Question
Please give an authentic Dua from the Quran and the hadith for protection from suicide?
Answer
Islam places great emphasis on the sanctity and value of human life. Every person’s soul is an Amanah (trust) from Allah Ta’aala, and no one has the right to betray this trust. For this reason, taking one’s own life has been declared Haraam in Islam and is regarded as a major sin.
Allah Ta’aala says in the Quran Karim:
وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا۞ [النساء: 29]
And do not kill yourselves [or one another]. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful» [An-Nisaa: 29]
لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۞[البقرة: 286]
Allah does not burden a soul except [with that within] its capacity [Al-Baqara: 286].
This verse gives a believer strength and reassurance that every test is within one’s capacity. This world is temporary and filled with trials, and the instruction of our Deen is to remain patient, hopeful, and connected to Allah Ta’aala during such moments.
There are also severe warnings mentioned in authentic Ahaadith for the act of suicide. In Sahih Bukhari Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah Radhiallahu Anhu narrates that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said: “Whoever kills himself by throwing himself from a mountain will be throwing himself into the Fire of Jahannam forever. Whoever drinks poison and kills himself will have the poison in his hand and will be drinking it forever in the Fire of Jahannam. And whoever kills himself with an iron weapon, that weapon will be in his hand and he will be stabbing himself with it forever in the Fire of Jahannam.”
While there is no specific Dua mentioned solely for “protection from suicide,” the Ahaadith teach powerful Duas that remove worry, grief, hopelessness, spiritual weakness, and Shaytaan’s influence — all of which protect a believer from ever reaching such a state.
In a Hadith narrated by Anas ibn Maalik Radhiallahu Anhu, Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said: “None of you should wish for death due to a hardship that befalls him. Rather, he should say:
اَللّٰهُمَّ أَحْيِنِيْ مَا كَانَتِ الْحَيَاةُ خَيْرًا لِي، وَتَوَفَّنِيْ إِذَا كَانَتِ الْوَفَاةُ خَيْرًا لِي.
“O Allah, keep me alive as long as life is good for me, and take me in death when death is better for me.” { }
One of the strongest authentic Du’aas for protection from worry, grief, and harmful thoughts was taught by Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam to Abu Umaamah Radhiallahu Anhu. The story is narrated by Abu Saeed al-Khudree Radhiallahu Anhu:
One day, Rasulullah Alayhi Wa Sallam entered the Masjid and saw a man from the Ansaar called Abu Umaamah Radhiallahu Anhu sitting there. He Alayhi Wa Sallam asked, “What is the matter? Why are you sitting in the Masjid when it is not the time for Salaah?”
Abu Umaamah replied, “Never-ending worries and debts, O Rasulullah Alayhi Wa Sallam.”
Rasulullah Alayhi Wa Sallam said, “Shall I not teach you words by which, when you say them, Allah will remove your worries and settle your debts?”
Abu Umaamah Radhiallahu Anhu replied, “Yes, of course, O Rasulullah Alayhi Wa Sallam.”
He Alayhi Wa Sallam said, “Say the following in the morning and evening:”
اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ غَلَبَةِ الدَّيْنِ وَقَهْرِ الرِّجَالِ
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from weakness and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, and from being overpowered by debt and by men.”
Abu Umaamah Radhiallahu Anhu said, ‘I did so, and Allah Ta’aala removed my worries and settled my debts’”.
Other helpful Du’aas are:
Protection from Shaytan:
اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ غَلَبَةِ الدَّيْنِ وَقَهْرِ الرِّجَالِ
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from weakness and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, and from being overpowered by debt and by men.”
Relief from Harm & Misery:
رَبِّ أَنِّيْ مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنْتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ
” O Allah, indeed, harm has touched me, and You are the Most Merciful of the merciful.”
Constant Dhikr of:
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
“There is no god but You. You are Pure. Indeed, I am among the wrongdoers.”
Some practical tips are:
- Be punctual in your Salaah, including waking up for Tahajjud.
- Make Dua regularly, remembering that everything happens by Allah’s Will.
- Understand that the world is temporary, and the Hereafter is eternal.
- Do not allow worldly trials to compromise your Imaan or your life.
By the Will of Allah Ta’aala, a person who recites these Duas and remains connected to Him will find protection from harmful and suicidal thoughts.
Checked and Approved By:
Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B.
References
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ – رضى الله عنه – عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ” مَنْ تَرَدَّى مِنْ جَبَلٍ فَقَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ، فَهُوَ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ، يَتَرَدَّى فِيهِ خَالِدًا مُخَلَّدًا فِيهَا أَبَدًا، وَمَنْ تَحَسَّى سَمَّا فَقَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ، فَسَمُّهُ فِي يَدِهِ، يَتَحَسَّاهُ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدًا مُخَلَّدًا فِيهَا أَبَدًا ، وَمَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ بِحَدِيدَةٍ، فَحَدِيدَتُهُ فِي يَدِهِ، يَجَأْ بِهَا فِي بَطْنِهِ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدًا مُخَلَّدًا فِيهَا أَبَدًا.
(صحيح بخاري – ٥٧٧٨)
وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ ” لا يَتَمَنَّيَنَّ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمُوْتَ لِضُرٍّ نَزَلَ بِهِ وَلْيَقُلِ اللَّهُمَّ أَحْيِنِي مَا كَانَتِ الْحَيَاةُ خَيْرًا لِي وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا كَانَتِ الْوَفَاةُ خَيْرًا لي
( صحيح مسلم – ٢٦٨٠)
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ الْغُدَانِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا غَسَّانُ بْنُ عَوْفٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا الْجُرَيْرِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي نَضْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، قَالَ دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَاتَ يَوْمِ الْمُسْجِدَ فَإِذَا هُوَ بِرَجُلٍ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ يُقَالُ لَهُ أَبُو أُمَامَةَ فَقَالَ ” يَا أَبَا أُمَامَةَ مَا لِي أَرَاكَ جَالِسًا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فِي غَيْرِ وَقْتِ الصَّلَاةِ ” . قَالَ هُمُومٌ لَزِمَتْنِي وَدُيُون يَا رَسُولَ الله . قَالَ ” أَفَلَا أُعَلِّمُكَ كَلامًا إِذَا أَنْتَ قُلْتَهُ أَذْهَبَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ هَمَّكَ وَقَضَى عَنْكَ دَيْنَكَ ” . قَالَ قُلْتُ بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهُ . قَالَ ” قُلْ إِذَا أَصْبَحْتَ وَإِذَا أَمْسَيْتَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهُمْ وَالْحَزَنِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ غَلَبَةِ الدَّيْنِ وَقَهْرِ الرِّجَالِ ” . قَالَ فَفَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ فَأَذْهَبَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ هَمِّي وَقَضَى عَنِّي دَيْنِي .
(سنن ابي داود – ١٥٥٠)