Quran Verses about Age and lifespan

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِن كُنتُمۡ فِي رَيۡبٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡبَعۡثِ فَإِنَّا خَلَقۡنَٰكُم مِّن تُرَابٖ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطۡفَةٖ ثُمَّ مِنۡ عَلَقَةٖ ثُمَّ مِن مُّضۡغَةٖ مُّخَلَّقَةٖ وَغَيۡرِ مُخَلَّقَةٖ لِّنُبَيِّنَ لَكُمۡۚ وَنُقِرُّ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡحَامِ مَا نَشَآءُ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٖ مُّسَمّٗى ثُمَّ نُخۡرِجُكُمۡ طِفۡلٗا ثُمَّ لِتَبۡلُغُوٓاْ أَشُدَّكُمۡۖ وَمِنكُم مَّن يُتَوَفَّىٰ وَمِنكُم مَّن يُرَدُّ إِلَىٰٓ أَرۡذَلِ ٱلۡعُمُرِ لِكَيۡلَا يَعۡلَمَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ عِلۡمٖ شَيۡـٔٗاۚ وَتَرَى ٱلۡأَرۡضَ هَامِدَةٗ فَإِذَآ أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهَا ٱلۡمَآءَ ٱهۡتَزَّتۡ وَرَبَتۡ وَأَنۢبَتَتۡ مِن كُلِّ زَوۡجِۭ بَهِيجٖ ٥

Yāʾayyuhan-nāsu in kuntum fī raybim minal-baʿthi fa innā khalaqnākum min turābin thumma min nuṭfatin thumma min ʿalaqatin thumma mim muḍghatim mukhallaqatiw wa ghayri mukhallaqatil linubayyina lakum, wa nuqirru fil-arḥāmi mā nashāʾu ilā ajalim musamman thumma nukhrijukum ṭiflan thumma litablughū ashuddakum, wa minkum may yutawaffā wa minkum may yuraddu ilā ardhalil-ʿumuri likaylā yaʿlama mim baʿdi ʿilmin shayʾā, wa taral-arḍa hāmidatan fa idhā anzalnā ʿalayhal-māʾahtazzat wa rabat wa anbatat min kulli zawjim bahīj.

O people, if you should be in doubt about the Resurrection, then [consider that] indeed, We created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, then from a clinging clot, and then from a lump of flesh, formed and unformed¹ - that We may show you.² And We settle in the wombs whom We will for a specified term, then We bring you out as a child, and then [We develop you] that you may reach your [time of] maturity. And among you is he who is taken in [early] death, and among you is he who is returned to the most decrepit [old] age so that he knows, after [once having] knowledge, nothing. And you see the earth barren, but when We send down upon it rain, it quivers and swells and grows [something] of every beautiful kind.

۞ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن ضَعۡفٖ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ضَعۡفٖ قُوَّةٗ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ قُوَّةٖ ضَعۡفٗا وَشَيۡبَةٗۚ يَخۡلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٱلۡقَدِيرُ ٥٤

Allāhul-ladhī khalaqakum min ḍaʿfin thumma jaʿala mim baʿdi ḍaʿfin quwwatan thumma jaʿala mim baʿdi quwwatin ḍaʿfaw wa shaybah, yakhluqu mā yashāʾ, wa huwal-ʿalīmul-qadīr.

Allāh is the one who created you from weakness, then made after weakness strength, then made after strength weakness and white hair. He creates what He wills, and He is the Knowing, the Competent.

هُوَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن تُرَابٖ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطۡفَةٖ ثُمَّ مِنۡ عَلَقَةٖ ثُمَّ يُخۡرِجُكُمۡ طِفۡلٗا ثُمَّ لِتَبۡلُغُوٓاْ أَشُدَّكُمۡ ثُمَّ لِتَكُونُواْ شُيُوخٗاۚ وَمِنكُم مَّن يُتَوَفَّىٰ مِن قَبۡلُۖ وَلِتَبۡلُغُوٓاْ أَجَلٗا مُّسَمّٗى وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ ٦٧

Huwal-ladhī khalaqakum min turābin thumma min nuṭfatin thumma min ʿalaqatin thumma yukhrijukum ṭiflan thumma litablughū ashuddakum thumma litakūnū shuyūkhā, wa minkum may yutawaffā min qabl, walitablughū ajalam musammaw wa laʿallakum taʿqilūn.

It is He who created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, then from a clinging clot; then He brings you out as a child; then [He develops you] that you reach your [time of] maturity, then [further] that you become elders. And among you is he who is taken in death before [that], so that you reach a specified term;¹ and perhaps you will use reason.

وَوَصَّيۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ بِوَٰلِدَيۡهِ إِحۡسَٰنًاۖ حَمَلَتۡهُ أُمُّهُۥ كُرۡهٗا وَوَضَعَتۡهُ كُرۡهٗاۖ وَحَمۡلُهُۥ وَفِصَٰلُهُۥ ثَلَٰثُونَ شَهۡرًاۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُۥ وَبَلَغَ أَرۡبَعِينَ سَنَةٗ قَالَ رَبِّ أَوۡزِعۡنِيٓ أَنۡ أَشۡكُرَ نِعۡمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِيٓ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَيَّ وَأَنۡ أَعۡمَلَ صَٰلِحٗا تَرۡضَىٰهُ وَأَصۡلِحۡ لِي فِي ذُرِّيَّتِيٓۖ إِنِّي تُبۡتُ إِلَيۡكَ وَإِنِّي مِنَ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ ١٥

Wa waṣṣaynal-insāna biwālidayhi iḥsānā, ḥamalathu ummuhū kurhaw wa waḍaʿathu kurhā, wa ḥamluhū wa fiṣāluhū thalāthūna shahrā, ḥattā idhā balagha ashuddahū wa balagha arbaʿīna sanatan qāla rabbi awziʿnī an ashkura niʿmatakal-latī anʿamta ʿalayya wa ʿalā wālidayya wa an aʿmala ṣāliḥan tarḍāhu wa aṣliḥ lī fī dhurriyyatī, innī tubtu ilayka wa innī minal-muslimīn.

And We have enjoined upon man, to his parents, good treatment. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship, and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months. [He grows] until, when he reaches maturity and reaches [the age of] forty years, he says, "My Lord, enable me¹ to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to work righteousness of which You will approve and make righteous for me my offspring. Indeed, I have repented to You, and indeed, I am of the Muslims."

وَلَتَجِدَنَّهُمۡ أَحۡرَصَ ٱلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ حَيَوٰةٖ وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشۡرَكُواْۚ يَوَدُّ أَحَدُهُمۡ لَوۡ يُعَمَّرُ أَلۡفَ سَنَةٖ وَمَا هُوَ بِمُزَحۡزِحِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ أَن يُعَمَّرَۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرُۢ بِمَا يَعۡمَلُونَ ٩٦

Walatajidannahum aḥraṣan-nāsi ʿalā ḥayātiw wa minal-ladhīna ashrakū, yawaddu aḥaduhum law yuʿammaru alfa sanatiw wa mā huwa bimuzaḥziḥihī minal-ʿadhābi ay yuʿammar, wallāhu baṣīrum bimā yaʿmalūn.

And you will surely find them the most greedy of people for life - [even] more than those who associate others with Allāh. One of them wishes that he could be granted life a thousand years, but it would not remove him in the least from the [coming] punishment that he should be granted life. And Allāh is Seeing of what they do.

وَٱللَّهُ خَلَقَكُمۡ ثُمَّ يَتَوَفَّىٰكُمۡۚ وَمِنكُم مَّن يُرَدُّ إِلَىٰٓ أَرۡذَلِ ٱلۡعُمُرِ لِكَيۡ لَا يَعۡلَمَ بَعۡدَ عِلۡمٖ شَيۡـًٔاۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٞ قَدِيرٞ ٧٠

Wallāhu khalaqakum thumma yatawaffākum, wa minkum may yuraddu ilā ardhalil-ʿumuri likay lā yaʿlama baʿda ʿilmin shayʾā, innallāha ʿalīmun qadīr.

And Allāh created you; then He will take you in death. And among you is he who is reversed to the most decrepit [old] age so that he will not know, after [having had] knowledge, a thing. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing and Competent.

وَهُمۡ يَصۡطَرِخُونَ فِيهَا رَبَّنَآ أَخۡرِجۡنَا نَعۡمَلۡ صَٰلِحًا غَيۡرَ ٱلَّذِي كُنَّا نَعۡمَلُۚ أَوَلَمۡ نُعَمِّرۡكُم مَّا يَتَذَكَّرُ فِيهِ مَن تَذَكَّرَ وَجَآءَكُمُ ٱلنَّذِيرُۖ فَذُوقُواْ فَمَا لِلظَّٰلِمِينَ مِن نَّصِيرٍ ٣٧

Wa hum yaṣṭarikhūna fīhā rabbanā akhrijnā naʿmal ṣāliḥan ghayral-ladhī kunnā naʿmal, awalam nuʿammirkum mā yatadhakkaru fīhi man tadhakkara wa jāʾakumun-nadhīr, fadhūqū famā liẓ-ẓālimīna min naṣīr.

And they will cry out therein, "Our Lord, remove us;¹ we will do righteousness - other than what we were doing!" But did We not grant you life enough for whoever would remember therein to remember, and the warner had come to you? So taste [the punishment], for there is not for the wrongdoers any helper.

وَمَن نُّعَمِّرۡهُ نُنَكِّسۡهُ فِي ٱلۡخَلۡقِۚ أَفَلَا يَعۡقِلُونَ ٦٨

Wa man nuʿammirhu nunakkishu fil-khalq, afalā yaʿqilūn.

And he to whom We grant long life We reverse in creation;¹ so will they not understand?

وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفۡسٍ أَن تَمُوتَ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ كِتَٰبٗا مُّؤَجَّلٗاۗ وَمَن يُرِدۡ ثَوَابَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا نُؤۡتِهِۦ مِنۡهَا وَمَن يُرِدۡ ثَوَابَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ نُؤۡتِهِۦ مِنۡهَاۚ وَسَنَجۡزِي ٱلشَّٰكِرِينَ ١٤٥

Wa mā kāna linafsin an tamūta illā biʾidhnillāhi kitābam muʾajjalā, wa may yurid thawābad-dunyā nuʾtihī minhā wa may yurid thawābal-ākhirati nuʾtihī minhā, wa sanajzish-shākirīn.

And it is not [possible] for one to die except by permission of Allāh at a decree determined. And whoever desires the reward of this world - We will give him thereof; and whoever desires the reward of the Hereafter - We will give him thereof. And We will reward the grateful.

هُوَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن طِينٖ ثُمَّ قَضَىٰٓ أَجَلٗاۖ وَأَجَلٞ مُّسَمًّى عِندَهُۥۖ ثُمَّ أَنتُمۡ تَمۡتَرُونَ ٢

Huwal-ladhī khalaqakum min ṭīnin thumma qaḍā ajalā, wa ajalum musamman ʿindah, thumma antum tamtarūn.

It is He who created you from clay and then decreed a term¹ and a specified time [known] to Him;² then [still] you are in dispute.

وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٞۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمۡ لَا يَسۡتَأۡخِرُونَ سَاعَةٗ وَلَا يَسۡتَقۡدِمُونَ ٣٤

Walikulli ummatin ajal, fa idhā jāʾa ajaluhum lā yastaʾkhirūna sāʿataw wa lā yastaqdimūn.

And for every nation is a [specified] term. So when their time has come, they will not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede [it].

وَلَوۡ يُؤَاخِذُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّاسَ بِظُلۡمِهِم مَّا تَرَكَ عَلَيۡهَا مِن دَآبَّةٖ وَلَٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمۡ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٖ مُّسَمّٗىۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمۡ لَا يَسۡتَـٔۡخِرُونَ سَاعَةٗ وَلَا يَسۡتَقۡدِمُونَ ٦١

Wa law yuʾākhidhullāhun-nāsa biẓulmihim mā taraka ʿalayhā min dābbatiw wa lākiy yuʾakhkhiruhum ilā ajalim musammā, fa idhā jāʾa ajaluhum lā yastaʾkhirūna sāʿataw wa lā yastaqdimūn.

And if Allāh were to impose blame on the people for their wrongdoing, He would not have left upon it [i.e., the earth] any creature, but He defers them for a specified term. And when their term has come, they will not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede [it].

وَٱللَّهُ خَلَقَكُم مِّن تُرَابٖ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطۡفَةٖ ثُمَّ جَعَلَكُمۡ أَزۡوَٰجٗاۚ وَمَا تَحۡمِلُ مِنۡ أُنثَىٰ وَلَا تَضَعُ إِلَّا بِعِلۡمِهِۦۚ وَمَا يُعَمَّرُ مِن مُّعَمَّرٖ وَلَا يُنقَصُ مِنۡ عُمُرِهِۦٓ إِلَّا فِي كِتَٰبٍۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٞ ١١

Wallāhu khalaqakum min turābin thumma min nuṭfatin thumma jaʿalakum azwājā, wa mā taḥmilu min unthā wa lā taḍaʿu illā biʿilmih, wa mā yuʿammaru mim muʿammariw wa lā yunqaṣu min ʿumurihī illā fī kitāb, inna dhālika ʿalallāhi yasīr.

And Allāh created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop; then He made you mates. And no female conceives nor does she give birth except with His knowledge. And no aged person is granted [additional] life nor is his lifespan lessened but that it is in a register. Indeed, that for Allāh is easy.

وَلَن يُؤَخِّرَ ٱللَّهُ نَفۡسًا إِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهَاۚ وَٱللَّهُ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ ١١

Wa lay yuʾakhkhirallāhu nafsan idhā jāʾa ajaluhā, wallāhu khabīrum bimā taʿmalūn.

But never will Allāh delay a soul when its time has come. And Allāh is Aware of what you do.

۞ وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ وَبِٱلۡوَٰلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَٰنًاۚ إِمَّا يَبۡلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ ٱلۡكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَوۡ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفّٖ وَلَا تَنۡهَرۡهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوۡلٗا كَرِيمٗا ٢٣

Wa qaḍā rabbuka allā taʿbudū illā iyyāhu wabil-wālidayni iḥsānā, immā yablughanna ʿindakal-kibara aḥaduhumā aw kilāhumā falā taqul lahumā uffiw wa lā tanharhumā wa qul lahumā qawlan karīmā.

And your Lord has decreed that you worship not except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], "uff,"¹ and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word.

وَٱخۡفِضۡ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ ٱلذُّلِّ مِنَ ٱلرَّحۡمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱرۡحَمۡهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرٗا ٢٤

Wakhfiḍ lahumā janāḥadh-dhulli minar-raḥmati wa qul rabbirḥamhumā kamā rabbayānī ṣaghīrā.

And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small."

قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِي غُلَٰمٞ وَقَدۡ بَلَغَنِيَ ٱلۡكِبَرُ وَٱمۡرَأَتِي عَاقِرٞۖ قَالَ كَذَٰلِكَ ٱللَّهُ يَفۡعَلُ مَا يَشَآءُ ٤٠

Qāla rabbi annā yakūnu lī ghulāmuw wa qad balaghaniyal-kibaru wamraʾatī ʿāqir, qāla kadhālikallāhu yafʿalu mā yashāʾ.

He said, "My Lord, how will I have a boy when I have reached old age and my wife is barren?" He [the angel] said, "Such is Allāh; He does what He wills."

قَالَتۡ يَٰوَيۡلَتَىٰٓ ءَأَلِدُ وَأَنَا۠ عَجُوزٞ وَهَٰذَا بَعۡلِي شَيۡخًاۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيۡءٌ عَجِيبٞ ٧٢

Qālat yāwaylatā aʾalidu wa ana ʿajūzuw wa hādhā baʿlī shaykhā, inna hādhā lashayʾun ʿajīb.

She said, "Woe to me!¹ Shall I give birth while I am an old woman and this, my husband, is an old man? Indeed, this is an amazing thing!"

ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِي وَهَبَ لِي عَلَى ٱلۡكِبَرِ إِسۡمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسۡحَٰقَۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي لَسَمِيعُ ٱلدُّعَآءِ ٣٩

Al-ḥamdu lillāhil-ladhī wahaba lī ʿalal-kibari ismāʿīla wa isḥāq, inna rabbī lasamīʿud-duʿāʾ.

Praise to Allāh, who has granted to me in old age Ishmael and Isaac. Indeed, my Lord is the Hearer of supplication.

قَالَ أَبَشَّرۡتُمُونِي عَلَىٰٓ أَن مَّسَّنِيَ ٱلۡكِبَرُ فَبِمَ تُبَشِّرُونَ ٥٤

Qāla abashshartumūnī ʿalā am massaniyal-kibaru fabima tubashshirūn.

He said, "Have you given me good tidings although old age has come upon me? Then of what [wonder] do you inform?"

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي وَهَنَ ٱلۡعَظۡمُ مِنِّي وَٱشۡتَعَلَ ٱلرَّأۡسُ شَيۡبٗا وَلَمۡ أَكُنۢ بِدُعَآئِكَ رَبِّ شَقِيّٗا ٤

Qāla rabbi innī wahanal-ʿaẓmu minnī washtaʿalar-raʾsu shaybaw wa lam akum biduʿāʾika rabbi shaqiyyā.

He said, "My Lord, indeed my bones have weakened, and my head has filled¹ with white, and never have I been in my supplication to You, my Lord, unhappy [i.e., disappointed].

قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِي غُلَٰمٞ وَكَانَتِ ٱمۡرَأَتِي عَاقِرٗا وَقَدۡ بَلَغۡتُ مِنَ ٱلۡكِبَرِ عِتِيّٗا ٨

Qāla rabbi annā yakūnu lī ghulāmuw wa kānatimraʾatī ʿāqiraw wa qad balaghtu minal-kibari ʿitiyyā.

He said, "My Lord, how will I have a boy when my wife has been barren and I have reached extreme old age?"

فَأَقۡبَلَتِ ٱمۡرَأَتُهُۥ فِي صَرَّةٖ فَصَكَّتۡ وَجۡهَهَا وَقَالَتۡ عَجُوزٌ عَقِيمٞ ٢٩

Fa aqbalatimraʾatuhū fī ṣarratin faṣakkat wajhahā wa qālat ʿajūzun ʿaqīm.

And his wife approached with a cry [of alarm] and struck her face and said, "[I am] a barren old woman!"