Surah Al-Qiyamah: (26) Kalla, idhā balaghat...

His saying, the Exalted: {Kallā}

Al-Zajjaj said: Kallā is a reprimand against preferring the worldly life over the Hereafter. It is as if He is saying: Since you have known the description of the happiness of the fortunate and the wretchedness of the wretched in the Hereafter, and you know that it bears no comparison to the worldly life, then refrain from preferring the world over the Hereafter. Be alerted to what lies before you—death, at which point the transient life ceases for you, and you transition to the everlasting life in which you will abide eternally.

Others said: Kallā means truly, when it [the soul] reaches the collarbones, such and such will happen. The intent is that after establishing the greatness of the Hereafter's conditions, He mentions that the worldly life must inevitably end, perish, and reach the stage of tasting the bitterness of death.

Muqatil said: Kallā means the disbeliever does not believe what was mentioned concerning the Resurrection, but he cannot deny that death is inevitable, and that he must taste its pains and endure its afflictions.

Then, the Almighty described that state in which the soul separates from the body: {idhā balaghat at-tarāqī} (when it reaches the collarbones).

The intended meaning of {idhā balaghat at-tarāqī} is when the soul or spirit reaches the collarbones. He mentioned something that was not previously stated because the addressee is aware of it, like His saying: {Innā anzalnāhu} (Indeed, We sent it down).

At-Tarāqī is the plural of tarquwah (collarbone), which is the bone connecting the suprasternal notch (the hollow at the base of the neck) to the shoulder on both sides.

Know that reaching the collarbones is a metaphor for being close to death. This is evidenced by the saying of Durayd ibn al-Simmah:

This is analogous to His saying, the Exalted: {wa balaghat al-hulqūm} (and the souls reach the throats) (Al-Ahzab: 10).

Some critics have argued: The soul only reaches the collarbones after separating from the heart. Once the soul leaves the heart, death is inevitable. However, the verse indicates that life remains until it is said, "Who will save [him]?" (man rāq), and until the shin is wrapped around the shin (wa-l-sāqu as-sāq).

The response is: The meaning of {idhā balaghat at-tarāqī} is when the proximity to that state is reached.