Surah Al-Anbiyaa
Chapter 21 · Verse 35 · Revealed in Makkah
“Every soul will taste death. And We test you with evil and with good as trial; and to Us you will be returned.”
Translation: Saheeh International
Listen to recitation
Mishary Rashid Alafasy
Reflection — Ibn Kathir
No One has been granted Immortality in this World
وَمَا جَعَلْنَا لِبَشَرٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ
(And We granted not to any human being immortality before you;) means, O Muhammad.
Reflection — Maarif ul Quran
What is death?
Allah has said كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ 'Every soul has to taste death'. Here the word soul refers to the living things of the earth, who must all face death, but does not include the angels. There is a difference of opinion about whether the angels will also die or not on the Day of Judgment. Some say that every living thing will die, though momentarily, irrespective of whether they are of the earth or the skies. But others maintain that angels and hurs and ghilman of Paradise are excluded from this general rule. (Only God knows best) (Ruh ul-Ma` ani) Majority of the scholars believe that death is the departure of soul from the mortal human frame, while soul itself is a subtle ethereal living thing which is made of light and resides in human body just as fragrance resides in the rose. Ibn al-Qayyim has convincingly proved this point in his book. (Ruh ul-Ma` ani)
What does this verse bring up for you today?