Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamoualaikoum.

Dear brother,

Thank you very much for answering my past questions... May ALLAH bless u

constantly...

I have one more question...

Recently my aunty`s sister-in-law died, it was not a natural death as she committed suicide... we all know that it is a sin to do so... my aunty wishes to know what must be done, like should we conduct the chaharam or chalisma....
And I would like to know what happens to the soul of that person... can she go around doing harm to others???

shukriya for your great help.

a sister-in-islam. 

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Answer:

Soul of person who commit suicide

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: my aunty wishes to know what must be done, like should we conduct the chaharam or chalisma....

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.310 Narrated by Um Atiya

We were forbidden by the Messenger of Allah (saws) to mourn for a dead person for more than three days, except in the case of (the death of) a husband for whom mourning was allowed (for his widow) for four months and ten days.’

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.257 Narrated by Zainab bint Um Salama

When Um Habiba bint Abi Sufyan was informed of her father's death, she asked for perfume and rubbed it over her arms and said, "I am not in need of perfume, but I have heard the Prophet (saws) saying, "It is not lawful for a lady who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for more than three days, except for her husband for whom the (mourning) period is four months and ten days."

Dear and Beloved Sister in Islam, the Messenger of Allah (saws) has declared absolutely forbidden for one who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn the deceased for more than three days, except the wife who is commanded to mourn the death of her husband for four months and ten days.

The mourning rites of ‘chehlum’ or ‘chalisma’ for the deceased are manifest innovations and have absolutely no basis in Islam; and the believers who sincerely fear Allah and the Last Day must abstain from doing anything which is not part of the deen.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4515 Narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib

That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said: “If anyone introduces an innovation (in religion), he will be responsible for it. If anyone introduces an innovation or gives shelter to a man who introduces an innovation (in religion), he is cursed by Allah, by His Angels, and by all the people.”

Sahih Muslim Hadith 1885 Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah

That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said in a sermon: “The best speech is that which is embodied in the Book of Allah, the Al Quran; and the best guidance is the guidance given by me, Mohamed (saws). The most evil affairs are the innovations, and every innovation is an error.”

And I would like to know what happens to the soul of that person... can she go around doing harm to others???

In light of the Quran and the established teachings of the Messenger of Allah (saws), when a person dies, his soul is returned back unto their Creator, and stored in a place called ‘barzakh’ until the Last Day when the Lord Most Majestic will give them life again. There can be absolutely no contact from the souls who have reached the ‘barzakh’ to the ones who are alive in this world, and vice versa!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verses 61-62:

61 He (Allah) is the Irresistible (watching) from above over His worshippers and He sets guardians (Angels) over you. At length when death approaches one of you, Our Angels take his soul and they never fail in their duty.

62 Then they (the souls) are returned unto Allah their Protector, The (Only) Reality: is not His the Command? And He is the swiftest in taking account.

At death, every soul is returned unto Allah Subhanah, and deposited in the ‘barzakh’, and once the souls have reached their destination in the ‘barzakh’, there is absolutely no way for them to leave that state, or harm anyone from there, or benefit anyone from there in the least. The souls will remain in that state and place of ‘barzakh’ until the Lord Most Supreme will give them life again on the Day of Resurrection.

Allah is our witness, in their abode of ‘barzakh’ the souls of the righteous are in such bliss that they would not even care to look at what is happening in the miserable world they have left behind; and the souls of the evil are in such abject misery, that they would not care nor dare to associate or harm anyone else in the least!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan