12/30/2025
Yes, mutawaffika (مُتَوَفِّيكَ) in Arabic, derived from the root "Wafat," strongly relates to death, taking the soul, or causing someone to die, especially in the Quran, though it can also mean "taking in full" or "taking in sleep," but usually implies death or a spiritual taking by God. While words like mawt (موت) directly mean "death," mutawaffika (or tawaffi) signifies God taking the soul, which is often death, or taking it fully in sleep, as seen in Quranic verses about Jesus.
Key Meanings & Nuances:
Death/Taking the Soul: In most Quranic contexts, mutawaffika (from tawaffi) means God taking a person's soul at death.
"To Take in Full": A primary literal meaning is to receive something completely, including the soul and body.
Sleep: It can also mean taking someone in sleep (like a spiritual "death"), as qualified by words like "sleep" or "night" in some verses (e.g., 6:61).
Example in Quran (3:55):
The verse mentioning Jesus (Isa) uses mutawaffika, where Allah says, "Indeed, I will take you (mutawaffika) and raise you to Myself". Scholars debate if this means death and then resurrection, or taking him up alive.
In essence, while mawt is general death, mutawaffika describes the divine act of taking the soul, which usually results in death but can also refer to a deep sleep.
Surah Al-Imran Ayat 55 (3:55 Quran) With Tafsir
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Surah Al-Imran Ayat 55 in Arabic Text
إِذۡ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَٰعِيسَىٰٓ إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَيَّ وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَجَاعِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوكَ فَوۡقَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِۖ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرۡجِعُكُمۡ فَأَحۡكُمُ بَيۡنَكُمۡ فِيمَا كُنتُمۡ فِيهِ تَخۡتَلِفُونَ
Iz qaalal laahu yaa ‘Eesaaa innee mutawaffeeka wa raafi’uka ilaiya wa mutah hiruka minal lazeena kafaroo wa jaa’ilul lazeenattaba ooka fawqal lazeena kafarooo ilaa Yawmil Qiyaamati summa ilaiya marji’ukum fa ahkumu bainakum feemaa kuntum feehi takhtaliifoon
English Translation
Here you can read various translations of verse 55
Sahih International
[Mention] when Allah said, “O Jesus, indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you [in submission to Allah alone] superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that in which you used to differ.
Yusuf Ali
Behold! Allah said: “O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme; I will make those who follow thee superior to those who reject faith, to the Day of Resurrection: Then shall ye all return unto me, and I will judge between you of the matters wherein ye dispute.
Abul Ala Maududi
(And it was part of His scheme) when Allah said: ‘O Jesus! I will recall you and raise you up to Me and will purify you (of the company) of those who disbelieve, and will set your followers above the unbelievers till the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me you shall return, and I will judge between you regarding what you differed.
Muhsin Khan
And (remember) when Allah said: “O ‘Iesa (Jesus)! I will take you and raise you to Myself and clear you [of the forged statement that ‘Iesa (Jesus) is Allah’s son] of those who disbelieve, and I will make those who follow you (Monotheists, who worship none but Allah) superior to those who disbelieve [in the Oneness of Allah, or disbelieve in some of His Messengers, e.g. Muhammad SAW, ‘Iesa (Jesus), Musa (Moses), etc., or in His Holy Books, e.g. the Taurat (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel), the Quran] till the Day of Resurrection. Then you will return to Me and I will judge between you in the matters in which you used to dispute.”
Pickthall
(And remember) when Allah said: O Jesus! Lo! I am gathering thee and causing thee to ascend unto Me, and am cleansing thee of those who disbelieve and am setting those who follow thee above those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then unto Me ye will (all) return, and I shall judge between you as to that wherein ye used to differ.
Dr. Ghali
As Allah said, “O Isa, (Jesus) surely I am taking you up to Me, and I am raising you up to Me, and I am purifying you of the ones who have disbelieved. And I am making the ones who have closely followed you above the ones who have disbelieved until the Day of the Resurrection. Thereafter to Me will be your return; so I will judge between you as to whatever you used to differ in.
Abdel Haleem
God said, ‘Jesus, I will take you back and raise you up to Me: I will purify you of the disbelievers. To the Day of Resurrection I will make those who follow you superior to those who disbelieved. Then you will all return to Me and I will judge between you regarding your differences.
Muhammad Junagarhi
جب اللہ تعالیٰ نے فرمایا کہ اے عیسیٰ! میں تجھے پورا لینے واﻻ ہوں اور تجھے اپنی جانب اٹھانے واﻻ ہوں اور تجھے کافروں سے پاک کرنے واﻻ ہوں اور تیرے تابعداروں کو کافروں کے اوپر غالب کرنے واﻻ ہوں قیامت کے دن تک، پھر تم سب کا لوٹنا میری ہی طرف ہے میں ہی تمہارے آپس کے تمام تر اختلافات کا فیصلہ کروں گا
Quran 3 Verse 55 Explanation
For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Imran ayat 55, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.
Ala-MaududiIbn-Kathir
Ala-Maududi
(3:55) (And it was part of His scheme) when Allah said: ‘O Jesus! I will recall you[51] and raise you up to Me and will purify you (of the company) of those who disbelieve,[52] and will set your followers above the unbelievers till the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me you shall return, and I will judge between you regarding what you differed.
51. The expression used is mutawaffika. The original meaning of tawaffa is to take and receive. To ‘seize a person’s sou!’.
Surah Maryam Ayat 33 in Arabic Text
وَٱلسَّلَٰمُ عَلَيَّ يَوۡمَ وُلِدتُّ وَيَوۡمَ أَمُوتُ وَيَوۡمَ أُبۡعَثُ حَيّٗا
Wassalaamu ‘alaiya yawma wulidtu wa yawma amootu wa yawma ub’asu haiyaa
English Translation
Here you can read various translations of verse 33
Sahih International
And peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive.”
Yusuf Ali
“So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)”!
Abul Ala Maududi
Peace be upon me the day I was born and the day I will die, and the day I will be raised up alive.”
Muhsin Khan
“And Salam (peace) be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive!”
Pickthall
Peace on me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive!
Dr. Ghali
And peace be upon me, the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I am made to rise again alive.”
Abdel Haleem
Peace was on me the day I was born, and will be on me the day I die and the day I am raised to life again.’
Muslims deny that Isa in the Quran didn't die but these two Quran verses say different things and support the Christians that indeed Jesus died first before he was raised us alive.
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