Surah al-An`am (The Cattle) 6 : 130

Explanatory Note

The question here is not meant to seek information but to provide it and record the facts as they took place. God who is infinite in His Glory knows what their situation in this life was. Their answer to this question is simply an acknowledgement on their part that they deserve the punishment of the hereafter. 

This question is addressed to the jinn as well as humans. Does this mean that God has sent messengers to the jinn from among themselves, in the same way as He sent messengers to human beings? God alone knows the nature of this species of His creation, the jinn, who remain unknown to us human beings. However, the Qur’anic statement may be interpreted to mean that the jinn have been able to listen to the revelations sent down to God’s Messenger and to convey it to their people, warning them against continuing in their disbelief.

Anyhow, those of the jinn and humans who are addressed in this way recognize that the question is not meant to solicit information but to record it and to add an element of reproach for their attitude. Therefore, they make a full confession and state that they deserve the punishment they are bound to receive: “They will reply: ‘We bear witness against ourselves.’“ At this point we have a comment to make: “The life of this world has beguiled them. So they will bear witness against themselves that they were unbelievers.” This comment describes their situation in this life, lured on by pleasures, with an arrogance that has led them to be unbelievers. On the Day of Judgement, they testify against themselves because they realize that denial is of no use. Can there be any situation more miserable than to find oneself in a fix where one cannot say in one’s own defence even a word of denial, let alone a word of justification?

Let us reflect for a moment on the remarkable Qur’anic style which paints future events so that we can visualise them now, as if they were taking place in front of our very eyes. The Qur’an is revealed so that it is read to people in this life, in their own surroundings. But it portrays the scenes of the life to come as if they are taking place now, while scenes of this life belong to an era which has long since passed. In this way, we forget that the Day of Judgement is still to come. We feel that it is here, now. This is only made possible by the remarkable style of the Qur’an: “The life of this world has beguiled them. So they will bear witness against themselves that they were unbelievers.”