سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 145
وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفْسٍ أَن تَمُوتَ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ كِتَـٰبًا مُّؤَجَّلًا ۗ وَمَن يُرِدْ ثَوَابَ ٱلدُّنْيَا نُؤْتِهِۦ مِنْهَا وَمَن يُرِدْ ثَوَابَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ نُؤْتِهِۦ مِنْهَا ۚ وَسَنَجْزِى ٱلشَّـٰكِرِينَ ﴿145﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And no person can ever die except by Allâh’s Leave and at an appointed term. And whoever desires a reward in (this) world, We shall give him of it; and whoever desires a reward in the Hereafter, We shall give him thereof. And We shall reward the grateful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمَا
wamā
And not
كَانَ
kāna
is
لِنَفْسٍ
linafsin
for a soul
أَن
an
that
تَمُوتَ
tamūta
he dies
إِلَّا
illā
except
بِإِذْنِ
bi-idh'ni
by (the) permission
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
كِتَـٰبًۭا
kitāban
(at a) decree
مُّؤَجَّلًۭا ۗ
mu-ajjalan
determined
وَمَن
waman
And whoever
يُرِدْ
yurid
desires
ثَوَابَ
thawāba
reward
ٱلدُّنْيَا
l-dun'yā
(of) the world
نُؤْتِهِۦ
nu'tihi
We will give him
مِنْهَا
min'hā
thereof
وَمَن
waman
and whoever
يُرِدْ
yurid
desires
ثَوَابَ
thawāba
reward
ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ
l-ākhirati
(of) the Hereafter
نُؤْتِهِۦ
nu'tihi
We will give him
مِنْهَا ۚ
min'hā
thereof
وَسَنَجْزِى
wasanajzī
And We will reward
ٱلشَّـٰكِرِينَ
l-shākirīna
the grateful ones
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 145) {وَ مَا كَانَ لِنَفْسٍ اَنْ تَمُوْتَ اِلَّا بِاِذْنِ اللّٰهِ …:} The purpose of this is to encourage Muslims towards jihad and to instill in their minds that by choosing the path of fleeing from death, a person cannot escape the clutches of death. Allah Almighty has appointed a fixed time for every person's death, which cannot be advanced or delayed. In {’’ اِلَّا بِاِذْنِ اللّٰهِ ‘‘}, {’’ اِذْنٌ ‘‘} means knowledge, that is, the time of every person's death is in the knowledge of Allah Almighty, and it is also possible that {”اِذْنٌ“} means decree and destiny. In short! You should abandon the thought of fleeing from death and fight bravely in the way of Allah Almighty, and your aim in this jihad should be the reward of the Hereafter, otherwise, if you only desire worldly reward, fame, and spoils of war, etc., then you will only get that, and that too depends on the will of Allah Almighty, and you will be deprived of the Hereafter. Here, “{كِتٰبًا مُّؤَجَّلًا“ }” refers to the book that contains { ”آجَالٌ“ } (appointed times). Some have taken this to mean the Preserved Tablet (Lawh Mahfuz). In the ahadith it is stated: “Allah Almighty said to the pen: [ اُكْتُبْ فَكَتَبَ مَا هُوَ كَائِنٌ ] ‘Write.’ So the pen wrote everything that was to happen.” [ أحمد : 317/5، ح : ۲۲۷۷۳ وابن أبی عاصم عن عبادۃ بن الصامت رضی اللہ عنہ و سندہ حسن ]
In this verse, there is an indication that those who were present at the Battle of Uhud were of two types in terms of their intentions: some were seekers of spoils, and some were seekers of the Hereafter. Although this verse was revealed specifically about jihad, in terms of ruling it is general, and all actions depend on a person's intention and purpose. It is understood that even the slain dies at the appointed time of death, and change in the appointed time is impossible.
In this verse, there is an indication that those who were present at the Battle of Uhud were of two types in terms of their intentions: some were seekers of spoils, and some were seekers of the Hereafter. Although this verse was revealed specifically about jihad, in terms of ruling it is general, and all actions depend on a person's intention and purpose. It is understood that even the slain dies at the appointed time of death, and change in the appointed time is impossible.
