide and the person who commit the act will go to hell and dwell therein.

… And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you. (An-Nisa 29).

The Prophet Muhammad pbuh once said; 'Who killed himself with a sharp object, then he/she will hold that object and stab his/her stomach in hell continuously. Those who died because drinking poison, he/she will drink it slowly in hell forever, and those who jumped from a high place to commit suicide in hell he/she will always fall themselves (Hadist Muslim).

This life is too precious to be ended and for believers there is no reason for suicide. It is because believers trust that God Almighty has set their fortune so it will not put those people in despair once they becoming poor. They also believe in God that He will not give us burden that exceeding our ability (yukallifullahu nafsan la illa wus'ahaa). Therefore, we have to be sure that every problem must have solutions. We should believe that every disease has its medicine and so we will always try to heal the disease.

Does not matter how difficult our life, but we live only temporarily in this world and the afterlife is more eternal. Do not let problems drag us to the darkness side; otherwise we will suffer both in the world and hereafter.

We should be thankful to God Almighty for what we have achieved for all this time because those are our infinite treasures from Him. We should look down and feel more gratitude. Grateful for a good health, easy life, happy family, safe environment, pray in a peaceful place and so on. How we express our gratitude is by worshipping God and make this as our life concept to prevent us from living in a stress.

Wallahualam (only God knows).


Maraji’(reading sources):
1. http://www.republika.co.id/, 12 November 2006: Atasi Depresi, Cegah Bunuh Diri
2. http://www.bppsdmk.depkes.go.id/

Bahasa Indonesia version: Hidup ini berharga( http://mafahim-azhari.blogspot.com/2008/02/hidup-ini-berharga.html)