Suicidal thoughts and Behaviors: Towards an Islamic Religio-Psychological Synthesis

Around one million people lose their lives to suicide every year. Suicidality represents a multifaceted phenomenon associated with various biological, psychological, social, and religious factors. The relationship between suicide and religion is complex, and the discourse on the topic tends to be dichotomous. This thesis aims to dissect this dichotomy by examining the interface between Islam and psychology regarding suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs). It explores how STBs are addressed in psychological and Islamic literature. The focus is on three main domains: (a) etiological perspectives, (b) protective and preventive approaches, and (c) post-suicide issues. Representing the Islamic Psychology framework, this interdisciplinary study attempts to offer a synthesis of literature from a wide range of Islamic and psychological scholarly disciplines through discourse analysis. This synthesis is meant to aid religious scholars and mental health professionals in developing Islamically-oriented culturally-sensitive models of understanding and preventing suicide and supporting suicide survivors.