347. What do the words two deaths and two lives mean?

Verse (40:11) of the Quran says those who transgressed will wail in the hereafter as “we were given life twice as were put to death twice.”

We understand the words “we are given life twice” as we are born once in this world for the first time and the second is when we are resurrected in the hereafter.

But we die only once, and the Quran quotes we are put to death twice. Verse 2:28 serves as an answer to this question. In this verse (2:28) of the Quran Allah says “before being created you were dead and Allah infused life into you”.

Here Allah refers to the status we were before being created. Based on this the transgressors are said to be wailing in the hereafter.