Verse 40:11, Two Death, Two Lives (Follow Up Three)
Question:
How would you interpret 2:28 in light of your current understanding of the verse 40:11?
Answer:
There is a subtle difference between the two verses:
40:11:
قالُوا رَبَّنا أَمَتَّنَا اثْنَتَيْنِ وَ أَحْيَيْتَنَا اثْنَتَيْنِ فَاعْتَرَفْنا بِذُنُوبِنا فَهَلْ إِلى خُرُوجٍ مِنْ سَبيل
They say: “Our Lord, you caused us death twice and gave us life twice, so we confess to our sins so is there any way out (from punishment).
2:28:
كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَ كُنتُمْ أَمْوَاتًا فَأَحْيَكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يحُيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُون
How do you reject God and you were dead so we gave you life then we caused you death then we gave you life then you returned to Him
Please note the difference between Amatna (caused us death) in 40:11 and Amwata (dead, in plural meaning) in 2:28.
40:11 refers to twice causing death and twice causing life. This is while 2:28 refers to one state of death, one causing of death and twice causing of life.
Therefore in my current understanding, as I wrote before, 40:11 refers to dying in this world, getting life in barzakh, dying in barzakh and resurrection in the hereafter. This is while 2:28 refers to the state of us before being born (Amwata), then having life in this world (Fa’ahyakum), then dying in this world (Yumitukum) then having life in Barzakh (Yuhyikum) then resurrection in the hereafter (Thumma Ilayhe Turja’un).
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March 2014
How would you interpret 2:28 in light of your current understanding of the verse 40:11?
Answer:
There is a subtle difference between the two verses:
40:11:
قالُوا رَبَّنا أَمَتَّنَا اثْنَتَيْنِ وَ أَحْيَيْتَنَا اثْنَتَيْنِ فَاعْتَرَفْنا بِذُنُوبِنا فَهَلْ إِلى خُرُوجٍ مِنْ سَبيل
They say: “Our Lord, you caused us death twice and gave us life twice, so we confess to our sins so is there any way out (from punishment).
2:28:
كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَ كُنتُمْ أَمْوَاتًا فَأَحْيَكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يحُيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُون
How do you reject God and you were dead so we gave you life then we caused you death then we gave you life then you returned to Him
Please note the difference between Amatna (caused us death) in 40:11 and Amwata (dead, in plural meaning) in 2:28.
40:11 refers to twice causing death and twice causing life. This is while 2:28 refers to one state of death, one causing of death and twice causing of life.
Therefore in my current understanding, as I wrote before, 40:11 refers to dying in this world, getting life in barzakh, dying in barzakh and resurrection in the hereafter. This is while 2:28 refers to the state of us before being born (Amwata), then having life in this world (Fa’ahyakum), then dying in this world (Yumitukum) then having life in Barzakh (Yuhyikum) then resurrection in the hereafter (Thumma Ilayhe Turja’un).
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March 2014
