Death, according to Quranic verses, is not as a singular biological event but as a spiritual state contingent on one's relationship with the divine. The fate of a righteous individual, a sinner, and Jesus ('Isa, pbuh) illustrates a spectrum where "death" can signify purification, a state of sin or error, or a divine elevation. For qur'anic verses, see the outline below.

The Single, Transformative Death for the Righteous.

For a righteous human being, the Qur'an outlines a journey through one primary, earthly death that functions as a gateway to a higher existence. Verses like Qur'an 2:28 frame the human lifecycle: "You were lifeless and He gave you life, then He will cause you to die and again bring you to life, and then to Him you will... be returned." This trajectory is not merely biological but spiritual. The journey begins from a lifeless, pre-existent state, moves into an earthly life that may be fraught with ignorance, and culminates in a single, purifying death.

This death is not an end but a transition—an end to confusion and error. It is the catalyst for a second, "cognizant life," an elevated state of being for which humanity is asked to be grateful (Qur'an 22:66). The promise in Qur'an 7:25, "Therein you will live, and therein you will die, and from it you will be brought forth," reinforces that this one earthly death is a necessary passage to being resurrected into a truer, more aware existence.

The Double Death of the Sinner.

In stark contrast, the path of the sinner is marked by two deaths. On Judgment Day, they will confess, "Our Lord, You made us die twice and gave us life twice" (Qur'an 40:11). This double death is not merely about pre-existence and biological death. Instead, it points to a profound spiritual reality.

The first death is a spiritual one: a life lived in willful ignorance and sin is a state of being already dead—a "walking death." This is a self-imposed state of being cut off from the divine source of life. The second death is the familiar biological cessation of life. This sequence—a life of spiritual death followed by physical death—does not lead to a cognizant new life but to a final, negative state, whether conceived as oblivion, a shadowy existence like the Jewish concept of Sheol, or eternal torment in Jahannam. The cause for this dire outcome is their rejection of truth in their first life (Qur'an 40:12).

Special Case of the Death of Jesus. The Purifying "Death" of Jesus.

The case of Jesus presents a unique application of this symbolic understanding of death, reconciling two key passages. In an earlier Madinan revelation, Allah tells Jesus, "I will cause you to die and raise you up to me, and purify you" (Qur'an 3:55). However, a later Madinan verse explicitly states that his enemies "did not kill him, nor did they crucify him... Rather, Allah raised him up to Himself" (Qur'an 4:157-158).

These verses are not contradictory. The "death" promised in 3:55 is analogous to the single, transformative death of the believer—it is a symbolic and purifying event, not a biological one. It represents the end of his earthly mission amidst rejection and his elevation by Allah. He was thus "purified" from the plots of those who disbelieved and was raised to Allah's presence without undergoing the physical death his persecutors intended. This divine act preserved him from a violent, earthly end while still fulfilling the archetype of a purifying transition to a higher state.

In conclusion, the Quranic depiction of death is deeply tied to one's spiritual state. For the righteous, Death is a single, blessed transition. For the sinner, it is a dual tragedy of spiritual decay followed by physical demise. For Jesus, it was a unique, divine act of elevation, underscoring that the ultimate reality of life and death is determined not by earthly events but by one's submission to the will of Allah.

Outline:

Death of a Righteous Human Being.

Section 1.

Qur'an 2:28: "How can you deny Allah? You were lifeless and He gave you life, then He will cause you to die and again bring you to life, and then to Him you will ˹all˺ be returned."

Summary: Lifeless [Pre-Existent] + Ignorant Life + Death [End of Confusion/Error] + Cognizant Life + Return [Persistence of existence beyond apparent earthly death, which is not an end but a continuation of life] => 1 Earthly DEATH.

Similar verses include:

Qur'an 22:66: "And He is it who has given you life; then He will cause you to die, then He will give you life. Indeed, mankind is ungrateful."

Note: Here, we are asked to be grateful for the second life.

Qur'an 30:40: "Allah is the one who created you, then provided for you, then will cause you to die, and then will give you life."

Qur'an 7:25: "[Allah] said, 'Therein you will live, and therein you will die, and from it you will be brought forth.'"

Summary: Lifeless [Pre-Existent] + Ignorant Life [1st life] + Death [End of Confusion/Error] + Cognizant Life [Gift of Everlasting Life or 2nd life] => 1 Earthly DEATH.

Note: Here, we are asked to be grateful for the second life. We should be grateful for experiencing only one death.

Section 2: Death for the Sinners.

Qur'an 40:11: "They will say, 'Our Lord, You made us die twice and gave us life twice, and we have confessed our sins...'"

Classical Tafsir Summary: The first death is the state of non-existence before life, the first life is this world, the second death is the end of earthly life, and the second life is the resurrection for judgment.

Interpretive Summary: Lifeless [Pre-Existent] + Earthly Life + An ignorant life full of sin, or spiritual "Death" [explained in Q 40:12] + Earthly Biological Death => Fading into Oblivion/Non-Existence / Jewish Sheol / Eternal Tormenting State. This implies 2 deaths for the sinner.

Alternative Summary: Lifeless [Pre-Existent] + Earthly life as children + Fall from grace as willful adults, OR an ignorant life full of sin ("Walking Death") [1st DEATH] + Earthly Biological Death [2nd DEATH, the cause of which is explained in Q 40:12] => Fading into Oblivion/Non-Existence / Jewish Sheol / Eternal Tormenting State after the second death. Again, this implies 2 deaths for the sinner.

Section 3: Special Case of the Death of Jesus.

Surah Ali 'Imran 3:55 [mid-Madinan period]: "Allah said, “Jesus, I will cause you to die and raise you up to me, and purify you from those who denied the truth, and I will exalt your followers over those who deny you until the Resurrection Day. Then you all will return to me, and I will judge between you in matters about which you disagree."

Summary: This refers to one purifying death [analogous to the "End of Confusion/Error" above]. This death is not biological.

vs.

Surah An-Nisa 4:157-158 [late-Madinan period]: "...and [for] said, “We have killed the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah.” However, they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, though it was made to appear as if it had been so. Those who disagree are confused, having no [real] knowledge to follow, only guesswork. They certainly did not kill him. Rather, Allah raised him up to Himself. Allah is Revered and Wise."

Summary: There was no earthly death for Jesus. This is in agreement with Surah Ali 'Imran 3:55, as that verse refers only to a symbolic, purifying "death."