Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Right to Life in Islam Depriving One of Life is Prohibited Violation on others' life and depriving an individual of his right to live, in the eyes of Islam is the biggest sin.
The Prophet of Islam (PBUH) said: "Seeing the destruction of the world is easier for God than seeing a believer being murdered."[^1] Islam promises a killer to stay in hell perpetually: وَمَنْ يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا But whoever kills a believer intentionally - his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally, and Allah has become angry with him and has cursed him and has prepared for him a great punishment.
(Quran, 4:93) Furthermore, in the Islamic law, the punishment for killing someone without a legal permit in this world is execution. The Holy Quran says: وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ ۗ وَمَنْ قُتِلَ مَظْلُومًا فَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا لِوَلِيِّهِ سُلْطَانًا فَلَا يُسْرِفْ فِي الْقَتْلِ ۖ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مَنْصُورًا And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right.
And whoever is killed unjustly - We have given his heir authority, but let him not exceed limits in [the matter of] taking life. Indeed, he has been supported [by the law]. (Quran, 17:33) One of the outstanding characteristics of the Islamic law was a serious fight against the inhuman act and tradition of burying their infant daughters alive. Before the advent of Islam, the girls used to be buried alive. But at the advent of Islam it was immediately banned.
As Islam being strictly against it, protested and firmly fought against this savage vicious crime. The Holy Quran says: ‘Those who buried these girls alive will be interrogated on the Resurrection Day. They will be asked: Which sin had they committed to deserve death?”[^2] Another vital point is that the Islamic law attaches great significance not only to the adults' lives but also to children's right to life.
This verse of the Holy Quran is indicative of the significance of this reality: وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلَادَكُمْ خَشْيَةَ إِمْلَاقٍ ۖ نَحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ خِطْئًا كَبِيرًا … And do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you. Indeed, their killing is ever a great sin.