Al-Qur'an Surah Ali 'Imran Verse 169

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Never take those killed in the way of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, well-provided,

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Never think of those martyred in the cause of Allah as dead. In fact, they are alive with their Lord, well provided for—

Ruwwad Translation Center

Never think of those who are killed in Allah’s way as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision,

A. J. Arberry

Count not those who were slain in God's way as dead, but rather living with their Lord, by Him provided,

Abdul Haleem

[Prophet], do not think of those who have been killed in God’s way as dead. They are alive with their Lord, well provided for,

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And reckon not thou those slain in the way of Allah to be dead. Nay, they are alive, and with their Lord, and provided for.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Think not of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord;

Abul Ala Maududi

Think not of those slain in the way of Allah as dead. Indeed they are living, and with their Lord they have their sustenance,

Ahmed Ali

Never think that those who are killed in the way of God are dead. They are alive, getting succour from their Lord,

Ahmed Raza Khan

And do not ever assume that those who are slain in Allah's cause, are dead; in fact they are alive with their Lord, receiving sustenance. (Death does not mean extinction, it is the passing of the soul from this world to another. In case of virtuous believers, their bodies do not rot after death and they remain “alive”, in the manner Allah has ordained for them.)

Ali Quli Qarai

Do not suppose those who were slain in the way of Allah to be dead; no, they are living and provided for near their Lord,

Ali Ünal

Do not think at all of those killed in God’s cause as dead. Rather, they are alive; with their Lord they have their sustenance,

Amatul Rahman Omar

And think not of those who have been killed in the cause of Allâh as dead. Nay, they are alive, enjoying the company of their (Ever- Living) Lord and well provided (as they deserve to be for an everlasting life);

English Literal

And do not think/suppose those who (were) killed in God`s sake (are) deads, but (they are) alive at their Lord, being provided for.

Faridul Haque

And do not ever assume that those who are slain in Allah´s cause, are dead; in fact they are alive with their Lord, receiving sustenance. (Death does not mean extinction, it is the passing of the soul from this world to another. In case of virtuous believers, their bodies do not rot after death and they remain “alive”, in the manner Allah has ordained for them.)

Hamid S. Aziz

Rejoicing in what Allah has brought them of His Bounty, glad for those who have not reached them yet, those left behind; there is no fear for them, and they shall not grieve;

Hilali & Khan

Think not of those who are killed in the Way of Allah as dead. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Those who said of their brethren whilst they (themselves) held back: Had they obeyed us, they would not have been killed. Say: Avert death from yourselves, if you are truthful.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And reckon not those who are killed in Allah's way as dead; nay, they are alive (and) are provided sustenance from their Lord;

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Think not of those, who are slain in the way of Allah, as dead. Nay, they are living. With their Lord they have provision.

Muhammad Sarwar

Do not think of those slain for the cause of God as dead. They are alive with their Lord and receive sustenance from Him.

Qaribullah & Darwish

You must not think that those who were killed in the way of Allah are dead. But rather, they are alive with their Lord and have been provided for,

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Think not of those as dead who are killed in the way of Allah. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision.

Wahiduddin Khan

Do not think of those who have been killed in God's cause as dead. They are alive, and well provided for by their Lord;

Talal Itani

Do not consider those killed in the cause of God as dead. In fact, they are alive, at their Lord, well provided for.

Tafsir jalalayn

The following was revealed regarding martyrs; Count not those who were slain (read qutil or quttil) in God's way, that is, for the sake of His religion, as dead, but rather, that they are, living with their Lord, their spirits inside green birds that take wing freely wherever they wish in Paradise, as reported in a hadth); provided for [by Him], with the fruits of Paradise.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Virtues of the Martyrs

Allah tells;

وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ أَمْوَاتًا بَلْ أَحْيَاء عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ



Think not of those as dead who are killed in the way of Allah. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision.

Allah states that even though the martyrs were killed in this life, their souls are alive and receiving provisions in the Dwelling of Everlasting Life.

In his Sahih, Muslim recorded that Masruq said,

"We asked Abdullah about this Ayah,

He said, `We asked the Messenger of Allah the same question and he said,

أَرْوَاحُهُمْ فِي جَوْفِ طَيْرٍ خُضْرٍ لَهَا قَنَادِيلُ مُعَلَّقَةٌ بِالْعَرْشِ تَسْرَحُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ حَيْثُ شَاءَتْ ثُمَّ تَأْوِي إِلَى تِلْكَ الْقَنَادِيلِ

Their souls are inside green birds that have lamps, which are hanging below the Throne (of Allah), and they wander about in Paradise wherever they wish. Then they return to those lamps.

فَاطَّلَعَ إِلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمُ اطِّلَاعَةً فَقَالَ هَلْ تَشْتَهُونَ شَيْيًا




Allah looks at them and says, `Do you wish for anything?'

فَقَالُوا أَيَّ شَيْءٍ نَشْتَهِي وَنَحْنُ نَسْرَحُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ حَيْثُ شِيْنَا




They say, `What more could we wish for, while we go wherever we wish in Paradise.'

فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ بِهِمْ ثَلَثَ مَرَّاتٍ فَلَمَّا رَأَوْا أَنَّهُمْ لَنْ يُتْرَكُوا مِنْ أَنْ يُسْأَلُوا قَالُوا يَا رَبِّ نُرِيدُ أَنْ تَرُدَّ أَرْوَاحَنَا فِي أَجْسَادِنَا حَتَّى نُقْتَلَ فِي سَبِيلِكَ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى


Allah asked them this question thrice, and when they realize that He will keep asking them until they give an answer, they say, `O Lord! We wish that our souls be returned to our bodies so that we are killed in Your cause again.'

فَلَمَّا رَأَى أَنْ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ حَاجَةٌ تُرِكُوا


Allah knew that they did not have any other wish, so they were left."'

There are several other similar narrations from Anas and Abu Sa`id.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said that the Messenger of Allah said,

مَا مِنْ نَفْسٍ تَمُوتُ لَهَا عِنْدَ اللهِ خَيْرٌ يَسُرُّهَا أَنْ تَرْجِعَ إِلَى الدُّنْيَا إِلاَّ الشَّهِيدُ فَإِنَّهُ يَسُرُّهُ أَنْ يَرْجِعَ إِلَى الدُّنْيَا فَيُقْتَلَ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى لِمَا يَرَى مِنْ فَضْلِ الشَهَادَة

No soul that has a good standing with Allah and dies would wish to go back to the life of this world, except for the martyr. He would like to be returned to this life so that he could be martyred again, for he tastes the honor achieved from martyrdom.

Muslim collected this Hadith.

In addition, Imam Ahmad recorded that, Ibn Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah said,

لَمَّا أُصِيبَ إِخْوَانُكُمْ بِأُحُدٍ جَعَلَ اللهُ أَرْوَاحَهُمْ فِي أَجْوَافِ طَيْرٍ خُضْرٍ تَرِدُ أَنْهَارَ الْجَنَّـةِ وَتَأْكُلُ مِنْ ثِمَارِهَا وَتَأْوِي إِلى قَنَادِيلَ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ فِي ظِلِّ الْعَرْشِ فَلَمَّا وَجَدُوا طِيبَ مَشْرَبِهِمْ وَمَأْكَلِهِمْ وَحُسْنَ مُتَقَلَّبِهِمْ قَالُوا يَا لَيْتَ إِخْوَانَنَا يَعْلَمُونَ مَا صَنَعَ اللهُ لَنَا لِيَلَّ يَزْهَدُوا فِي الْجِهَادِ وَلَا يَنْكُلُوا عَنِ الْحَرْبِ

When your brothers were killed in Uhud, Allah placed their souls inside green birds that tend to the rivers of Paradise and eat from its fruits. They then return to golden lamps hanging in the shade of the Throne. When they tasted the delight of their food, drink and dwelling, they said, `We wish that our brothers knew what Allah gave us so that they will not abandon Jihad or warfare.'

فَقَالَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْا أُبَلِّغُهُمْ عَنْكُم

Allah said, `I will convey the news for you.'

Allah revealed these and the following Ayat,

وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ أَمْوَاتًا بَلْ أَحْيَاء عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ


Think not of those as dead who are killed in the way of Allah. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision.

Qatadah, Ar-Rabi and Ad-Dahhak said that;

these Ayat were revealed about the martyrs of Uhud.

Abu Bakr Ibn Marduwyah recorded that Jabir bin Abdullah said,

"The Messenger of Allah looked at me one day and said, `O Jabir! Why do I see you sad?'

I said, `O Messenger of Allah! My father was martyred and left behind debts and children.'

He said,

أَلَا أُخْبِرُكَ

مَا كَلَّمَ اللهُ أَحَدًا قَطُّ إِلاَّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍ وَإِنَّه كَلَّمَ أَبَاكَ كِفَاحًا

Should I tell you that Allah never spoke to anyone except from behind a veil? However, He spoke to your father directly.

He said, `Ask Me and I will give you.'

قَالَ سَلْنِي أُعْطِكَ قَالَ أَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ أُرَدَّ إِلَى الدُّنْيَا فَأُقْتَلَ فِيكَ ثَانِيَةً

He said, `I ask that I am returned to life so that I am killed in Your cause again.'

فَقَالَ الرَّبُّ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِنَّهُ قَدْ سَبَقَ مِنِّي الْقَوْلُ إِنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهَا لَا يَرْجِعُونَ

The Lord, Exalted He be, said, `I have spoken the word that they shall not be returned back to it (this life).'

قَالَ أَيْ رَبِّ فَأَبْلِغْ مَنْ وَرَايِي

He said, `O Lord! Then convey the news to those I left behind.'

Allah revealed,
وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ أَمْوَاتًا
(Think not of those as dead who are killed in the way of Allah...)."

Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah said,

الشُّهَدَاءُ عَلى بَارِقِ نَهْرٍ بِبَابِ الْجَنَّـةِ فِي قُبَّةٍ خَضْرَاءَ يَخْرُجُ عَلَيْهِمْ رِزْقُهُمْ مِنَ الْجَنَّـةِ بُكْرَةً وَعَشِيًّا

The martyrs convene at the shore of a river close to the door of Paradise, in a green tent, where their provisions are brought to them from Paradise day and night.

Ahmad and Ibn Jarir collected this Hadith, which has a good chain of narration.

It appears that the martyrs are of different types, some of them wander in Paradise, and some remain close to this river by the door of Paradise. It is also possible that the river is where all the souls of the martyrs convene and where they are provided with their provision day and night, and Allah knows best.

UImam Ahmad narrated a Hadith that contains good news for every believer that;

his soul will be wandering in Paradise, as well, eating from its fruits, enjoying its delights and happiness and tasting the honor that Allah has prepared in it for him.

This Hadith has a unique, authentic chain of narration that includes three of the Four Imams.

Imam Ahmad narrated this Hadith from Muhammad bin Idris Ash-Shafii who narrated it from Malik bin Anas Al-Asbuhi, from Az-Zuhri, from Abdur-Rahman bin Ka`b bin Malik that his father said that the Messenger of Allah said,

نَسَمَةُ الْمُوْمِنِ طَايِرٌ يَعْلُقُ فِي شَجَرِ الْجَنَّـةِ حَتَّى يَرْجِعَهُ اللهُ إِلى جَسَدِهِ يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُه

The soul of the believer becomes a bird that feeds on the trees of Paradise, until Allah sends him back to his body when He resurrects him.

This Hadith states that the souls of the believers are in the shape of a bird in Paradise. As for the souls of martyrs, they are inside green birds, like the stars to the rest of the believing souls.

We ask Allah the Most Generous that He makes us firm on the faith.

Allah's statement,

فَرِحِينَ بِمَا اتَاهُمُ اللّهُ

They rejoice in what Allah has bestowed upon them,

indicates that the martyrs who were killed in Allah's cause are alive with Allah, delighted because of the bounty and happiness they are enjoying.

مِن فَضْلِهِ وَيَسْتَبْشِرُونَ بِالَّذِينَ لَمْ يَلْحَقُواْ بِهِم مِّنْ خَلْفِهِمْ أَلاَّ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ