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13 Jumada al-awwal 1448 AH Saturday, 24 October 2026
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An-Nisa 4:41

Word by word

فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٍۭ بِشَهِيدٍ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَىٰ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ شَهِيدًا

So how [will it be] when We bring from every nation a witness and We bring you, [O Muḥammad], against these [people] as a witness?

Ibn Kathir (Abridged)

Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Allah Wrongs Not Even the Weight of a Speck of Dust

Allah states that He does not treat any of His servants with injustice on the Day of Resurrection, be it the weight of a mustard seed or a speck of dust. Rather, Allah shall reward them for this action and multiply it, if it were a good deed. For instance, Allah said,وَنَضَعُ الْمَوَزِينَ الْقِسْطَ(And We shall set up balances of justice) Allah said that Luqman said,يبُنَىَّ إِنَّهَآ إِن تَكُ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِّنْ خَرْدَلٍ فَتَكُنْ فِى صَخْرَةٍ أَوْ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ أَوْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ يَأْتِ بِهَا اللَّهُ(O my son! If it be (anything) equal to the weight of a mustard seed, and though it be in a rock, or in the heavens or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth). Allah said,يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصْدُرُ النَّاسُ أَشْتَاتاً لِّيُرَوْاْ أَعْمَـلَهُمْ - فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْراً يَرَهُ - وَمَن يَعْـمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرّاً يَرَهُ(That Day mankind will proceed in scattered groups that they may be shown their deeds. So whosoever does good equal to the weight of a speck of dust shall see it.

And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of a speck of dust shall see it.) The Two Sahihs recorded the long Hadith about the intercession that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri narrated, and in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,«فَيَقُولُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: ارْجِعُوا، فَمَنْ وَجَدْتُمْ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةِ خَرْدَلٍ مِنْ إِيمَانٍ، فَأَخْرِجُوهُ مِنَ النَّار»(Allah then says, "Go back, and take out of the Fire everyone in whose heart you find the weight of a mustard seed of faith") In another narration, Allah says, وفي لفظ:«أَدْنَى أَدْنَى أَدْنَى مِثْقَالِ ذَرَّةٍ مِنْ إِيمَانٍ، فَأَخْرِجُوهُ مِنَ النَّارِ، فَيُخْرِجُونَ خَلْقًا كَثِيرًا»("Whosoever had the least, least, least speck of faith, take him out of the Fire," and they will take out many people.) Abu Sa`id then said, "Read, if you will,إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَظْلِمُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ(Surely! Allah wrongs not even of the weight of a speck of dust)."Will Punishment be Diminished for the Disbelievers

Sa`id bin Jubayr commented about Allah's statement,وَإِن تَكُ حَسَنَةً يُضَـعِفْهَا(but if there is any good (done), He doubles it,) "As for the disbeliever, his punishment will be lessened for him on the Day of Resurrection, but he will never depart the Fire." He used as evidence the authentic Hadith in which Al-`Abbas said, "O Messenger of Allah! Your uncle Abu Talib used to protect and support you, did you benefit him at all" The Messenger ﷺ said,«نَعَمْ هُوَ فِي ضَحْضَاحٍ مِنْ نَارٍ، وَلَوْلَا أَنَا، لَكَانَ فِي الدَّرْكِ الْأَسْفَلِ مِنَ النَّار»(Yes. He is in a shallow area in Hell-fire, and were it not for me, he would have been in the deepest depths of the Fire.) However, this Hadith only applies to Abu Talib, not the rest of the disbelievers.

To support this, we mention what Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded in his Musnad that Anas said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,«إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَظْلِمُ الْمُؤْمِنَ حَسَنَةً، يُثَابُ عَلَيْهَا الرِّزْقَ فِي الدُّنْيَا، وَيُجْزَى بِهَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ، وَأَمَّا الْكَافِرُ فَيُطْعَمُ بِهَا فِي الدُّنْيَا، فَإِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ حَسَنَة»(Allah does not wrong the faithful even concerning one good action, for he will be rewarded for it by provision in this life and awarded for it in the Hereafter. As for the disbeliever, he will be provided provision in this life for his good action, and on the Day of Resurrection, he will not have any good deed.)What Does `Great Reward' Mean

Abu Hurayrah, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak said that Allah's statement,وَيُؤْتِ مِن لَّدُنْهُ أَجْراً عَظِيماً(and gives from Him a great reward.) refers to Paradise. We ask Allah for His pleasure and Paradise. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu `Uthman An-Nahdi said, "No other person accompanied Abu Hurayrah more than I. One year, he went to Hajj before me, and I found the people of Al-Basrah saying that he narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying,«إِنَّ اللهَ يُضَاعِفُ الْحَسَنَةَ أَلْفَ أَلْفِ حَسَنَة»(Allah rewards the good deed with a million deeds.) So I said, `Woe to you! No person accompanied Abu Hurayrah more than I, and I never heard him narrate this Hadith!' When I wanted to meet him, I found that he had left for Hajj so I followed him to Hajj to ask him about this Hadith." Ibn Abi Hatim also recorded this Hadith using another chain of narration leading to Abu `Uthman. In this narration, Abu `Uthman said, "I said, `O Abu Hurayrah!

I heard my brethren in Al-Basrah claim that you narrated that you heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying,«إِنَّ اللهَ يَجْزِي بِالْحَسَنَةِ أَلْفَ أَلْفِ حَسَنَة»(Allah rewards the good deed with a million deeds.) Abu Hurayrah said, `By Allah! I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying,«إِنَّ اللهَ يَجْزِي بِالْحَسَنَةِ أَلْفَيْ أَلْفِ حَسَنَة»(Allah rewards the good deed with two million deeds.) He then recited this Ayah,فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ(But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world as compared to the Hereafter)."Our Prophet will be a Witness Against, or For his Ummah on the Dayof Resurrection, When the Disbelievers Will Wish for Death

Allah said,فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِن كُلِّ أمَّةٍ بِشَهِيدٍ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَى هَـؤُلاءِ شَهِيداً(How (will it be) then, when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against these people) Allah describes the horrors, hardships and difficulties of the Day of Resurrection, saying, how would it be on that Day when there will be a witness from every nation, meaning the Prophets, just as Allah said;وَأَشْرَقَتِ الاٌّرْضُ بِنُورِ رَبِّهَا وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَـبُ وَجِـىءَ بِالنَّبِيِّيْنَ وَالشُّهَدَآءِ(And the earth will shine with the light of its Lord, and the Book will be placed (open); and the Prophets and the witnesses will be brought forward), and,وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْهِمْ مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ(And (remember) the Day when We shall raise up from every nation a witness against them from amongst themselves). Al-Bukhari recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, `Recite to me.' I said, `O Messenger of Allah!

Should I recite (the Qur'an) to you, while it was revealed to you' He said, `Yes, for I like to hear it from other people.' I recited Surat An-Nisa' until I reached this Ayah,فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِن كُلِّ أمَّةٍ بِشَهِيدٍ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَى هَـؤُلاءِ شَهِيداً(How (will it be) then, when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against these people) He then said, `Stop now.' I found that his eyes were tearful." Allah's statement,يَوْمَئِذٍ يَوَدُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَعَصَوُاْ الرَّسُولَ لَوْ تُسَوَّى بِهِمُ الاٌّرْضُ وَلاَ يَكْتُمُونَ اللَّهَ حَدِيثاً(On that day those who disbelieved and disobeyed the Messenger will wish that they were buried in the earth, but they will never be able to hide a single fact from Allah.) means, they will wish that the earth would open up and swallow them because of the horror of the gathering place and the disgrace, dishonor and humiliation they will suffer on that Day.

This is similar to Allah's statement,يَوْمَ يَنظُرُ الْمَرْءُ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ(The Day when man will see that (the deeds) which his hands have sent forth) Allah then said,وَلاَ يَكْتُمُونَ اللَّهَ حَدِيثاً(but they will never be able to hide a single fact from Allah.) indicating that they will admit to everything they did and will not hide any of it.

`Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Sa`id bin Jubayr said, "A man came to Ibn `Abbas and said to him, `There are things that confuse me in the Qur'an.' Ibn `Abbas said, `What things do you have doubts about in the Qur'an' He said, `Not doubts, but rather confusing things.' Ibn `Abbas said, `Tell me what caused you confusion.' He said, `I hear Allah's statement,ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُنْ فِتْنَتُهُمْ إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ(There will then be no test for them but to say: "By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah.") but He also says,وَلاَ يَكْتُمُونَ اللَّهَ حَدِيثاً(but they will never be able to hide a single fact from Allah.) They have indeed hid something.' Ibn `Abbas said, `As for Allah's statement,ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُنْ فِتْنَتُهُمْ إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ(There will then be no test for them but to say: "By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah."), when they see that on the Day of Resurrection that Allah does not forgive, except for the people of Islam, and that He forgives the sins, no matter how big they are, except Shirk, then the Mushriks will lie.

They will say,وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ("By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah."), hoping that Allah will forgive them. However, Allah will then seal their mouths, and their hands and feet will disclose what they used to do. Then,يَوَدُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَعَصَوُاْ الرَّسُولَ لَوْ تُسَوَّى بِهِمُ الاٌّرْضُ وَلاَ يَكْتُمُونَ اللَّهَ حَدِيثاً(those who disbelieved and disobeyed the Messenger will wish that they were buried in the earth, but they will never be able to hide a single fact from Allah. )"'

Ma'arif al-Qur'an

Mufti Muhammad Shafi

In the verse (41) beginning with: فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ , there is an invitation to visualize, in range and depth, the gravity of what will happen on the site of the Last Day. Also intended is an admonition to the disbelievers from the tribe of Quraysh. Their anxiety would know no bounds when every prophet of every community would appear as a witness to the good or bad deeds of his respective community on the Last Day - and Muhammad ﷺ too, the last of the prophets, will appear as a witness over his community - and he would give witness in the Divine Court particularly about such disbelievers and polytheists declaring that these people saw open signs and miracles, yet they belied and rejected them and ultimately refused to believe in 'The Divinity and my Prophethood'.

According to a narration in al-Bukhari, the Holy Prophet ﷺ asked

Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Masud ؓ to recite the Qur'an to him. Sayyidna ` Abdullah ؓ said : 'You want to hear it from me, although the Qur'an was revealed to you?' He ﷺ said: 'Yes. Recite.' Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Masud ؓ says: 'I started reciting Suratun-Nisa' and when I reached the verse: فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ بِشَهِيدٍ (41), he said: "Enough for now;" and when I raised my eyes to look at him, I saw tears trickling from his blessed eyes.'` Allama al-Qastalani (رح) writes: This verse caused a full view of the Akhirah to be present before his eyes and he thought about the people of his community who were short on or lacking in good deeds and that was why tears started flowing from his eyes.

Special Note:Some commentators, have said that the word, هَـٰؤُلَاءِ (them), in this verse (41) points to the disbelievers and hypocrites present during the age of prophethood. Some others say that it refers to the entire community right through the Day of Doom. This is so because, as indicated in some hadith narrations, the deeds of his community are being continuously presented before him. Nevertheless, from here we know that the prophets of past communities will appear as witnesses over their respective communities and that the Holy Prophet ﷺ too will testify to the deeds of his community. This textual style of the noble Qur'an tells us that there is to be no prophet after him who could appear as a witness over a possible community of his - otherwise, the Qur'an would have mentioned him and his community and the testimony he would give. Seen from this angle, this verse is a proof of the finality of prophethood as well.

Tafsir Muyassar

Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Saudi Arabia

فكيف يكون حال الناس يوم القيامة، إذا جاء الله من كل أمة برسولها ليشهد عليها بما عملت، وجاء بك -أيها الرسول- لتكون شهيدًا على أمتك أنك بلغتهم رسالة ربِّك؟

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Hafiz Ibn Kathir

وقوله : ( فكيف إذا جئنا من كل أمة بشهيد وجئنا بك على هؤلاء شهيدا ) يقول تعالى - مخبرا عن هول يوم القيامة وشدة أمره وشأنه : فكيف يكون الأمر والحال يوم القيامة وحين يجيء من كل أمة بشهيد - يعني الأنبياء عليهم السلام ؟ كما قال تعالى : ( وأشرقت الأرض بنور ربها ووضع الكتاب وجيء بالنبيين والشهداء [ وقضي بينهم بالحق وهم لا يظلمون ] ) [ الزمر : 69 ] وقال تعالى : ( ويوم نبعث في كل أمة شهيدا عليهم من أنفسهم [ وجئنا بك شهيدا على هؤلاء ونزلنا عليك الكتاب تبيانا لكل شيء وهدى ورحمة وبشرى للمسلمين ] ) [ النحل : 89 ] .قال البخاري : حدثنا محمد بن يوسف ، حدثنا سفيان ، عن الأعمش ، عن إبراهيم ، عن عبيدة ، عن عبد الله بن مسعود قال : قال لي النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم " اقرأ علي " قلت : يا رسول الله ، أقرأ عليك وعليك أنزل ؟ قال : " نعم ، إني أحب أن أسمعه من غيري " فقرأت سورة النساء ، حتى أتيت إلى هذه الآية : ( فكيف إذا جئنا من كل أمة بشهيد وجئنا بك على هؤلاء شهيدا ) قال : " حسبك الآن " فإذا عيناه تذرفان .ورواه هو ومسلم أيضا من حديث الأعمش ، به وقد روي من طرق متعددة عن ابن مسعود ، فهو مقطوع به عنه .

ورواه أحمد من طريق أبي حيان ، وأبي رزين ، عنه .وقال ابن أبي حاتم : حدثنا أبو بكر بن أبي الدنيا ، حدثنا الصلت بن مسعود الجحدري ، حدثنا فضيل بن سليمان ، حدثنا يونس بن محمد بن فضالة الأنصاري ، عن أبيه قال - وكان أبي ممن صحب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم : أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أتاهم في بني ظفر ، فجلس على الصخرة التي في بني ظفر اليوم ، ومعه ابن مسعود ومعاذ بن جبل وناس من أصحابه ، فأمر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قارئا فقرأ ، فأتى على هذه الآية : ( فكيف إذا جئنا من كل أمة بشهيد وجئنا بك على هؤلاء شهيدا ) فبكى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم حتى اضطرب لحياه وجنباه ، فقال : " يا رب هذا شهدت على من أنا بين ظهريه ، فكيف بمن لم أره ؟

" .وقال ابن جرير : حدثني عبد الله بن محمد الزهري ، حدثنا سفيان ، عن المسعودي ، عن جعفر بن عمرو بن حريث عن أبيه عن عبد الله - هو ابن مسعود - ( فكيف إذا جئنا من كل أمة بشهيد ) قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " شهيد عليهم ما دمت فيهم ، فإذا توفيتني كنت أنت الرقيب عليهم " .وأما ما ذكره أبو عبد الله القرطبي في " التذكرة " حيث قال : باب ما جاء في شهادة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم على أمته : قال : أخبرنا ابن المبارك ، أخبرنا رجل من الأنصار ، عن المنهال بن عمرو ، حدثه أنه سمع سعيد بن المسيب يقول : ليس من يوم إلا تعرض على النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أمته غدوة وعشية ، فيعرفهم بأسمائهم وأعمالهم ، فلذلك يشهد عليهم ، يقول الله تعالى : ( فكيف إذا جئنا من كل أمة بشهيد وجئنا بك على هؤلاء شهيدا ) فإنه أثر ، وفيه انقطاع ، فإن فيه رجلا مبهما لم يسم ، وهو من كلام سعيد بن المسيب لم يرفعه . وقد قبله القرطبي فقال بعد إيراده : [ قد تقدم ] أن الأعمال تعرض على الله كل يوم اثنين وخميس ، وعلى الأنبياء والآباء والأمهات يوم الجمعة .

قال : ولا تعارض ، فإنه يحتمل أن يخص نبينا بما يعرض عليه كل يوم ، ويوم الجمعة مع الأنبياء ، عليهم السلام .وقوله ( يومئذ يود الذين كفروا وعصوا الرسول لو تسوى بهم الأرض ) أي : لو انشقت وبلعتهم ، مما يرون من أهوال الموقف ، وما يحل بهم من الخزي والفضيحة والتوبيخ ، كقوله : ( يوم ينظر المرء ما قدمت يداه [ ويقول الكافر يا ليتني كنت ترابا ] ) وقوله ( ولا يكتمون الله حديثا ) أخبر عنهم بأنهم يعترفون بجميع ما فعلوه ، ولا يكتمون منه شيئا .قال ابن جرير : حدثنا ابن حميد ، حدثنا حكام ، حدثنا عمرو ، عن مطرف ، عن بن عمرو ، عن سعيد بن جبير قال : أتى رجل ابن عباس فقال : سمعت الله ، عز وجل ، يقول - يعني إخبارا عن المشركين يوم القيامة أنهم قالوا - : ( والله ربنا ما كنا مشركين ) [ الأنعام : 23 ] وقال في الآية الأخرى : ( ولا يكتمون الله حديثا ) فقال ابن العباس : أما قوله : ( والله ربنا ما كنا مشركين ) فإنهم لما رأوا أنه لا يدخل الجنة إلا أهل الإسلام قالوا : تعالوا فلنجحد ، فقالوا : ( والله ربنا ما كنا مشركين ) فختم الله على أفواههم ، وتكلمت أيديهم وأرجلهم ( ولا يكتمون الله حديثا )وقال عبد الرزاق : أخبرنا معمر ، عن رجل عن المنهال بن عمرو ، عن سعيد بن جبير قال : جاء رجل إلى ابن عباس فقال : أشياء تختلف علي في القرآن .

قال : ما هو ؟ أشك في القرآن ؟ قال : ليس هو بالشك . ولكن اختلاف . قال : فهات ما اختلف عليك من ذلك . قال : أسمع الله يقول : ( ثم لم تكن فتنتهم إلا أن قالوا والله ربنا ما كنا مشركين ) [ الأنعام : 23 ] وقال ( ولا يكتمون الله حديثا ) ; فقد كتموا ! فقال ابن عباس : أما قوله : ( ثم لم تكن فتنتهم إلا أن قالوا والله ربنا ما كنا مشركين ) فإنهم لما رأوا يوم القيامة أن الله لا يغفر إلا لأهل الإسلام ويغفر الذنوب ولا يغفر شركا ، ولا يتعاظمه ذنب أن يغفره ، جحد المشركون ، فقالوا : ( والله ربنا ما كنا مشركين ) ; رجاء أن يغفر لهم . فختم الله على أفواههم ، وتكلمت أيديهم وأرجلهم بما كانوا يعملون ، فعند ذلك : ( يود الذين كفروا وعصوا الرسول لو تسوى بهم الأرض ولا يكتمون الله حديثا )

Tafsir is provided for educational reference. Paragraph breaks are added for readability — the wording of each commentary is unchanged. For religious guidance, consult a qualified scholar.