Transliteration:( Allazee khalaqal mawta walhayaata liyabluwakum ayyukum ahsanu 'amalaa; wa huwal 'azeezul ghafoor )
"He is the One Who created [5] death and life to test [6] which of you is best in deeds. And He is the Almighty, the Most Forgiving [7]."
This verse highlights that death and life are creations of Allah ﷻ. Life is a test, a journey to determine the best deeds and actions of His creation. The creation of death has a profound philosophical meaning. It signifies that death is not simply the absence of life; rather, it is part of the divine existence that plays a role in the overall existence of the universe.
As stated in the Hadith Shareef, on the Day of Judgment, even death will be destroyed—illustrating that only things in existence can be destroyed. Life and death, as creations, are eternal in their purpose to test mankind. The deeds of this world are like seeds, and the fruits will appear in the Hereafter, where each person will reap the consequences of their actions, whether in Paradise or Hell.
The purpose of life and death is to test who among humanity is best in deeds. This test is a divine law by which Allah ﷻ has granted each soul the ability to choose between good and bad deeds. Allah’s absolute power allows for people to be given a chance to repent, even if they were sinners or non-believers throughout their lives.
For instance, the magicians of Pharaoh believed in Prophet Musa (AS) after witnessing a miracle, showing that Allah’s power is supreme over all things, and even the hardest hearts can be softened by His will. This emphasizes that, while life and death may seem harsh, they are part of the divine process to test who remains steadfast in faith and good deeds.
In this verse, we learn that Allah is Almighty (Aziz), which refers to His supreme authority and power over everything. He has the ability to punish the rebellious but also to forgive the repentant. This illustrates the balance of divine justice and mercy. Allah's forgiveness is not limited, and those who turn to Him with sincere repentance will be forgiven, showing His immense mercy.
This verse teaches that no one is beyond Allah’s mercy, and even the greatest of sinners can find redemption through true repentance. The qualities of being both Almighty and Most-Forgiving emphasize the comprehensive nature of Allah's attributes—His power is unmatched, but His mercy encompasses all.
The tafsir of Surah Al-Mulk verse 2 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Mulk ayat 1 which provides the complete commentary from verse 1 through 5.
(67:2) Who created death and life that He might try you as to which of you is better in deed.[4] He is the Most Mighty, the Most Forgiving;[5]
4. That is, the object of giving life to man in the world and causing his death is to test him to see which of them is best in deeds. Allusion has been made in this brief sentence to a number of truths:
(1) That life and death are given by Allah, no one else can grant life nor cause death.
(2) That neither the life nor the death of a creation like man, which has been given the power to do both good and evil, is purposeless. The Creator has created him in the world for the test. Life is for him the period of the test and death means that the time allotted for the test has come to an end.
(3) That for the sake of this very test the Creator has given every man an opportunity for action, so that he may do good or evil in the world and practically show what kind of a man he is.
(4) That the Creator alone will decide who has done good or evil. It is not for us to propose a criterion for the good and the evil deeds but for Almighty Allah. Therefore, whoever desires to get through the test, will have to find out what is the criterion of a good deed in His sight. Every person will be recompensed according to his deeds, for if there was no reward or punishment the test would be meaningless.
5. This has two meanings and both are implied here:
(1) That He is Almighty, in spite of being dominant over all His creatures, He is Merciful and Forgiving for them, not tyrannous and cruel.
(2) That He has full power to punish the evildoers. No one can escape His punishment. But He is forgiving for him who feels penitent, refrains from evil and asks for His forgiveness.
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