Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 154

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Do not say of those who are slain in the way of Allah that they are dead. Instead, they are alive, but you do not perceive.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Never say that those martyred in the cause of Allah are dead—in fact, they are alive! But you do not perceive it.

Ruwwad Translation Center

And do not say that those martyred in Allah’s way are dead. Rather, they are alive, but you do not perceive it.

A. J. Arberry

And say not of those slain in God's way, 'They are dead'; rather they are living, but you are not aware.

Abdul Haleem

Do not say that those who are killed in God’s cause are dead; they are alive, though you do not realize it.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah: dead. Nay, they are living, but ye perceive not.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah; "They are dead." Nay, they are living, though ye perceive (it) not.

Abul Ala Maududi

And do not say of those who are slain in the way of Allah, "they are dead." In fact, they are alive but you do not perceive that life.

Ahmed Ali

Do not say that those who are killed in the way of God, are dead, for indeed they are alive, even though you are not aware.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And do not utter regarding those who are slain in Allah's cause as “dead”; in fact they are alive, but it is you who are unaware.

Ali Quli Qarai

Do not call those who were slain in Allah’s way ‘dead.’ No, they are living, but you are not aware.

Ali Ünal

And say not of those who are killed in God’s cause: "They are dead." Rather they are alive, but you are not aware.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And do not count as dead those who are killed in the cause of Allâh. Rather (they are) living, only you perceive not (their life).

English Literal

And do not say to whom is being killed in God`s way/sake : "Deads." But (they are) alive, and but you do not feel/know/sense.

Faridul Haque

And do not utter regarding those who are slain in Allah´s cause as "dead"; in fact they are alive, but it is you who are unaware.

Hamid S. Aziz

And say not of those who are slain in Allah´s Way (the Way of striving, sacrifice and restraint) (that they are) dead. Nay, they are living; but you do not perceive it.

Hilali & Khan

And say not of those who are killed in the Way of Allah, "They are dead." Nay, they are living, but you perceive (it) not.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And speak not of those who are slain in Allah´s way as dead. Nay, (they are) alive, but you perceive not.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And do not speak of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead; nay, (they are) alive, but you do not perceive.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And call not those who are slain in the way of Allah "dead." Nay, they are living, only ye perceive not.

Muhammad Sarwar

Do not consider those who are slain for the cause of God to be dead. They are alive but you are unaware of them.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Do not say that those killed in the Way of Allah are dead, they are alive, although you are unaware.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And say not of those who are killed in the way of Allah, "They are dead." Nay, they are living, but you perceive (it) not.

Wahiduddin Khan

Do not say that those who are killed in God's cause are dead; they are alive, but you are not aware of it.

Talal Itani

And do not say of those who are killed in the cause of God, “Dead.” Rather, they are alive, but you do not perceive.

Tafsir jalalayn

And say not of those slain in God's way, that, `They are dead'; rather they are living, their spirits are, according to a hadth, contained in green birds that take wing freely wherever they wish in Paradise; but you are not aware, [but you] do not know their condition.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَلَا تَقُولُواْ لِمَنْ يُقْتَلُ فِي سَبيلِ اللّهِ أَمْوَاتٌ بَلْ أَحْيَاء

And say not of those who are killed in the way of Allah, "They are dead." Nay, they are living,

indicates that the martyrs are alive and receiving their sustenance.

وَلَكِن لاَّ تَشْعُرُونَ



Nay, they are living, but you perceive (it) not.

Muslim reported in his Sahih;

أَنَّ أَرْوَاحَ الشُّهَدَاءِ فِي حَوَاصِلَ طَيْرٍ خُضْرٍ تَسْرَحُ فِي الْجَنَّة حَيْثُ شَاءَتْ ثُمَّ تَأْوِي إلَى قَنَادِيلَ مُعَلَّقَةٍ تَحْتَ الْعَرْشِ فَاطَّلَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ اطِّلَعَةً فقَالَ مَاذَا تَبْغُونَ

The souls of the martyrs are inside green birds and move about in Paradise wherever they wish. Then, they take refuge in lamps that are hanging under the Throne (of Allah). Your Lord looked at them and asked them, `What do you wish for?'

فَقَالُوا يَا رَبَّنَا وَأَيَّ شَيْءٍ نَبْغِي وَقَدْ أَعْطَيْتنَا مَا لَمْ تُعْطِ أَحَدًا مِنْ خَلْقِكَ




They said, `What more could we wish for while You have favored us with what You have not favored any other of your creation.'

ثُمَّ عَادَ إِلَيْهِمْ بِمِثْلِ هذَا


He repeated the question again.

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْا أَنَّهُم لَا يُتْرَكُون مِنْ أَنْ يُسْأَلُوا قَالُوا نُرِيدُ أَنْ تَرُدَّنَا إِلَى الدَّارِ الدُّنْيَا فَنُقَاتِلَ فِي سَبِيلِكَ حَتَّى نُقْتَلَ فِيكَ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى لِمَا يَرَوْنَ مِنْ ثَوابِ الشَّهادَةِ


When they realize that they will be asked (until they answer), they said, `We wish that You send us back to the earthly life, so that we fight in Your cause until we are killed in Your cause again,' (because of what they enjoy of the rewards of martyrdom).

فَيَقُولُ الرَّبُّ جَلَّ جَلَلُهُ إِنِّي كَتَبْتُ أَنَّهُمْ إلَيْهَا لَا يَرْجِعُون

The Lord then said, `I have written that they will not be returned to it (earthly life) again.

Imam Ahmad reported that Abdur-Rahman bin Ka`b bin Malik narrated from his father that Allah's Messenger said;

نَسَمَةُ الْمُوْمِنِ طَايِرٌ تَعْلَقُ فِي شَجَرِ الْجَنَّةِ حَتَّى يَرْجِعَهُ اللهُ إِلَى جَسَدهِ يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُه

The believer's soul is a bird that feeds on the trees of Paradise until Allah sends it back to its body when the person is resurrected.

This Hadith includes all the believers in its general meaning. Thus, the fact that the Qur'an mentions the martyrs in particular in the above Ayah serves to honor, glorify and favor them (although the other believers share the rewards they enjoy