وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى يَتَوَفَّىٰكُم بِٱلَّيْلِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا جَرَحْتُم بِٱلنَّهَارِ ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُكُمْ فِيهِ لِيُقْضَىٰٓ أَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ 60
Translations
And it is He who takes your souls by night and knows what you have committed by day. Then He revives you therein [i.e., by day] that a specified term may be fulfilled. Then to Him will be your return; then He will inform you about what you used to do.
Transliteration
Wa huwa alladhi yatawaffakum bil-layl wa ya'lamu ma jarahatum bin-nahar thumma yab'athukum fih liyuqda ajal musammah thumma ilayhi marji'ukum thumma yunabbikum bima kuntum ta'malun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes Allah's complete knowledge and control over human life through the cycle of sleep and wakefulness—He takes the soul during sleep and knows all our deeds during the day, then resurrects us to fulfill our appointed term. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, sleep is presented as a minor death, demonstrating Allah's divine power and omniscience, ultimately emphasizing that all souls return to Him for final judgment where every deed will be accounted for.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-An'am, a Meccan chapter that emphasizes Allah's oneness, omniscience, and judgment. It fits within the broader Meccan context of establishing core Islamic beliefs about divine attributes and accountability on the Day of Resurrection, addressing the polytheists' denial of the afterlife and divine knowledge.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'When one of you goes to sleep, the soul ascends, and if Allah wills He withholds it and if He wills He sends it back' (Sunan Ibn Majah and Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, the Prophet taught the dua when sleeping, acknowledging Allah's control over life and death in rest.
Themes
Key Lesson
Every moment of our lives—waking and sleeping—is under Allah's perfect knowledge and control; this should inspire believers to maintain consciousness of their deeds and maintain taqwa (God-consciousness), knowing they will answer for all actions before their Lord on the Day of Judgment.
Related Ayahs
وَأَقْسَمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ لَئِن جَآءَتْهُمْ ءَايَةٌ لَّيُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهَا ۚ قُلْ إِنَّمَا ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَمَا يُشْعِرُكُمْ أَنَّهَآ إِذَا جَآءَتْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
And they swear by Allāh their strongest oaths that if a sign came to them, they would surely believe in it. Say, "The signs are only with [i.e., from] Allāh." And what will make you perceive that even if it [i.e., a sign] came, they would not believe.
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتَكُمْ إِنْ أَتَىٰكُمْ عَذَابُ ٱللَّهِ أَوْ أَتَتْكُمُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ أَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ تَدْعُونَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ
Say, "Have you considered: if there came to you the punishment of Allāh or there came to you the Hour - is it other than Allāh you would invoke, if you should be truthful?"
قُل لَّوْ أَنَّ عِندِى مَا تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ بِهِۦ لَقُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
Say, "If I had that for which you are impatient, the matter would have been decided between me and you, but Allāh is most knowing of the wrongdoers."
قُلْ إِنِّى عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّى وَكَذَّبْتُم بِهِۦ ۚ مَا عِندِى مَا تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ بِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنِ ٱلْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ ۖ يَقُصُّ ٱلْحَقَّ ۖ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ ٱلْفَـٰصِلِينَ
Say, "Indeed, I am on clear evidence from my Lord, and you have denied it. I do not have that for which you are impatient. The decision is only for Allāh. He relates the truth, and He is the best of deciders."