Body and soul united on Day of Judgment

Salaam Sis Ruhi. Wonderfully analzed.

Quote from: Heba E. Husseyn on March 05, 2018, 08:37:40 pm

Very, very nice read. Very logically analyzed directly from the Noble Quran. You're right Sister Ruhi, people often complain dumping their own lack of understanding on the Quran. Complete answers to all complex queries are available in the Quran, spread over various Verses. If one is a regular reader to the Quran from start to finish as a permanent process of life, one will be very well acquainted with this aspect. But careless readers who may have read the Quran just once in their lifetime or may have read just a few Verses, will expect every answer to be found fully in a single Verse. It's not like that in the Quran. To answer certain questions, you need to piece together Verses relevant to that topic from various Surahs and then grasp the specific meaning or allusion.

Very correctly put Sis Heba.

Quote from: Heba E. Husseyn on March 05, 2018, 08:37:40 pm

Concerning Verse 39:42, "and that (soul) which dies not (yet) in its sleep." Do you think this refers to the soul passing out of the body temporarily during sleep, OR is it a metaphorical comparison of death with sleep?

You know Sister, my first impression was the latter, as you stated, a metaphorical comparison of death with sleep. But most commentators of the Quran think it refers to the soul exiting the body temporarily during sleep. So, only Allah Almighty would know best. From our perception, it can be understood either way. I haven't found any content in the Quran that can confirm this concept of the soul passing out of the body temporarily during sleep.

Verse 6:60 of Surah Al-Anam has also been translated by many as "And it is He who takes your souls by night and knows what you have committed by day." But this translation is likely not correct in accordance with the original. The original Arabic does NOT mention the word "soul" in this Verse. Original Arabic states: "wahuwa allazi yatawa-ffakum bi-al-layli waya lamu ma jarahtum bil-nahari." Word by word translation of the original by Corpus Quran is:

wahuwa = "And He"
allazi = "The One Who"
yatawa-ffakum = "takes your" ....... and then Corpus Quran puts "soul" in brackets, that is, "takes your (soul)"
bi-al-layli = "by the night"
waya lamu = "and He knows"
ma = "what"
jarahtum = "you committed"
bil nahari = "by the day."

Pickthall's translation is the only one that does not mention the word soul. Quote as follows:

"He it is Who gathers you at night and knows that which you commit by day." (6:60).

Here is the complete translation of Verse 6:60:
"He it is Who gathers you at night and knows that which ye commit by day. Then He raises you again to life therein, that the term appointed (for you) may be accomplished. And afterward unto Him is your return. Then He will proclaim unto you what ye used to do."

As can be easily understood, Verse 6:60 refers to people returning home at night from their daily work, in connection to which Allah says that He knows what they do in the day. Then the reference is clearly to Resurrection which comes after death (or the "term appointed" that has been "accomplished") and after Resurrection we return to Allah Almighty Who will inform each one of us about our deeds and intent. This is how I understand it. I think the Verse is very straight and simple.

Preceding and following Verses of certain Ayats may often help us to determine an indirect or direct reference of those certain Ayats. But concerning Verse 6:60, its preceding Verse 6:59 and following Verse 6:61 also carry no allusions to the status of soul during sleep.

"And with Him are the keys of the Invisible. None but He knoweth them. And He knoweth what is in the land and the sea. Not a leaf falleth but He knoweth it, not a grain amid the darkness of the earth, naught of wet or dry but (it is noted) in a clear record." 6:59.

"He is the Omnipotent over His slaves. He sendeth guardians over you until, when death cometh unto one of you, Our messengers receive him, and they neglect not." 6:61.

So, where from do the translators get the idea of collecting or gathering the souls during sleep in Verse 6:60?

There are at least 3 ahadith I can quote which convey the connection between sleep and soul. Could this notion have come into the minds of translators from there? That's very possible. Following are the hadiths on this topic.

Al-Bukhaari, 6312. Also in Muslim 2711. It was narrated from Hudhayfah that when the Prophet (pbuh) woke up, he would say: “Al-hamdu Lillahi alladhi ahyaana ba‘da ma amaatanaa wa ilayhi an-nushoor (Praise be to Allah Who has given us life after He caused us to die, and to Him will be the resurrection).”

Al-Bukhaari, 7474. It was narrated from Abu Qataadah that when they slept and missed the prayer, the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Verily Allah took your souls when He willed, and He returned them when He willed.”

Abu Ya‘la in al-Musnad, 2/192; also accepted by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 1/293. Abu Juhayfah said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was on a journey during which they slept until the sun rose. He said: “Verily you were dead and Allah returned your souls to you; whoever sleeps and misses a prayer, let him offer it when he wakes up, and whoever forgets a prayer, let him offer it when he remembers.”

I repeat, in regard to Verse 39:42 only Allah knows best. We can only interpret to the best of our limited perception. Only HE is the Final Authority.

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Body and soul united on Day of Judgment