يَوْمَ تَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ وَأَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

On the day when witness shall be given against them by their tongues, their hands, and their feet concerning what they used to do.

EXPOSITION

As the previous verse mentioned the punishment of hell that would befall the slanderers who wished to humiliate others, we are now given a glimpse of the humiliation that they will face on the Day of Judgement, when their very own bodies will come to life and bear witness against them, exposing their sins and vices.

On the day: that is the Day of Judgement,[1] specifically at the moment when they are brought to within view of hell.

When witness shall be given against them: bringing witnesses against someone is an act reserved for the wicked.[2] We understand that the testimony of body parts is also reserved for them and is not something that the faithful will have to endure. This is also mentioned in some reports.[3]

By their tongues, their hands, and their feet: most likely each body part will witness to what it has done, or more accurately what its possessor has done with it. So the tongue will bear witness to what it has said, the hands to what they have wrought, and the feet to where they have taken the evildoer. Other body parts may be involved, but these three are mentioned as most sins are committed by these, although elsewhere the Quran mentions other parts of the body.[4]

The witness given by their tongues is like their other body parts, not something that the possessors themselves will, but rather it happens unwillingly. In other words, they do not speak with their tongues against themselves, but their tongues speak of their own accord. In fact, they are rendered unable to speak for the duration of that, so that they may not present any excuses or try to disturb the testimony of the witness, who in this case is their own body; Today We shall seal their mouths, and their hands shall speak to Us, and their feet shall bear witness concerning what they used to earn (36:65). After their own body has given testimony against themselves, they will then be given back their ability to speak, following which they will call out in dismay at their own body: The day when the enemies of Allah are marched out toward the fire, and they shall be held in check. When they come to it, their hearing will bear witness against them and their sight and their skins concerning what they used to do. They will say to their skins: ‘Why did you bear witness against us?’ They will say: ‘We were given speech by Allah, who gave speech to all things. He created you the first time, and to Him you are being brought back. You did not use to conceal yourselves lest your hearing should bear witness against you, or [for that matter] your sight, or your skin, but you thought that Allah did not know most of what you did. That misjudgement that you entertained about your Lord ruined you. So you became losers’ (41:19-23). We understand from When they come to it that the testimony by body parts is given at the moment when they are made to stand in front of the fire of hell.[5] This highlights their stubbornness and insistence on sin, as they are unwilling to admit their flaws even when they are face-to-face with the terrible punishment of hell. You did not use to conceal yourselves means that they performed their sins in secret, away from the public eye, but did not realise that there were many witnesses to their actions, including their own body. This testimony of body parts is therefore for those who wished to conceal their evil, thinking they can get away with it if they do it in secret. This is why it is mentioned in this verse, because it is meant to act as a warning and reminder to those who secretly spread the vile rumours about the wife of the Prophet, or those who in general spread slanderous rumours about other people.

Concerning what they used to do: meaning the sins they used to commit.[6]

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. From Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī, that the Prophet said: ‘When it is the Day of Judgement, the faithless will be informed about his actions. He will then deny it and dispute it. He will be told: “These are your neighbours. They bear witness against you.” He will say: “They are lying.” He will be told: “Your family and relatives [also bear witness].” He will say: “They are lying.” He will be told: “Will you swear to that?” And he will swear so. Then God will take away their ability to speak and then their tongues will bear witness against them. Then He will throw them into the fire.’[7]

Note: This report is in agreement with what we mentioned about the witnessing of body parts being done in the case of those who are stubbornly indignant in their sins, who refuse to accept any evidence about them being in fault.

2. It is attributed to Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) that he said: ‘Make sure your comings and goings are done in obedience to God, and that your effort is to please Him, because every one of your movements is written down in your book. God – mighty and glorious – has said: On the day when witness shall be given against them by their tongues, their hands, and their feet concerning what they used to do.’[8]

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.[9]

TOPICAL ARTICLES

The witnesses on the Day of Judgement

While it may seem slightly counter-intuitive that in the court of God evidence or witnesses would need to be presented, we know through numerous Quranic verses that indeed will be the case. Much like in the courts of this world, witnesses will give testimony and evidence shall be presented against the criminals, and they will also be given a chance to speak up in their own defence. We read in this verse of Sūrat al-Nūr how a person’s own body might bear witness against them. In addition to body parts, the Quran tells us of other witnesses, such as:

1. The book of deeds: Every nation will be summoned to its book: ‘Today you will be requited for what you used to do. This is Our book, which speaks truly against you. Indeed We used to record what you used to do’ (45:28-29).
2. The angels: Then every soul will come accompanied by a driver and a witness … Then his companion will say: ‘This is what is ready with me [of testimony]’ (50:21-23).
3. Inanimate objects such as the earth: And the earth discharges her burdens, and man says: ‘What is the matter with her?’ On that day she will relate her chronicles, for her Lord will have inspired her (99:2-5).
4. The prophets and holy individuals: So how shall it be, when We bring from every nation a witness and We bring you as a witness to them? On that day those who were faithless and [who] disobeyed the Apostle will wish the earth were levelled with them, and they will not conceal any matter from Allah (4:41-42).
5. God himself: And I was a witness to them so long as I was among them. But when You had taken me away, You Yourself were watchful over them, and You are witness to all things (5:117).

But why it is necessary for any witnesses to be brought at all, since God knows what they have done and He suffices as a witness (46:8)? As is clear from the context of those verses, these witnesses are brought in order that the evildoers will not present any excuses for themselves, even though they know fully well themselves what they have done: That day man will be informed about what he has sent ahead and left behind. Rather, man is a witness to himself, though he should offer his excuses (75:13-15). Man knows what he has done and is aware of his own actions of course (although he is then informed of their full consequences), so in that sense he is a witness to himself. But, he refuses to accept that he is at fault, seeking to shift the blame elsewhere and excuse himself. These excuses are hence not only offered externally, but internally, as many of them believe these excuses themselves. How often we see someone steeped in sin and wrongdoing but blinded to his own actions and the harm he does to others and himself, justifying his deeds with one excuse or another? So the reason why man is informed of his actions on that day even though he is a witness to himself is that he should no longer offer his excuses.

So these testimonies are meant in effect to get them to realise that they are in the wrong and why they are being punished. Too often man is in denial of his own nature and thinks he does good, Say: ‘Shall we inform you about the biggest losers in regard to works? Those whose endeavour goes awry in the life of the world, while they suppose they are doing good’ (18:103-104). By bringing all these witnesses, the objective is to get them to face who they really are. However, for many this will still not be enough and they will continue being in denial even after entering hell. We read in the Quran how for example even after entering hell some of them will still blame others for their situation, refusing to accept fault in themselves, They say: ‘Rather, may wretchedness be your lot! You prepared this [hell] for us. What an evil abode!’ (38:60). The same attitude is also noticeable in the verse quoted earlier, where instead of accepting their wrongdoing and regretting it, they turn around and say to their skins, Why did you bear witness against us? (41:21). If they were capable of perceiving their fault, they should hang their head in shame and profess regret.

This stubbornness is at the root of their problems, as they refuse to accept any fault in themselves so they shift that blame to others, much like Iblis who blamed God for his sin, saying, You have consigned me to perversity (7:16). This stubbornness is actually what results in their inability to change. This is why these wrongdoers are incapable of repenting or reforming and must be isolated in hell.

As for the question of how the body parts will speak, the scholars have suggested different ways as to how exactly will these body parts give witness against the evildoers. Some of these opinions are as follows:

1. God will create in them the ability to speak, and they will speak of what their possessor has done.
2. God will create in them the ability to speak and they will produce some sort of words, but it is actually God who is speaking through them.
3. God will create in them some sort of sign or symbol that will act as evidence of the crimes their possessor has done.[10]

The answer to this is best considered in light of the statement spoken by the skins on the Day of Judgement: They will say: ‘We were given speech by Allah, who gave speech to all things’ (41:21). Based on this, we understand that the speech of these body parts is similar to the speech possessed by all things, like the speaking of the ants (27:18), or the hoopoe (27:22), or of all things in general, There is not a thing but celebrates His praise, but you do not understand their glorification (17:44). Certainly, ants or rocks do not speak human language, rather speech should be understood here in its most fundamental sense of communication and exchange of information.[11] In this world we do not understand their glorification (17:44), but on the Day of Judgement this ability will be granted if needed, just like in this world God has granted this knowledge and capability to some select individuals, such as Prophet David (a) and Prophet Solomon (a) who ‘spoke’ with animals: Certainly, We gave David and Solomon knowledge, and they said: ‘All praise belongs to Allah, who granted us an advantage over many of His faithful servants.’ Solomon inherited from David, and he said: ‘O people! We have been taught the speech of the birds’ (27:15-16).

We understand from verse 41:21 that the body parts will speak in a fashion that allows them to be understood and for conversation and communication to be enabled. This is why their possessor will ask them and they will reply. So the claim of some that God will create in them some sign through which it would be understood what they have done, should be incorrect, as otherwise verses 41:20-21 would not make sense where they are questioned by their possessor and they reply back. Rather they can speak and be spoken to and reply; a power given to them by God on the Day of Judgement, similar to how for example the earth itself will be given this ability.[12]

Furthermore, Tabatabai argues that bearing witness requires that the body parts were always in possession of intelligence and faculties, and were able to witness or sense the actions of their possessor in this world, otherwise when they give testimony, they would not be giving testimony based on what they had ‘seen’, but rather speak only because God grants them the power to speak. He says if this latter was the case, it would not act as final evidence (itmām al-ḥujjah) against the evildoer nor would it be called ‘giving witness’. So he rejects that they are given the ability to speak (and perceive and reason) only on the Day of Judgement and argues that they are already in this world witnesses over the actions of their possessor, and the actions of others, and what is going on around them.[13]

[1] Tibyan, 7/422.
[2] Tibyan, 7/422.
[3] See for example Kafi, 2/32; Nur, 3/584.
[4] See Mizan, 15/94. For example, Sūrat Fuṣṣilat also speaks of skins, ears, and eyes (41:20), and Sūrat al-Isrāʾ mentions the heart as well (17:36). Tabatabai adds that we may also assume that the body parts may give testimony to sins other than those they were directly involved in. For example, the ears may give witness that they listened to slander and blasphemy, but they may also then say that ‘I heard my owner speak such things as well’, or the eyes may say that ‘I saw my possessor listen to backbiting’ (Mizan, 17/378-379. See also Alusi, 9/324). This is also perhaps what can be understood from the usage of the verb yaʿmalūn (they used to do), where the masculine plural is referring to the wrongdoers, and not the body parts, for which the feminine singular tashhadu (witness shall be given) is used. Albeit, Tabatabai then adds that unlike the eyes and ears, the skin cannot perceive anything beyond what it itself is involved in, this is why their possessor then asks their skin, Why did you bear witness against us, without making such an objection to the others (Mizan, 17/378-379).
[5] Nemuneh, 20/249.
[6] Mizan, 15/94.
[7] Tabari, 18/84; Suyuti, 5/35.
[8] Misbah, p. 12.
[9] Matthew 12:36.
[10] Tibyan, 7/423; Nemuneh, 20/248.
[11] See also Sharawi, p. 10240.
[12] See Sūrat al-Zalzalah.
[13] Mizan, 17/378. Tabatabai also uses as evidence the fact that verse 41:21 uses the verb form qālū for skins, rather than qālat, which is generally used for rational beings.