by Justice911

Created on: May 23, 2008

Suicide is a sin in Islam as many imams have explained. Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) stated suicide "would not be in accord with Islamic beliefs and practices." Suicide is not just a sin, it is a major sin.

The Quran demands of Muslims, "Do not kill yourselves" and warns that those who disobey will be "cast into the fire." The Prophet Mohammed is reported to have said those who commit suicide cannot go on to paradise.

In fact, suicide is an extremely rare occurrence in Islamic countries with honest statistics on the subject. Egyptian statistics have shown suicide is a very rare cause of death in that country. Statistics from Egypt have shown approximately 00.1 suicides for every 100,000 people. This would lend you to believe suicide is not only not accepted in Egypt, a predominantly Islamic country, but the rest of the Islamic states as well.

Or so you would think...

What is so misleading about these statistics, the statements of imams and Islamic community leaders, and even the words of the Quran is that none of these are representative of what has been occurring for decades, even centuries.

Islamists consider suicide only legitimate, but highly commendable when undertaken for reasons of jihad (holy war). Going into war knowing with the certainty that one will die, is not suicide (intihar) but martyrdom (istishhad). This is a highly praised form of "self-sacrifice" for the will of Allah, a way to win the eternal affection in paradise.

The history of suicide attacks can be traced back to at least to the 11th century. This is when the "Assassins" (the disciples of the Persian master Alamut) conducted suicide raids on neighboring fortresses.

In other words, Islamists find suicide for personal reasons abominable, suicide for jihad is considered admirable. Suicide attackers often consider their deaths acts of heroism, not self-destruction, and believe they will be rewarded in the afterlife. After their deaths, suicide bombers are often celebrated as heroes in their communities. Some have music videos and documentaries produced to celebrate their "sacrifice."

In Jordan, Saeed Hotari killed 21 Israelis in a suicide attack. The town hangs pictures of Hotari holding dynamite from the trees outside their homes to celebrate his suicide attack. There is also graffiti spray painted on the walls reading "21 and counting."

Hotari's father is quoted as saying, "I wish I had done [the bombing]. My son has fulfilled the Prophet's wishes. He has become a hero! Tell me, what more could a father ask?"

My charge to you is to ask yourself, "If suicide is a sin in Islam, than what is it called when you kill yourself in order to kill others?"

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