سُوْرَةُ فُصِّلَتۡ

Surah Fussilat (41) — Ayah 20

Explained in detail · Meccan · Juz 24 · Page 478

حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا مَا جَآءُوهَا شَهِدَ عَلَيْهِمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَأَبْصَـٰرُهُمْ وَجُلُودُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿20﴾
Till, when they reach it (Hell-fire), their hearing (ears) and their eyes, and their skins will testify against them as to what they used to do.
حَتَّىٰٓ ḥattā Until
إِذَا idhā when
مَا when
جَآءُوهَا jāūhā they come to it
شَهِدَ shahida (will) testify
عَلَيْهِمْ ʿalayhim against them
سَمْعُهُمْ samʿuhum their hearing
وَأَبْصَـٰرُهُمْ wa-abṣāruhum and their sight
وَجُلُودُهُم wajulūduhum and their skins
بِمَا bimā (as) to what
كَانُوا۟ kānū they used to
يَعْمَلُونَ yaʿmalūna do

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

(Ayah 20) {حَتّٰۤى اِذَا مَا جَآءُوْهَا شَهِدَ عَلَيْهِمْ سَمْعُهُمْ …:} Zamakhshari said: After {’’ اِذَا ‘‘}, the word {’’ مَا ‘‘} is for emphasis; the meaning of emphasis here is that the moment they reach the Fire will be the moment of testimony against them, and there will not be any time devoid of testimony. (Kashaf) That is why I have translated {’’ اِذَا مَا ‘‘} as "as soon as." That is, upon reaching the Fire, when they deny their crimes, immediately their ears, eyes, and skins will testify against them. The details of this have already been mentioned in Surah Ya-Sin, Ayah (65): « اَلْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلٰۤى اَفْوَاهِهِمْ ».