Life is a Gift:
Breaking the Silence Around Suicide
By: Mariya Azam
A compassionate, faith-informed reflection on hope, prevention, connection, and professional support
“Do not wait for someone to lose hope before offering them a reason for hope”
There are something in life that we often realize only when we are afraid of losing them. Life is one of them. We have become so occupied with the worries, failures, responsibilities and disappointments that we sometimes forget how extraordinary it is simply to be alive. Every morning we are given another opportunity to see our parents, speak to our siblings, meet our friends, pursue our dreams, experience nature, and create memories.
These moments can remind us that life still holds beauty, connection, and possibilities.
THE QUR’AN REMINDS US
“And do not kill yourselves. Indeed, ALLAH is to you ever Merciful.”
Surah An-Nisa (4:29)
“And We have certainly honored the children of Adam…”
Surah Al-Isra (17:70)
“For indeed, with hardship comes ease. Surely, with hardship comes ease.” Surah Ash-Sharh (94:5–6)
Life is a precious gift from Almighty ALLAH. In Islam, human life carries dignity, value, and responsibility. The Qur’an reminds believers not to take their own lives, speaks of the honor given to human beings, and repeatedly points toward hope in times of hardship. These teachings offer an important message: difficulties are part of human life, but despair should never be allowed to convince us that life itself has lost its value.
Beauty, Hope & Possibilities
When we look around us, especially in beautiful mountainous regions such as Chitral, Karimabad, and other rural areas, we can see countless reminders of the beauty of existence. Mountains, valleys, rivers, trees, fresh air, changing seasons, family gatherings, friendships, and simple moments of peace all remind us that life contains experiences we may not yet have discovered.
Sometimes, a person going through an extremely difficult period cannot see these possibilities. Their immediate pain can become so overwhelming that the future appears invisible. This is where our understanding must change.
Suicidal Distress Is Not a Character Flaw
A person experiencing suicidal thoughts should not simply be labelled weak, attention-seeking, or “crazy.” Severe emotional distress can affect the way a person thinks, feels, and understands their circumstances. This is precisely why such individuals need compassion, careful listening, psychological support, and professional help.Just as we do not hesitate to visit a doctor when our body becomes seriously ill, we should not be ashamed to seek professional help when our mental and emotional well-being is suffering. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness; sometimes, it is one of the strongest decisions a person can make.
“Replacing judgment with compassion can create the space in which a person finally feels safe enough to ask for help.”
The Impact on Families & Communities
The loss of a person can leave lasting grief and unanswered questions among those who remain. Parents, siblings, friends, classmates, and communities may struggle to understand what happened and may carry memories of someone they loved for years. This is why prevention must begin long before a crisis reaches its most dangerous point.
Prevention Begins Early
We need communities where people can speak about their problems without being humiliated or judged. We need families who listen instead of immediately criticizing. We need teachers who understand that a struggling student may need support rather than punishment. We need religious and community leaders who can encourage people to seek appropriate help. A prevention culture means acting before a crisis.Awareness, early recognition of distress, supportive relationships, confidential counseling, and clear referral pathways can make help easier to reach.
Rural Communities Need Access Too
This need becomes especially important in rural and mountainous communities, where psychological and counseling services may be less accessible than in larger cities. A person should not have to travel a great distance simply to find qualified support. Counseling centers, helplines, awareness programs, and referral systems should be developed closer to the communities that need them.
Universities & Colleges Have a Key Role
Mental-health awareness and suicide-prevention programs should not be organized only after a tragedy occurs. They should become part of a preventive culture. Students should know where they can seek help, whom they can approach, and how to support a friend who may be experiencing serious emotional difficulties. Institutions should provide confidential counseling and regular sessions on emotional well-being, coping, support, and professional help-seeking.
Faith, Mental Health & Compassion
We are living in 2026, and our understanding of health must move forward with our time. Physical health and mental health are both essential parts of human well-being. Having a psychological difficulty does not make someone less valuable, less intelligent, or less capable.
The responsibility does not belong only to psychologists or institutions. A friend can listen. A parent can notice a change. A teacher can provide support. A university can provide counseling. A community can create awareness. A health professional can provide treatment. A religious leader can offer appropriate spiritual guidance while also encouraging professional help.
A Message of Hope
Not every problem has an immediate solution, but that does not mean that a solution does not exist. Sometimes the first step is simply to get through the difficult moment, speak to someone trustworthy, and seek appropriate help. Circumstances can change, emotions can change, and new possibilities can appear when a person is given the opportunity and support to reach them.
Breaking the silence around suicide does not mean creating fear. It means creating understanding. It means replacing judgment with compassion, isolation with connection, and hopelessness with access to help. It means teaching our communities that emotional suffering deserves attention just as physical suffering does.
Most importantly, we must learn to offer hope before a person reaches the point of believing that there is none.
Life is more than the problem a person is facing today. It includes the people they love, the people who love them, the dreams they have not yet achieved, the places they have not yet seen, and the possibilities they cannot yet imagine.
Let us build communities where asking for help is normal, counseling is accessible, mental health is taken seriously, and every person knows that their life has value.
“Because sometimes, saving a life begins with some things as simple as giving someone a safe place to speak”.
Mariya Azam
BS Psychology Student
University of Karachi
Karachi, Pakistan
