فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٍۭ بِشَهِيدٍ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَىٰ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ شَهِيدًا 41
Translations
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?
Transliteration
Fakayfa idha ji'na min kulli ummatinbishahidin wa ji'na bika alaa haula'i shahidan
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah depicts the scene of the Day of Judgment when Allah will bring forth a witness from every nation to testify against their people, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) will be the witness over the Muslim ummah. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this emphasizes the Prophet's role as a trustworthy witness to the deeds of his followers, and the accountability each community will face through their own prophets' testimonies on that day.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah An-Nisa's discussion of justice, trusteeship (amanah), and divine accountability. It connects thematically to the preceding verses about fulfilling trusts and treating orphans justly, reinforcing that all actions are witnessed and will be testified to on the Day of Judgment.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'I will be the first to rise from the grave on the Day of Resurrection, and I will be the first intercessor' (Sahih Muslim 194). Additionally, the hadith 'You (the Muslims) will be witnesses over the nations' (Sahih Bukhari 3441) relates to the concept of witnessing.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that their deeds are observed and will be testified to on the Day of Judgment, motivating righteous conduct in this life. It also affirms the special status and responsibility of Prophet Muhammad as the faithful witness for his ummah, encouraging Muslims to follow his example and teachings.