He takes at the time of their death, He did not describe them as either retained or released. Nor does the verse mention the dead meeting those who are asleep. The correct understanding is that the verse encompasses both kinds, for Allah mentions two forms of taking souls: taking them in death and taking them during sleep. He also mentions retaining the souls taken and releasing the others. It is well known that He retains every soul that has died, whether it died during sleep or before that, and releases those that have not died.

His words,

“He takes souls at the time of their death,”

include those who die while awake and those who die during sleep. Having mentioned the two forms of taking souls, He states that He retains the soul in one and releases it in the other. This is the wording’s apparent meaning and what it indicates without any strained interpretation. The reported meeting of the souls of sleepers and the dead does not contradict the verse, but its wording does not indicate such a meeting. However, His words,

“He then retains those for whom He has decreed death,”

entail that He retains them and does not release them as He releases the souls of sleepers, whether He took them while awake or during sleep. For this reason, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“O Allah, You created my soul, and You take it. To You belong its death and its life. If You retain it, have mercy on it; and if You release it, protect it as You protect Your righteous servants.”

He thus described the soul, when taken during sleep, as either retained or released.

Ibn Abī Hātim said: My father narrated to us: ‘Umar ibn ‘Uthmān narrated to us: Baqiyyah narrated to us: Safwān ibn ‘Amr narrated to us: Sulaym ibn ‘Āmir al-Hadramī related to me that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb, may Allah be pleased with him, said to ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib, may Allah be pleased with him: “I marvel at a man’s dreams: he goes to sleep and sees something