Al-Qur'an Surah Az-Zumar Verse 42

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Allah fully takes away the souls (of the people) at the time of their death, and (of) those who do not die, in their sleep. Then He withholds those on whom He had decreed death, and sends others back, up to an appointed term. Surely, in this, there are signs for a people who ponder.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹It is˺ Allah ˹Who˺ calls back the souls ˹of people˺ upon their death as well as ˹the souls˺ of the living during their sleep. Then He keeps those for whom He has ordained death, and releases the others until ˹their˺ appointed time. Surely in this are signs for people who reflect.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Allah takes away the souls at the time of their death and of those who do not die during their sleep. He withholds the souls of those on whom He has decreed death, and releases others until an appointed term. Indeed, there are signs in this for people who reflect.

A. J. Arberry

God takes the souls at the time of their death, and that which has not died, in its sleep; He withholds that against which He has decreed death, but looses the other till a stated term. Surely in that are signs for a people who reflect. Or have they taken intercessors apart from God?

Abdul Haleem

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.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Allah it is who taketh away souls at the time of their death, and those which die not in their sleep: then He withhold those on which He hath decreed death, and sendeth back the rest for an appointed term. Verily herein are signs for a people who ponder.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

It is Allah that takes the souls (of men) at death; and those that die not (He takes) during their sleep; those on whom He has passed the decree of death, He keeps back (from returning to life), but the rest He sends (to their bodies) for a term appointed verily in this are Signs for those who reflect.

Abul Ala Maududi

It is Allah Who takes away the souls of people at the hour of their death, and takes away at the time of sleep the souls of those that have not died. Then He retains the souls of those against whom He had decreed death and returns the souls of others till an appointed time. Surely there are Signs in this for a people who reflect.

Ahmed Ali

God gathers up the souls of those who die, and of those who do not die, in their sleep; then He keeps back those ordained for death, and sends the others back for an appointed term. Surely there are signs in this for those who reflect.

Ahmed Raza Khan

It is Allah Who gives death* to living beings at the time of their demise, and to those who do not die, during their sleep; so He restrains the soul on which the decree of death has been passed, and leaves the other till the appointed term; indeed in this are signs for people who reflect. (*Death is of 2 types – passing to the next world, and sleeping.)

Ali Quli Qarai

Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those who have not died, in their sleep. Then He retains those for whom He has ordained death and releases the others until a specified time. There are indeed signs in that for a people who reflect.

Ali Ünal

God takes the spirits at the time of the death of (the souls), and in their sleep those (of the ones) that have not died. He withholds (the spirits of) those for whom He has decreed death, and the rest He sends back (to their bodies to live on) for a term appointed by Him. Surely in that are signs (important lessons) for people who reflect and are mindful.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Allâh takes away the souls (of human being) at the time of their death and (also) of those who are not (yet) dead during their sleep. He detains (the souls of) those against whom He passes the verdict of death and sends (back those of) others till a fixed period of time. There are signs in this for a people who would reflect.

English Literal

God makes the selves die (at the) time of its death/lifelessness, and which did not die in its sleep , so He holds/seizes which He ordered the death/lifelessness on it, and He sends the other (others) to a named/identified (specified) term/time, that (E) truly in that (are) evidences/signs (E) to a nation thinking.336

Faridul Haque

It is Allah Who gives death * to living beings at the time of their demise, and to those who do not die, during their sleep; so He restrains the soul on which the decree of death has been passed, and leaves the other till the appointed term; indeed in this are signs for people who reflect. (*Death is of 2 types – passing to the next world, and sleeping.)

Hamid S. Aziz

Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that die not during their sleep; then He withholds those on whom He has passed the decree of death and sends the others back till an appointed term; most surely there are signs in this for a people who reflect.

Hilali & Khan

It is Allah Who takes away the souls at the time of their death, and those that die not during their sleep. He keeps those (souls) for which He has ordained death and sends the rest for a term appointed. Verily, in this are signs for a people who think deeply.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Surely We have revealed to thee the Book with truth for (the good of) men. So whoever follows the right way, it is for his own soul, and whoever errs, he errs only to its detriment. And thou art not a custodian over them.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that die not during their sleep; then He withholds those on whom He has passed the decree of death and sends the others back till an appointed term; most surely there are signs in this for a people who reflect.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Allah receiveth (men's) souls at the time of their death, and that (soul) which dieth not (yet) in its sleep. He keepeth that (soul) for which He hath ordained death and dismisseth the rest till an appointed term. Lo! herein verily are portents for people who take thought.

Muhammad Sarwar

God will receive their souls when they die. Their souls do not die when they are sleeping. During people's sleep He withholds those souls which He has decreed to die and releases the others for an appointed time. In this there is evidence (of the Truth) for the thoughtful people.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Allah takes away souls at the time of their death (the temporary death of sleep), and those who do not die during their sleep He withholds that upon whichHe has decreed death, but turns lose the other till a stated term. Surely, there are signs in this for a nation who contemplate.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

It is Allah Who takes away the souls at the time of their death, and those that die not during their sleep. He keeps those (souls) for which He has ordained death and sends the rest for a term appointed. Verily, in this are signs for a people who think deeply.

Wahiduddin Khan

It is God who takes away men's souls upon their death and the souls of the living during their sleep. Then He withholds those for whom He has ordained death and restores the souls of others for an appointed term. There are certainly signs in this for those who reflect.

Talal Itani

God takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that have not died during their sleep. He retains those for which He has decreed death, and He releases the others until a predetermined time. In that are signs for people who reflect.

Tafsir jalalayn

God takes the souls at the time of their death, and, He takes, those that have not died in their sleep, in other words, He takes them during sleep. Then He retains those for whom He has ordained death and releases the others until an appointed term, that is, until the time of their death. The one that is released is the soul [that possesses the faculty] of discernment, without which the soul [containing the force] of life is able to remain [temporarily] -- but this cannot be the other way round. Truly in that, mentioned, there are signs, indications, for a people who reflect, and then realise that the One with the power to do this also has the power to resurrect -- Quraysh, however, never reflected on this [fact].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الاَْنفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَى عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الاُْخْرَى إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى

It is Allah Who takes away the souls at the time of their death, and those that die not during their sleep. He keeps those (souls) for which He has ordained death and sends the rest for a term appointed.

This indicates that they (the souls) meet in the higher realm, as was stated in the Hadith attributed to the Prophet which was narrated by Ibn Mandah and others.

In the Two Sahihs of Al-Bukhari and Muslim, it is reported that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said;

إِذَا أَوَى أَحَدُكُمْ إِلى فِرَاشِهِ فَلْيَنْفُضْهُ بِدَاخِلَةِ إِزَارِهِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَدْرِي مَا خَلَفَهُ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ لِيَقُلْ

بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّي وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ إِنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فَارْحَمْهَا وَإِنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِين

When anyone of you goes to bed, let him brush down the bed with his garment, for he does not know what has come on his bed since he left it. Then let him say,

"In Your Name, O Lord, I lay down my side and in Your Name I raise it up; if You take my soul, have mercy on it, and if You send it back, protect it with that which You protect Your righteous servants."

فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَى عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ
(He keeps those (souls) for which He has ordained death),

means, those which have died, and He returns the others back for an appointed term.

As-Suddi said,

"For the rest of their lives."

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

"He keeps the souls of the dead and sends back the souls of the living, and He does not make any mistakes."

إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَايَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ



Verily, in this are signs for a people who think deeply.