Which Surah and Juz is Quran 39:42 from?

This ayah is from Surah Az-Zumar (The Groups), the 39th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 24.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 39:42?

Yes — there are 5 hadiths related to this ayah from Sunan Ibn Majah, Sunan an-Nasa'i, Sunan Abu Dawud.

What tafsir is available for Quran 39:42?

Commentary on this ayah is available from Ibn Kathir, Ibn Kathir, Al-Jalalayn, Ibn Abbas — classical scholars of Quranic exegesis.

What topics does Quran 39:42 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Death, Allah, Divine Decree, Creation, Reflection and Contemplation.

Ayah 41

إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ لِلنَّاسِ بِ...

39:42Az-Zumar

Q: What does Quran 39:42 mean?

Quran 39:42 (Surah Az-Zumar, Ayah 42) translates to: "Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that do not die [He takes] 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."

Ayah 43

أَمِ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ شُفَعَآءَ ۚ قُل...

ٱللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى ٱلْأَنفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَٱلَّتِى لَمْ تَمُتْ فِى مَنَامِهَا ۖ فَيُمْسِكُ ٱلَّتِى قَضَىٰ عَلَيْهَا ٱلْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ ٱلْأُخْرَىٰٓ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍۢ مُّسَمًّى ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

Allaahu yatawaffal anfusa heena mawtihaa wallatee lam tamut fee manaamihaa fa yumsikul latee qadaa 'alaihal mawta wa yursilul ukhraaa ilaaa ajalim musammaa; inna fee zaalika la Aayaatil liqawmai yatafakkarron

Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that do not die [He takes] 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.

Themes in this ayah

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Decree & what is written92 Signs in creation61

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39:42Ayah 175

2 ayahs in Az-Zumar are strongly about Allah’s decree. This is one of them.

← Previous on Decree & what is written39:5He created the heavens and earth in truth. He wraps the night over the day and wraps the day over the night and has subjected the sun and the moon,

Tafsir

Scholars largely agree on this ayah

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 39:42→

God takes the souls at the time of their death and He takes those that have not died in their sleep in other words He takes them during sleep. Then He retains those for whom He has ordained death and releases the others until an appointed term that is until the time of their death. The one that is released is the soul that possesses the faculty of discernment without which the soul containing the force of life is able to remain temporarily — but this cannot be the other way round. Truly in that mentioned there are signs indications for a people who reflect and then realise that the One with the power to do this also has the power to resurrect — Quraysh however never reflected on this fact.

“If the appointed time of death of anyone of you is in a certain land, some need will cause him to go there, then when he reaches the furthest point that it is decreed he will reach, Allah takes (his soul). And on the Day of Resurrection the earth will say: ‘My Lord, this is what You entrusted to me.’”

Sunan an-Nasa'i #2075It was narrated from Ibn 'Umar that the Prophet said:Sahih

"When one of you dies he is shown his place morning and evening. If he is one of the people of paradise them he is one of the people of Paradise, and if he is one of the people of Hell, then he is one of the people of Hell, until Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, raises him up on the Day of Resurrection."

Sunan an-Nasa'i #2077It was narrated from Ibn 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah said:Sahih

"When one of you dies, he is shown his place morning and evening. If he is one of the people of Paradise then he is one of the people of Paradise, and if he is one of the people of Hell. It is said: 'This is your place, until Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, raises you up on the Day of Resurrection."'

Sunan Abu Dawud #439This tradition has also been reported by Abu Qatadah through a different chain of narrators. He said (that the Prophet (ﷺ) said):Sahih

"Allah takes your souls as He wishes, and returns them as He wishes. Stand up and call the Adhan to prayer." They (the Companions) stood and performed ablution. When the sun rose high, the Prophet (ﷺ) stood and led the people in prayer.

Sahih al-Bukhari #1331Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar:Sahih

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "When anyone of you dies, he is shown his place both in the morning and in the evening. If he is one of the people of Paradise; he is shown his place in it, and if he is from the people of the Hell-Fire; he is shown his place there-in. Then it is said to him, 'This is your place till Allah resurrect you on the Day of Resurrection."