وَقَالُوا۟ لِجُلُودِهِمْ لِمَ شَهِدتُّمْ عَلَيْنَا ۖ قَالُوٓا۟ أَنطَقَنَا ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنطَقَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ وَهُوَ خَلَقَكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ 21
Translations
And they will say to their skins, "Why have you testified against us?" They will say, "We were made to speak by Allāh, who has made everything speak; and He created you the first time, and to Him you are returned.
Transliteration
Wa qalū li julūdihim lima shahidtum ʿalaynā, qālū antaqanā Allāh alladhī antaqa kulla shayʾin wa huwa khalaqakum awwal marrah wa ilayhi turjaʿūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
On the Day of Judgment, disbelievers will question their own skin (bodies/limbs) asking why they testified against them, and the skin will respond that Allah gave them the ability to speak—the same Allah who gave speech to all things and created them initially, to whom they shall return. This illustrates the miraculous nature of resurrection and how all of creation will bear witness against those who rejected Allah's signs, as explained by Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari. The ayah emphasizes that every part of the human body will testify about the deeds committed through it, a humbling reality for those who denied their Lord.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Fussilat, a Meccan chapter that extensively details scenes of the Day of Judgment and the resurrection. It follows the previous ayah (41:20) which mentions how the skin itself will speak and testify. The broader context of the surah deals with refuting disbelievers' objections to the Qur'an and providing vivid descriptions of the afterlife as a warning to the Quraysh.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said in a hadith transmitted by At-Tirmidhi: 'On the Day of Judgment, a believer's hearing, sight, and skin will testify to his deeds.' Additionally, Surah An-Nur (24:24) contains a related concept: 'The Day when their tongues, hands, and feet will testify against them as to what they used to do.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that we cannot hide our actions—every part of our body that participated in sin will testify against us before Allah on the Day of Judgment, making sincere repentance and righteous conduct in this life essential. It also instills awe at Allah's power to give voice to the voiceless and resurrect the dead, encouraging believers to live with consciousness of accountability.