Basic
The Hereafter
Surah: Al-Mulk (2)
Who Created Death and Life to Test Which of You Is Best in Deed — Not Most in Deed
لِيَبۡلُوَكُمۡ أَيُّكُمۡ أَحۡسَنُ عَمَلٗا
— الملك الآية 2
Verse: "Who created death and life to test which of you is best in deed." (67:2) — "Created death" — death is a creation, not nothingness but a being with existence. Death is placed before life — indicating it is more important as a reminder. The goal: testing. "Best in deed" not "most in deed" — the virtue of action is in its quality and sincerity, not its quantity. Al-Fudayl ibn Iyad said: "Most sincere and most correct. If work is sincere but not correct it's not accepted; if correct but not sincere, not accepted — until it is both sincere and correct." Lesson: evaluate your deeds by quality not quantity — one rak'ah with presence of heart is better than a hundred in heedlessness.
Source: Ibn Kathir (8/172); Al-Sadi
Test Yourself
Why does the Quran place "death" before "life" in Al-Mulk verse 2?
Show Answer