Question:Many people say that one who kills himself has doomed himself and Janazah salah should not be read on him. Is this correct? If so then what about those people who die in car or bike accidents due to their own negligence of speeding etc. ?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Committing suicide is from among the major sins. A person who is guilty of it will be punished by Allah. However, we will still give him ghusl and pray Salat al Janaza for him and relinquish his judgment to Allah.[1]
Dying in a car crash caused by one’s own negligence is not suicide. The deceased should be bathed and Salat al Janaza should be prayed for him just like any other person.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mawlana Faisal bin Abdul Hameed,
Student Darul Iftaa
Montréal, Canada
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
[1] (مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ) وَلَوْ (عَمْدًا يُغَسَّلُ وَيُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ) بِهِ يُفْتَى( الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (2/ 211))
وَمَنْ قَتْلَ نَفْسَهُ خَطَأً بِأَنْ أَرَادَ ضَرْبَ الْعَدُوِّ فَأَصَابَ نَفْسَهُ يُغَسَّلُ وَيُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ وَأَمَّا إذَا قَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ عَمْدًا قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لَا يُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ.
وَقَالَ الْحَلْوَانِيُّ الْأَصَحُّ عِنْدِي أَنَّهُ يُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ. وَقَالَ الْإِمَامُ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ السَّعْدِيُّ الْأَصَحُّ أَنَّهُ لَا يُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ لِأَنَّهُ بَاغٍ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وَالْبَاغِي لَا يُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ. وَفِي فَتَاوَى قَاضِي خان يُغَسَّلُ وَيُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ عِنْدَهُمَا لِأَنَّهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكَبَائِرِ وَلَمْ يُحَارِبْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَعَنْ أَبِي يُوسُفَ لَا يُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ لِمَا رُوِيَ «أَنَّ رَجُلًا نَحَرَ نَفْسَهُ فَلَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -» وَهُوَ مَحْمُولٌ عِنْدَ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ عَلَى أَنَّهُ أَمَرَ غَيْرَهُ بِالصَّلَاةِ عَلَيْهِ وَأَمَّا مَنْ قَتَلَهُ السَّبُعُ أَوْ مَاتَ تَحْتَ هَدْمٍ فَإِنَّهُ يُغَسَّلُ وَيُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ (الجوهرة النيرة على مختصر القدوري (1/ 112))