Is the Story True That the Angel of Death Once Took a Soul by Mistake?

Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri

✦ Question:​

Some people narrate that once the Angel of Death mistakenly took the soul of a person, whereas he was commanded to seize the soul of another person with the same name. Is there any truth to this incident?

✦ Answer:​

This is a baseless claim with no evidence. Such a belief reflects ill thoughts regarding the angels.


Allah ﷻ says regarding them:
لَا يَعْصُونَ اللَّهَ مَا أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ
(Al-Taḥrīm: 6)


“They do not disobey Allah in what He commands them, and they do exactly what they are ordered.”