56:60

نَحۡنُ قَدَّرۡنَا بَيۡنَكُمُ ٱلۡمَوۡتَ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمَسۡبُوقِينَ

Nahnu qaddarna baynakumu almawta wama nahnu bimasbooqeena

We have decreed death among you, and We are not to be outdone

Word by word
  1. نَحۡنُWe
  2. قَدَّرۡنَا[We] have decreed
  3. بَيۡنَكُمُamong you
  4. ٱلۡمَوۡتَthe death
  5. وَمَاand not
  6. نَحۡنُWe
  7. بِمَسۡبُوقِينَ(are) outrun
Al-Waqi'ah · 56:60Makkah

Death is decreed for all, and Allah is never outrun.

Death is equal, and His power is total


Two facts
death decreedequal for everyone
never outdoneAllah is never unable
Death
something to outrundiet, money, doctors
set by Allahthe same for everyone

Allah says We have decreed death among you. Ad-Dahhak said Allah made everyone in the heavens and the earth equal with regard to death. We are not outstripped, Ibn Kathir explains, means He is never unable.

Rich or poor, gym or no gym, the hospital corridor holds everyone the same way. Death is the one equal thing. Looking after your health is good, but no one outruns the appointment.

With enough care and money, I can stay ahead of death.

Death is decreed equally, so I prepare instead of running.

Try this

Spend five minutes today thinking about one thing you would want to finish before you die.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 56:57)

We created you, then why do you believe not (57)Do you not see the semen you emit (58)Is it you who create it, or are We the Creator (59)We have decreed death to you all, and We are not outstripped (60)To transfigure you and create you in (forms) that you know not (61)And indeed, you have already known the first form of creation, why then do you not remember (62)

Proof that Resurrection will occur

Allah asserts that Resurrection will occur and refutes the misguided atheists who deny it, those who said,

 أَئِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَعِظَامًا أَإِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ 

(When we die and become dust and bones, shall we then indeed be resurrected?)(56:47)

They said this statement in denial and discounting Resurrection. Allah the Exalted said,

نَحْنُ خَلَقْنَاكُمْ

(We created you,) meaning, 'We have created you after you were nothing. Therefore, is not that Who is able to start the creation, more able to bring it back?' Allah's statement,

فَلَوْلَا تُصَدِّقُونَ 

(then why do you believe not?) 'why do you not then believe in Resurrection?' Then Allah said, while bringing forth evidence that Resurrection occurs,

أَفَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا تُمْنُونَ - أَأَنْتُمْ تَخْلُقُونَهُ أَمْ نَحْنُ الْخَالِقُونَ

(Do you not see the semen you emit. Is it you who create it, or are We the Creator?) meaning, 'do you make the semen remain in the wombs and create life from it therein, stage after stage? Or is Allah the One Who does all this?' Allah said,

نَحْنُ قَدَّرْنَا بَيْنَكُمُ الْمَوْتَ

(We have decreed death to you all,) meaning, 'We made death exist between you.' Ad-Dahhak commented, "Allah made the residents of the heavens and earth equal with regards to death." Allah said,

وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ

(and We are not outstripped,) meaning, 'We are never unable,'

عَلَىٰ أَنْ نُبَدِّلَ أَمْثَالَكُمْ

(To transfigure you), meaning, 'to change your current shapes, on the Day of Resurrection,'

وَنُنْشِئَكُمْ فِي مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

(and create you in that you know not.) meaning, 'out of shapes and forms.' Allah the Exalted said,

وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ النَّشْأَةَ الْأُولَىٰ فَلَوْلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ 

(And indeed, you have already known the first form of creation, why then do you not remember?) meaning, 'you know that Allah has created you after you were nothing. He created you and gave you hearing, sight and hearts. Will you not then remember and take heed that He Who is able to create you in the beginning is more able to bring you back and resurrect you to life anew?' Allah the Exalted said in other Ayat,

وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَهُوَ أَهْوَنُ عَلَيْهِ ۚ 

(And He it is Who originates the creation, then He will repeat it; and this is easier for Him.)(30:27),

أَوَلَا يَذْكُرُ الْإِنْسَانُ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَاهُ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَلَمْ يَكُ شَيْئًا

(Does not man remember that We created him before, while he was nothing?)(19:67),

أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الْإِنْسَانُ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَاهُ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مُبِينٌ - وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلًا وَنَسِيَ خَلْقَهُ ۖ قَالَ مَنْ يُحْيِي الْعِظَامَ وَهِيَ رَمِيمٌ - قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا الَّذِي أَنْشَأَهَا أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ ۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ

(Does not man see that We have created him from Nutfah. Yet behold he (stands forth) as an open opponent. And he puts forth for Us a parable, and forgets his own creation. He says: " Who will give life to these bones after they are rotten and have become dust?" Say: "He will give life to them Who created them for the first time! And He is the All-Knower of every creation.")(36:77-79), and,

أَيَحْسَبُ الْإِنْسَانُ أَنْ يُتْرَكَ سُدًى - أَلَمْ يَكُ نُطْفَةً مِنْ مَنِيٍّ يُمْنَىٰ - ثُمَّ كَانَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ - فَجَعَلَ مِنْهُ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنْثَىٰ - أَلَيْسَ ذَٰلِكَ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَىٰ أَنْ يُحْيِيَ الْمَوْتَىٰ

(Does man think that he will be left neglected Was he not a Nutfah of semen emitted? Then he became an 'Alaqah (a clot); then shaped and fashioned in due proportion. And made of him two sexes, male and female. Is not He able to give life to the dead?)(75:36-40)