الْمُمِيتُ
One of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah
Al-Mumeet
The Creator of Death
Al-Mumeet is the Creator of Death, and in 67:2 death comes first, before life, and both are created. The verse says it plainly: He created death and life to test which of you is best in deeds, and best, al-Sa'di says, means the most sincere and the most correct.
Key verse
﴿ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْمَوْتَ وَٱلْحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْغَفُورُ﴾˹He is the One˺ Who created death and life in order to test which of you is best in deeds. And He is the Almighty, All-Forgiving.
The scholar's text
The Creator of Death
It is mentioned times in the Holy Quran
Note: The number is missing from this line in the original post.
خالق الموت.
ورد في القرآن الكريم ... مرة.
ملاحظة: العدد ساقط من هذا السطر في المنشور الأصلي.
He Created Death and Life
Death comes first in 67:2, before life, and both are created. Some scholars, Ibn Kathir notes, took the verse as proof that death is a real thing in its own right, since it was created. Al-Sa'di reads the creating as a decree: He decided for His servants that He would give them life and then cause them to die, to test them. Which of you is best in deeds, the verse says, and Muhammad ibn Ajlan, in Ibn Kathir, points out that it did not say most in deeds. Best, for al-Sa'di, is the most sincere and the most correct; whoever follows Allah's command and does well is rewarded well in both worlds.
Arabic: الذي خلق الموت والحياة
ذكر الموت في الآية قبل الحياة، وكلاهما مخلوق. قال ابن كثير: «واستدل بهذه الآية من قال: إن الموت أمر وجودي لأنه مخلوق». وقال السعدي: «أي: قدر لعباده أن يحييهم ثم يميتهم؛». وفي قوله ﴿أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا﴾ قال ابن كثير: «أي: خير عملا كما قال محمد بن عجلان: ولم يقل أكثر عملا»، وقال السعدي: «أي: أخلصه وأصوبه، فإن الله خلق عباده، وأخرجهم لهذه الدار، وأخبرهم أنهم سينقلون منها، وأمرهم ونهاهم، وابتلاهم بالشهوات المعارضة لأمره، فمن انقاد لأمر الله وأحسن العمل، أحسن الله له الجزاء في الدارين، ومن مال مع شهوات النفس، ونبذ أمر الله، فله شر الجزاء».
I Too Give Life and Cause Death
﴿أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِى حَآجَّ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ فِى رَبِّهِۦٓ أَنْ ءَاتَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُلْكَ إِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمُ رَبِّىَ ٱلَّذِى يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ قَالَ أَنَا۠ أُحْىِۦ وَأُمِيتُ ۖ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمُ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأْتِى بِٱلشَّمْسِ مِنَ ٱلْمَشْرِقِ فَأْتِ بِهَا مِنَ ٱلْمَغْرِبِ فَبُهِتَ ٱلَّذِى كَفَرَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ﴾Are you ˹O Prophet˺ not aware of the one who argued with Abraham about his Lord because Allah had granted him kingship? ˹Remember˺ when Abraham said, “My Lord is the One Who has power to give life and cause death.” He argued, “I too have the power to give life and cause death.” Abraham challenged ˹him˺, “Allah causes the sun to rise from the east. So make it rise from the west.” And so the disbeliever was dumbstruck. And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.
In 2:258 Abraham tells the king who argued with him: my Lord is the One who gives life and causes death. The king answers that he does too. Qatada and others, Ibn Kathir reports, said he meant two men condemned to die: he would order one killed and spare the other. Ibn Kathir does not think that was his meaning, since it is no answer to what Abraham said; rather, he says, the king wanted to claim the station for himself out of stubbornness and make people believe he was the one giving life and death. So Abraham moved to the sun. It rises in the east every day; if you are a god who gives life and death, bring it from the west. And the disbeliever was dumbstruck.
Arabic: أنا أحيي وأميت
حاج الملك إبراهيم عليه السلام في ربه، وتقول آية البقرة: ﴿إِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمُ رَبِّىَ ٱلَّذِى يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ قَالَ أَنَا۠ أُحْىِۦ وَأُمِيتُ﴾، قال ابن كثير عن قتادة وغيره: «وذلك أني أوتى بالرجلين قد استحقا القتل فآمر بقتل أحدهما فيقتل، وبالعفو عن الآخر فلا يقتل. فذلك معنى الإحياء والإماتة». ثم رده فقال: «والظاهر والله أعلم أنه ما أراد هذا؛ لأنه ليس جوابا لما قال إبراهيم ولا في معناه»، «وإنما أراد أن يدعي لنفسه هذا المقام عنادا ومكابرة ويوهم أنه الفاعل لذلك وأنه هو الذي يحيي ويميت». فانتقل إبراهيم عليه السلام إلى الشمس، قال ابن كثير: «فهذه الشمس تبدو كل يوم من المشرق، فإن كنت إلها كما ادعيت تحيي وتميت فأت بها من المغرب»، ﴿فَبُهِتَ ٱلَّذِى كَفَرَ﴾.
The Greater Death and the Lesser
﴿ٱللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى ٱلْأَنفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَٱلَّتِى لَمْ تَمُتْ فِى مَنَامِهَا ۖ فَيُمْسِكُ ٱلَّتِى قَضَىٰ عَلَيْهَا ٱلْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ ٱلْأُخْرَىٰٓ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ﴾˹It is˺ Allah ˹Who˺ calls back the souls ˹of people˺ upon their death as well as ˹the souls˺ of the living during their sleep. Then He keeps those for whom He has ordained death, and releases the others until ˹their˺ appointed time. Surely in this are signs for people who reflect.
39:42 joins death and sleep. Allah calls back the souls at their death, and the souls of the living in their sleep; He keeps those for whom He has ordained death and sends the others back until their appointed time. Al-Sa'di names them the greater death and the lesser. The verse gives the taking of souls to Allah, and 32:11 gives it to the Angel of Death, who is in charge of you. There is no conflict, al-Sa'di says: Allah has put the Angel of Death and his helpers in charge of it. When he went to bed, the Prophet ﷺ said that he lived and died in Allah's Name, in the du'a below.
Arabic: الله يتوفى الأنفس حين موتها
تقول آية الزمر: ﴿ٱللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى ٱلْأَنفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَٱلَّتِى لَمْ تَمُتْ فِى مَنَامِهَا ۖ فَيُمْسِكُ ٱلَّتِى قَضَىٰ عَلَيْهَا ٱلْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ ٱلْأُخْرَىٰٓ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ﴾، قال السعدي: «وهذه الوفاة الكبرى، وفاة الموت»، و«وهذه الموتة الصغرى». وفي آية السجدة: ﴿قُلْ يَتَوَفَّىٰكُم مَّلَكُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ٱلَّذِى وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ﴾، قال السعدي: «أي: جعله اللّه وكيلاً على قبض الأرواح، وله أعوان»، و«وإضافة الفعل إلى نفسه، لا ينافي أنه قد وكل بذلك ملك الموت وأعوانه». وكان النبي ﷺ إذا أخذ مضجعه قال: «اللَّهُمَّ بِاسْمِكَ أَحْيَا وَبِاسْمِكَ أَمُوتُ»، في الدعاء الآتي.
The Death You Run From
﴿قُلْ إِنَّ ٱلْمَوْتَ ٱلَّذِى تَفِرُّونَ مِنْهُ فَإِنَّهُۥ مُلَـٰقِيكُمْ ۖ ثُمَّ تُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَـٰلِمِ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ﴾Say, “The death you are running away from will inevitably come to you. Then you will be returned to the Knower of the seen and unseen, and He will inform you of what you used to do.”
Running does not help. The death you are running away from will inevitably come to you, says 62:8, and then you will be returned to the Knower of the seen and unseen. Their running, al-Sa'di says, will not save them; death must meet them, because Allah has decreed it for His servants and written it. And 4:78: wherever you may be, death will overcome you, even in fortified towers.
Arabic: إن الموت الذي تفرون منه فإنه ملاقيكم
تقول آية الجمعة: ﴿قُلْ إِنَّ ٱلْمَوْتَ ٱلَّذِى تَفِرُّونَ مِنْهُ فَإِنَّهُۥ مُلَـٰقِيكُمْ ۖ ثُمَّ تُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَـٰلِمِ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ﴾، قال السعدي: «فإن ذلك لا ينجيهم، بل لا بد أن يلاقيهم الموت الذي قد حتمه الله على العباد وكتبه عليهم». وفي النساء: ﴿أَيْنَمَا تَكُونُوا۟ يُدْرِككُّمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ وَلَوْ كُنتُمْ فِى بُرُوجٍ مُّشَيَّدَةٍ﴾.
Eternity, and No Death
Death itself has an end, and the Prophet ﷺ described it: “On the Day of Resurrection Death will be brought forward in the shape of a black and white ram”. The people of Paradise are called, then the people of Hell, and all of them know it: this is Death. “Then it (that ram) will be slaughtered and the caller will say, 'O people of Paradise! Eternity for you and no death” (Sahih al-Bukhari 4730, narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri). He then recited the verse on the Day of regret, 19:39.
Arabic: خلود فلا موت
وللموت نفسه نهاية يوم القيامة، قال النبي ﷺ: «يُؤْتَى بِالْمَوْتِ كَهَيْئَةِ كَبْشٍ أَمْلَحَ»، فينادى أهل الجنة ثم أهل النار، وكلهم يعرفه: هذا الموت. «فَيُذْبَحُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ يَا أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ، خُلُودٌ فَلاَ مَوْتَ» (صحيح البخاري 4730، عن أبي سعيد الخدري)، ثم قرأ آية يوم الحسرة، مريم 19: 39.
From the Sunnah
On the Day of Resurrection Death will be brought forward in the shape of a black and white ram. Then a call maker 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.' By then all of them will have seen it. 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.' And by then all of them will have seen it. Then it (that ram) will be slaughtered and the caller will say, 'O people of Paradise! Eternity for you and no death
يُؤْتَى بِالْمَوْتِ كَهَيْئَةِ كَبْشٍ أَمْلَحَ فَيُنَادِي مُنَادٍ يَا أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ، فَيَشْرَئِبُّونَ وَيَنْظُرُونَ فَيَقُولُ هَلْ تَعْرِفُونَ هَذَا فَيَقُولُونَ نَعَمْ هَذَا الْمَوْتُ، وَكُلُّهُمْ قَدْ رَآهُ، ثُمَّ يُنَادِي يَا أَهْلَ النَّارِ، فَيَشْرَئِبُّونَ وَيَنْظُرُونَ، فَيَقُولُ هَلْ تَعْرِفُونَ هَذَا فَيَقُولُونَ نَعَمْ هَذَا الْمَوْتُ، وَكُلُّهُمْ قَدْ رَآهُ، فَيُذْبَحُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ يَا أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ، خُلُودٌ فَلاَ مَوْتَ،
A du'a with this Name
اللَّهُمَّ بِاسْمِكَ أَحْيَا وَبِاسْمِكَ أَمُوتُ، وَإِذَا اسْتَيْقَظَ قَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ
O Allah, it is with Thine Name that I live and it is with Thine Name that I die." And when he got up he used to say:" Praise is due to Allah, Who gave us life after our death (sleep) and unto Thee is resurrection
Sahih Muslim 2711: what the Prophet ﷺ said when he went to bed and when he woke, as al-Bara' reported
Related Names
Questions about Al-Mumeet
What does Al-Mumeet mean?
Al-Mumeet is the Creator of Death.
Why did Allah create death and life?
Allah created death and life to test which of you is best in deeds (67:2); Muhammad ibn Ajlan, in Ibn Kathir, noted that it says best, not most.
Is sleep a kind of death?
In 39:42 Allah takes the souls of the living in their sleep, and al-Sa'di calls sleep the lesser death.