The Holy Qur’an also uses the verb tawaffā in the passive present tense form (mudari‘). In this regard, the words yutawaffā (يُتَوَفّٰي) from Surah Al-Hajj and Surah Ghafir, and yutawaffawna (يُتَوَفَّوۡنَ) from Surah Al-Baqarah (2) have been used. Their meanings are, respectively: ‘He is given death’ and ‘They are given death.’ According to the convention of the Arabic language, in this form, Allah Almighty is the implied doer, not mentioned due to the passive voice construction. In this style, tawaffā is also used in the context of death. The relevant verses in the Holy Qur’an are as follows:
a. In verse 5 of Surah Al-Hajj and verse 67 of Surah Ghafir (40), the different stages of human life in the world are described. It is stated that Allah nurtures humans after creating them. Some of them He calls back to Himself during their childhood, some reach Him in their youth, while others die in old age. All of their lives are limited, and a specific time for their death is appointed. No one can escape it, and just like death comes, the Day of Judgment will also certainly arrive. It cannot be prevented:
يٰ٘اَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ فِيْ رَيْبٍ مِّنَ الْبَعْثِ فَاِنَّا خَلَقْنٰكُمْ مِّنْ تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ نُّطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ عَلَقَةٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ مُّضْغَةٍ مُّخَلَّقَةٍ وَّغَيْرِ مُخَلَّقَةٍ لِّنُبَيِّنَ لَكُمْﵧ وَنُقِرُّ فِي الْاَرْحَامِ مَا نَشَآءُ اِلٰ٘ي اَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّي ثُمَّ نُخْرِجُكُمْ طِفْلًا ثُمَّ لِتَبْلُغُوْ٘ا اَشُدَّكُمْﵐ وَمِنْكُمْ مَّنْ يُّتَوَفّٰي وَمِنْكُمْ مَّنْ يُّرَدُّ اِلٰ٘ي اَرْذَلِ الْعُمُرِ لِكَيْلَا يَعْلَمَ مِنْۣ بَعْدِ عِلْمٍ شَيْـًٔاﵧ وَتَرَي الْاَرْضَ هَامِدَةً فَاِذَا٘ اَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا الْمَآءَ اهْتَزَّتْ وَرَبَتْ وَاَنْۣبَتَتْ مِنْ كُلِّ زَوْجٍۣ بَهِيْجٍ.
People! If you have any doubt on being raised to life again, then reflect that We have created you from clay, then from sperm, then from a clot of blood, then from a lump of flesh which may be completed and also remains incomplete. So that We make evident to you some facts [that you should understand]. Whatever We want, We continue to lodge in the wombs until an appointed time. Then bring you forth in the form of a child. Then give time so that you may reach your maturity. And some from you are called back early and some are made to reach pathetic [old] age so that even after knowing a lot know nothing. Similarly, you see the earth dry. Then when We rain down water on it, it becomes lush and grows and sprouts exquisite things of all kinds. (22:5)
هُوَ الَّذِيْ خَلَقَكُمْ مِّنْ تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ نُّطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ عَلَقَةٍ ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُكُمْ طِفْلًا ثُمَّ لِتَبْلُغُوْ٘ا اَشُدَّكُمْ ثُمَّ لِتَكُوْنُوْا شُيُوْخًا وَمِنْكُمْ مَّنْ يُّتَوَفّٰي مِنْ قَبْلُ وَلِتَبْلُغُوْ٘ا اَجَلًا مُّسَمًّي وَّلَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُوْنَ.
It is He Who has created you from clay, then from a drop of fluid, then from a clot of blood; then He brings you out from the womb of the mother in the form of a child; then He nourishes you so that you reach your mature age; then He gives you respite so that you may reach old age. And some of you may die before this and some He gives respite so that you may complete an appointed term and all of this because you understand [the facts]. (40:67)
b. In Surah Al-Baqarah, where the law of the waiting period (‘iddah) for widowed women is described, the term yutawaffawna (يُتَوَفَّوۡنَ) is used for their deceased husbands. This refers to the men who pass away. The words of verse are:
وَالَّذِيْنَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنْكُمْ وَيَذَرُوْنَ اَزْوَاجًا يَّتَرَبَّصْنَ بِاَنْفُسِهِنَّ اَرْبَعَةَ اَشْهُرٍ وَّعَشْرًاﵐ فَاِذَا بَلَغْنَ اَجَلَهُنَّ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيْمَا فَعَلْنَ فِيْ٘ اَنْفُسِهِنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوْفِﵧ وَاللّٰهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُوْنَ خَبِيْرٌ.
And those of you who die and leave wives behind, they too should keep themselves in waiting for four months and ten days; then when they have fulfilled their term, there is no blame on you about what they do with themselves in accordance with the norms. And God is well acquainted with what you do. (2:234)