The Sovereign (2): He Who Created Death...

His saying, the Exalted: {He Who created death and life} (Al-Mulk: 2). In this, there are several issues:

Issue 1: The Definition of Death and Life

They said: Life is the attribute by which the described entity is such that it is valid for knowledge and estimation. They differed regarding death. A group said: It is merely the absence of this attribute. Our companions (the Ash'arites) said: It is an existing attribute, contrary to life. They argued for their position by citing that the Almighty said: {He Who created death}, and non-existence cannot be created. This is the sound position.

Al-Kalbi narrated, with his chain of transmission from Ibn Abbas, that Allah Almighty created Death in the form of a mottled ram; nothing it passes by or whose scent it encounters remains alive, but dies. And He created Life in the form of a rider on a donkey, less than a mule; nothing it passes by or whose scent it encounters remains alive, but is quickened.

Know that this must be understood in terms of representation and imagery (tamthīl wa taṣwīr); otherwise, the reality is what we have stated (i.e., death is the absence of the attribute of life).

Issue 2: Why Death is Mentioned Before Life

The mention of death is prioritized over life, even though life precedes death chronologically, for several reasons:

1. Muqatil said: Death here refers to the sperm-drop (nuṭfah), the clinging mass (ʿalaqah), and the chewed lump (muḍghah), while life refers to the breathing of the spirit.
2. ‘Aṭā’ narrated from Ibn Abbas: It means death in this world and life in the Hereafter, the abode of life.
3. It is narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that a caller will cry out on the Day of Resurrection: "O people of Paradise!" They will know it is from their Lord, the Glorified, and they will reply: "At Your service, our Lord, and at Your happy disposal!" He will ask: "Did you find what your Lord promised you true?" They will say: "Yes." Then, Death will be brought in the form of a mottled ram and slaughtered. Then, a call will be made: "O people of Paradise, eternity without death! O people of the Fire, eternity without death!" Thus, the joy of the people of Paradise will increase upon their joy, and the sorrow of the people of the Fire will increase upon their sorrow."

We have already established that death is an accident (ʿaraḍ) like stillness or motion, so it cannot become a ram. Rather, the meaning is representation (tamthīl) so that it is known that on that Day, the matter of death has concluded. Therefore, based on what we mentioned, the days of death are the days of this world, which are passing. As for the days of the Hereafter, they are the days of life, which come later. Since the days of death precede the days of life, it is appropriate that Allah mentioned death before life.

4. Death is mentioned before life because the strongest motivator for action for people is setting their death before their eyes. Therefore, it is prioritized because, concerning the ultimate goal, it is more important.

Issue 3: Life and Death as Blessings

Know that life is the origin of all blessings in this world; without it, no one would enjoy anything. It is also the origin of the blessings of the Hereafter; without it, the eternal reward would not be established.

Death is also a blessing, as we have explained in several places in this book. How could it not be, as it is the separator between the state of accountability (taklīf) and the state of recompense (mujāzāh)? It is a blessing from this perspective.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Increase the remembrance of the destroyer of pleasures (death)." He told a group of people: "If you increased the remembrance of the destroyer of pleasures, it would occupy you from what I see [you doing]." When asked about a man whom they praised, he asked: "How is his remembrance of death?" They replied: "Little." He said: "Then he is not as you describe him."

His saying, the Exalted: {that He may test you—which of you is best in deed. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving} (Al-Mulk: 2). In this, there are several issues:

Issue 1: The Meaning of Testing (Ibtilā’)

Ibtilā’ means trial and examination to ascertain whether one obeys or disobeys. This is impossible concerning the One whose knowledge encompasses all things eternally and perpetually. However, we have clarified this issue in the interpretation of His saying: {And [recall] when Abraham was tested by his Lord with certain words} (Al-Baqarah: 124). The essence is that the testing from Allah is His treating His servant with an action that resembles the testing of an examiner.

Issue 2: The Purpose (Gharaḍ) of Testing

Those who assert that the Almighty performs actions for a purpose cite His saying: {that He may test you}. They argue that this lām (the lām of purpose) indicates purpose, similar to His saying: {I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me} (Adh-Dhariyāt: 56).

The response is that the action itself is not a test (ibtila’), but because it resembles a test, it is metaphorically called so. Similarly here, the action resembles a purpose, even if it is not inherently a purpose itself, hence the particle indicating purpose is mentioned.

Issue 3: The Context of Testing in Relation to Death and Life

If we interpret death and life as the stages of the embryo (sperm-drop, clinging mass, chewed lump) followed by life (the spirit being breathed in), the testing lies in knowing that Allah is the One who moved him from death to life. Since He did that, He must be capable of moving him from life to death. Thus, one should be wary of the coming of death, which cuts off the opportunity for making up what was missed, and in which the poor and the rich, the master and the slave, are equal.

If we interpret them as death in this world and life in the Resurrection, the testing is more complete, because the fear of death in this world is present, and even stronger is the fear of the consequences of life in the Hereafter. The intent of the testing is to see whether one is deterred from evil deeds because of this fear or not.

Issue 4: The Connection between "That He May Test You" and "Which of You is Best in Deed"

There are two views regarding the connection of {that He may test you} to {which of you is best in deed}:

1. This is the view of Al-Farra’ and Al-Zajjaj: The word related to ayyukum (which of you) is implied. The meaning is: "That He may test you, and thereby know or look into which of you is best in deed."
2. The author of Al-Kashshāf said: {that He may test you} is in the meaning of "that He may make you know" (liyu‘allimakum). The meaning is: "That He may make you know which of you is best in deed."

Issue 5: Grammatical Analysis of "Ayyukum"

Ayyu is raised (nominative) by being the subject (ibtidā’), and what precedes it does not govern it because it retains its interrogative nature. If you say: "I do not know which is superior (between Zayd and Amr)," the meaning is: "I do not know if Zayd is superior or Amr." Know that just as what follows the alif (in ayyu) does not operate on the following word, neither does ayyu itself, because the meaning is the same. A similar verse is His saying: {Ask them, "And which of them is responsible for that?"} (Al-Qalam: 40), which has been discussed previously.

Issue 6: Interpretations of "Best in Deed" (Aḥsana ʿAmalan)

They mentioned several interpretations for {best in deed}:

1. That the deed is the most sincere and the most correct. If a deed is sincere but not correct, it is not accepted. Likewise, if it is correct but not sincere. Sincerity means being for the sake of Allah, and correctness means being according to the Sunnah.
2. Qatadah said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and he said: "He means, which of you is best in intellect (ʿaql)." Then he added: "The one most complete in intellect, the one most fearful of Allah, and the one most discerning regarding what Allah has commanded and forbidden." It is permissible to interpret the goodness of the deed by the completeness of the intellect because the deed results from the intellect, so whoever has a more complete intellect will have better deeds, as mentioned in Qatadah's narration.
3. Al-Hasan narrated: Which of you is most ascetic in this world and most strongly abandoning it.

Know that after mentioning the narration of the test, Allah followed it with: {And He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving}. Meaning, He is the Al-ʿAzīz (The Mighty/Prevailing) who cannot be overpowered by those who commit evil deeds, and Al-Ghafūr (The Forgiving) for those who repent from committing evil.

Know that His being Al-ʿAzīz, Al-Ghafūr is only fully realized after His being capable of all possibilities and knowing all knowables.

• The complete power is necessary so that He can deliver the full recompense to everyone, whether punishment or reward.
• The complete knowledge is necessary so that He knows who is obedient and who is disobedient, so that no error occurs in delivering what is due to its rightful recipient.

Thus, it is established that His attributes of being Al-ʿAzīz, Al-Ghafūr cannot be established except after the establishment of complete power and complete knowledge. For this reason, Allah mentioned the evidence for the establishment of these two attributes in this context. Since the knowledge of His being Powerful precedes the knowledge of His being Knowing, He first mentioned the proofs of power and secondly the proofs of knowledge.

7 < { He Who created seven heavens in layers. You do not see in the creation of the Most Merciful any inconsistency. So return your vision [to the sky]; do you see any breaks? } > 7

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