Several verses in the Holy Qur’an use the verb Tawaffā as an act of Allah Almighty. That is, the structure of the sentence is such that Allah Almighty is the subject, and humans are the object. The following words or phrases appear in this context:
In all these styles of expression, the derivations of the verb tawaffā are used. The sentence is composed in such a way that Allah Almighty is the subject, and humans are the object. Details are as follows:
a. In verses 46 of Surah Yunus, 40 of Surah Ar-Rad, and 77 of Surah Ghafir, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is addressed and told that if the Quraysh persist in denying his messengership, they shall be subjected to a torment in this world that precedes the punishment of the hereafter, and which inevitably afflicts the deniers of messengers according to the divine sunnah. This is a promise from Allah; therefore it is absolute and unwavering. The history of messengers in the Qur’an shows that this torment comes in two forms: first, where the punishment is given during the lifetime of the messenger, as in the case where Pharaoh and his army were drowned during the lifetime of Moses (PBUH). The other form is when Allah issues His decree of punishment after the messenger has passed away. An example of this is the punishment that befell upon the Jews, which began after the departure of Jesus (PBUH). The aforementioned verses imply the possibility of these two scenarios concerning the Quraysh, the Prophet’s community. That is, it is possible that Allah may reveal a part of this punishment during the Prophet’s life, or He may decide after the Prophet’s demise.
In all three places, the phrase natawaffāyannaka (نَتَوَفَّيَنَّك) is used, which means ‘We shall cause you to die.’ The verb tawaffā is used for the Prophet Muhammad, and Allah is the doer. It has been stated:
وَاِمَّا نُرِيَنَّكَ بَعْضَ الَّذِيْ نَعِدُهُمْ اَوْ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ فَاِلَيْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ ثُمَّ اللّٰهُ شَهِيْدٌ عَلٰي مَا يَفْعَلُوْنَ . وَلِكُلِّ اُمَّةٍ رَّسُوْلٌ فَاِذَا جَآءَ رَسُوْلُهُمْ قُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْقِسْطِ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُوْنَ.
We shall definitely show you a part of what We are promising them [O Prophet] Or give death to you and thereafter deal with them. Nevertheless, they have to return to Us. Then God is a witness to what they are doing.
[His law is that] for every nation there is a messenger. Then, when their messenger comes their fate is justly decided and no injustice is done to them. (10:46-47)
وَاِنْ مَّا نُرِيَنَّكَ بَعْضَ الَّذِيْ نَعِدُهُمْ اَوْ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ فَاِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلٰغُ وَعَلَيْنَا الْحِسَابُ.
We shall show you some part of the warning We are sounding them or give you death and after that deal with them Ourselves. Nonetheless, your responsibility is only to communicate and taking account is Our responsibility. (13:40)
فَاصْبِرْ اِنَّ وَعْدَ اللّٰهِ حَقٌّ فَاِمَّا نُرِيَنَّكَ بَعْضَ الَّذِيْ نَعِدُهُمْ اَوْ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ فَاِلَيْنَا يُرْجَعُوْنَ.
[They are not believing, O Prophet!] So, be patient. There is no doubt that the promise of God is true. Then We shall show you some part of the torment with which We are threatening them with or give you death and then deal with them; nevertheless they have to return to Us alone. (40:77)
The respected teacher has explicated this matter by writing:
This is a reference to the established practice of God prescribed for those who reject God’s messengers. It is these two situations which generally arise. Examples of the first of them are mentioned in the Qur’ān at a number of places. An example of the second are the Jews who began to be punished once Jesus (PBUH) had passed away. (Al-Bayan 4/382)
b. The phrase yatawaffākum (يَتَوَفّٰىكُم) appears in verse 70 of Surah An-Nahl and verse 104 of Surah Yunus . It means that Allah is the one who causes death to you (humans). Surah An-Nahl discusses the reality that life and death are under the control of Allah. He is the one who has created humans and He will bring death upon them. Whether death comes in childhood, youth, or old age, Allah is the one to decide. The length or brevity of life is dependent on His Will. In Surah Yunus, this truth is highlighted through the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to his audience. It means that it is Allah who will cause you to die, He is the one to whom you will be answerable. The verses are as follows:
وَاللّٰهُ خَلَقَكُمْ ثُمَّ يَتَوَفّٰىكُمْ وَمِنْكُمْ مَّنْ يُّرَدُّ اِلٰ٘ي اَرْذَلِ الْعُمُرِ لِكَيْ لَا يَعْلَمَ بَعْدَ عِلْمٍ شَيْـًٔا اِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَلِيْمٌ قَدِيْرٌ.
In a similar way, God has created you; then it is He Who makes you die. [Some of you die early] and some of you are made to reach feeble age so that after knowing a lot they know nothing. In reality, it is God only Who knows; it is He alone Who has power over everything. (16:70)
قُلْ يٰ٘اَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ فِيْ شَكٍّ مِّنْ دِيْنِيْ فَلَا٘ اَعْبُدُ الَّذِيْنَ تَعْبُدُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ وَلٰكِنْ اَعْبُدُ اللّٰهَ الَّذِيْ يَتَوَفّٰىكُمْﵗ وَاُمِرْتُ اَنْ اَكُوْنَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ.
[O Prophet!] Say: People! If [even now] you are in doubt about my religion, then listen that I do not worship those whom you worship besides God; I, in fact, worship the God Who gives you death [so that you can gather before Him for accountability.] I have been directed to be among the believers. (10:104)
c. The verb tawaffānā (تَوَفَّنَا) appears in a supplicatory manner in Surah Aale Imran and Surah Al-A‘raf. Its meaning is: (O Lord) grant us death.
The attitude of the insightful Companions is described in verses 190 to 194 of Aale Imran, who actively and wholeheartedly responded to the call of Allah’s messenger after it was presented. Unlike the foolish, they neither engage in petty arguments nor demand signs but raise their hands in prayer to their Lord for His forgiveness and for their lives to end among the faithful servants of God. The Qur’an has expressed their prayer in the following words:
رَبَّنَا٘ اِنَّنَا سَمِعْنَا مُنَادِيًا يُّنَادِيْ لِلْاِيْمَانِ اَنْ اٰمِنُوْا بِرَبِّكُمْ فَاٰمَنَّا رَبَّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوْبَنَا وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّاٰتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الْاَبْرَارِ
Lord! We have heard a caller who would call to faith: ‘[People!] Believe in your Lord,’ so we believed. Then Master! Forgive now our sins; avert from us our evil deeds and make us die with Your faithful. (3:193)
In Al-A‘raf, the encounter between Prophet Moses (PBUH) and the magicians of Pharaoh is detailed. It describes how, upon realizing the truth, the magicians believed in Moses (PBUH). Pharaoh threatened them, saying that if they sided with Moses without his permission, he would dismember their hands and feet on opposite sides and crucify them. They responded with unwavering resolve, stating that Pharaoh could do as he pleased since they would not renounce their faith, as they had seen the signs of their Lord and knew they had to return to Him. Alongside, they prayed to Allah to endow them with patience and steadfastness amidst their trial and grant them death while they were steadfast in Islam:
قَالُوْ٘ا اِنَّا٘ اِلٰي رَبِّنَا مُنْقَلِبُوْنَ . وَمَا تَنْقِمُ مِنَّا٘ اِلَّا٘ اَنْ اٰمَنَّا بِاٰيٰتِ رَبِّنَا لَمَّا جَآءَتْنَاﵧ رَبَّنَا٘ اَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَّتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِيْنَ.
They replied: [Then what will happen is that] we shall only return to our Lord. You are harming us in anger because when the signs of our Lord came to us, we professed faith in them. Lord! [Now] bless us with loads of patience and let us die as Muslims. (7:125-126)
d. In Surah Yusuf, verse 101, the words Tawaffānī (تَوَفَّنِيْ), which mean ‘O Lord, cause me to die,’ are found. These words are part of Prophet Joseph's (PBUH) supplication. This occasion was when his father and brothers prostrated before him, fulfilling the interpretation of his childhood dream in which he saw the sun, the moon, and eleven stars prostrating to him. After praising and glorifying Allah, he prayed that he be given death while steadfast in Islam. His words were:
رَبِّ قَدْ اٰتَيْتَنِيْ مِنَ الْمُلْكِ وَعَلَّمْتَنِيْ مِنْ تَاْوِيْلِ الْاَحَادِيْثِ فَاطِرَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالْاَرْضِ اَنْتَ وَلِيّٖ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْاٰخِرَةِ تَوَفَّنِيْ مُسْلِمًا وَّاَلْحِقْنِيْ بِالصّٰلِحِيْنَ.
Lord! You granted me a share in political authority and taught me from the knowledge of interpreting words. O Creator of the Heavens and the Earth! You are my guardian in this world and the next. Make me die on Islam and include me among your righteous people. (12:101)