151. The questioning in the hereafter that confirms “Raising of Prophet Isa to the skies”
These verses (5:116-118) of the Quran talk about Prophet Isa being questioned in the hereafter and his answers to it.
In this verse the Arabic word ‘Tawaffaitani’ is translated as ‘You raised me’
There is a difference of opinion in translating ‘Tawaffaitani’ as to whether ‘when you raised me’ or ‘when you gave me death’
Some take the word ‘Tawaffaitani’ to mean ‘when You let me die’’ to show as a proof that Prophet Isa is indeed dead. They argue and cite the phrases after You let me die’ ‘You are witness to their deeds” means Prophet Isa is dead..
They continue to argue, that the word ‘Tawaffai’ can be seen being used in twenty five places in the Quran, and out of it in twenty three places the word is used in the context to mean “cause death”
This argument of theirs is a fallacy, and the same can be proved by pointing out the denial within their argument.
As per their argument , this word ‘Tawffaitani’ means to ‘cause death’ in twenty three places and in the rest of the two places to mean ‘Taking hold or capture’. Our question now is why wasn’t the same meaning used in the remaining two places.
What needs to be taken into consideration is the criteria of the context in which a word is used and not based on the number of times it is used.
The meaning of the word ‘Tawaffa’ means taking control completely, and it does not have a direct connotation to mean death at all.
Since the meaning of death is the complete take over in its entirety of body and soul together this word came into usage has to to noted.
In these verses 2:234, 2:240, 3:55, 3:193, 4:97, 6:61, 7:37, 7:126, 8:50, 10:46, 10:104, 12:101, 13:40, 16:28, 16:32, 16:70, 22:05, 32:11, 40:67, 40:77, 47:27 of the Quran we find the word ‘Tawaffa’ used to mean ‘cause death’.
He is the ‘One’ who takes over you in the night. (The Holy Quran 6:60)
Though the same word is used in this verse it means taking complete control of a person in sleep, and not death.
Restrain them at homes till death takes control of them..(The Holy Quran 4:15)
If the word ‘Tawaffa’ in the verse has the meaning ‘until to cause death’ then it has to be translated as ‘till death causes death’ since the meaning ‘being until death’ is understood, there is no need to define the word further.
But if the word is taken to mean ‘take full control of’ it has to be understood as till death catches up with them.
Allah takes control of souls when they leave the body and while they leave while asleep.(The Holy Quran 39:42.)
In this verse also we find the word ‘Tawaffa’ meaning Allah takes control of the souls of those who are asleep ,this will wrongly lead to a conclusion those who are asleep being considered dead.
Here we take it to mean as Allah taking control of the souls of those asleep and not as having caused death to them.
.Other than this we find in verses 2:281, 3:161, 3:185, 16:111 of the Quran same word used while talking about full returns to people in the hereafter world, in that context alone and not to mean as they will be put to death in the hereafter.
This word has three meanings such as ,causing death, taking control of, and paying back in full,all of which needs to be taken in the suitable context as applicable.
To understand this even more clearly we can pay attention to the word ‘Salah’.
The direct meaning of the word ‘Salah’ is ‘plea’ The word ‘salah’ referring to Islamic form of worship and other words that has a root in this word are used in 109 places in the Quran..Of these, in 102 places we see the word being used to refer to the Islamic form of worship and in 7 places it is used in the direct meaning.
.Now let’s look into how the word ‘Tawaffa in the verse (5:117)is to be understood
We can see from the replies of Prophet Isa to Allah during questioning, the word ‘Tawaffa’ as in verse 5:117 means to convey ‘Taking complete control of’..There is more evidence pointing towards this meaning.
Prophet Isa would not reply saying”As long as I was alive I was observing them (the people), once you took control of me ‘You became their custodian’.
But I would rather say ‘When I was with them I cared for them, but on You taking control of me, You are their custodian’.
We need to ponder the difference between “When I was alive” and “When I was with them’’.
If the phrase ‘Fallama tawaffataini’ was used after ‘When I was alive’ it would mean when You caused my death” We see such phrases being avoided and the sentence “When I was with them” used instead, that’s a completely different phrase.
We see two messages within the phrase “When I was with them I monitored them”..One message is when Prophet Isa was alive he was in a position to monitor them, and the other message is, in spite of him remaining alive he might not have been in a position of monitoring them.
Because of these two kinds of positions Prophet Isa says “when I was with them I monitored them and when I was raised unto you I was rendered helpless to do so.
When I was with them I monitored them , Falamma Tawaffataini (when You took full control of me) (ie) When I was away from them under your control to a different location You were their custodian”. If we could comprehend the verse in this manner it fits into place along with the previous sentence.If the meaning of this verse is taken as “When you caused my death” it contradicts the Quranic verses (43:61) that says “Prophet Isa will be a witness to the dooms day, and verse (4:159) that says “ the people of the book will accept Prophet Isa before he dies.When it is taken as meaning “Taking full control “ it confirms the verses of the Quran.
Please refer to explanation points 93, 101,133, 134, 278, 342, 456 to know more about whether Prophet Isa is dead or was raised above alive.
