Qur’an by topic

Qur’an verses about death

Every soul will taste death. The Qur’an names it plainly, ties it to the test of life, and gives the words to say when loss comes.

· 7 ayat

The Qur’an does not soften death. It states three times that every soul will taste it, that no tower keeps it out, and that the death a person flees from will meet them. It also gives death a purpose: life and death were created as a test of who is best in deed, and the full reward comes on the Day of Resurrection. And it gives the words to say when loss strikes. Each verse is shown in Arabic with the Saheeh International translation and a short note on what it says.

The verses

1. Surah Ali 'Imran (3:185)

كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۗ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ ۖ فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ ٱلنَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ ۗ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ

Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion.

Every soul will taste death, and full compensation comes on the Day of Resurrection; whoever is kept from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has succeeded.

✦ Read in context — quran.com/3/185
2. Surah Al-Anbya (21:35)

كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۗ وَنَبْلُوكُم بِٱلشَّرِّ وَٱلْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةًۭ ۖ وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ

Every soul will taste death. And We test you with evil and with good as trial; and to Us you will be returned.

The same opening words, followed by the purpose of trial: people are tested with evil and good, and all return to Allah.

✦ Read in context — quran.com/21/35
3. Surah Al-Mulk (67:2)

ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْمَوْتَ وَٱلْحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًۭا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْغَفُورُ

[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving -

The second verse of Al-Mulk: Allah created death and life to test which of you is best in deed.

✦ Read in context — quran.com/67/2
4. Surah An-Nisa (4:78)

أَيْنَمَا تَكُونُوا۟ يُدْرِككُّمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ وَلَوْ كُنتُمْ فِى بُرُوجٍۢ مُّشَيَّدَةٍۢ ۗ وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ حَسَنَةٌۭ يَقُولُوا۟ هَٰذِهِۦ مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌۭ يَقُولُوا۟ هَٰذِهِۦ مِنْ عِندِكَ ۚ قُلْ كُلٌّۭ مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَمَالِ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلْقَوْمِ لَا يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ حَدِيثًۭا

Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers of lofty construction. But if good comes to them, they say, "This is from Allah "; and if evil befalls them, they say, "This is from you." Say, "All [things] are from Allah." So what is [the matter] with those people that they can hardly understand any statement?

Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even within lofty towers.

✦ Read in context — quran.com/4/78
5. Surah Al-Jumu'ah (62:8)

قُلْ إِنَّ ٱلْمَوْتَ ٱلَّذِى تَفِرُّونَ مِنْهُ فَإِنَّهُۥ مُلَٰقِيكُمْ ۖ ثُمَّ تُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَٰلِمِ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَٰدَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

Say, "Indeed, the death from which you flee - indeed, it will meet you. Then you will be returned to the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, and He will inform you about what you used to do."

The death you flee from will meet you, and then you are returned to the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed.

✦ Read in context — quran.com/62/8
6. Surah Qaf (50:19)

وَجَآءَتْ سَكْرَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ مَا كُنتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيدُ

And the intoxication of death will bring the truth; that is what you were trying to avoid.

From Surah Qaf: the stupor of death brings the truth, the thing a person was trying to avoid.

✦ Read in context — quran.com/50/19
7. Surah Al-Baqarah (2:156)

ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَٰبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌۭ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ

Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return."

The words of the patient when disaster strikes: 'Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.'

✦ Read in context — quran.com/2/156

Keep going

Niyat's dua library collects source-cited supplications for anxiety, hardship, forgiveness, sleep, and ordinary days.

Frequently asked questions

Where does the Qur’an say every soul shall taste death?

The words 'every soul will taste death' appear in Qur’an 3:185, 21:35 and 29:57. The first two are in the cards above.

What do Muslims say when someone dies?

'Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un', meaning 'Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return'. It is from Qur’an 2:156, where it is the saying of the patient when disaster strikes.

Why did Allah create death?

Qur’an 67:2 says Allah created death and life to test which of you is best in deed.

Read the full Qur’an with translation and audio in Niyat.

Download Niyat Free Get it on Google Play