and the second death is in the grave. The correct view, however, is that this verse is like His saying:

“You were lifeless, and He gave you life; then He will cause you to die, then He will give you life.”

The first death thus precedes this life, and the second death follows it. His words, “then He will give you life,” refer to life after death.

Allah Most High says:

“From it We created you, into it We shall return you, and from it We shall bring you forth once again.”

He also says:

“He said: ‘There you will live, there you will die, and from there you will be brought forth.’”

The soul connects with the body whenever Allah Most High wills and departs from it whenever Allah Most High wills. This is not limited to occurring once or twice. Sleep is the brother of death. Hence:

“When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, retired to bed, he would say: ‘In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live.’”

“When he awoke, he would say: ‘All praise is due to Allah, who has given us life after causing us to die, and to Him is the resurrection.’”

He thus called sleep death and waking life.

Allah Most High has said:

“Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and during sleep those that have not died. He then retains those for whom He has decreed death and releases the others until an appointed term.”

He has thus explained that He takes souls in two ways: He takes them at death, and He takes through sleep the souls of those who have not died. When people sleep, He retains the soul of anyone who dies in sleep and releases the soul of anyone who does not die. Hence:

“When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, retired to bed, he would say: ‘In Your name, my Lord, I lay down my side, and by You I raise it. If You retain my soul, have mercy on it; and if You release it, protect it as You protect Your righteous servants.’”

A sleeping person experiences pleasure and pain in sleep, and this affects both the soul and the body, to the point that