Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

God takes the souls at the time of their death, and that which has not died, in its sleep. Then He keeps that for which He has ordained death, and sends down the other to a stated term. In that are proofs for people who reflect.

اَللّٰهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْاَنْفُسَ ح۪ينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّت۪ي لَمْ تَمُتْ ف۪ي مَنَامِهَاۚ فَيُمْسِكُ الَّت۪ي قَضٰى عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الْاُخْرٰٓى اِلٰٓى اَجَلٍ مُسَمًّىۜ اِنَّ ف۪ي ذٰلِكَ لَاٰيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
Allahu yatawaffa al-anfusa heenamawtiha wallatee lam tamut fee manamihafayumsiku allatee qada AAalayha almawta wayursilual-okhra ila ajalin musamman inna fee thalikalaayatin liqawmin yatafakkaroon
#wordmeaningroot
1al-lahuAllah
2yatawaffātakesوفي
3l-anfusathe soulsنفس
4ḥīna(at the) timeحين
5mawtihā(of) their deathموت
6wa-allatīand the one who
7lam(does) not
8tamutdieموت
9in
10manāmihātheir sleepنوم
11fayum'sikuThen He keepsمسك
12allatīthe one whom
13qaḍāHe has decreedقضي
14ʿalayhāfor them
15l-mawtathe deathموت
16wayur'siluand sendsرسل
17l-ukh'rāthe othersاخر
18ilāfor
19ajalina termاجل
20musammanspecifiedسمو
21innaIndeed
22in
23dhālikathat
24laāyātinsurely (are) signsايي
25liqawminfor a peopleقوم
26yatafakkarūnawho ponderفكر
  • Aisha Bewley

    Allah takes back people’s souls when their death arrives and those who have not yet died, while they are asleep. He keeps hold of those whose death has been decreed and sends the others back for a specified term. There are certainly Signs in that for people who reflect.

  • Progressive Muslims

    God takes the souls when they die, and during their sleep. He then keeps those that have been overtaken by death, and He sends the others back until a predetermined time. In that are signs for a people who will think.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    (Only the living of the mind and heart can make choices in this world. ) It is Allah Who takes their 'Conscious' upon death, and of the living during their sleep. He withholds it for those upon whom He has passed the decree of death, and restores the others until an appointed time. Herein, behold, are Signs for people who think. (39:6).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    God takes the souls at the time of their death, and that which has not died, in its sleep. Then He keeps that for which He has ordained death, and sends down the other to a stated term. In that are proofs for people who reflect.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    God seizes the souls at the time of their death; and for those that have not died, during their sleep. He then keeps those that have been overtaken by death, and He sends the others back until a predetermined time. In that are signs for a people who will think.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    God takes the person when it dies, and during their sleep. He then keeps those that have been overtaken by death, and He sends the others back until a predetermined time. In that are signs for a people who will think.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    GOD puts the souls to death when the end of their life comes, and also at the time of sleep. Thus, He takes some back during their sleep, while others are allowed to continue living until the end of their predetermined interim. This should provide lessons for people who reflect.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    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.

  • Sahih International (Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)

    Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that do not die during their sleep. Then He keeps those for which He has decreed death and releases the others for a specified term. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.

  • Muhammad Asad

    It is God who causes all human beings to die at the time of their death, and , during their sleep, those that have not yet died: thus, He withholds those upon whom He has decreed death, and lets the others go free for a term set . In this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who think!

  • Marmaduke 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.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    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.*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Allah disembodies the souls at the time of physical death and during physiological sleep. He detains the soul whose body is destined to die during sleep and sends back the other to embody its material being for a predetermined point of time, a phenomenon and a process highly indicative of Allah's Omnipotence and Mysterious controlling power for those who exercise their intellect and do reflect.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    God is the One Who summons the souls at the time of the death. God also takes your souls away when you go to sleep. Then He restores it back at His Will and let you live as long as He has predestined or may decide not to restore it at all and let you die at bed. There is a food for thought in this for those who possess the intelligence.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    It is Allâh 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Arthur John 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?

  • E. Henry Palmer

    God takes to Himself souls at the time of their death; and those which do not die (He takes) in their sleep; and He holds back those on whom He has decreed death, and sends others back till their appointed time;- verily, in that are signs unto a people who reflect.

  • 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.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Allah takes up the selves at the time of their death and the ones which have not died, in their sleeping. Then He holds back the ones against which He has decreed death, and sends (forth) the others till a stated term. Surely in that are indeed signs for a people who meditate.

  • George Sale

    God taketh unto himself the souls of men at the time of their death; and those which die not He also taketh in their sleep: And He withholdeth those on which He hath passed the decree of death, but sendeth back the others till a determined period. Verily herein are signs unto people who consider.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    It is Allah, Who takes the souls at their death; And from those who do not die during their sleep (He takes as they sleep): Those for whom He has ordered death, He does not let (them to return to life), but He sends the others (to their bodies) for a length of time. Surely, in this, are (His) Signs for those who think.

  • 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.

  • 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.