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wa-lā taqūlū li-man yuqtalu fī sabīli llāhi ʾamwātun bal ʾaḥyāʾun wa-lākin lā tashʿurūna
Do not call those who were slain in Allah’s way ‘dead.’ No, they are living, but you are not aware.
— Ali Quli Qarai
2Al-BaqarahالبقرةVerse 154 of 286
The Cow2. Al-Baqarahالبقرة
Al Baqarah
The Cow
MedinanVerse 154 of 286
Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 154
And do not say of those who are slain in Allah’s way: ‘They are dead.’ Nay (they are) alive, but you perceive (it) not. (2:154).
The Qur’anic phrase
…of those who are slain in Allah’s way (2:154)
refers to those who are slain (i.e. martyred) in the battles led by the Prophet (S) or Imams (‘a) or one of their specific deputies, as well as anyone who is martyred on the path of Islam and propagation of the religion of Allah. The content of the verse is inclusive of not only all who are slain in the path of Allah such as: the immaculate Imams (‘a) their ministers, Muslim scholars and believers, although the occasion of revelation of the verse is reported that it was revealed about the Muslims who were martyred in the battle of Badr, but also anyone other than them.
And do not say of those who are slain in Allah’s way: ‘They are dead…’ (2:154)
The phenomenon of martyrdom is more clearly described in Surah Aali Imran, 3:169 and 3:170 which gives further information about the truth that those who surrender or sacrifice their lives in the way of Allah. (i.e. the martyrs) are alive receiving their sustenance from their Lord.
And reckon not those who are killed in Allah’s way as dead; nay they are alive (and) are provided sustenance from their Lord; Rejoicing in what Allah has given them out of His grace. (3:169).
The term / shahid / ‘martyred’ used in many occurrences in the Qur’an refers to this blissful state of realization. Therefore, this stage of life, i.e. the life immediately after death, i.e. the purgatory life, is not allocated to martyrs alone, though the verse is about them, but it envelops all people because stating something does not mean that the unstated, but applicable, instances are not involved. For example, when we say, this man is just’, it does not mean that justice belongs to him exclusively and there is not any other just person; while there may be thousands of people who are just.
Thus, this verse, here, confirms the purgatorial life for the martyrs. This life, the intermediate state, according to many verses of the Qur’an and abundant Islamic traditions, exists for all believers and nonbelievers both, with a distinction. The soul of a believer, after departing from its physical body, will settle in a body similar to this one and will be sustained in that world until when the Hereafter comes forth; while the soul of a nonbeliever, during the time when passing this course, will be in torment, as the Qur’an says:
(In falsehood will they be) until when death comes to one of them, he says: ‘O’ my Lord! send me back (to life)’ (23:99)
In order that I may work righteously in the things I neglected. ‘By no means! It is but a word he says’. Before them is a partition till the Day they are raised up. (23:100)
It is narrated from Yunus Ibn Tibyan who said he was sitting with Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) when he was explaining about the believers’ souls and he (‘a) said:
“O’ Yunus! When Allah gets the soul of a believer taken, He puts his soul in a setting like his body that was in this world. So, they eat and drink and when a comer enters he recognizes them in the same form as they were in the world.” 9
Also, Abu-Basir narrates from Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) who, about the believers’ souls, said:
“(They will be) in Heaven with the same features as their (worldly) bodies were so that if you see him (one of them) you will surely recognize him and say who he is.” 10
Then the Qur’an continues saying:
...Nay, (they are) alive... (2:154)
Life is divided into four sorts: the plant-life, the animal-life, the human-life, and the Faith-life. Plant-life is the power of growth which is common among plants and animals including human beings. The death of this particular life is when that power stops. Animal-life is the power by which feeling and conscious movement comes to being. Human beings and animals have this life in common. It dies when this power ceases. Human-life is the faculty of general reasoning and perceiving by which Man is distinguished from animal. This phenomenon emerges because of that abstract and rational soul which administrates this body.
Its death causes the interruption of this administration and breaking off its connection with the body but there is no destruction for it and it remains to return to the body again when the Resurrection occurs. So, this purgatorial state exists not only for martyrs or Muslims, but for the soul of every conscious being. Faith-Life is the peace of mind, assurance of self, and clearness of heart all of which come into existence for a believer through Faith and knowing Allah.
It is in this state that he can live in rest and tranquility with joy and pleasure because the toils, hardships, and miseries of this world would not create any awe, worry, anxiety or instability for him. This very condition originates from his reliance and belief in Providence, Who gives only goodness. This life is the same as the ‘good life’, about which the Lord says:
Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has Faith, verily, to him will We give a new life, a life that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions. (16:97).
And, the Qur’an also says:
O’ you who have Faith! give your response to Allah and His Apostle, when He calleth you to that which will give you life... (8:24).
It is said that the utterances in a language indicate meanings so that letter and spirit correspond with each other. For example, the term ‘light or lamp’ is applied to any means which is used in darkness to get brightness from. Then, whatever has this function, the application of that term for it is correct, although the substance is different from the point of material, form and other qualities. Life is a general sense which is recognized by the appearance of the effects which are expected from it. In this sense, the term’ life’ is used for the Essence of Allah, too.
The example of this idea is recited in Surah Aali Imran, which says:
Allah! There is no god but He, the living, the Self-Subsisting, Eternal. (3:2).
That is, the Essence from Whom the effects of knowledge and power are clear and manifest. That is why some scholars said that Allah’s life is His very Knowledge and Power. Of course, the Essence of the Knower and the Mighty is alive. Therefore, wherever the effects of this meaning exist, the application of this utterance is correct, but it are not necessary that its kind and its characteristics and properties, which are appropriate to those particular situations, be the same everywhere and in all circumstances.
Hence, the life in Purgatory, from the point of quality for martyrs and other people, is of the quality of the same world. It is for this reason that the people of this world with their senses, the quality of the nature of which is of the quality of this world, cannot perceive that which is of the quality of the nature of that world.
…but you perceive it not. (2:153)
By the way, this verse clears the doubt of materialist and pagans who believe that with death, man’s life becomes extinct, i.e. there is no life after death. Here, the Qur’an warns all, Muslim or non-Muslim, that man’s life does not perish after death, but it does remain. So, with this in mind, we realize that there is nothing more valuable or worthwhile than the time spent striving for the perfection of such a life. May Allah help us all to follow His Ordinances that He so graciously made available to us by way of the Qur’an in order that we might experience success in this life and in the Hereafter.
Footnotes