Can Tawaffa Mean “Take Fully”?

31 Oct, 2022 Tawaffa 0

Table of Contents

Introduction

Tawaffa is an Arabic verb that means to take something. When Allah takes (does Tawaffi of) a human, it ONLY means taking of the soul.

It never means the taking of the body & soul.

Some non-Ahmadi Muslims claim that Tawaffa means “to take fully,” and therefore Allah took Isa (AS) physically with his body and soul into heaven.

This claim is false. Tawaffa never means taking the physical body.

What Does Allah Take? (The Quranic Proof)

Whenever Allah takes a human being, He only takes the soul. The Holy Quran clearly establishes this rule:

اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْأَنْفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا

“Allah takes away the souls of human beings at the time of their death; and of those that are not yet dead, during their sleep.”
[Quran 39:42]

The verse states that Allah takes the souls (al-anfus). It never says He takes the physical body.

Whether at death or during sleep, it is strictly the soul that is taken. The physical body remains on this earth.

The Zero-Proof Challenge (Burden of Proof)

There is zero verse in the Holy Quran and zero Hadith in all of Islamic literature where Allah takes a human being and it means taking their physical body.

Whoever claims that “take fully” means taking the physical body carries the entire burden of proof.

They must produce a single verse from the Quran or a single authentic Hadith where Allah does the Tawaffa of a human and it means taking their body. There is zero.

What Arabic Lexicons Actually Say

Classical Arabic dictionaries are completely unanimous. In Lisān al-ʿArab, the most famous Arabic lexicon, it states:

تَوَفَّاهُ اللَّهُ إِذَا قَبَضَ نَفْسَهُ

“Allah caused him to die [Tawaffāhu Allāh] when He took his soul.”
[Lisan al-Arab, vol. 14, p. 440]

There is zero Arabic lexicon stating that when Allah takes a human, He takes their physical body into the sky.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Tawaffa mean taking body and soul?

No. When Allah takes a human being, He only takes the soul (at death or during sleep). It never means taking the physical body.

Can Tawaffa mean to take fully?

In Arabic, when Allah takes a human, it refers strictly to receiving their soul. There is zero evidence in the Quran or Hadith that it means taking the physical body.

What is the burden of proof?

Whoever claims that Allah takes a human being physically with both body and soul must produce a single verse from the Quran or Hadith. There is zero proof.

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