سُوْرَةُ فُصِّلَتۡ
Surah Fussilat (41) — Ayah 21
وَقَالُوا۟ لِجُلُودِهِمْ لِمَ شَهِدتُّمْ عَلَيْنَا ۖ قَالُوٓا۟ أَنطَقَنَا ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنطَقَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ وَهُوَ خَلَقَكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿21﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And they will say to their skins, "Why do you testify against us?" They will say: "Allâh has caused us to speak as He causes all things to speak: and He created you the first time, and to Him you are made to return."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَقَالُوا۟
waqālū
And they will say
لِجُلُودِهِمْ
lijulūdihim
to their skins
لِمَ
lima
Why do
شَهِدتُّمْ
shahidttum
you testify
عَلَيْنَا ۖ
ʿalaynā
against us
قَالُوٓا۟
qālū
They will say
أَنطَقَنَا
anṭaqanā
Allah made us speak
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah made us speak
ٱلَّذِىٓ
alladhī
the One Who
أَنطَقَ
anṭaqa
makes speak
كُلَّ
kulla
every
شَىْءٍۢ
shayin
thing
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
and He
خَلَقَكُمْ
khalaqakum
created you
أَوَّلَ
awwala
(the) first
مَرَّةٍۢ
marratin
time
وَإِلَيْهِ
wa-ilayhi
and to Him
تُرْجَعُونَ
tur'jaʿūna
you will be returned
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
21. 1. That is, when the polytheists and disbelievers will see that their own limbs are testifying against them, then out of astonishment or as a form of reproach and anger, they will say to them. 21. 1. According to some, "wahuwa" refers to the speech of Allah, in which case this sentence is independent, and according to others, it is the speech of the human skins themselves, as a continuation of their own words. The mention of the testimony of human limbs on the Day of Resurrection has already occurred in (وَلِلّٰهِ مُلْكُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالْاَرْضِ ۚ وَاِلَى اللّٰهِ الْمَصِيْرُ) 24. An-Nur:42) (اَلْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلٰٓي اَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَآ اَيْدِيْهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ اَرْجُلُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوْا يَكْسِبُوْنَ) 65), and it has also been described in Sahih ahadith. For example, when, by Allah's command, the human limbs will speak and inform, the servant will say: "ba'dan lakunna wa suḥqan fa 'ankunna kuntu unāḍil" (Sahih Muslim, Kitab az-Zuhd) — "Destruction and distance be for you! I was arguing and defending only for your sake." In the same narration, it is also stated that the servant will say: "I do not accept the testimony of anyone except my own self." Allah Almighty will say: "Am I and My noble recording angels (Kiraman Katibin) not sufficient as witnesses?" Then a seal will be set upon his mouth, and his limbs will be ordered to speak. (Reference as mentioned)
