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 Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
And they will say to their skins, “Why did you testify against us?” They will reply, “Allah has made us speak, the One Who has made everything speak [25]. He created you the first time, and to Him you will be returned.”
[25]
The Organs of Speech and Their Structure:
The tongue is also just a piece of flesh and muscle like other organs. And in the power of speech, it is not only the tongue that functions. Rather, the vocal cords, due to which someone's voice is melodious and another's is harsh, then the lips and the palate, etc., all are used. Only then does a person speak. The material of the organs of the body is the same; only the structure is different. And Allah Almighty has made such a structure of these organs that someone becomes capable of speaking. So, the Being who is capable of creating the structure of these organs, especially for the first time, how difficult is it for Him, when needed, to make such a change in the structure of another organ that it begins to speak? In this way, when the very organs used by the criminals during the crime will testify against them, then there will remain no room for denial for them. Thus, their judgment will be made and they will be punished in front of everyone.
[25]
The Organs of Speech and Their Structure:
The tongue is also just a piece of flesh and muscle like other organs. And in the power of speech, it is not only the tongue that functions. Rather, the vocal cords, due to which someone's voice is melodious and another's is harsh, then the lips and the palate, etc., all are used. Only then does a person speak. The material of the organs of the body is the same; only the structure is different. And Allah Almighty has made such a structure of these organs that someone becomes capable of speaking. So, the Being who is capable of creating the structure of these organs, especially for the first time, how difficult is it for Him, when needed, to make such a change in the structure of another organ that it begins to speak? In this way, when the very organs used by the criminals during the crime will testify against them, then there will remain no room for denial for them. Thus, their judgment will be made and they will be punished in front of everyone.
