Life and death word count in the Qur'an

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This article lists all occurrences of the words "life" and "death" in the Qur'an. The purpose is to analyze the claim that they both appear 145 times.

Life

The word "life" (الحياة, al-hayat) is derived from the trilateral root حيي (h-y-y). In the Uthmani script, the writing style of the first Qur'anic manuscripts, it is not written like this الحياة (Simple Script), but like this ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ (Uthmani Script). This word count is complicated and it could not have been done in the English translation. Because from the same root, there are many similar words derived and there is the verb "to give-life" which is translated into English as two words, including the word "life" itself, although in Arabic it is just one verb and the noun "life" itself is not present. When the English Qur'an says, that Allah gives life to someone, then literally, he "lifes" him. It could be also translated as "resurrects". All verbs will be described as "verb" in the "Word class" column. Also there are words like "the alive" and "the living" referring to "living people" and they don't mean "life" itself (you can also notice they are written differently in Arabic). There are also 2 words translated as "life", but expressed with a slightly different word in Arabic, these words are also counted, but they are bold and can be easily excluded if we wanted not to count them.

Keep in mind that in Arabic, pronouns like "them", "our", "her" are suffixed to the word and conjunctions like "and" or "for" are prefixed to the word. There is even a lam- (ل) prefix, translated as "surely". Also the subject "he", "she" is also in the word (verb) itself. So one Arabic word sometimes needs a lot of English words, when translated. English uses more spaces between words, while Arabic rather joins the words together. So don't be confused by the long translations.

This is the list of all the words derived from the root حيي in the Qur'an. Some of them have a totally different meaning. The word "life" is counted in the Translation column. Also, all the nouns derived from this root are counted in the "Word Class" column.

Total count Verse Word in Arabic Translation Word class
1 2:26 يَسْتَحْىِ is ashamed verb
2 2:28 فَأَحْيَٰكُمْ then (he) gave you life verb
3 2:28 يُحْيِيكُمْ (he) gives you life verb
4 2:49 وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ and (they) let live verb
5 2:73 يُحْىِ (he) revives verb
6 2:85 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 1 noun 1
7 2:86 ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ the life 2 noun 2
8 2:96 حَيَوٰةٍ a life 3 noun 3
9 2:154 أَحْيَآءٌ alive noun 4
10 2:164 فَأَحْيَا so gives life verb
11 2:179 حَيَوٰةٌ life 4 noun 5
12 2:204 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 5 noun 6
13 2:212 ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ the life 6 noun 7
14 2:243 أَحْيَٰهُمْ (he) gave them life verb
15 2:255 ٱلْحَىُّ The Ever-Living noun 8
16 2:258 يُحْىِ (he) gives life verb
17 2:258 أُحْىِ (I) give life verb
18 2:259 يُحْىِۦ (he) brings to life verb
19 2:260 تُحْىِ (you) give life verb
20 3:2 ٱلْحَىُّ the Ever-Living noun 9
21 3:14 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 7 noun 10
22 3:27 ٱلْحَىَّ the living noun 11
23 3:27 ٱلْحَىِّ the living noun 12
24 3:49 وَأُحْىِ and (I) give life verb
25 3:117 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 8 noun 13
26 3:156 يُحْىِۦ (he) gives life verb
27 3:169 أَحْيَآءٌ living noun 14
28 3:185 ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ the life 9 noun 15
29 4:74 ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ the life 10 noun 16
30 4:86 حُيِّيتُم you are greeted verb
31 4:86 بِتَحِيَّةٍ with a greeting noun 17
32 4:86 فَحَيُّوا۟ then greet verb
33 4:94 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 11 noun 18
34 4:109 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 12 noun 19
35 5:32 أَحْيَاهَا saves her verb
36 5:32 أَحْيَا (he) saved verb
37 6:29 حَيَاتُنَا our life 13 noun 20
38 6:32 ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ the life 14 noun 21
39 6:70 ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ the life 15 noun 22
40 6:95 ٱلْحَىَّ the living noun 23
41 6:95 ٱلْحَىِّ the living noun 24
42 6:122 فَأَحْيَيْنَٰهُ and (we) gave him life verb
43 6:130 ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ the life 16 noun 25
44 6:162 وَمَحْيَاىَ and my living noun 26
45 7:25 تَحْيَوْنَ (you) live verb
46 7:32 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 17 noun 27
47 7:51 ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ the life 18 noun 28
48 7:127 وَنَسْتَحْىِۦ and (we) let live verb
49 7:141 وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ and (they) let live verb
50 7:152 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 19 noun 29
51 7:158 يُحْىِۦ (he) gives life verb
52 8:24 يُحْيِيكُمْ (he) gives you life verb
53 8:42 وَيَحْيَىٰ and might live verb
54 8:42 حَىَّ (he) lived verb
55 9:38 بِٱلْحَيَوٰةِ with the life 20 noun 30
56 9:38 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 21 noun 31
57 9:55 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 22 noun 32
58 9:116 يُحْىِۦ (he) gives life verb
59 10:7 بِٱلْحَيَوٰةِ with the life 23 noun 33
60 10:10 وَتَحِيَّتُهُمْ and their greeting noun 34
61 10:23 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 24 noun 35
62 10:24 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 25 noun 36
63 10:31 ٱلْحَىَّ the living noun 37
64 10:31 ٱلْحَىِّ the living noun 38
65 10:56 يُحْىِۦ (he) gives life verb
66 10:64 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 26 noun 39
67 10:88 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 27 noun 40
68 10:98 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 28 noun 41
69 11:15 ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ the life 29 noun 42
70 13:26 بِٱلْحَيَوٰةِ in the life 30 noun 43
71 13:26 ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ the life 31 noun 44
72 13:34 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 32 noun 45
73 14:3 ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ the life 33 noun 46
74 14:6 وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ and (they) let live verb
75 14:23 تَحِيَّتُهُمْ their greetings noun 47
76 14:27 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 34 noun 48
77 15:23 نُحْىِۦ (we) give life verb
78 16:21 أَحْيَآءٍ alive noun 49
79 16:65 فَأَحْيَا then gives life verb
80 16:97 فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُۥ then surely (we) will give him life verb
81 16:97 حَيَوٰةً a life 35 noun 50
82 16:107 ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ the life 36 noun 51
83 17:75 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 37 noun 52
84 18:28 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 38 noun 53
85 18:45 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 39 noun 54
86 18:46 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 40 noun 55
87 18:104 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 41 noun 56
88 19:15 حَيًّا alive noun 57
89 19:31 حَيًّا alive noun 58
90 19:33 حَيًّا alive noun 59
91 19:66 حَيًّا alive noun 60
92 20:20 حَيَّةٌ a snake noun 61
93 20:72 ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ the life 42 noun 62
94 20:74 يَحْيَىٰ (he) lives verb
95 20:97 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 43 noun 63
96 20:111 لِلْحَىِّ before the Ever-Living noun 65
97 20:131 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 44 noun 66
98 21:30 حَىٍّ living noun 67
99 22:6 يُحْىِ (he) gives life verb
100 22:66 أَحْيَاكُمْ (he) gave you life verb
101 22:66 يُحْيِيكُمْ (he) gives you life verb
102 23:33 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 45 noun 68
103 23:37 حَيَاتُنَا our life 46 noun 69
104 23:37 وَنَحْيَا and (we) live verb
105 23:80 يُحْىِۦ (he) gives life verb
106 24:33 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 47 noun 70
107 24:61 تَحِيَّةً a greeting noun 71
108 25:3 حَيَوٰةً a life 48 noun 72
109 25:49 لِّنُحْۦِىَ that (we) may give life verb
110 25:58 ٱلْحَىِّ the Ever-Living noun 73
111 25:75 تَحِيَّةً a greeting noun 74
112 26:81 يُحْيِينِ (he) gives me life verb
113 28:4 وَيَسْتَحْىِۦ and (he) lets live verb
114 28:25 ٱسْتِحْيَآءٍ shyness noun 75
115 28:60 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 49 noun 76
116 28:61 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 50 noun 77
117 28:79 ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ the life 51 noun 78
118 29:25 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 52 noun 79
119 29:63 فَأَحْيَا and (he) gives life verb
120 29:64 ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ the life 53 noun 80
121 29:64 ٱلْحَيَوَانُ the life 54 noun 81
122 30:7 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 55 noun 82
123 30:19 ٱلْحَىَّ the living noun 83
124 30:19 ٱلْحَىِّ the living noun 84
125 30:19 وَيُحْىِ and (he) gives life verb
126 30:24 فَيُحْىِۦ and (he) gives life verb
127 30:40 يُحْيِيكُمْ (he) gives you life verb
128 30:50 يُحْىِ (he) gives life verb
129 30:50 لَمُحْىِ surely the life-giver noun 85
130 31:33 ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ the life 56 noun 86
131 33:28 ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ the life 57 noun 87
132 33:44 تَحِيَّتُهُمْ their greetings noun 88
133 33:53 فَيَسْتَحْىِۦ and (he) is shy verb
134 33:53 يَسْتَحْىِۦ (he) is shy verb
135 35:5 ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ the life 58 noun 89
136 35:9 فَأَحْيَيْنَا and (we) revive verb
137 35:22 ٱلْأَحْيَآءُ the living noun 90
138 36:12 نُحْىِ (we) give life verb
139 36:33 أَحْيَيْنَٰهَا (we) gave her life verb
140 36:70 حَيًّا alive noun 91
141 36:78 يُحْىِ (he) gives life verb
142 36:79 يُحْيِيهَا (he) gives her life verb
143 39:26 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 59 noun 92
144 40:11 وَأَحْيَيْتَنَا (you) gave us life verb
145 40:25 وَٱسْتَحْيُوا۟ and let live verb
146 40:39 ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ the life 60 noun 93
147 40:51 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 61 noun 94
148 40:65 ٱلْحَىُّ the Ever-Living noun 95
149 40:68 يُحْىِۦ (he) gives life verb
150 41:16 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 62 noun 96
151 41:31 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 63 noun 97
152 41:39 أَحْيَاهَا (he) gives her life verb
153 41:39 لَمُحْىِ surely the Life-giver noun 98
154 42:9 يُحْىِ (he) gives life verb
155 42:36 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 64 noun 99
156 43:32 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 65 noun 100
157 43:35 ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ the life 66 noun 101
158 44:8 يُحْىِۦ (he) gives life verb
159 45:5 فَأَحْيَا and (he) gives life verb
160 45:21 مَّحْيَاهُمْ their life 67 noun 102
161 45:24 حَيَاتُنَا our life 68 noun 103
162 45:24 وَنَحْيَا and (we) live verb
163 45:26 يُحْيِيكُمْ (he) gives you life verb
164 45:35 ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ the life 69 noun 104
165 46:20 حَيَاتِكُمُ your life 70 noun 105
166 46:33 يُحْۦِىَ (he) gives life verb
167 47:36 ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ the life 71 noun 106
168 50:11 وَأَحْيَيْنَا and (we) give life verb
169 50:43 نُحْىِۦ (we) give life verb
170 53:29 ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ the life 72 noun 107
171 53:44 وَأَحْيَا (he) gives life verb
172 57:2 يُحْىِۦ (he) gives life verb
173 57:17 يُحْىِ (he) gives life verb
174 57:20 ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ the life 73 noun 108
175 57:20 ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ the life 74 noun 109
176 58:8 حَيَّوْكَ (they) greet you verb
177 58:8 يُحَيِّكَ (he) greets you verb
178 67:2 وَٱلْحَيَوٰةَ and the life 75 noun 110
179 75:40 يُحْۦِىَ (he) gives life verb
180 77:26 أَحْيَآءً the living noun 111
181 79:38 ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ the life 76 noun 112
182 87:13 يَحْيَىٰ (he) lives verb
183 87:16 ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ the life 77 noun 113
184 89:24 لِحَيَاتِى for my life 78 noun 114

As we can see, besides the fact that there are only 78 mentions of the word "life", there are only 114 nouns, so there is no possibility of finding 145 occurrences of the word "life", even if we counted even words like "snake" derived from the same root. If we wanted to get 145 words, we would have to mix word counts of nouns and verbs together! Also we can see that there are many words that are similar, but different, so if we want to use some special counting method, then there are probably dozens, if not hundereds of such methods.

Death

The word "death" (الموت, al-mawt) is derived from a trilateral root موت (m-w-t).

Total count Verse Word in arabic (يوم counted) Translation Number (counted)
1 2:119
2 2:28
3 2:28
4 2:56
5 2:73
6 2:94
7 2:132
8 2:133
9 2:154
10 2:161
11 2:164
12 2:173
13 2:180
14 2:217
15 2:243
16 2:243
17 2:258
18 2:258
19 2:259
20 2:259
21 2:260
22 3:27
23 3:27
24 3:49
25 3:91
26 3:102
27 3:119
28 3:143
29 3:144
30 3:145
31 3:156
32 3:156
33 3:157
34 3:158
35 3:168
36 3:169
37 3:185
38 4:15
39 4:18
40 4:18
41 4:78
42 4:100
43 4:159
44 5:3
45 5:106
46 5:106
47 5:110
48 6:36
49 6:61
50 6:93
51 6:95
52 6:95
53 6:111
54 6:122
55 6:139
56 6:145
57 6:162
58 7:25
59 7:57
60 7:57
61 7:158
62 8:6
63 9:84
64 9:84
65 9:116
66 9:125
67 10:31
68 10:31
69 10:56
70 11:7
71 13:31
72 14:17
73 14:17
74 15:23
75 16:21
76 16:38
77 16:65
78 16:115
79 17:75
80 19:15
81 19:23
82 19:33
83 19:66
84 20:74
85 21:34
86 21:35
87 22:6
88 22:58
89 22:66
90 23:15
91 23:35
92 23:37
93 23:80
94 23:82
95 23:99
96 25:3
97 25:49
98 25:58
99 26:81
100 27:80
101 29:57
102 29:63
103 30:19
104 30:19
105 30:19
106 30:24
107 30:40
108 30:50
109 30:50
110 30:52
111 31:34
112 32:11
113 33:16
114 33:19
115 34:14
116 34:14
117 35:9
118 35:9
119 35:22
120 35:36
121 36:12
122 36:33
123 37:16
124 37:53
125 37:58
126 37:59
127 39:30
128 39:30
129 39:42
130 39:42
131 39:42
132 40:11
133 40:68
134 41:39
135 42:9
136 43:11
137 44:8
138 44:35
139 44:56
140 44:56
141 45:5
142 45:21
143 45:24
144 45:26
145 46:33
146 47:20
147 47:34
148 49:12
149 50:3
150 50:11
151 50:19
152 50:43
153 53:44
154 56:47
155 56:60
156 57:2
157 57:17
158 62:6
159 62:8
160 63:10
161 67:2
162 75:40
163 77:26
164 80:21
165 87:13

Conclusion

Will.