Muslim Taxi Driver Saves a Young Suicidal Customer

Ali Asik, a 45-year-old taxi driver from Hull, dropped a young woman off at the Country Park Inn at about 2am on Thursday morning. However, he sensed that something was wrong when “he saw the woman walking towards an alleyway by the side of the building, rather than the entrance.”[1]

Based on his intuition, he decided to check on the young woman and caught up with her as she approached a wooden fence and walked onto a platform at the water’s edge. Mr Asik was so worried that he had “left the car in the middle of the road and… ran and grabbed her”.[2]

Mr Asik said “She was pushing me away and telling me to leave her alone, that she didn’t want to be here anymore. Then she fell to her knees, crying and crying.”[3] This heart-breaking account from Mr Asik illustrates the devastating reality of suicidal people all over the world.

In the UK alone, a total of 6,507 suicides were registered in 2018, 686 more than in 2017, which had a total of 5,821 deaths. This equates to 11.2 deaths per 100,000 population in 2018. These statistics are not only alarming but exhibit the importance of people like Mr Asik who risk it all to save the life of another.

After calling 999, Mr Asik desperately clung onto the young woman, trying to prevent any more harm. The police and the woman’s family have both contacted him, thanking him for his actions that night, and the young woman is now receiving professional help.

Mr Asik hopes that “every driver takes care of their passengers” and that if he had “left her there and the next morning seen that a young woman had been found down there” he would have “had to live with that for the rest of his life”.[4]

He added:

“Nowadays you get lots of young people that have these problems and you never know who might be struggling.”

Mr Asik’ act of bravery demonstrates what it means to be human, to help those who are in need and provide support even if it is to a stranger. Allah says in the Qur’ān:

“Whoever saves one life, it is as if he had saved all of mankind.’[5]

Those with suicidal feelings should seek help and remember not to lose hope. Call 116123 for someone to talk to if you or someone you know is having these thoughts.

We pray that Allah grants ease to anyone who is suffering, and for those who may feel like their life is not worth living, remember Allah has promised: