we are looking on the 11th part of the series titled “The Literary Elegance of the Noble Qur’an.” We have been looking at verses in the Qur’an where words are not used in their direct literal meaning but are used in an alternative meaning as a form of literary expression. Among such words, one example is the expression “those who are alive” and “those who are dead.”
Allahﷻ says do not say they are dead; rather they are alive
What is the literal meaning of this? If we say someone is alive, it means he functions — he moves, dances, sings, holds things, speaks, eats, walks. When such activities are present, we say he is alive. When these activities cease, we say he has died. That is the direct meaning. This is the literal meaning of being alive and of being dead.
However, sometimes in the world there is a custom of calling even those who have died as “alive.” Even though they have died, people say they are alive. This exists in all languages. For example, if someone like Avliya lived and has now passed away, people still say “Avliya lives.” How does he live? They say “Long live Avliya,” “Long live Anna.” “Long live” means “remain alive.” But they are not alive — they have died, and everyone knows that. Still, people say “Long live Avliya.” If you say “long live” to someone who is currently alive, it means you wish him continued life. But when said about someone who has died, what does it mean? We do not say “long live this microphone.” The word “live” applies only to human beings who have life.
So when they say “long live,” what is meant is that even though he has gone, may his fame live on, may his ideology live on, may his political party live on, may his principles continue. Something connected to him continues. It is not that he himself is physically alive. This custom exists in all languages. In Urdu they say “Zindabad.” For example, “Quaid-e-Millat Zindabad.” “Zindabad” literally means “long live.” But he has already passed away. According to dictionary meaning it applies to a living person, but in usage it means may his ideology or fame live on. So we do not mean literal life.
Such literary expressions also exist in the Qur’an. In the Qur’an, Allahﷻ sometimes refers to those who have died as being alive. It is clearly known that they have died, yet the Qur’an says they are alive. Can we give a literal meaning? No, because their death is visible before our eyes.
For example, in Surah 2, verse 154, Allahﷻ says: “Do not say about those who are killed in the path of Allahﷻ that they are dead. Rather, they are alive.” It is clearly known they were killed — which means they died. If someone is killed, he has died. Yet Allahﷻ says do not say they are dead; rather they are alive.
What does “alive” mean here? Does it mean the kind of life we understand? If someone is alive, would you bury him? If someone is alive, why would you perform funeral prayer and bury him? In Surah 3, verse 169, Allahﷻ says: “Do not even think that those killed in the path of Allahﷻ are dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, being provided for.”
So these two verses say they were killed but also say they are not dead. They were killed — yet do not say or think they are dead; they are alive.
Now what does “alive” mean? If you take it literally, how could they be buried? If you decide they are alive, how can you perform burial? What about their wives? Many of those killed had wives. If they were alive, could their wives remarry? But remarriage is allowed after the husband dies. If he were alive, how could the wife marry someone else?
Similarly, what about inheritance? If a wealthy man is killed, his property is distributed among heirs — father, son, wife, etc. If he were alive, could you distribute his wealth? No. You distribute inheritance only because he has died.
So in practice, we treat them as dead — we bury them, divide their property, allow remarriage. Yet Allahﷻ says do not think they are dead.
How do we understand this without contradiction? This issue has been misused by those who promote shrine worship. They claim that saints (awliya) are alive even after death, using these verses as proof. They say since Allahﷻ says those killed in His path are alive, similarly saints are alive; we can pray to them, make requests, they hear us.
But these verses speak specifically about those killed in battle in the path of Allahﷻ — martyrs. They extend this to all so-called saints. They say they are not truly dead, they are alive; we can ask them for help.
This is misuse due to misunderstanding the literary meaning.
What is the correct meaning? The companions themselves had this confusion. We should see how the Prophetﷺ ﷺ explained it.
In Sahih Muslim (hadith no. 3834 in some Tamil editions), Ibn Mas‘ud (a companion) was asked about this verse. He said, “You are asking me, but we asked the Messengerﷺ of Allahﷻ about it.”
They asked the Prophetﷺ ﷺ: “What does it mean that they are alive? We see they have died.”
The Prophetﷺ ﷺ explained: The soul is taken by Allahﷻ . For ordinary believers who die naturally, their souls are placed in Barzakh and undergo questioning. But martyrs are different. Their souls are immediately taken to Paradise. However, they do not go in full human form awaiting final judgment. Instead, Allahﷻ places their souls in the bodies of green birds. These birds roam freely in Paradise, eating and enjoying as they wish.
A human cannot fully enter Paradise until the Day of Judgment after full reckoning. But martyrs are given this special honour. Their souls reside in green birds that roam in Paradise.
So “alive” means they are alive with Allahﷻ , enjoying provisions in Paradise. It does not mean they are alive in this worldly sense, interacting with us.
The hadith continues: Allahﷻ asks them, “Do you wish for anything?” They reply, “What could we wish for? We are enjoying Paradise.” Allahﷻ asks repeatedly. Finally they say, “We wish that You return our souls to our bodies so we can be killed again in Your path and gain this reward again.”
But this cannot happen. Once decreed, they do not return.
So we understand that being alive here does not mean they are alive in this world or that we can contact them. It means they have a special life in the hereafter.
In fact, in Islamic belief, all the dead have some form of life in Barzakh. Even disbelievers are questioned in the grave. The believer rests peacefully. The martyr has a special status.
Therefore, “alive” does not mean worldly life.
Those who misuse this to justify praying to saints misunderstand the literary meaning. If you say they are alive in the worldly sense, then why bury them? Why divide their inheritance? Why allow remarriage?
If they were alive in your literal meaning, then call them at the grave — do they respond? If you greet them, do they reply audibly? If you ask them for money, do they stretch their hand from the grave and give it? If they were alive like Allahﷻ gives, then they should respond physically.
But they do not. So “alive” here is not literal worldly life.
If someone argues that because they are alive we ask them for help, then what about ‘Isa (Jesus)? He was not even killed — Allahﷻ raised him alive. He is certainly alive. He is greater than these so-called saints. If you believe in asking the dead because they are alive, then you should ask ‘Isa first — he is confirmed alive.
Yet they do not approach the matter consistently.
Many people call someone a saint without knowing whether he truly was one. Even a bad person may be assumed a saint by people. How do we even confirm who is truly a wali?
But who is ‘Isa (Jesus)? He is the one whom Allahﷻ Himself declared to be His Messengerﷺ. While he lived in this world, Allahﷻ performed many miracles through him. His very birth was miraculous — he was born without a father. His death too is extraordinary — in fact, he has not yet died; he will die in the future. He lives for a very long time. He is under Allahﷻ ’s control in that way.
In such a situation, compared to those whom people call awliya (saints), isn’t ‘Isa a far greater person? Yet the ones who call upon ‘Isa — we say they are disbelievers. We say they are Nasara (Christians), they are disbelievers. The one who calls upon ‘Isa becomes a disbeliever. But will the one who calls upon ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani become a Muslim? Think about it. ‘Isa is truly alive. He is genuinely alive. These others have died and are said to be alive in some other manner. ‘Isa has not yet died. He is living with the same life that was given to him — only his location has changed. He is alive with that very life.
So if someone calls upon a person who is alive, will any Muslim accept that? They are calling upon ‘Isa — how can we call them misguided if they are calling someone alive? In fact, he is better than us. We are the ones calling upon those who have died. They are calling upon someone who is alive. So will you say that what Christians do is better because they call upon ‘Isa who is alive?
What will you say then? Is mere being alive enough? Even if someone is alive, has Allahﷻ given him the power to help you? That is what must be examined. Even if someone is alive, unless Allahﷻ has granted him the ability to answer and help, what is the use? Without understanding this, people fall into error.
If you want to know that ‘Isa is alive, read Qur’an 4:157–159, 5:75, 43:61. From these verses you can understand that ‘Isa is alive even today. He is a sign of the Day of Judgment. He will return in the end times. The Qur’an makes this clear.
In that case, can we ask ‘Isa to grant us a child? You ask a dead saint — can you then ask ‘Isa? If you say no, then have these saints become greater than ‘Isa? ‘Isa is alive, while these others have died.
If people truly reflected, they would not misuse these verses.
Allahﷻ also explains the difference between the living and the dead. He says the blind and the seeing are not equal. Does that mean the seeing person is superior and the blind person inferior? Yes, they are not equal.
Similarly, darkness and light are not equal. Light benefits people; darkness causes harm. They are not equal.
Likewise, shade and scorching heat are not equal. Shade gives comfort; heat burns. They are not equal.
In the same way, Allahﷻ says the dead and the living are not equal. The dead cannot perform the actions that the living can perform — no matter how great a saint he was.
For example, the Prophetﷺ Muhammadﷺ (peace be upon him) is the greatest of Allahﷻ ’s creation. We believe that. Yet what does he ask from us? He asks us to send salawat (blessings) upon him. He urges us to say salawat for him.
When we hear his name, we say “SallAllahﷻ u alaihi wasallam.” In prayer, in Tashahhud, we say, “Allahﷻ umma salli ‘ala Muhammadﷺ.” What does that mean? It does not mean, “O Messengerﷺ, do something for us.” It means we are asking Allahﷻ : “O Allahﷻ , send blessings upon Muhammadﷺ.”
Why? Because, after his death he cannot perform deeds anymore. He cannot supplicate for himself. We who are alive make supplication for him. That is the meaning of salawat.
Even for the Messengerﷺ of Allahﷻ , we are the ones who make du‘a for him. He does not make du‘a for us after death. When he was alive, he did everything — he preached, endured persecution, conveyed the religion. After his death, we make du‘a for him.
The Prophetﷺ (peace be upon him) also explained: when you send salawat or salam upon me, I do not hear it directly. Allahﷻ has appointed angels who travel throughout the earth conveying the salams of my Ummah to me.
If he directly heard, why would angels need to convey it? The angels act as intermediaries. They collect the salams and convey them.
The companions asked: after you pass away and your body turns to dust, how will our salams reach you? He replied that Allahﷻ has forbidden the earth from consuming the bodies of the Prophetﷺs, and that angels convey the salams.
So if even the Prophetﷺ does not directly hear, how can others hear?
In prayer, when we recite “As-salamu ‘alayka ayyuhan-nabi,” many people think the Prophetﷺ hears directly. But think — during his lifetime, millions prayed and recited this. Did he sit constantly replying “Wa ‘alaykum as-salam”? No.
Even when he was alive in this world, he did not hear people’s silent recitations in prayer. So how would he hear after death?
Therefore, misusing the verse about martyrs being alive to claim that saints hear and respond is incorrect. The Prophetﷺ clearly explained that martyrs are alive in Paradise in the form of green birds. That applies specifically to those killed in Allahﷻ ’s path.
When we give salam at a grave, it is not because the dead hear us. It is a du‘a for them. It reminds us of death — “You have gone ahead of us; we are following behind.”
Like when a mother calls her baby “my jewel, my precious one” — the baby may not understand the words. It is an expression of love. Or when a poet calls to the breeze — the wind does not understand. It is figurative speech.
Similarly, salam at the grave is not proof of hearing.
Clear texts say: martyrs are alive in Paradise in bird form; salams are conveyed by angels; the Prophetﷺ does not directly hear.
Another misuse is this: the verse speaks only about those killed in Allahﷻ ’s path. But people expand it to include any so-called saint.
How can you determine whether someone was truly killed in Allahﷻ ’s path? You may see that he was killed — but can you know his intention?
In Sahih Muslim, the Prophetﷺ said that on the Day of Judgment Allahﷻ will call three people: a scholar, a wealthy donor, and a martyr.
The scholar will say he taught for Allahﷻ . Allahﷻ will say: you did it to be called a scholar — you got that reward in the world. Drag him to Hell.
The donor will say he gave charity. Allahﷻ will say: you did it to be praised as generous — you got that praise. Drag him to Hell. The martyr will say he gave his life. Allahﷻ will say: you did it to be called brave — you got that reputation. Drag him to Hell.
So how can you determine who was truly killed for Allahﷻ ? Only Allahﷻ knows the intention.
Therefore, this verse was not revealed so that we search for graves and celebrate people, build shrines, and worship them.
It was revealed to encourage believers: if you are killed in Allahﷻ ’s path, you will be alive with Him. If you interpret it as a command to celebrate certain dead people, then first you must be able to definitively identify who was killed sincerely for Allahﷻ — and you cannot.
That is the point.
Can you determine about any human being that he was truly killed for the sake of Allahﷻ ?
During the time of the Messengerﷺ of Allahﷻ (peace be upon him), a battle took place. In that battle, one man fought with extraordinary bravery. He displayed tremendous courage and valor. Those watching said, “This man surpasses all of us in the battlefield.” They were praising him highly.
They came to the Messengerﷺ of Allahﷻ and said, “O Messengerﷺ of Allahﷻ , this man is fighting fiercely. He enters deep into the enemy ranks. He does not fear for his life at all. Surely he is among the people of Paradise.”
But the Messengerﷺ of Allahﷻ said, “He is among the people of Hell.”
Imagine that — while he was displaying heroic bravery in the battlefield, the Prophetﷺ declared him to be from the people of Hell. Everyone else was saying he was destined for Paradise. The Prophetﷺ said he was destined for Hell.
Some companions wanted to find out why the Prophetﷺ said this, so they followed him in battle. Eventually, he was severely wounded. Unable to bear the pain, he took his own spear and killed himself. He committed suicide due to unbearable pain. And suicide leads to Hell. That is why the Prophetﷺ said he was among the people of Hell.
So merely fighting in Allahﷻ ’s path does not automatically make someone a martyr. One must die in the correct manner. Not everyone who dies in battle is a shaheed (martyr). There are conditions.
If even in the time of the Prophetﷺ, people could not correctly judge who was truly a martyr, how can you determine today who was killed sincerely for Allahﷻ ?
This verse was not revealed for you to identify specific individuals and celebrate them. It was revealed to encourage you: “If you are killed in Allahﷻ ’s path, you will have that status.”
It motivates believers toward sacrifice. It does not tell you to go searching for graves and declaring people martyrs and celebrating them.
Indeed, the friends of Allahﷻ — no fear shall be upon them, nor shall they grieve
Similarly, how will you identify an awliya (a true friend of Allahﷻ )? You cannot even definitively identify a martyr. How will you identify a saint?
What is the definition of an awliya? Allahﷻ says: “Indeed, the friends of Allahﷻ — no fear shall be upon them, nor shall they grieve.” Then He defines them: those who believe and have taqwa (God-consciousness).
So how will you determine taqwa? Will you look at his beard? His turban? His clothing? His rosary beads? His facial expression?
The criterion of wilayah (sainthood) is iman (faith) and taqwa (God-consciousness). Can you see inside a person’s heart to verify iman and taqwa? Many people who lack taqwa may act more pious outwardly than those who truly have it.
Since you cannot even identify a true righteous person with certainty, how can Islam command you to celebrate specific individuals as saints?
If Allahﷻ mentions that righteous people have a certain status, the meaning is: you strive to attain that status — not that you go and identify and glorify others.
So, the concept of “the dead being alive” must not be misunderstood.
Now, another important matter: when Allahﷻ describes Himself in the Qur’an, there are verses describing His attributes. Some Muslims interpret all such descriptions metaphorically. Others insist on taking everything literally. Both extremes are incorrect.
For example, the Qur’an mentions that Allahﷻ has a “Hand.” If it says Allahﷻ created Adam with His Hand, then we affirm that Allahﷻ has a Hand — without giving it a metaphorical reinterpretation.
Similarly, if it says Allahﷻ has a Face, we affirm it as mentioned.
In early Islamic scholarship, two groups emerged. One group interpreted “Hand” as “power” and “Face” as “attention” or “essence.” Another group said: no — we affirm the apparent meaning without distortion, but without likening it to creation.
The balanced view is this: in most places, we affirm the apparent meaning. But in certain verses where a literal understanding would be impossible or contradictory, we understand it in a manner appropriate to Allahﷻ — not in a crude literal sense.
For example, when Allahﷻ says that He will “cut off the hand” of the thief — that clearly means the physical hand, not “power.”
But sometimes the word “hand” is used figuratively in language. So, context matters.
Shadows of clouds
Similarly, regarding Allahﷻ ’s attributes, some verses must be understood literally in a way befitting Allahﷻ , and some require contextual understanding.
For example, in Surah 2:210, Allahﷻ says: “Do they wait for Allahﷻ to come to them in the shadows of clouds?”
This does not mean Allahﷻ physically enters the clouds. Rather, it refers to Allahﷻ ’s punishment coming through clouds — like storms, floods, destruction.
Similarly, on the Day of Judgment, the Qur’an says Allahﷻ will come and the angels will come in rows (89:22). That is affirmed as it is — Allahﷻ will come in a manner befitting Him, on that Day.
But when speaking about punishment coming through clouds, it means His command and punishment will come.
Likewise, Allahﷻ says He reduces the land from its edges (13:41). This does not mean Allahﷻ physically walks upon the earth reducing it. It refers to His decree — for example, land being reduced by erosion, sea levels rising, destruction.
We see today scientifically how global warming melts glaciers, raising sea levels. Coastal cities like Chennai have seen shoreline changes over decades. The sea gradually “reduces” the land. Allahﷻ says He reduces the land from its edges — meaning through His decree.
Similarly, when earthquakes destroy buildings, the Qur’an may describe it as Allahﷻ shaking the foundations. It does not mean Allahﷻ physically grabs buildings. It means His command causes earthquakes.
Thus, when Allahﷻ says He “came” to a people in a way they did not expect (such as the Jews of Khaybar), it means His punishment came in an unexpected manner.
So, the principle is this:
- When Allahﷻ ’s attributes are mentioned clearly (Hand, Face, coming on the Day of Judgment), we affirm them as they are — without distortion, without likening to creation.
- When context makes literal physical movement impossible or inappropriate (such as coming within clouds for punishment), we understand it as His command or punishment coming.
That is the balanced methodology.