Can Tawaffa mean sleep? Full Explanation | Quran 39:42

Introduction

The Arabic verb تَوَفَّى (tawaffa) is vital to the Islamic discourse on the death of Isa (AS). It’s correct interpretation carries significant theological weight.

Taking of the Soul: Death or Sleep

The root word wafā (وفى) means “to complete,” “to take in full,” or “to receive fully.” The verb tawaffa literally means to take completely or in full. Several classical lexicons, like Lisan al-Arab and Lane’s Lexicon, confirm this root meaning.

When Allah (subject/فاعل) does the Tawaffi of a human (object /مفعول), it ONLY means taking of the soul. This can be 1) at the time of death, or 2) sleep if night is mentioned. There is NO other meaning for it. It NEVER means taking of the body and soul or flying towards Allah.

Usage in Qur’an

Tawaffa has been used 25 times in the Qur’an. The list of the ayahs are listed below:

2:234; 2:240; 3:55; 3:193; 4:15; 4:97; 5:117; 6:61; 7:37; 7:126; 8:50; 10:46; 10:104; 12:101; 13:40; 16:28; 16:32; 16:70; 22:5; 32:11; 40:67; 40:77; 47:27; 6:60; 39:42

Verse 39:42

In 39:42, Tawaffa is used for the same two distinct states, as mentioned above.

1. Death (موت): Permanent cessation of biological life.
2. Sleep (نوم): Temporary withdrawal of the soul, where the body remains alive.

اَللّٰہُ یَتَوَفَّی الۡاَنۡفُسَ حِیۡنَ مَوۡتِہَا وَالَّتِیۡ لَمۡ تَمُتۡ فِیۡ مَنَامِہَا ۚ فَیُمۡسِکُ الَّتِیۡ قَضٰی عَلَیۡہَا الۡمَوۡتَ وَیُرۡسِلُ الۡاُخۡرٰۤی اِلٰۤی اَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّی ؕ اِنَّ فِیۡ ذٰلِکَ لَاٰیٰتٍ لِّقَوۡمٍ یَّتَفَکَّرُوۡنَ

Allah takes away the souls of human beings at the time of their death; and during their sleep of those also that are not yet dead. And then He retains those against which He has decreed death, and sends back the others till an appointed term. In that surely are Signs for a people who reflect.
^{[Quran: 39:42]}

Non-Ahmadi Allegations

Tawaffa can mean sleep so Isa (AS) is asleep in the heavens

Some ignorant anti-ahmadis argue that because Tawaffa can also mean “sleep” (temporary taking of the soul), therefore, Isa (AS) may simply be sleeping in heaven for 2000+ years, awaiting his return. They argue that Allah first made Isa (AS) fall asleep, then raised him up. They claim that this ‘logically’ means Isa (AS) is still alive in heaven rather than having passed away.

Refutation: Tawaffa of Isa (AS) is death

Besides being a clear insult to the wisdom and power of Allah, the argument made by some anti-Ahmadis that Tawaffa in the case of Isa (AS) means “sleep” is neither supported by the Qur’an nor by any sound reasoning. Anti-Ahmadis are so lost and desperate that they invent absurd scenarios to keep Isa (AS) alive, completely misrepresenting the meaning of Tawaffa in verses like 3:55 and 5:117. As clearly stated before, when Allah performs Tawaffa on a being with a soul, such as human, it refers to death only, unless sleep or night is explicitly mentioned. In verses 3:55 and 5:117, there is NO mention of sleep or night. The only logical, textual meaning is death, yet anti-Ahmadis twist it to mean sleep without any linguistic or contextual justification. This is outright a lie against Allah.

Not only does their belief contradict these verses, but it also flies in the face of the Qur’an’s universal law of mortality, as seen in 3:144 (“All messengers before Muhammad have passed away”) and 3:185 (“Every soul shall taste death”).

Their position contradicts not only the Qur’an, but also the established usages of Tawaffa in Hadith. This is not to mention the fact that how their own scholars have translated these same verses over centuries as referring to death and NOT sleep.

Finally, the claim that Isa (AS) merely fell asleep to be saved from his enemies is completely illogical. If the threat to Isa (AS) was death at the hands of his enemies, what kind of “rescue” is sleep? Would that not make him even more vulnerable? This entire argument lacks Qur’anic, linguistic, and rational credibility, and shows the lengths to which our opponents will go to avoid accepting the clear truth that Isa (AS) has passed away.

Khalifatul Masih IV (RH) explains

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV, Mirza Tahir Ahmad (RH), explains beautifully that although Tawaffa can refer to either death or sleep when the subject (فاعل) is Allah and object (مفعول) is human, it defies human logic that Allah the Exalted would respond to a murder plot of the Jews by making Isa (AS) fall asleep. He explains:

So instead of removing him from the place of danger, God further made him incapable of defending himself? A man who is not asleep could run away but a man who has fallen asleep at the time of danger offers himself as a sitting duck for anybody to shoot him. This meaning is purposeless. It [Verse 39:42] only means that the Tawaffa takes place in two ways: either in the form of death or in the form of sleep.

^{[Liqa Ma al-Arab, 13th May, 1997]}

Thus, as Khalifatul Masih IV (RH) explains, it would be an absolute mockery of God if he had made Isa (AS) fall alseep during the most critically dangerous time of his life. It would have also solved nothing, as all it would have done is put Isa (AS) in more danger.

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS) failed his Tawaffa challenge

Some ignorant non-ahmadis also falsely allege that Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS) “failed” his Tawaffa challenge as he ignored that Tawaffa can also mean sleep. They allege that Ahmad (AS) challenged everyone to prove from the Qur’an or Hadith if Tawaffa regarding Isa (AS) meant anything other than death or taking of the soul. They argue that Tawaffa also means ‘sleep’ according to Quran 39:42, so Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS) “failed” his so-called challenge.

Refutation

This allegation is a gross misrepresentation. The Promised Messiah (AS) never denied that Tawaffa can refer to sleep. His actual challenge was for anyone to prove that Tawaffa, when used by Allah in reference to a human, means anything other than i) death or ii) the taking of the soul. Since sleep, by definition as stated in Qur’an 39:42, involves the temporary removal (taking) of the soul, it fully falls within the scope of this challenge. Therefore, the objection is very clearly baseless and the challenge of Masih Maud (AS) remains unmet.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Tawaffa can mean sleep, when the aforementioned prerequisite context are met. However, the claim of the anti-ahmadis that Isa (AS) was made to sleep and then raised alive is a very weak and unsupported attempt to avoid the clear Qur’anic teaching of his natural death. In addition, the allegation that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS) “failed” his challenge is not just a clear lie against Ahmad (AS), but also upon Allah and the Quran as well. May Allah give Hidayah to the Anti-Ahmadis.