People seeking fatwa on suicide in abject poverty
Local Monday, September 29th, 2008Abdul Rehman Ashrafi, the head of Jamia Ashrafia, Sunday said poverty-stricken people were seeking fatwa from religious scholars whether Islam permitted suicide if one did not have enough to eat.
Addressing a religious gathering at Jamia Ashrafia, Maulana Abdul Rehman said rising inflation and poverty had forced the poor into thinking the unthinkable.
He said spiralling prices had made it impossible for the poor to make both ends meet, such people were contacting religious scholars with pleas that they were left with no option but to commit suicide. He cleared that religion did not permit a person to commit suicide under any circumstance and such an act was ‘haram’ according to the teachings of Islam.
He advised the poverty-stricken people to seek refuge in prayers and to focus on earning from halal resources. He also urged the affluent sections of the society to help the poor by giving more donations in the form of zakat instead of spending money for performing umra.
The head of Jamia Ashrafia expressed concern at the rising incidents of terrorism which wrecked havoc with the law and order situation and called upon all segments to sit together to seek a way out of the situation. He urged militants to give up arms and negotiate their terms and conditions with the government instead of spilling blood of innocent people.
Maulana Abdul Rehman also asked JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman and Maulana Sami-ul-Haq to play their role in ensuring ceasefire in the tribal region.
Short URL: http://www.daily.pk/?p=6516
on Sep 29 2008. Filed under