❖ Did “إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ” Mean Death? — A Research-Based Analysis ❖
Compiled by: Tawheed.com
Qur’anic Verse:
"إِذْ قَالَ اللَّـهُ يَا عِيسَىٰ إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَيَّ"
(Āl ʿImrān: 55)
Claim:
The Qādiyānī and Javed Ghamidi schools interpret “tawaffī” here to mean death.
Rebuttal:
If “tawaffī” here implies physical death, it would imply that Allah's divine plan (وَمَكَرُوا وَمَكَرَ اللَّـهُ) aligned with the deceit of the Jews, contradicting clear Qur’anic negation of their plot.
Verse:
"اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْأَنفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا"
(Al-Zumar: 42)
Explanation:
“Tawaffī” here refers to both death and sleep, indicating that the term does not always mean death.
Verse:
"وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَتَوَفَّاكُم بِاللَّيْلِ"
(Al-Anʿām: 60)
Explanation:
Used in the context of sleep, not death — proving that “tawaffī” has broader implications than just demise.
Verse:
"حَتَّىٰ يَتَوَفَّاهُنَّ الْمَوْتُ"
(Al-Nisāʾ: 15)
Explanation:
Here, tawaffī is explicitly paired with “death”, confirming that when death is intended, it is stated clearly, distinguishing between the two.
Verse:
"وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَـٰكِن شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ... بَل رَّفَعَهُ اللَّـهُ إِلَيْهِ"
(Al-Nisāʾ: 157–158)
Explanation:
The complete negation of crucifixion and killing, followed by “bal” (rather) — emphasizing that Allah raised him unto Himself. This affirms an actual ascension, not death.
Ghamidi’s Claim:
Only the soul was raised, and the body was preserved to prevent dishonor.
(Source: Monthly Ishrāq, April 1995, p. 45; July 1994, p. 32)
Rebuttal:
The Qur'an says: "رَافِعُكَ إِلَيَّ" (I will raise you to Myself).
If metaphorical honor were intended, it would have said: "رَافِعُ دَرَجَتَكَ" or similar wording.
Moreover, Allah permitted the martyrdom of previous Prophets:
"وَقَتْلَهُمُ الْأَنبِيَاءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ" (Al-Baqarah: 61)
So the special protection given to ʿĪsā (عليه السلام) affirms a physical ascension, not death.
Verse:
"وَيُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِي الْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلًا"
(Āl ʿImrān: 46)
Explanation:
“Kahlan” (mature age) implies that he will speak again at an older age, which did not occur before his ascension — indicating a future return.
Verse:
"وَإِنَّهُ لَعِلْمٌ لِلسَّاعَةِ"
(Al-Zukhruf: 61)
Explanation:
According to Ibn ʿAbbās, Qatādah, Mujāhid, etc., “ʿIlm” here means “ʿAlāmah” (sign) — affirming that the descent of ʿĪsā (عليه السلام) is a sign of the Hour.
(Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr, under this verse)
Verse:
"وَإِن مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ"
(Al-Nisāʾ: 159)
Explanation:
Companions like Abū Hurayrah, Ibn ʿAbbās, and others state that “death” here refers to the time following ʿĪsā’s (عليه السلام) return, not his previous ascension.
(Tafsīr al-Bayḍāwī, Vol. 1, p. 255)
✿ “By Allah! ʿĪsā ibn Maryam will descend, and he will judge with justice…”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 3448, Kitāb al-Anbiyāʾ)
✿ “A group of my Ummah will remain upon the truth… until ʿĪsā ibn Maryam descends.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 156)
Explanation:
These Ahādīth are not only Ṣaḥīḥ but Mutawātir in meaning. Denial of such narrations is a deviation from both Hadith methodology and Islamic creed.
◈ Imām Ṭaḥāwī (رحمه الله) said:
"We believe in the descent of ʿĪsā (عليه السلام)."
(Al-ʿAqīdah al-Ṭaḥāwiyyah, Sharḥ Ibn Abī al-ʿIzz, p. 375)
◈ Fatāwā from Dār al-ʿUlūm Deoband, Ahl al-Ḥadīth, and all major Sunni schools affirm:
Belief in the return of ʿĪsā (عليه السلام) is obligatory.
◈ Shaykh Ibn Bāz (رحمه الله):
"Denying the descent of ʿĪsā is disbelief (kufr)."
(Majmūʿ Fatāwā Ibn Bāz, Vol. 4, p. 325)
The Qādiyānī and Ghamidi interpretations—by construing a single word (tawaffī) as definitive proof of ʿĪsā’s (عليه السلام) death:
➤ Contradict other clear Qur’anic verses
➤ Reject authentic and mutawātir Ahādīth
➤ Deny the consensus (ijmāʿ) of the Ummah
➤ Construct an unsubstantiated theological narrative unsupported by Qur’an or Sunnah
Compiled by: Tawheed.com
1. Contextual Clarification of “Tawaffī”
Qur’anic Verse:
"إِذْ قَالَ اللَّـهُ يَا عِيسَىٰ إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَيَّ"
(Āl ʿImrān: 55)
Claim:
The Qādiyānī and Javed Ghamidi schools interpret “tawaffī” here to mean death.
Rebuttal:
If “tawaffī” here implies physical death, it would imply that Allah's divine plan (وَمَكَرُوا وَمَكَرَ اللَّـهُ) aligned with the deceit of the Jews, contradicting clear Qur’anic negation of their plot.
2. The Linguistic Meaning of “Tawaffī” in the Qur’an
Verse:
"اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْأَنفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا"
(Al-Zumar: 42)
Explanation:
“Tawaffī” here refers to both death and sleep, indicating that the term does not always mean death.
Verse:
"وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَتَوَفَّاكُم بِاللَّيْلِ"
(Al-Anʿām: 60)
Explanation:
Used in the context of sleep, not death — proving that “tawaffī” has broader implications than just demise.
Verse:
"حَتَّىٰ يَتَوَفَّاهُنَّ الْمَوْتُ"
(Al-Nisāʾ: 15)
Explanation:
Here, tawaffī is explicitly paired with “death”, confirming that when death is intended, it is stated clearly, distinguishing between the two.
3. The Qur’anic Statement on the Ascension of ʿĪsā (عليه السلام)
Verse:
"وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَـٰكِن شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ... بَل رَّفَعَهُ اللَّـهُ إِلَيْهِ"
(Al-Nisāʾ: 157–158)
Explanation:
The complete negation of crucifixion and killing, followed by “bal” (rather) — emphasizing that Allah raised him unto Himself. This affirms an actual ascension, not death.
4. Literal (Bodily) Ascension is Meant
Ghamidi’s Claim:
Only the soul was raised, and the body was preserved to prevent dishonor.
(Source: Monthly Ishrāq, April 1995, p. 45; July 1994, p. 32)
Rebuttal:
The Qur'an says: "رَافِعُكَ إِلَيَّ" (I will raise you to Myself).
If metaphorical honor were intended, it would have said: "رَافِعُ دَرَجَتَكَ" or similar wording.
Moreover, Allah permitted the martyrdom of previous Prophets:
"وَقَتْلَهُمُ الْأَنبِيَاءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ" (Al-Baqarah: 61)
So the special protection given to ʿĪsā (عليه السلام) affirms a physical ascension, not death.
5. The Return of ʿĪsā (عليه السلام) in the Qur’an
Verse:
"وَيُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِي الْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلًا"
(Āl ʿImrān: 46)
Explanation:
“Kahlan” (mature age) implies that he will speak again at an older age, which did not occur before his ascension — indicating a future return.
Verse:
"وَإِنَّهُ لَعِلْمٌ لِلسَّاعَةِ"
(Al-Zukhruf: 61)
Explanation:
According to Ibn ʿAbbās, Qatādah, Mujāhid, etc., “ʿIlm” here means “ʿAlāmah” (sign) — affirming that the descent of ʿĪsā (عليه السلام) is a sign of the Hour.
(Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr, under this verse)
Verse:
"وَإِن مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ"
(Al-Nisāʾ: 159)
Explanation:
Companions like Abū Hurayrah, Ibn ʿAbbās, and others state that “death” here refers to the time following ʿĪsā’s (عليه السلام) return, not his previous ascension.
(Tafsīr al-Bayḍāwī, Vol. 1, p. 255)
6. Mutawātir Hadith Supporting the Return of ʿĪsā (عليه السلام)
✿ “By Allah! ʿĪsā ibn Maryam will descend, and he will judge with justice…”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 3448, Kitāb al-Anbiyāʾ)
✿ “A group of my Ummah will remain upon the truth… until ʿĪsā ibn Maryam descends.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 156)
Explanation:
These Ahādīth are not only Ṣaḥīḥ but Mutawātir in meaning. Denial of such narrations is a deviation from both Hadith methodology and Islamic creed.
7. Consensus of the Ummah (Ijmāʿ)
◈ Imām Ṭaḥāwī (رحمه الله) said:
"We believe in the descent of ʿĪsā (عليه السلام)."
(Al-ʿAqīdah al-Ṭaḥāwiyyah, Sharḥ Ibn Abī al-ʿIzz, p. 375)
◈ Fatāwā from Dār al-ʿUlūm Deoband, Ahl al-Ḥadīth, and all major Sunni schools affirm:
Belief in the return of ʿĪsā (عليه السلام) is obligatory.
◈ Shaykh Ibn Bāz (رحمه الله):
"Denying the descent of ʿĪsā is disbelief (kufr)."
(Majmūʿ Fatāwā Ibn Bāz, Vol. 4, p. 325)
❖ Conclusion
The Qādiyānī and Ghamidi interpretations—by construing a single word (tawaffī) as definitive proof of ʿĪsā’s (عليه السلام) death:
➤ Contradict other clear Qur’anic verses
➤ Reject authentic and mutawātir Ahādīth
➤ Deny the consensus (ijmāʿ) of the Ummah
➤ Construct an unsubstantiated theological narrative unsupported by Qur’an or Sunnah
