اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْأَنفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَى عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الْأُخْرَى إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those who have not died, in their sleep. Then He retains those for whom He has ordained death and releases the others until a specified time. There are indeed signs in that for a people who reflect.
Agha Ali Puya Commentary
Commentary on Quran 39:42
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 39:42] See commentary of An-am 60 and Sajdah: 11. Aqa Mahdi Puya says: To a certain extent there is affinity between sleep and death. In the state of sleep, the cognitive self disassociates itself from the conscious world of senses but not from the body altogether, as the working of sub-conscious, unconscious or superconscious does not cease. The dreams are said to be the expression of any of them. The dreams of the prophets were the manifestation of the superconscious which revealed the unseen to them.
Ali Muhammad Fazil Chinoy Commentary
Commentary on Quran 39:42-52
On plea of search for truth to contribute to public happiness, when Divine Truth has already come to them saying there is no happiness in this world, except under contentment, out of vanity, scientists have refused to resign to religious discipline, to give up experimental technical researches, and have reached a stage in discovery of nuclear fissure, to destroy the very civilization, for maintenance of which they have forsaken “future state,” disregarding Divine Wisdom, which cannot go hand in hand with selfishness, proceeding out of vanity to surpass one another. Present suggestion of barring this weapon of mass destruction offers no solution, for any nation facing defeat, abandons all scruple, and will use every weapon which could decimate the enemy. Excuses can always be brought forward for use of any diabolical weapon on retaliation. Energy released by fission of one pound is equal to 1500 tons of good coal burnt and one pound deuterium undergoes fusion in a thermo-nuclear reaction equals 10,000 tons of coal. Hydrogen bombs capable of producing explosion equivalent to detonation of two million tons of high explosive are in possession of America and Russia. Almost every discovery can be used for evil as well as for good. Even medical sciences have produced the spectre of bacteriological warfare. Were not teachings of Haroot and Maroot, for setting aside evil defects of magic misguided by the then generation? On account of which it was illegal. (Vide footnote (103), page 19 of the first set of this translation). Has not Divine Text given geographical location of Sakar (hell – Vide page five under footnote – regarding which fifth Divine Light “Imam Mohammad Baqir”) said, “There is a mountain in “Sakar” known as “Sawood,” on the top of which is a plain known as “Sakar” in which there is a well, covered with a lid which, if removed, heat there will baffle the inmates of hell and who will raise hue and cry. This well is the residence of tyrants. Why falsify this truth presaged by Divine Lights – for our own benefit? And go on, in vain research of scientific truth against Divine Will? Solution of this entire struggle is in the following paragraph (six) commencing with Couplet No. 54. The object of creation is to pray to God as per His Will and not think of providing for future generations to come. This is the look out of Providence Himself. This interference is Association leading to Hell. His Will is declared unto Divine Lights. Hence, object of creation is to follow Divine Lights, if Divine Proximity is needed.