While it is said that we will be killed twice in verse 11 of the chapter of al-Mumin, it is said in verse 56 of the chapter of ad-Dukhan that there is no other death except the first death. Is it not a contradiction?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Baydawi and other tafsir scholars explain verse 28 of the chapter of al-Baqara “Ye were without life and He (Allah) gave you life; then will He cause you to die, and will again bring you to life; and again to Him will ye return” as follows:

The state of the child before it is given life in the mother’s womb is described as without life and giving life is called resurrection. In other words, a person is resurrected once in the womb and once after the grave. There are two states of being dead; one is the state before life is given in the mother’s womb, and the other is the state in the grave. So, there are two deaths and two resurrections.

As for the verse mentioned in the question:

“They will say: ‘Our Lord! Twice hast Thou made us without life, and twice hast Thou given us Life! Now have we recognized our sins: Is there any way out (of this)?’” (al-Mumin, 40/11)

According to the verse, man goes through four stages: 1. The state of being dead (i.e., non-existence). 2. Being born after he is given to life. 3. Death. 4. Resurrection after death. While the unbelievers accepted the first three stages, they denied only the last stage because they did not believe in the prophet.

It is stated in the verse that the unbelievers who are invited to enter Hell will confess their crimes, ask Allah for a way out in order to get rid of the torment of Hell, ­and say that they are killed twice and resurrected twice.

The following views are also mentioned about what is meant by ­“being killed twice” and “being resurrected twice”.

According to a view narrated from Abdullah b. Mas’ud, Abdullah b. Abbas, Qatada, Dahhak and Abu Malik, what is meant by “being killed twice” is that people are dead in the bodies of their parents and they also die after living in the world. What is meant by ­“being alive twice” is people’s to coming to life from semen and to being resurrected in the hereafter after being killed. While explaining this issue, Dahhak, Ibn Abbas and Ibn Mas’ud said that the following verses also express it.

“How can ye reject the faith in Allah? Seeing that ye were without life, and He gave you life; then will He cause you to die, and will again bring you to life; and again to Him will ye return. (al-Baqara, 28)

Nor will they there taste Death, except the first death.” (ad-Dukhan, 44/56)

It is stated that in the verse above that there will be no more death after death and that believers will enjoy eternal pleasure in Paradise.

They will not taste therein any death except their first death (in the world). Allah also protects them from the torment of Hell. They are the grace of your Lord. That is what salvation is.

Undoubtedly, those who fear Allah by obeying His commands and avoiding His prohibitions in this world will be in a location where they will be safe in the Hereafter. In those locations, they will be free of the troubles, diseases, fatigue and sorrows that they feared while they were in the world. Those locations will be heavens and water springs. They will wear thin and thick silk garments in that heaven. And they will sit facing each other. Besides, We will marry them off to houris with big eyes and white skin.

Those who have taqwa will want all kinds of fruits they desire in Paradise and they will be safe about those fruits. They will not fear that those fruits will run out and that they will inflict any harm on themselves. Worldly blessings are the opposite.

Those who have taqwa will not taste another death other than their first death on earth while they are in heaven. Their Lord will protect them from the burning torment of Hell as a bounty from Himself. He will not punish them for the sins they committed while on earth. These blessings that We give to those who have taqwa in the hereafter are the ultimate salvation.

Allah states here, in verse fifty-six, that the people of Paradise will never taste death again. Our Prophet (pbuh) states the following in a hadith regarding the issue:

“On the Day of Resurrection Death will be brought forward in the shape of a white ram. Then, a caller will call, ‘O people of Paradise!’ Thereupon, they will stretch their necks and look carefully. The caller will say, ‘Do you know this?’ They will say, ‘Yes, this is Death’ since they have seen it before. Then it will be announced again, ‘O people of Hell!’ They will stretch their necks and look carefully. The caller will say, ‘Do you know this?’ They will say, ‘Yes, this is Death’ since they have seen it before. Then, the caller will say, ‘O people of Paradise! Eternity for you and no death O people of Hell! Eternity for you and no death.’” (Bukhari, Tafsir al-Quran, Sura: 19, bab: 1 / Muslim al-Jannah, bab: 40, Hadith no: 2849; see Abu Jafar Muhammed b. Jarir at-Tabari, Taberi Tefsiri, Hisar Yayınevi: 7/370-371)

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