❖ Question: Do Life and Death Have an Actual Existence? A Qur'anic Perspective
Source: Fatāwā Amaanpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amaanpuri
Yes, both life (ḥayāt) and death (mawt) are actual created entities that have a real existence.
﴿خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ﴾
“He created death and life…”
— (Surah al-Mu: 2)
This verse clearly states that both death and life are created by Allah ﷻ, which affirms that they are not abstract or metaphorical concepts, but created realities.
The actual existence of death is further affirmed in the Sunnah.
“On the Day of Judgment, death will be brought in the form of a ram and placed between Paradise and Hell. Then it will be slaughtered. It will be announced: ‘O people of Paradise, eternity for you and no death; O people of Hell, eternity for you and no death.’”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 4730
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2849
This ḥadīth proves that death will appear in a physical form, indicating its independent created existence.
✔ Life and death are both real, created entities, as affirmed by Qur’an and Sunnah.
✔ Denying their existence or reducing them to symbolic ideas is against the teachings of Islam.
Their creation is part of Allah’s divine wisdom to test mankind.
وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
Source: Fatāwā Amaanpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amaanpuri❖ The Answer:
Yes, both life (ḥayāt) and death (mawt) are actual created entities that have a real existence.
❖ Qur’anic Evidence:
﴿خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ﴾
“He created death and life…”
— (Surah al-Mu: 2)
This verse clearly states that both death and life are created by Allah ﷻ, which affirms that they are not abstract or metaphorical concepts, but created realities.❖ Prophetic Evidence:
The actual existence of death is further affirmed in the Sunnah.
❀ The Prophet ﷺ said:
“On the Day of Judgment, death will be brought in the form of a ram and placed between Paradise and Hell. Then it will be slaughtered. It will be announced: ‘O people of Paradise, eternity for you and no death; O people of Hell, eternity for you and no death.’”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 4730 Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2849 This ḥadīth proves that death will appear in a physical form, indicating its independent created existence.❖ Summary:
| Concept | Status in Islam |
|---|---|
| Death (Mawt) | Created by Allah — Real and Independent |
| Life (Ḥayāt) | Created by Allah — Real and Independent |
| Abstract idea? |  No — They are actual creations |
| Afterlife event? | Death will be manifested and destroyed on the Day of Judgement |
Conclusion:
✔ Life and death are both real, created entities, as affirmed by Qur’an and Sunnah.
✔ Denying their existence or reducing them to symbolic ideas is against the teachings of Islam.
Their creation is part of Allah’s divine wisdom to test mankind.وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
