What does Islam say about suicidal thoughts?
Yes, Islam speaks to this with mercy. Having suicidal thoughts is not a sin. Allah doesn't hold you accountable for thoughts you don't act on, and these thoughts are usually a sign of deep pain, not weak faith. Your life is precious to Allah. Please reach out for help now, and know that the pain can ease.
If you're in crisis right now
Please talk to someone today. In the USA, call or text 988. In the UK and Ireland, call Samaritans on 116 123. Elsewhere, call your local emergency number (112 in the EU). If you're in immediate danger, go to the nearest emergency room. Reaching out is not weakness. It's an act of protecting the life Allah gave you.
Thoughts are not sins
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Allah has accepted my invocation to forgive what whispers in the hearts of my followers, unless they put it to action or utter it" (Sahih al-Bukhari 2528).
So the thoughts themselves don't make you a bad Muslim or put you outside Allah's mercy. Many sincere believers have had them. They often come from depression, trauma, exhaustion or a crisis, which are all things that can be treated.
Your life matters to Allah
Islam forbids taking one's own life because life is a trust from Allah, and the same verse that forbids it ends with mercy:
The command comes from love, not harshness. Allah wants you here. The Prophet ﷺ also taught that no one should wish for death because of a hardship. Instead he taught this dua: "O Allah! Keep me alive as long as life is better for me, and let me die if death is better for me" (Sahih al-Bukhari 5671). It hands the matter to Allah when you feel you can't carry it.
Hope is part of faith
When everything feels hopeless, remember the words of the Prophet Ya'qub, who lost his son for years: "despair not of relief from Allah" (Quran 12:87). Feelings of hopelessness are a symptom, not a fact about your future.
- Tell one person today: a friend, family member, imam or doctor.
- Make your space safer: put away anything you might use to hurt yourself, or ask someone to hold it.
- See a doctor or therapist: depression and crisis respond to treatment.
- Make the smallest dua: "Ya Allah, help me." That's enough.
If you're also carrying anger or questions toward Allah, that's okay to bring to Him. See Is it a sin to feel angry at Allah? And see Is depression a sign of weak faith in Islam?
- Suicidal thoughts are not a sin.
- They are a sign of pain that deserves care.
- Your life is precious, and Allah is merciful to you.
- Call 988 (USA), 116 123 (UK and Ireland) or your local emergency number.
People also ask
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It depends, and mercy comes first. Islam asks you to protect your body, but self-harm is a response to pain, and Allah's mercy is open to you.
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Yes, you can get through it. Slow breathing, short dhikr and the dua of distress help, you can sit in prayer, and treatment works well.
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