Islam prohibits from doing suicide and declares it a serious crime. People from different occupations, religions, cultures, and demographies have been noticed to have done suicide, but I have not come across any single news about suicide done by a Muslim prayer leader or Islamic scholar - it's my experience.
Can anyone tell me if they have ever received such news? Maybe, they are not reported in the newspapers - if this is the case, then why? If these are not the cases, the Muslims with different occupations do suicide, then what protects Muslim prayer leaders or Islamic scholars from suicide, even being insufficiently paid with more challenges in their lives compared to people different in their occupations? Even though Islam prohibits suicide generally not only Muslims, and threatens all humans equally irrespective of ethnicity, religion, culture, demography, etc.
Though Islam strictly forbids suicide, there have been instances where individuals have resorted to self-immolation as a form of political protest. For example, Mohamed Bouazizi, a Tunisian street vendor, set himself on fire in December 2010 in response to economic hardship and government mistreatment. His act sparked the Arab Spring, leading to widespread protests and political change across the Middle East and North Africa (Al Jazeera, 2020).
Islamic teachings explicitly prohibit suicide. The Prophet Muhammad stated, “He who commits suicide by throttling shall keep on throttling himself in the Hell Fire (forever), and he who commits suicide by stabbing himself shall keep on stabbing himself in the Hell-Fire” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1365). This strong prohibition is why cases of Muslim prayer leaders (imams) ending their lives are not widely documented.
Despite religious prohibitions, self-immolation has been used globally as a tool for political protest. Historically, it has been seen in Buddhist traditions, anti-Vietnam War protests, and more recently, in the Middle East (Kios, 2024). Bouazizi’s case is among the most prominent examples of this phenomenon.
In summary, while there are instances of Muslim demonstrators ending their lives in protest, there are no widely reported cases of Muslim prayer leaders (imams) doing so.
References
- Al Jazeera. (2020, December 17). Remembering Mohamed Bouazizi: His death triggered the Arab Spring. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2020/12/17/remembering-mohamed-bouazizi-his-death-triggered-the-arab
- Kios. (2024, February 27). Why self-immolation has been used by political protesters for decades. Kios. https://www.kios.org/2024-02-27/why-self-immolation-has-been-used-by-political-protesters-for-decades
- Sahih al-Bukhari, 1365. Sunnah.com. https://sunnah.com/bukhari:1365
Many thanks dear doctor Adedeji Babalola Joseph for intersting insights
Yes, there have been cases of Muslim prayer leaders or demonstrators ending their lives, though they are rare. For example, in 2016, Jasim al-Khafaji, an Iraqi imam, reportedly took his life due to personal struggles. Suicide is strongly discouraged in Islam (Qur’an 4:29), and seeking help, prayer, and counseling is always the best path forward.
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