There are 160 instances of maata and its derived forms classified into 8 different groups based on grammatical forms as shown in the table below are reviewed to better understand their meanings in different contexts even keeping in mind that the Arabic words may have different meanings in the different contexts:
Note: The above table is populated with data obtained from the corpus.quran.com.
Here are 56 instances of mamaat, mawt and mawtat in the noun form meaning “death” are reviewed together to better understand their meanings in the different contexts:
Details of instances of mamaat
There are 3 instances of mamaat in the noun form meaning “death” found in 3 verses across 3 surahs are detailed out below:
[6:162] Say, “Indeed, my (Muhammad) salat prayer and my practice, and my life and my death (wa-mamaati-i) for God, Lord of the worlds.
[17:75] Then surely, we had made you (Muhammad) taste double (retribution) in the life and double (retribution) upon the death (wa-dee`fa al-mamaati). Then you would not find for you any helper against us.
[45:21] Or has he thought of those who have committed the evil deeds that we will make equal their life and their death (wa-mamaatuhum) like those who have believed and have done the righteous deeds? It has been evil they judge.
Details of instances of mawt
There are 50 instances of mawt in the noun form meaning “death” found in 47 verses across 28 surahs are detailed out below:
[2:19] Or like a rainstorm from the sky, in it there are darknesses, and thunder, and lightning. They put their fingers in their ears from the thunderbolts in fearing of the death (mina al-sawaa`iqi hadhara al-mawti). And God is One who encompasses of the disbelievers.
[2:56] Then we had revived you (Children of Israel) after your death (min ba`di mawtikum) that you may appreciate.
[2:94] Say, “If there has been the abode of the Hereafter for you (Children of Israel) at God being exclusive from the other people, then you shall wish for the death (fa-tamannawuu al-mawta) if you have been truthful ones.”
[2:133] Or have you been witnesses when the death had come to Jacob (idh hadara ya`quuba al mawtu), when he said to his children, “What will you worship after me?” They said, “We will worship your god and god of your forefathers Abraham, and Ismail, and Isaac – One god. And we to Him are submitters.”
[2:164] Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, and the ship which sails in the sea of what benefits the people, and what God has sent down from the sky of water, then the earth has given life with it after its death (ba`da mawtihaa), and has dispersed in it all kinds of creatures, and directing of the winds and the clouds being controlled between the sky and the earth, surely are signs for a people to use intellect.
[2:180] It has been decreed upon you when the death has approached to any of you (idhaa hadara ahadakumu al-mawtu), is good if he has left the will for the parents and the near relatives with being the fair, a duty upon the righteous
[2:243] Did you not see to those who had fled from their homes, even they were thousands in fearing of the death (hadhara al-mawti)? So God said to them, “You shall die,” then He had restored them to life. Indeed, God is surely Possessor of bounty for the people, but most of the people do not appreciate.
[2:259] Or like the one who had passed by a town, and it had been an overturned over its upside down. He said, “How would God give life this (town) after its death (annaa yuh’yee haadhihi allahu ba`da mawtihaa)?” Then God had caused him death for a hundred years, then He had raised him. He said, “How long have you stayed?” He said, “I have stayed a day, or a part of a day.” He said, “Nay, You have stayed for a hundred years. Then look at your food and your drink did not change with time, and look at your donkey, and that we will make you a sign for the people. And look at the bones how we make them, then we cover them with flesh.” Then when he had become clear for him, he said, “I know that God has power over everything.
[3:143] And certainly, you had done to wish for the death (kuntum tamannawna al-mawta) before to meet it. So certainly, you have seen it while you were looking.
[3:168] Those who said of their brothers, while they have sat, “If they had obeyed us, they would not have been killed.” Say, “Then prevent the death from yourselves (fa-id’rauu `an anfusikumu al-mawta), if you have been truthful ones.”
[3:185] Every person will be tasting of the death (kulli nafsin dhaaiqatu al-mawti); and you will only be paid in full your reward on a day of the Resurrection. So whoever has been pulled away from the Fire and has been admitted to the Paradise, then certainly, he has succeeded, while the life of the world is not except an enjoyment of the delusion.
[4:15] And those who commit adultery from your women, then you shall call to witness against them four from you. Then if they have testified, then you shall confine them in the houses until the death comes to them (hattaa yatawaffaahunna al-mawtu) or God makes a way for them.
[4:18] And there has not have an acceptance of the repentance for those who commit the evil deeds until when the death has come to one of them (hattaa idhaa hadara ahadahumu al-mawtu), he said, “Indeed, I have repented now,” nor for those who die while they are disbelievers. Those – we have prepared for them a painful punishment.
[4:78] Wherever you might be the death will overtake you (aynamaa takuunuu yud’rikkumu al-mawtu), even if you have been in a high raised towers. And if any good befalls them, they say, “This is from God,” and if any evil befalls them, they say, “This is for yourself.” Say, “All is from God.” So what is wrong with these people, they seem not to understand a statement?
[4:100] And whoever emigrates in a way of God will find in the earth many places of refuge and abundance, and whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to God and His messenger, then the death overtakes him (thumma yud’rik’hu al-mawtu), then certainly, his reward has been with God. And God has been Forgiving, Merciful.
[4:159] And there was not from a people of the scripture except surely, he believes in him (Jesus) before his death (illaa la’yu’minanna bihi qabla mawtihi) . And on a day of the Resurrection, he will be a witness against them.
[5:106] O you who have believed, a testimony between yourselves at the time of the will when the death has approached to one of you (idhaa hadara ahadakumu al-mawtu), are two just men from you or two others from other than you if you had traveled in the land, then has befallen you a disaster of the death (fa-asaabatkum museebatu al-mawti). You will detain both of them after the salat prayer, then they both will swear by God if you have doubted, “We will not exchange of it for a price, even if he has been a near relative, nor will we conceal God’s testimony. Indeed, we then surely would be with the sinners.”
[6:61] And He is the Supreme over His servants, and He sends guardians over you until when the death has come to one of you (hattaa idhaa jaa-a ahadakumu al-mawtu), has put him to death our messengers, while they do not fail.
[6:93] And who is more wicked than whoever has invented a lie about God, or he said, “It has been inspired to me,” while it is not inspired anything to him, and whoever said, “I will reveal like what God has revealed?” And if you could see when the wrongdoers are in agonies of the death (idhi al-zaalimuuna fee ghamaraati al-mawti), while the angels are stretching out their hands (saying), “Discharge your souls! Today, you will be recompensed with the humiliating punishment for what you have done to say about God other than the truth, and what you have done to be arrogant from His revelations.”
[8:6] They argued with you (prophet) about the truth, after what has made clear as if that they were driven to the death (ka-annamaa yusaaquuna ilaa al-mawti), while they were looking.
[11:7] And He is the One who has created the heavens and the earth in six days, and His domain was on the water that He may test you – which of you is best in deed. And surely, if you had said, “Indeed, you will be resurrected ones after the death (innakum mab’`uuthuuna min ba`di al-mawti),” surely would say those who have disbelieved, “This is not but a clear magic.”
[14:17] He will sip it (boiling water) but cannot make near to swallow it. And the death will come to him from every side (wa-yateehi al-mawtu min kulli makaanan), but he will not be dead, while of his behind there is a terrible punishment.
[16:65] And God sends down water from the sky, then He has given life to the earth with it after its death (fa-ah’yaa bihi al-arda ba`da mawtihaa). Indeed, in that there is surely a sign for a people to hear.
[21:35] Every person will be tasting of the death (kullu nafsin dhaaiqatu al-mawti), and we test you with the bad and the good in the trial, while to us you will be returned.
[23:99] Until when the death has come to one of them (hattaa idhaa jaa-a ahadahumu al-mawtu), he said, “My Lord, send me back.”
[25:3] And they have taken gods other than Him, they do not create anything, while they are created; and they do not possess any harm, nor benefit for themselves; and they do not control death (wa-laa-yamlikuuna mawtan), nor life, nor resurrection.
[29:57] Every person will be tasting of the death (kullu nafsin dhaaiqatu al-mawti), then to us you will be returned.
[29:63] And surely, if you have asked them, “Who has sent down water from the sky, then has given life to the earth with it after its death (fa-ah’yaa bihi al-ardi min ba`di mawtihaa)?” Surely, they would say, “God.” Say, “All praise belongs to God, but most of them do not understand.”
[30:19] He brings forth the living from the dead, and brings forth the dead from the living, and He gives life to earth after its death (wa-yuh’yee al-ardi ba`da mawtihaa), and thus that you will be brought forth.
[30:24] And of His signs He shows you are the lightning as fear and hope, while He sends down water from the sky, then He gives life to the earth with it after its death (fa-yuh’yee bihi al-arda ba`da mawtihaa) . Indeed, in that surely, there are signs for a people to reflect.
[30:50] So you shall look at outcome of God’s mercy how He gives life to the earth after its death (kayfa yuh’yee al-arda ba`da mawtihaa). Indeed, that is surely a Giver of life to the dead. And He has power over everything.
[32:11] Say, “The angel of death will put you to death (yatawaffaakum malaku al-mawti), who has been placed in charge of you, then to your Lord you will be returned.”
[33:16] Say, “The fleeing will not benefit you; if you have fled from the death (in farartum mina al-mawti) or the killing, and then you will not be allowed to enjoy except a little.”
[33:19] They (hypocrites) are miserly towards you. Then when the fear has come, you see them looking at you rolling their eyes like one who faints from the death (approaching) on him (ka-alladhee yugh’shaa `alayhi mina al-mawti). Then when the fear has gone, they have whipped you with tongues of sharping, are miserly towards the good. Those – they do not believe, so God has made worthless their deeds, and that has been easy for God.
[34:14] Then when we had decreed the death to him (Solomon) (falammaa qadaynaa `alayhi al-mawti), had not indicated to them (jinns) on his death (maa dallahum `alaa mawtihi) until a creature of the earth to eat his staff. Then when he had fallen down, had become clear to the jinn that if they had done to know the unseen, they would not have remained in the humiliating punishment.
[35:9] God is the One who has sent the winds to stir up clouds, so we have driven it towards a dead land, then we have given life to the earth with it after its death (fa-ah’yay’naa bihi al-arda ba`da mawtihaa). Thus that is the resurrection.
[39:42] God takes the souls at the time of their death (allahu yatawaffaa al-anfusa heena mawtihaa), and the one who does not die in her sleep. Then He keeps the one whom He has decreed the death upon them, and sends the others for a specified term. Indeed, in that there are surely signs for a people to reflect.
[44:56] They (righteous) would not taste the death in it (laa-yadhuuquna feehaa al-mawta), except the first death, and He has protected them from a punishment of the Hellfire.
[45:5] And an alternation of the night and the day, and what God has sent down from the sky for provision, then He has given life to the earth with it after its death (fa-ah’yaa bihi al-arda ba`da mawtihaa), and directing of the winds; are signs for a people to reflect.
[47:20] And those who have believed say, “Why has not a surah been revealed?” Then when a precise surah has been revealed, and the fighting has been mentioned in it, you have seen those who have a disease in their hearts are looking at you (Muhammad) – a look of fainted one from the death upon him (nazara al-maghshiyi `alayhi mina al-mawti), so woe for them.
[50:19] And has come the moment of death with the truth (wa-jaa-at sakratu al-mawti bil-haqqi), “That is what you have done to escape from it.”
[56:60] We have decreed the death among yourselves (nahnu qaama baynakumu al-mawta), and we are not to be of outrun.
[57:17] You shall know that God gives life to the earth after its death (allaha yuh’yee al-arda ba`da mawtihaa). Certainly, we have made clear the revelations for you that you may reflect.
[62:6] Say, “O you who have become Jews, if you have claimed that you are allies of God besides the people, then you shall wish for the death (fa-tamannawuu al-mawta) if you have been truthful!”
[62:8] Say, “Indeed, the death which you flee from it (inna al-mawta alladhee tafirruuna min’hu), then indeed, it will be of your meeting. Then you will be returned to a Knower of the unseen and the witness, so He will inform you of what you had done to accomplish.”
[63:10] And you shall spend from what we have provided you before that the death comes to one of you (yatiya ahadakumu al-mawtu), then he says, “My Lord, why have You not delayed me for a near term, then I could give to charity and would be with the righteous!”
[67:2] The One who has created the death and the life (alladhee khalaqa al-mawta wal-hayata) that He may test you which of you is best in deed. And He is the Almighty, the Forgiving.
Details of instances of mawtat
There are 3 instances of mawtat in the noun form meaning “death” found in 3 verses across 2 surahs are detailed out below:
[37:59] “Except our first death (illaa mawtatanaa al-uulaa), while we would not be with the punished ones?”
[44:35] “It is not except our first death (in hiya illaa mawtatanaa al-uulaa), and we will not be of raised ones.
[44:56] They (righteous) would not taste the death in it, except the first death (illaa al-mawtata al-uulaa), and He has protected them from a punishment of the Hellfire.
56 instances of mamaat, mawt and mawtat in the noun form meaning “death” found in 53 verses in the Quran. Their review has shed light to reflect that Prophet Muhammad would taste double in the life and double upon the death if he would fabricate about God other than Quran, God would not make equal the life and death of those who have disbelieved and have committed evil deeds to those who have believed and have done the righteous deeds, whoever has invented a lie about God or has said something is inspired to him, while nothing is inspired to him will be recompensed with the humiliating punishment at the time of death, Jacob asked his children to worship One god when death had come to him, the angel of death has been placed in charge of death. every person will taste death even if someone is in a high raised towers, there is confirmation of death of Jesus and he will witness against the disbelievers in him on a day of the Resurrection, repentance will not be accepted when death comes to anyone, the righteous have no death except the first death, the disbelievers think that they have only one death and they will not be resurrected after their death, death will come to dwellers of Hell from all sides but they will not be dead therein, God has given many signs for a people to reflect on life, death and resurrection not to have any doubt about their return to Him.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless. Tafazzal (5/12/2023).