What does Islam say about people who die by suicide?

Why suicide is forbidden

Your life is a trust from Allah, not something you own outright. The Quran says:

Notice how the verse ends with mercy. The ban protects people; it is not meant to shame those who are suffering. There are also strong warnings in the hadith about killing oneself (Sahih al-Bukhari 5778), which is why scholars count it among the major sins.

Is the person still a Muslim?

Yes, according to the main Sunni schools (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali). Suicide is a major sin, not an act of disbelief, and major sins do not take a person out of Islam. Scholars explain the harsh "forever" wording in some hadith in different ways: it may refer to someone who believed suicide was allowed, or it describes a very long stay, or it is what the act deserves unless Allah forgives.

A hopeful example: a Companion who migrated to Madinah fell ill and, in despair, cut the joints of his fingers and bled to death. His friend saw him in a dream in a good state, but with his hands covered. When the Prophet ﷺ heard this, he prayed, "O Allah, forgive his hands too" (Sahih Muslim 116). See Do Muslims go to hell for their sins?

Funeral and prayers

The Prophet ﷺ once did not lead the funeral prayer of a man who had killed himself, saying, "As for me, I will not pray for him" (Sahih Muslim 978; Sunan an-Nasa'i 1964). Scholars understand this as a warning to others, not a ban on others praying it. So the community still washes, shrouds and prays over the person. Family and friends can give charity for them and make dua for forgiveness.

Mental illness changes things

Islam only holds people responsible for what they can control. The Prophet ﷺ said the pen is lifted from three, including the one who has lost their reason until they recover (Sunan Abi Dawud 4403). Severe depression or psychosis can cloud a person's judgment, and only Allah knows what was really in their heart. We do not judge them. See Is depression a sign of weak faith in Islam?