The concepts of death and life constitute among the foundational themes in the Holy Quran, which are presented not merely as theological or philosophical issues, but rather as the axis of monotheistic thought and a guide for human conduct on the path of creativity and perfection. These concepts, deeply connected to the principle of the unity of existence and the divine system of creation, hold a special position in philosophy, mysticism, and Quranic exegesis. The present treatise, employing a scientific and systematic approach, analyses and elucidates these two concepts within divine verses and comprehensively presents all aspects raised in the lecture in an academic and exalted manner. The objective of this work is to clarify the interrelation between death and life as stages of a single truth and to invite humanity to active participation in creation and progression along the divine path.
The Holy Quran, as the Book of Guidance, emphasises the principle of the unity of existence and introduces this principle as the foundation of the entire system of creation. This unity prevails not only in the divine essence but also in all levels of existence. The Quran negates any form of duality or multiplicity and considers the universe under the dominion of divine unity. This perspective, contrary to philosophical systems based on dualism or trinity, interprets apparent contradictions such as good and evil or death and life as stages of a single truth.
اعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ (محمد: 19) Know that there is no deity except Him. (Muhammad: 19)
This verse, by inviting recognition of monotheism, emphasises the necessity of understanding unity as the pivot of the universe. The call to declare La ilaha illa Allah also indicates the path to salvation in connection with this unity.
The Holy Quran, by denying any opposition or contradiction in the world, stresses that good and evil, death and life, and other apparent opposites are all creations of God and are encompassed by Him. This view rejects independent duality and introduces opposites as different levels of divine creation.
وَاللَّهُ مِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ مُحِيطٌ (بروج: 20) And Allah is encompassing of them from behind. (Al-Buruj: 20)
This verse indicates Gods complete encompassing over all creatures and shows that no being is outside the realm of divine creation. Negation of opposition does not mean negation of the existence of good and evil or death and life, but rather negation of their independence before God.
The concept of contradiction in contrast to opposition refers to hierarchical differences in divine creation. Unlike opposition, which implies duality and independence of opposites, contradiction emphasises harmonious and purposeful differences in levels of existence. Good and evil or death and life are different stages of a single truth.
The Holy Quran negates any concept of an opponent or independent entity against God. Satan, evils, afflictions, and Iblis are all creations of God and have no existential independence. This view, unlike dualistic religions, considers evil as part of the divine system of creation.
In the Holy Quran, death is not introduced as the opposite of life, but rather as a lower stage of it. Life manifests in various levels (nasuti, barzakhi, and lahuti), yet the essence of life remains the same in all these levels. Death is an existential state within the framework of divine life.
كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَكُنْتُمْ أَمْوَاتًا فَأَحْيَاكُمْ (بقره: 28) How can you disbelieve in Allah when you were dead and He gave you life? (Al-Baqarah: 28)
This verse introduces death as the state prior to nasuti life and negates opposition between the two.
All creatures, including humans (believers, disbelievers, idolaters) and non-humans (inanimate objects, plants), are creations of God. Even idols such as Lat and Uzza are, in their essence, creations of God.
وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ (آلعمران: 109) And to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. (Al-Imran: 109)
This verse emphasises Gods absolute ownership and creation over all beings.
The Quranic verses present death and life as intertwined and inseparable. Death is not the end of life, but part of its process.
وَيُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَيُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الْحَيِّ (یونس: 31) He brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living. (Yunus: 31)
This verse demonstrates the cycle of life and death as part of the divine system of creation. Bringing the living from the dead (such as human birth from a sperm) and the dead from the living (such as human death) illustrates the interconnectedness of these two concepts.
Humanity, as the vicegerent of God, is obliged to actively participate in the process of creation and progression on the path of perfection. This participation is realised through knowledge, action, and creativity.
وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمْ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ (جاثیه: 13) And He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. (Al-Jathiyah: 13)
This verse invites humanity to utilise the possibilities of creation for movement and advancement. By employing intellectual and practical capacities, humans can progress towards the fulfilment of divine objectives.
The scientific and civilisational backwardness of Islamic societies is a consequence of humiliation and destruction caused by colonialism. Colonialism, by belittling individuals and Islamic communities, hindered their movement and creativity.
فَاسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُ فَأَطَاعُوهُ (زخرف: 54) Then he belittled his people, and they obeyed him. (Az-Zukhruf: 54)
This verse reflects the use of humiliation to dominate people. Colonialism, by instilling a sense of inferiority, obstructed the scientific and cultural flourishing of Islamic societies.
Eliminating obstacles of humiliation and repression creates the ground for movement and advancement of societies. This movement, particularly in scientific and technological fields, demonstrates the high human capacity when conditions are provided.
Religious knowledge, despite its vast capacities, sometimes remains passive and fails to play an active role in scientific and cultural leadership. The Holy Quran, emphasising movement and creation, invites religious knowledge to exit this passivity and assume a creative role.
The Holy Quran invites humanity to practical experience of creation and participation in existence. This invitation is view that nothing in the universe is absolutely dead and everything inherently possesses life.
كَذَٰلِكَ يُحْيِي اللَّهُ الْمَوْتَىٰ (بقره: 73) Thus does Allah give life to the dead. (Al-Baqarah: 73)
This verse emphasises the possibility of revival and human creativity within the framework of divine will. Experience of creation means discovering and producing new phenomena in accordance with divine objectives.
Excessive fear, as a psychological barrier, prevents humans from movement and creativity. The Holy Quran, by inviting reliance on God and courage, liberates humans from irrational fears and guides them towards action.
وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْحَيِّ الَّذِي لَا يَمُوتُ (فرقان: 58) And rely upon the Ever-Living who does not die. (Al-Furqan: 58)
Life in the Holy Quran is introduced as a unified reality manifesting in various levels. Differences in levels (such as the life of humans, animals, or objects) do not imply difference in the essence of life.
جَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَيٍّ (انبیاء: 30) We made from water every living thing. (Al-Anbiya: 30)
This verse introduces life as a common characteristic of all beings and emphasises the unity of life.
The Holy Quran regards life as an intrinsic and shared reality in all beings. From divine life to the life of creatures, there is no difference in the essence of life.
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ (بقره: 255) Allah there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. (Al-Baqarah: 255)
This verse introduces divine life as the basis of the life of all beings. The life of creatures is a manifestation of divine
