Surah Az Zumar Tafseer

اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الاَْنفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَى عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الاُْخْرَى إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى

It is Allah Who takes away the souls at the time of their death, and those that die not during their sleep. He keeps those (souls) for which He has ordained death and sends the rest for a term appointed.

This indicates that they (the souls) meet in the higher realm, as was stated in the Hadith attributed to the Prophet which was narrated by Ibn Mandah and others.

In the Two Sahihs of Al-Bukhari and Muslim, it is reported that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:

إِذَا أَوَى أَحَدُكُمْ إِلى فِرَاشِهِ فَلْيَنْفُضْهُ بِدَاخِلَةِ إِزَارِهِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَدْرِي مَا خَلَفَهُ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ لِيَقُلْ

بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّي وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ إِنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فَارْحَمْهَا وَإِنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِين

When anyone of you goes to bed, let him brush down the bed with his garment, for he does not know what has come on his bed since he left it. Then let him say,

"In Your Name, O Lord, I lay down my side and in Your Name I raise it up; if You take my soul, have mercy on it, and if You send it back, protect it with that which You protect Your righteous servants."

فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَى عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ

(He keeps those (souls) for which He has ordained death),

means, those which have died, and He returns the others back for an appointed term.

As-Suddi said,

"For the rest of their lives."

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

"He keeps the souls of the dead and sends back the souls of the living, and He does not make any mistakes."

إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَايَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

Verily, in this are signs for a people who think deeply.