Darul Uloom Trinidad & Tobago

Tafseer No.21

(Sura Yaseen, Verse 65)

Having mentioned the state of the unbelievers on the Day of Judgment, Allah continues in verse 65 to describe the manner in which evidences shall be established against the unbelievers on the Day of Reckoning.

The verse states:

الْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَىٰ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَا أَيْدِيهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْجُلُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ

65. This Day, We shall seal up their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their legs will bear witness to what they used to earn.

The commentators have stated that on the Day of Judgment, the unbelievers will deny their kufr and shirk. Their neighbours, family members and household would testify against them, but they will swear oaths that they did not commit shirk. Upon this, their mouths shall be sealed up, and their hands and feet will begin to speak. (Tafseer Al Bahr Al Muheet, Vol.9, Pg.78, Dar Al Fikr, Beirut 1992) 

While commenting on this verse, Hafiz Ibn Katheer (A.R) has stated, ‘This shall be the state of the unbelievers and hypocrites on the Day of Judgment when they will deny the sins they perpetrated in the world. They will swear that they did not do wrong actions, hence, Allah will seal their mouths and demand their limbs to speak of their deeds.’ (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, Vol.5, Pg.289, Dar Al Kitab Al Arabiya, Beirut 2013) 

The verse explains that their mouths shall be covered with a seal so that they may not speak, and their limbs will begin to speak. Their hands and feet will bear witness to the bad deeds they did. Another verse of the Quran states, 

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا مَا جَاءُوهَا شَهِدَ عَلَيْهِمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَأَبْصَارُهُمْ وَجُلُودُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

‘Till when they reach the Hell fire, their ears and their eyes, and their skins will testify against them as to what they used to do.’ (Sura Fussilat, Verse 20)

This shows that different parts of the body and limbs will be given the power of speech on the Day of Judgment. With this, the limbs will testify to the wrong actions that a person did in the world. 

Another verse of the Quran states, 

يَوْمَ تَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ وَأَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

‘The Day when their tongues, their hands and their legs will testify against them with regard to what they did.’ (Sura An Nur, Verse 24) 

These verses tell us that various limbs will speak and testify to the actions of man at different times. As mentioned by the commentators, there will be various stages on the Day of Judgment, and each verse describes a different stage. Sometimes the mouth (tongue) will be sealed so that other limbs may testify, and at other times, the tongue will be allowed to confess and admit the sins committed.

In a tradition narrated by Abu Moosa Ash’ari (R.A), it is stated that ‘A believer shall be summoned for reckoning on the Day of Judgment. His Lord shall then present his deeds before him which is known between him and Allah. The believer will then confess to all his deeds and say, ‘Yes, O my Lord! I have done such. I have done such. I have done such.’ Upon this, Allah will forgive his sins and shall conceal them. No one will be able to see those deeds. Allah will then make his good deeds apparent, and he (the believer) would wish that everyone see his good deeds.

An unbeliever/ hypocrite shall then be called for reckoning, and Allah will present his deeds before him. Upon seeing his deeds, he will deny them and will say, ‘O My Lord, by Your Honour, the angel has written against me actions which I did not do.’ The angel will say, ‘Did you not do such, on such day, at such place?’ The person will say, ‘No, by Your Honour, O Lord, I have not done this.’ When this will be done, a seal shall be placed over his mouth, and his limbs shall speak.’ (Tafseer At Tabari, Vol.23, Pg.31, Dar Ihya At Turath, Beirut 2001) 

In another tradition, Anas bin Malik (R.A) narrates, ‘We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺand suddenly he smiled. He then said, ‘Do you know what makes me smile?’ We said, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He (the Prophet ﷺ) then said, ‘I smiled on account of the servant’s address to his Lord (on the Day of Judgment). On that Day, the servant will say, ‘O my Lord, have you not granted me protection against injustice? Allah will say, ‘Yes, I have.’ The servant will say, ‘Then, I will not allow any witness against me, except from my own self.’ Allah will say, ‘Today, you will be sufficient as a witness against your own self, and the Kiraman Kaatibeen (the recording angels) shall be witnesses against you.’ Allah will then put a seal on the servant’s mouth, and it shall be said to the limbs, ‘Speak.’ The limbs will begin to speak of the deeds of the servant.’ (Muslim, Hadith No.7439, Pg.1286, Darussalam) 

In another tradition narrated by Abu Hurairah (R.A), it states that, ‘then a third person shall be brought. Allah will say to him, ‘What were you upon?’ He will say, ‘I am your servant. I believed in You, Your Prophet and Your Book. I fasted, performed Salaah and gave Sadaqah (charity).’ The man will continue to praise the good things he did as much as he can. It shall then be said, ‘Shall We not raise against you Our witness?’ The servant will begin to ponder as to who will bear witness against him. Allah will then seal his mouth, and say to his thigh, flesh and bones, ‘Speak.’ The thigh, flesh and bones will begin to speak of the actions of the servant, and this will make the person incapable. He will be a hypocrite, and one on whom Allah’s anger has descended.’ (Muslim, Hadith No.7439, Pg.1286, Darussalam / Tafseer Al Qurtubi, Vol.15, Pg.45-46, Maktaba Rasheediya, Queta Pakistan / Tafseer Ibn Katheer, Vol.5, Pg. 290, Amjad Academy, Lahore, Pakistan) 

In another tradition, Uqba bin Aamir (R.A) states that he heard the Prophet ﷺ saying, ‘Certainly, the first limb of a man which will speak on the Day when mouths shall be sealed will be his thigh from the left foot.’ (Ahmad, Hadith No.17379, Vol.6, Pg.134, Darul Fikr / Tafseer Ibn Katheer, Vol.5, Pg.290, Dar Al Kitab Al Arabiya / Tafseer At Tabari, Vol.23, Pg.31, Dar Ihya At Turath Al Arabi, Beirut 2001 / Tafseer Al Qurtubi, Vol.15, Pg. 36 Maktaba Rasheediya Queta Pakistan) 

These Ahadith have given a detailed explanation regarding the speaking of the limbs on the Day of Judgment, as mentioned in different verses of the Quran. These limbs will be given the power and ability to speak on that Day, and so, they shall speak of the actions committed by man. In this regard, the Quran states:

وَيَوْمَ يُحْشَرُ أَعْدَاءُ اللَّهِ إِلَى النَّارِ فَهُمْ يُوزَعُونَ

 ‘And (remember) the Day that the enemies of Allah will be gathered to the Fire, so they will be collected there (the first and the last).

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا مَا جَاءُوهَا شَهِدَ عَلَيْهِمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَأَبْصَارُهُمْ وَجُلُودُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

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. And they will say to their skins, “Why do you testify against us?” 

وَقَالُوا لِجُلُودِهِمْ لِمَ شَهِدْتُمْ عَلَيْنَا ۖ قَالُوا أَنْطَقَنَا اللَّهُ الَّذِي أَنْطَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ خَلَقَكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

They will say: “Allah 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.” (Sura Fussilat, Verses 19-21) 

With respect to the reason for sealing the mouths and ordering the limbs to speak on the Day of Judgment, the commentators have given different reasons for this. Some have stated that this will occur since the unbelievers and mushrikeen (polytheists) will swear oaths that they did not commit shirk. They will say,

مَّ لَمْ تَكُنْ فِتْنَتُهُمْ إِلَّا أَنْ قَالُوا وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ

 ‘By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah.’ (Sura An’am, Verse 23) 

On account of this, Allah will seal their mouths so that their limbs can reveal the truth of what they did. Some commentators have stated that this state will come about so that those gathered on the Day of Judgment will recognize the wickedness and evil deeds of the wrongdoers and will separate themselves from them. 

Another explanation which has been given is that this will take place due to the fact that confessions made by the limbs which cannot speak, is stronger in evidence than confessions made by a limb that can speak. Thus, the speaking of the limbs of a person on the Day of Judgment shall be a greater testimony against him than his speaking with the tongue. Some have stated that the speaking of the limbs (besides the tongue) will show that the same limbs which were used by a person as a help for him in committing wrong deeds, shall become a witness against him for Allah on the Day of Judgment. (Tafseer Al Qurtubi, Vol.15, Pg.46, Maktaba Rasheediya, Queta, Pakistan)