ٱللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى ٱلْأَنفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَٱلَّتِى لَمْ تَمُتْ فِى مَنَامِهَا ۖ فَيُمْسِكُ ٱلَّتِى قَضَىٰ عَلَيْهَا ٱلْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ ٱلْأُخْرَىٰٓ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ 42
Translations
Allāh takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that do not die [He takes] during their sleep. Then He keeps those for which He has decreed death and releases the others for a specified term. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.
Transliteration
Allahu yatawaffal-anfusa hina mawtiha wa-allati lam tamutu fi manamia, fa-yumsiku allati qada alayha al-mawta wa-yursilu al-akhra ila ajalin musammaa. Inna fi dhalika la-ayatin liqawmin yatafakkarun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah explains that Allah takes the souls of humans at the time of death, and those souls that have not yet died are taken during sleep. Allah retains the soul whose death has been decreed and returns the other souls to the body until an appointed term. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note this demonstrates Allah's complete sovereignty over life and death, and the similarity between sleep and death—both being states where the soul departs from conscious awareness of the physical world.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Az-Zumar, which emphasizes monotheism and divine power. The broader context of Surah Az-Zumar focuses on the oneness of Allah and His control over all creation, addressing polytheistic misconceptions prevalent in pre-Islamic Arabia by demonstrating Allah's absolute authority over souls and life itself.
Related Hadiths
Hadith in Sahih Bukhari from Abu Hurayrah: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'When one of you goes to sleep, his soul ascends to Allah.' This directly relates to the ayah's mention of souls being taken during sleep. Additionally, the hadith about the Angel of Death (Malak al-Mawt) in various collections illustrates the practical mechanism of soul-taking at death.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah invites believers to reflect deeply on the mystery of sleep and death as reminders of Allah's power and our dependence upon Him, encouraging mindfulness that our time on earth is limited by an appointed term known only to Allah. It provides comfort that our souls remain in Allah's protection whether in sleep or death, fostering trust in Divine wisdom.
Related Ayahs
ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْتَمِعُونَ ٱلْقَوْلَ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ أَحْسَنَهُۥٓ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَدَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمْ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ
Who listen to speech and follow the best of it. Those are the ones Allāh has guided, and those are people of understanding.
قُل لِّلَّهِ ٱلشَّفَـٰعَةُ جَمِيعًا ۖ لَّهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
Say, "To Allāh belongs [the right to allow] intercession entirely. To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Then to Him you will be returned."
أَلَا لِلَّهِ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْخَالِصُ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ زُلْفَىٰٓ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِى مَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى مَنْ هُوَ كَـٰذِبٌ كَفَّارٌ
Unquestionably, for Allāh is the pure religion. And those who take protectors besides Him [say], "We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allāh in position." Indeed, Allāh will judge between them concerning that over which they differ. Indeed, Allāh does not guide he who is a liar and [confirmed] disbeliever.
أَوْ تَقُولَ حِينَ تَرَى ٱلْعَذَابَ لَوْ أَنَّ لِى كَرَّةً فَأَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
Or [lest] it say when it sees the punishment, "If only I had another turn so I could be among the doers of good."