Ḥadīth 368368 - وَ سُئِلَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَنْ قَوْلِ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ « اَللّٰهُ يَتَوَفَّى اَلْأَنْفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهٰا »
وَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ « قُلْ يَتَوَفّٰاكُمْ مَلَكُ اَلْمَوْتِ اَلَّذِي وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ »
وَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: « اَلَّذِينَ تَتَوَفّٰاهُمُ اَلْمَلاٰئِكَةُ طَيِّبِينَ »
وَ « اَلَّذِينَ تَتَوَفّٰاهُمُ اَلْمَلاٰئِكَةُ ظٰالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ »
وَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: « تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنٰا »
وَ عَنْ قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: « وَ لَوْ تَرىٰ إِذْ يَتَوَفَّى اَلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا اَلْمَلاٰئِكَةُ »
وَ قَدْ يَمُوتُ فِي اَلسَّاعَةِ اَلْوَاحِدَةِ فِي جَمِيعِ اَلْآفَاقِ مَا لاَ يُحْصِيهِ إِلاَّ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَكَيْفَ هَذَا فَقَالَ «إِنَّ اَللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وتَعَالَى جَعَلَ لِمَلَكِ اَلْمَوْتِ أَعْوَاناً مِنَ اَلْمَلاَئِكَةِ يَقْبِضُونَ اَلْأَرْوَاحَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ صَاحِبِ اَلشُّرْطَةِ لَهُ أَعْوَانٌ مِنَ اَلْإِنْسِ يَبْعَثُهُمْ فِي حَوَائِجِهِ فَتَتَوَفَّاهُمُ اَلْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَ يَتَوَفَّاهُمْ، مَلَكُ اَلْمَوْتِ مِنَ اَلْمَلاَئِكَةِ مَعَ مَا يَقْبِضُ هُوَ وَ يَتَوَفَّاهَا اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنْ مَلَكِ اَلْمَوْتِ.
Hadith.368 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) was asked about the different Qur'anic verses that mention Allah (swt) taking souls at the time of death, about the words of Allah (swt), the Exalted: "Allah (swt) takes the souls at the time of their death," (Surah Az-Zumar 39:42)
And about the words of Allah (swt), the Exalted:
"Say, 'The Angel of Death, who is put in charge of you, will take you,'" (Surah As-Sajdah 32:11)
And about the words of Allah (swt), the Exalted:
"Those whom the angels take while they are in a state of purity," (Surah An-Nahl 16:32)
And "Those whom the angels take while they are wronging themselves," (Surah An-Nahl 16:28)
And about the words of Allah (swt), the Exalted: "Our messengers angels take them," (Surah Al-An’am 6:61)
And about His words:
"And if you could see when the angels take the souls of those who disbelieved." (Surah Al-Anfal 8:50)
The questioner further inquired about how this process works, given that countless souls may die simultaneously across the world
Imam Al-Sadiq replied: "Indeed, Allah (swt), Blessed and Exalted, has appointed for the Angel of Death assistants among the angels who seize souls. They function similarly to a chief of police who has deputies among the people whom he sends out to fulfil tasks on his behalf. Thus, the angels take the souls, and the Angel of Death receives them from the angels along with what he himself seizes. Ultimately Allah (swt), Blessed and Exalted, takes them from Angel of Death”.