Surah Az-Zumar: Verses (41-44)

Indeed, We have sent down to you the Book...

In this verse, there are several points of discussion:

It is known that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was greatly distressed by the persistence of the disbelievers in their disbelief, as indicated by verses like:

• "Then perhaps you would kill yourself with grief over their footsteps if they do not believe in this message." (Al-Kahf: 6)
• "Perhaps you would kill yourself with grief over them, [O Muhammad], that they do not believe in this message." (Ash-Shu'ara: 3)
• "So let not your soul go after them in grief over them." (Fatir: 8)

After Allah Almighty elaborated extensively in this verse on the corruption of the polytheists' doctrines—sometimes through proofs and clear evidence, sometimes through parables, and sometimes by mentioning promises and threats—He followed it up with words intended to remove that great fear from the heart of the Messenger (PBUH).

He said: "Indeed, We have sent down to you the Book [the complete, noble Book] for the benefit of people and their guidance."

We have made its revelation associated with the Truth, which is the miracle proving it is from God. Thus, whoever is guided, the benefit returns to him, and whoever goes astray, the consequence of his misguidance returns to him: "And you are not a guardian over them."

This means you are not commanded to compel them to believe by force; rather, acceptance or rejection is left to them. This serves to console the Prophet regarding their stubbornness in disbelief.

Furthermore, Allah clarifies that guidance and misguidance occur only through Allah. This is because guidance resembles life and wakefulness, while misguidance resembles death and sleep. Just as life and wakefulness, and likewise death and sleep, only occur through the creation and origination of Allah Almighty, so too do guidance and misguidance only occur from Allah. Whoever understands this subtle point has grasped the secret of God concerning Divine Decree (Qadar). Whoever knows the secret of God concerning Decree, calamities become easy for him. Therefore, drawing attention to this subtle point becomes a means for removing that sorrow from the heart of the Prophet (PBUH). This is the rationale for the structure of the verse.

Another view on the structure is that Allah mentioned another proof for establishing that He is the All-Knowing Deity, to demonstrate that He is more deserving of worship than these idols.

The purpose of the verse is to state that Allah takes the souls at the time of death and at the time of sleep. However, He retains the souls decreed for death and sends back the others—those who are sleeping—for a specified term (until their appointed time of death).

The statement "Allah takes the souls at the time of their death" means that Allah retains the souls that He takes at death and does not return them to the bodies.

The statement "And [He takes] those that do not die [i.e., those asleep] until an appointed term" means that the soul taken during sleep is returned to the body upon waking, and this state continues until a specified term, which is the time of death.

This is the literal interpretation of the verse, which aligns with reality, but it requires further clarification.

The human soul is a radiant, spiritual essence. When it attaches to the body, its light permeates all organs, which constitutes life.

At the time of death, its connection to the exterior and interior of the body is severed—and that is death.

However, at the time of sleep, its light is withdrawn from the exterior of the body in some respects, but its light is not withdrawn from the interior of the body.

Thus, it is established that death and sleep are of the same genus, but death is a complete and total severance, while sleep is an incomplete severance in some aspects.

Once this is established, it becomes clear that the Capable, Knowing, Wise One has managed the attachment of the soul's essence to the body in three ways:

1. The soul's light covers all parts of the body, exterior and interior—this is wakefulness.
2. The soul's light is withdrawn from the exterior of the body in some respects, but not from the interior—this is sleep.
3. The soul's light is entirely withdrawn from the body—this is death.

It is thus established that death and sleep share the characteristic that each is a Tawaffi (taking) of the soul. They are then distinguished by specific characteristics and attributes. Such marvelous management could only originate from the Capable, Knowing, Wise One. This is what is meant by "Indeed, in that are signs for a people who give thought."

It is also possible that the meaning here is that this evidence indicates that a rational person must worship a God characterized by this power and wisdom, and must not worship idols that are inanimate objects devoid of consciousness or perception.

Know that the disbelievers raised an objection to this discourse, saying: "We do not worship these idols based on the belief that they are gods who benefit or harm. Rather, we worship them because they are statues of individuals who were close to God. We worship them so that those great ones may become intercessors for us with God."

Allah answered them by saying: "Or have they taken intercessors other than Allah? Say, 'Even if they do not possess anything or have any reason?'"

The structure of the response is: These disbelievers either hope for that intercession from the idols themselves, or from those scholars and ascetics whose statues these idols represent.

The first possibility is false because these inanimate objects (the idols) possess nothing and understand nothing; how then could intercession be expected from them?

The second possibility is also false because on the Day of Resurrection, no one will possess anything, and no one will be able to intercede except with Allah's permission. Therefore, the true intercessor is Allah, who permits that intercession. Hence, engaging in the worship of Him is more appropriate than engaging in the worship of others. This is the meaning of Allah's statement: "Say, 'To Allah belongs all intercession.'"

Then He clarified that no one possesses dominion except Allah: "To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth; then to Him you will be returned."

Some commentators have used the verse "Say, 'To Allah belongs all intercession'" to negate intercession entirely. This view is weak, as we concede that if Allah does not permit intercession, no one can intercede.

If it is asked: The statement "Allah takes the souls at the time of their death" raises a question, because this indicates that only Allah is the one who takes the soul (the ultimate agent). This is supported by verses like:

• "He Who created death and life..." (Al-Mulk: 2)
• "My Lord is He who gives life and causes death." (Al-Baqarah: 258)
• "How do you disbelieve in Allah while you were dead and He gave you life?" (Al-Baqarah: 28)

Yet, in another verse, Allah Almighty said: "Say, 'The angel of death who has been appointed over you will take you.'" (As-Sajdah: 11) And in a third verse: "Until, when one of you approaches death, Our messengers take his soul."

The answer is that the Tawaffi (taking) in reality belongs to Allah. However, in the realm of means (Asbab), Allah delegates every type of action to an angel. Thus, He delegated the seizing of souls to the Angel of Death, who is the chief, and he has subordinates and servants. Therefore, the Tawaffi is attributed to Allah in this verse as a true attribution, and in the other verse, it is attributed to the Angel of Death because he is the principal agent in this action, and to the other angels because they are the subordinates of the Angel of Death. And Allah knows best.

"And when Allah is mentioned alone, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter become disgusted, but when those other than Him are mentioned, immediately they rejoice."

"Say, 'O Allah, Originator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, You judge between Your servants concerning that over which they used to differ.'"

"And if those who wronged had all that is on earth and the like of it with it, they would [eagerly] offer it to ransom themselves from the severe punishment on the Day of Resurrection. And there will appear to them from Allah that which they had not been expecting."

"And the evil consequences of what they earned will appear to them, and they will be encompassed by that which they used to ridicule."