What happens when the soul leaves the body in Islam?

In Islam, the soul is taken at its appointed time by the Angel of Death and his helpers, then it enters barzakh, the stage before resurrection. For a believer, the angels bring good news of mercy. Only Allah knows the full nature of the soul, so we accept what was revealed without trying to picture every detail.

The Angel of Death and his helpers

The Quran says that death does not come by chance. It is carried out by angels, in charge of the moment Allah has set:

قُلْ يَتَوَفَّىٰكُم مَّلَكُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ٱلَّذِى وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ "Say, 'Your soul will be taken by the Angel of Death, who is in charge of you. Then to your Lord you will [all] be returned.'" Quran 32:11

Another verse speaks of "Our angels" taking the soul (Quran 6:61), so scholars understand that the Angel of Death works with helper angels. See Who is the Angel of Death in Islam?

The moment for a believer

The Prophet ﷺ described the angels coming to a righteous person who is dying and saying: "Come out, O good soul that was in a good body, come out praiseworthy and receive glad tidings of mercy and fragrance and a Lord Who is not angry" (Sunan Ibn Majah 4262). The soul is then taken up with welcome.

The same narration also describes the opposite for someone who lived rejecting the truth, which is a reminder to take our faith seriously. It ends by saying the soul then goes to the grave, which is the next stage.

Signs people have noticed

The eyes may stay open. When Abu Salama died with his eyes open, the Prophet ﷺ closed them and said that when the soul is taken, the sight follows it (Sahih Muslim 920).
Supplication for the dying person. On that occasion he asked Allah to forgive Abu Salama and make his grave spacious. He also told the family to ask only for good, because the angels say "Amen" to what they say.

What we do not know

Many people ask what the soul (ruh) is. The Quran gives a short, humbling answer:

وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلرُّوحِ ۖ قُلِ ٱلرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّى وَمَآ أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا "They ask you [O Prophet] about the spirit. Say, 'Its nature is known only to my Lord, and you [O humanity] have been given but little knowledge.'" Quran 17:85

So we do not need to imagine how the soul leaves the body, only to believe it happens as Allah has told us. For more on the soul itself, see What is the soul (ruh) in Islam? For what comes next, see What is barzakh?

Key points

The Angel of Death and his helpers take the soul at its appointed time (Quran 32:11).
Believers are met with good news of mercy (Sunan Ibn Majah 4262).
After death comes barzakh, the stage before the Day of Resurrection.
The true nature of the soul is known only to Allah (Quran 17:85).

Tip: If you are with someone who is dying, stay calm and make dua for them. Ask Allah to forgive them and ease their way, as the Prophet ﷺ did for Abu Salama.

What happens when the soul leaves the body in Islam?

The Angel of Death and his helpers

The moment for a believer

Signs people have noticed

What we do not know

People also ask