Berhadapan dengan Isu Bunuh Diri

Mohd Asim Ismail

Salah satu daripada lima asas kepada agama itu adalah pemeliharaan kehidupan yang seterusnya memandu seorang Muslim itu supaya tidak mengambil nyawa mereka sendiri.

Pada masa kini, bunuh diri menjadi satu fenomena yang rancak sekali berlaku dalam masyarakat kita. Kamus Merriam-Webster menedifinisikan bunuh diri ini sebagai "tindakan atau contoh tindakan mengambil nyawa sendiri secara sukarela atau dengan niat terutamanya oleh seseorang yang akil baligh dan berakal."

Bunuh diri melibatkan setiap orang dari pelbagai latar belakang kehidupan dan merentasi kelompok etnik. Selalunya juga kita membaca laporan berita mengenai individu yang terjun sama ada di Jambatan Penang atau dari bangunan tingi, tergantung serta meracun diri mereka sendiri.

Statistik menunjukkan bahawa kadar kes bunuh diri di Malaysia sedang meningkat. Pendaftar Bunuh Diri Malaysia melaporkan bahwa daripada 445 kes bunuh diri yang dipantau dalam tahun 2010, sebanyak 109 kes bunuh diri melibatkan mereka yang berusia antara 30 sehingga 39 tahun. Usia yang perdana dalam kehidupan mereka.

Terdapat beberapa faktor yang menyebabkan berlakunya kes bunuh diri. Hal ini termasuklah kemurungan, patah harapan, bebanan kerja yang mendadak, tekanan sosial, hubungan yang gagal, kekurangan kemahiran hidup atau pengetahuan dan senarainya berlanjutan lagi.

 

 

To help overcome suicide, several approaches can be applied. Be it society or the authorities, individuals and groups have ways and means of reaching out and helping those who have the potential or even tendencies to be suicidal. Experts agree that the practical way to overcome the problem is to seriously look into the root causes of suicide and tackle them effectively.

Legally, Section 309 of the Penal Code criminalises suicide. This means that it is an offence to even attempt suicide. Potential suicides who are rescued in the nick of time can be charged and convicted under the Penal Code and face a jail sentence of up to a year, or a fine or both. 

As a spiritual alternative to prevent suicide, Islam has it ways of addressing the issue. First of all, researchers show that suicide rates interestingly appear to be lower among Muslims compared to those of other faiths or atheists. The researchers have attributed the lower rate to the religion of Muslims. Muslims, as most of them, are required to submit themselves to Islam completely. Islam has its own codes of right and wrong.

To fulfill the submission, Muslims have to abide by the codes, thus proving them to be practicing Muslims. Failing to heed the requirements means the Muslims are either ignorant without proper religious knowledge or they are being recalcitrant.

Islam  has laid a basic foundation to protect humanity. Its foundation is based on several major pillars that define the need to uphold the dignity of all mankind and beings in the world. The foundation, called Maqasid al-Syariah or the goals of Islamic teachings, revolves around five foundational goals - the preservation of religion, life, lineage, intellect and property. The jurist Imam Abu Ishaq al-Shatibi (1388) also wrote on the Maqasid al-Syariah in his work, Al-Muwafaqaat fi Usool al-Syariah. He elaborated more on the Maqasid al-Syariah as the attainment of good, welfare, advantages and benefits and the warding of evil, injury or loss. 

One of the foundational goals is to preserve the life of human beings. This gives fundamental guidance for Muslims to not commit suicide. Veritably, all aspects of Islamic teachings are based on the prime Syariah sources, namely the Quran and Sunnah (teachings, sayings, deeds, silent permission or disapprovals of the Prophet Muhammad).

Islam strongly prohibits suicide due to its teachings on the sanctity of life. The Quran explicitly states this in the story of the Children of Israel for the guidance of mankind, (Chapter al-Maidah: 32). Furthermore, the Prophet's Sunnah also issued a stern warning to suicides. He said, "Whoever kills himself with something in the world, he will be punished with it on the Day of Judgement". (Narrated by Imam Bukhari and Muslim).

Muslims believe in the life of the Hereafter where every good or bad deed will be either rewarded or punished accordingly. Hence, taking one's life by suicide will not solve one's problem at all. Rather, punishment awaits them later.

The wish for death is also discouraged in Islam. Yet, when the going gets tough for some in life, the Prophet teaches us a supplication as a solace, "Oh Allah, give me life as long as life is good for me and let me die when death is good for me." (Narrated by Imam Bukhari and Muslim).

Without doubt, there are many who face tremendous depression in their lives. For such souls, Islam urges them not to despair at all costs but think of the blessings of Allah which are actually abundant. What is life but a series of tests?

In Islam, a test can come in the form of despair or hardship or - little does one realise this - wealth and happiness are also forms of life tests. Whether one gets something good or faces something bad, it is an indicator of how far one submits to Allah in both happy and grave occasions.

Islam also stresses that, "Allah does not burden a soul except what it can bear". (al-Baqarah: verse 286). Thus, the Quranic verse indicates that one should be able to weather any calamity in life since the difficulties and hardships are within the extent of one's capability. Indeed, Allah promises that "There is ease with every difficulty". (al-Inshirah: 5).

In short, Islam protects the sanctity of human life by its teachings and practical solutions. It urges the distraught to not despair and try their utmost best to get out of their doldrums while simultanously putting their trust in Allah.

Indeed, for practicing Muslims, they are much guided in their lives by the Quran and Sunnah.

Mohamad Asim Ismail is a research officer with Ikim's Centre for the Study of Syariah, Law and Politics. The views expressed here are entirely the writer's own.

Rujukan

• Mohd Asim Ismail, Coping with Suicide: Islamic Perspective, Ikim Views, The Star, 17 Jan 2017