Phenomenon of suicide in perspective!

View Larger Map Islam forbids suicide. In Islam, escape from life is not solution to any problem.  Quran says: “And do not kill yourself (nor kill one another). Surely, Allah is the most merciful…..”( An-Nisa 4-29). During the life time of holy prophet, he refused to attend the funeral prayer of a man who had committed suicide. However, He asked His companions to offer funeral prayer (Hadith: Bukhari 2: 245, Narrated by Thabit bin Ad- Dahhack). Jundab narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “A man was inflicted with wounds and he committed suicide, and so Allah said: My servant has caused death on himself hurriedly, so I forbid Paradise for him”(Hadith– Bukhari 7:576, narrated Qaisbin Abi Hazim,see also 8:361,). Only in the year 2000, an estimated 815,000 people in the world killed themselves. An overall age-adjusted rate of suicide is 14.5 per 0.1 million. This statistics indicate one death within 40 seconds, thus making suicide the thirteenth leading cause of death worldwide. Its proportion in Pakistan with relation to world is unclear. According to the Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta 50 per cent of the suicides are committed due to poverty and economic hardships. Unfortunately, in the recent months many cases have been reported from Chitral. A peculiar tendency related to suicide from Chitral is its prevalence in teenager students of feminine gender. Among the known reasons, academic failure and family problems are at the top. In scientific perspective, it may be due to genetic makeup of an individual but usually environmental factors are responsible. The most powerful causative agents are extremely emotional psychological conditions and psychiatric disorders. Psychological conditions are dimensioned by society and its adverse affects may results psychiatric disorders. Suicide is really a product of ill mind. Why our society is going to be more ill minded? Some of the factors in this regard are unprocessed materials available in electronic and print media, higher expectations of parents from their children, lack of tolerance in society, fear of social injustice and absences of standardized operating procedures of social norms and value system. Moreover the pledge to have sincere and pragmatic endeavour to make a peaceful, tolerant and progressive society is scarce. Chitral is a fertile land of intellectuals but their shrewdness and penetration is quite not enough in promoting awareness against this trend. To reduce this devastating phenomenon, it is the need of the day to arrange counseling programs in schools, Madrassas and colleges. Under these circumstances the apostles of human right activism have not to remain behind the scene. The lawyers have to come forward for creating awareness. The teachers have to review their modalities of teaching and learning process.  The local press has to handle this issue very properly. The doctors have to take part in counseling programs. Every component of the society has to play its role properly. Then it is possible to overcome this evil. Facing problem is a part of life and escape from life is not the solution of problem. Life is a divine blessing and is bestowed upon us only once. So, care it and move forward to solve problems. If there are some unhealed wounds, then time is the best healer.

Javeed Farooqi, Mulkhow, Uthool , Sept 5, 2012).                         

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