The supplications of a mentally-disturbed person against himself are not accepted

15-4-2014 | IslamWeb

Question:

what is the fate in the after life of a person if he was suffering from severe schizophrenia but didnt know that, and in frustration and depression says prayer or prays to god to send him to hell in the afterlife and also says to god to send him to hell even if he in future asks for forgiveness and changes his mind and asks god to send him to heaven, then he gets diagnosed for the disease gets treated for a number of years and gets a lot better and remembers what he had said and realizes what a terrible mistake he has made and asks for forgiveness and asks to be sent to heaven, will he be forgiven by god and sent to heaven when he dies or is his fate sealed and he will go to hell?
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

It is impermissible to say that someone's fate is sealed and that he will go to Hell because only Allaah, The Exalted, knows the fate of each person. In fact, schizophrenia is a form of insanity and it is a serious mental illness. The Global Arabic Encyclopedia reads: “Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder whose symptoms include unpredictable and disorganized thinking ... It is one of the most widespread mental disorders ... Many patients who suffer from schizophrenia appear delusional and act as though they live in an imaginary world. They hear voices that no one else hears and believe that those voices deliver them messages from important people … They exhibit inappropriate emotions like laughing in sad situations, for example. Some schizophrenics feel estranged from their families and friends and talk mainly to themselves or to the voices they hear apart from others.” [Summarized excerpt]

The purpose of citing this quotation is to demonstrate that schizophrenia is a form of insanity. So, if a schizophrenic supplicates Allaah against himself, his supplications are not accepted because he is not mindful of what he is saying. Verily, Allaah is All-Merciful and does not accept the supplications of an insane person against himself. Allaah is the most Merciful to His slaves, even more Merciful to them than their own mothers.

Moreover, Muslim scholars underlined that when a sane person supplicates Allaah against himself, his supplications are considered vain talk and are most likely rejected. Imam Al-Qurtubi may Allaah have mercy upon him commented on the verse that reads (what means): {And man supplicates for evil as he supplicates for good…} [Quran 17:11] He said, “Ibn ‘Abbaas and others commented on the verse saying that the verse refers to someone’s supplication against himself or his children with what he does not wish to happen, while in a state of anger; for example, saying 'may Allaah destroy him' or the like. {...as he supplicates for good ...} refers to the individual’s supplication to Allaah to protect him and bestow His blessings upon him. If Allaah accepted the person’s supplications against himself, he would be doomed. However, Allaah rejects such supplications. The same applies to the verse that reads (what means): {And if Allaah was to hasten for the people the evil [they invoke] as He hastens for them the good, their term would have been ended for them…} [Quran 10:11]

Ibn Katheer may Allaah have mercy upon him said, “Allaah, The Exalted, informs us of His forbearance and kindness towards His slaves that He rejects their supplications against themselves, their wealth, or their children while in a state of anger and dissatisfaction and that He knows that they do not actually wish ill for themselves or their loved ones. Therefore, Allaah does not accept such supplications out of His kindness and mercy as He answers people’s supplications when they implore Him to bless them, their wealth, and children. This is why Allaah, The Exalted, says (what means): {And if Allaah was to hasten for the people the evil [they invoke] as He hastens for them the good, their term would have been ended for them…} [Quran 10:11]”.

Hence, this person should thank Allaah for blessing him with recovery from illness and should forget all that he had done in the past. He should strive to obey and be devoted to Allaah. He should also keep a favorable opinion about Allaah for He is worthy of having such a favorable opinion.

Allaah Knows best.

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