Surah Az-Zumar 39:42
سُورَةُ الزُّمَرِ · Meccan · Verse 42 of 75
ٱللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى ٱلْأَنفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَٱلَّتِى لَمْ تَمُتْ فِى مَنَامِهَا ۖ فَيُمْسِكُ ٱلَّتِى قَضَىٰ عَلَيْهَا ٱلْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ ٱلْأُخْرَىٰٓ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍۢ مُّسَمًّى ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
Translation
God takes the souls of the dead and the souls of the living while they sleep- He keeps hold of those whose death He has ordained and sends the others back until their appointed time- there truly are signs in this for those who reflect.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This profound verse from Surah Az-Zumar invites us to pause and reflect on Allah's absolute control over life and death, a reality we experience daily. It is a direct address from Allah, a statement of His unique power, meant to awaken our hearts to His majesty and oneness. The tone is one of powerful assertion and wisdom, linking these deep truths to the need for reflection.
The Divine Taker of Souls
The verse begins by unequivocally stating, "ٱللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى ٱلْأَنفُسَ" (Allah takes the souls). The placement of "Allah" at the very beginning of the sentence is significant. As Ibn Ashur points out, this word order emphasizes that only Allah, and no one else, has this power. It is a declaration of His exclusive authority, countering any polytheistic notions of other deities having control over the ultimate states of existence. The word "يَتَوَفَّى" (yatwaffa) itself means "to take something completely" or "to fulfill." Here, it refers to Allah taking the soul fully at its appointed time.
Two Kinds of "Taking"
The verse then distinguishes between two forms of this "taking": "حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَٱلَّتِى لَمْ تَمُتْ فِى مَنَامِهَا" (at the time of its death, and that which has not died, in its sleep). This highlights the "major death" (actual demise) and the "minor death" (sleep). Al-Zamakhshari notes that sleep is likened to death because, like the deceased, a sleeper neither distinguishes nor acts. Ibn Ashur explains this as a deep linguistic simile that points to a scientific reality: sleep is a temporary suspension of our most vital life functions, like consciousness, even though our essential bodily systems continue to operate, allowing us to return to wakefulness. Al-Jalalaynan adds that during sleep, it is the soul of distinction or intellect that is taken, while the soul of life remains.
Withholding and Releasing
The verse continues to describe Allah's precise control: "فَيُمْسِكُ ٱلَّتِى قَضَىٰ عَلَيْهَا ٱلْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ ٱلْأُخْرَىٰٓ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍۢ مُّسَمًّى" (Then He withholds that for which He has decreed death and sends back the other until a specified term). This stark contrast between "يُمْسِكُ" (He withholds) and "يُرْسِلُ" (He sends back) powerfully illustrates Allah's absolute command. He retains the souls of those for whom death has been decreed, meaning they will not return to life in this world. But He releases the souls of those who were merely sleeping, allowing them to awaken and continue their lives until their own "أَجَلٍۢ مُّسَمًّى" (appointed time) for true death. Ibn Ashur highlights that this "withholding" is a powerful image of death's permanence, despite human longing for the deceased.
Signs for Those Who Reflect
The verse concludes with an invitation to ponder: "إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ" (Indeed in that are signs for people who reflect). The emphatic particles "إِنَّ" (indeed) and "لَآيَٰتٍ" (surely signs) underscore the immense number and clarity of these lessons. Ibn Ashur suggests this emphasis is for those who overlook these daily miracles, treating them as if they deny their implications. *Tafakkur* (reflection) is not casual thought but a deep, active engagement with these realities. It's an invitation to see the profound wisdom and power in the familiar acts of sleeping and waking, recognizing them as clear evidence of Allah's unique ability to create, sustain, and end life, and to appreciate His intricate design in our own selves.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Jalalayn, al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Az-Zumar 39:42 is discussed in 11 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
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