كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۗ وَنَبْلُوكُم بِٱلشَّرِّ وَٱلْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً ۖ وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ 35
Translations
Every soul will taste death. And We test you with evil and with good as trial; and to Us you will be returned.
Transliteration
Kullu nafsin dhaa'iqatul-mawt, wa nabluwkum bi ash-sharri wa al-khayri fitnatan, wa ilaina turja'un
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes the universality of death as an inevitable reality for all souls, while emphasizing that Allah tests humanity through both hardship and prosperity as trials to distinguish the righteous from the wicked. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, the 'testing' (fitnah) through good and evil serves to purify souls and reveal true faith, ultimately reminding believers that all return to Allah for judgment. The ayah combines the certainty of mortality with the purpose of worldly trials, anchoring believers' understanding that temporary difficulties and blessings are part of divine wisdom.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Mecca during the early Islamic period when believers faced severe persecution and hardship. The surah emphasizes the stories of prophets who endured trials, and this ayah contextualizes the believers' own struggles as purposeful tests, similar to those faced by previous prophets. It provides solace and perspective to the early Muslim community facing opposition.
Related Hadiths
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial. When Allah loves a people, He tests them. Whoever is patient, he attains the reward of being patient; and whoever is impatient, he incurs the burden of being impatient.' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Also relevant: 'No calamity befalls a Muslim but that Allah expiates some of his sins because of it, even if it be the prick of a thorn.' (Sahih Bukhari)
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to view both adversity and prosperity as divinely orchestrated tests designed to refine character and faith rather than random misfortunes or rewards. In our modern context, it encourages resilience during hardship and humility during success, while maintaining awareness that our ultimate return to Allah makes worldly conditions temporary and secondary to spiritual preparation.
Related Ayahs
قَالَ لَقَدْ كُنتُمْ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُمْ فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ
He said, "You were certainly, you and your fathers, in manifest error."
وَإِذَا رَءَاكَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلَّا هُزُوًا أَهَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى يَذْكُرُ ءَالِهَتَكُمْ وَهُم بِذِكْرِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ هُمْ كَـٰفِرُونَ
And when those who disbelieve see you, [O Muḥammad], they take you not except in ridicule, [saying], "Is this the one who mentions [i.e., insults] your gods?" And they are, at the mention of the Most Merciful, disbelievers.
فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَقُلْ ءَاذَنتُكُمْ عَلَىٰ سَوَآءٍ ۖ وَإِنْ أَدْرِىٓ أَقَرِيبٌ أَم بَعِيدٌ مَّا تُوعَدُونَ
But if they turn away, then say, "I have announced to [all of] you equally. And I know not whether near or far is that which you are promised.
۞ وَمَن يَقُلْ مِنْهُمْ إِنِّىٓ إِلَـٰهٌ مِّن دُونِهِۦ فَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِيهِ جَهَنَّمَ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
And whoever of them should say, "Indeed, I am a god besides Him" - that one We would recompense with Hell. Thus do We recompense the wrongdoers.