Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nahl Verse 89

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And (think of) the day We shall send to every people a witness from among them (to testify) against them, and We shall bring you (O prophet) as witness against these. And We have revealed to you the Book, an exposition of everything, and guidance, and mercy, and glad tidings for the Muslims.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹Consider, O  Prophet,˺ the Day We will call against every faith-community a witness of their own. And We will call you to be a witness against these ˹people of yours˺. We have revealed to you the Book as an explanation of all things, a guide, a mercy, and good news for those who ˹fully˺ submit.

Ruwwad Translation Center

On the Day when We raise up against every community a witness from among themselves, We will bring you [O Prophet] as a witness against these [people]. We have sent down to you the Book as an explanation of everything, and as a guidance, mercy and glad tidings for the Muslims.

A. J. Arberry

And the day We shall raise up from every nation a witness against them from amongst them, and We shall bring thee as a witness against those. And We have sent down on thee the Book making clear everything, and as a guidance and a mercy, and as good tidings to those who surrender.

Abdul Haleem

The day will come when We raise up in each community a witness against them, and We shall bring you [Prophet] as a witness against these people, for We have sent the Scripture down to you explaining everything, and as guidance and mercy and good news to those who devote themselves to God.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And beware a Day whereon We shall raise up in every community a witness regarding them from amongst them selves, and We shall bring thee as a witness regarding these. And We, have revealed unto thee the Book as an exposition of everything and as a guidance and mercy and glad tidings to the Muslims.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

One day We shall raise from all Peoples a witness against them, from amongst themselves; and We shall bring thee as a witness against these (thy people); and We have sent down to thee the Book explaining all things, a Guide, a Mercy, and Glad Tidings to Muslims.

Abul Ala Maududi

(O Muhammad), warn them of the coming of a Day when We shall bring forth a witness against them from each community and We shall bring you forth as a witness against them all; (and it is for that purpose that) We sent down the Book to you which makes everything clear, and serves as a guidance and mercy and glad tidings to those who have submitted to Allah.

Ahmed Ali

Remind them of the Day when We shall call from every people a witness against them, and make you a witness over them, for We have revealed to you the Book as an exposition of everything, and as guidance and grace and happy tidings for those who submit.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And the day when We will raise from every group, a witness from among them, in order to testify against them and will bring you O dear Prophet (Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) as a witness upon them all; and We have sent down this Qur’an upon you which is a clear explanation of all things, and a guidance and a mercy and glad tidings to the Muslims.

Ali Quli Qarai

The day We raise in every nation a witness against them from among themselves, We shall bring you as a witness against these. We have sent down the Book to you as a clarification of all things and as guidance, mercy and good news for the Muslims.

Ali Ünal

And on that Day We will raise up within every community a witness from among themselves (to testify) against them (that God’s Religion was communicated to them), and We will bring you (O Messenger) as a witness against those (whom your Message has reached). We have sent down on you the Book as an exposition of everything (that pertains to guidance and error and to the knowledge of good and evil, and to happiness and misery in both worlds), and guidance and mercy and glad tidings for the Muslims (those who have submitted themselves wholly to God.

Amatul Rahman Omar

(Beware of) the day when We shall raise from every people a witness who shall hail from among themselves and who shall testify against them. And We shall bring you (O Muhammad!) as a witness against (all) these. And (that is why) We have revealed to you this perfect Book explaining every (basic) thing and (which serves as) a guidance and a mercy, and (gives) good tidings to those who submit (to God).

English Literal

And a day/time, We send/resurrect/revive in every nation/generation a witness/testifier on them from themselves, and We came with you (as) a witness/testifier on those, and We descended on you The Book (a) clarification/explanation to every thing, and guidance, and mercy, and a good news to the Moslems/submitters/surrenderers.

Faridul Haque

And the day when We will raise from every group, a witness from among them, in order to testify against them and will bring you O dear Prophet (Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him) as a witness upon them all; and We have sent down this Qur’an upon you which is a clear explanation of all things, and a guidance and a mercy and glad tidings to the Muslims.

Hamid S. Aziz

And on the day when We will raise up in every nation a witness against them from among themselves, and We will bring you (Muhammad) as a witness against these (your people or the other witnesses); for We have revealed (sent down) to you a Book (Scripture) expounding all things clearly, and a guidance, and a mercy, and glad tidings for those who have Surrendered unto Allah (Muslims).

Hilali & Khan

And (remember) the Day when We shall raise up from every nation a witness against them from amongst themselves. And We shall bring you (O Muhammad SAW) as a witness against these. And We have sent down to you the Book (the Quran) as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for those who have submitted themselves (to Allah as Muslims).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Those who disbelieve and hinder (men) from Allah’s way, We will add chastisement to their chastisement because they made mischief.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And on the day when We will raise up in every people a witness against them from among themselves, and bring you as a witness against these-- and We have revealed the Book to you explaining clearly everything, and a guidance and mercy and good news for those who submit.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And (bethink you of) the day when We raise in every nation a witness against them of their own folk, and We bring thee (Muhammad) as a witness against these. And We reveal the Scripture unto thee as an exposition of all things, and a guidance and a mercy and good tidings for those who have surrendered (to Allah).

Muhammad Sarwar

On the day when We call a witness against every nation from their own people, We will call you, (Muhammad), as a witness against them all. We have sent you the Book which clarifies all matters. It is a guide, a mercy, and glad news to the Muslims.

Qaribullah & Darwish

And on that Day We shall raise up from every nation a witness from their own against them, and We shall bring you (Prophet Muhammad) as a witness against those. And We have sent down to you the Book making everything clear, as a guidance, and mercy, and glad tidings to those who submit.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And on the Day when We resurrect a witness from each nation from among themselves, and We bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against these. And We have revealed the Book (the Qur'an) to you as an explanation of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and good news for the Muslims.

Wahiduddin Khan

The Day will come when We raise up in every people a witness against them from amongst themselves, and We will bring you as a witness against these people. We have sent down the Book to you to make everything clear, a guidance, and a mercy, and glad tidings for those who submit to God.

Talal Itani

On the Day when We raise in every community a witness against them, from among them, and bring you as a witness against these. We have revealed to you the Book, as an explanation of all things, and guidance, and mercy and good news for those who submit.

Tafsir jalalayn

And, mention, the day We shall raise up from every community a witness against them from among themselves, and this will be their [that community's] prophet, and We shall bring you, O Muhammad (s), as a witness against these, namely, your people. And We have revealed to you the Book, the Qur'n, as a clarification of all things, that people [might] need concerning the Law, and as a guidance, from error, and a mercy and good tidings, of Paradise, to those who submit, [those who] affirm the Oneness [of God].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Every Prophet will bear Witness against his Nation on the Day of Resurrection

Allah addressed His servant and Messenger Muhammad, saying;

وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْهِم مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَجِيْنَا بِكَ شَهِيدًا عَلَى هَـوُلاء

And on the Day when We resurrect a witness from each nation from among themselves, and We bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against these),

meaning, your Ummah.

The Ayah means;remember that Day and its terrors, and the great honor and high position that Allah has bestowed upon you.

This is like the Ayah with which Abdullah bin Mas`ud ended when he recited to the Messenger of Allah from the beginning of Surah An-Nisa'. When he reached the Ayah;

فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِيْنَا مِن كُلِّ أمَّةٍ بِشَهِيدٍ وَجِيْنَا بِكَ عَلَى هَـوُلاءِ 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! (4;41)

the Messenger of Allah said to him;

حَسْبُك

Enough.

Ibn Mas`ud said;

"I turned to him and saw his eyes streaming with tears."
The Qur'an explains Everything

Allah says;

وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِّكُلِّ شَيْءٍ

(And We revealed the Book (the Qur'an) to you as an explanation of everything,) Ibn Mas`ud said;"﴿Allah﴾ made it clear that in this Qur'an there is complete knowledge and about everything." The Qur'an contains all kinds of beneficial knowledge, such as reports of what happened in the past, information about what is yet to come, what is lawful and unlawful, and what people need to know about their worldly affairs, their religion, their livelihood in this world, and their destiny in the Hereafter.

وَهُدًى

a guidance,

means, for their hearts.

وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ



a mercy, and good news for the Muslims.

Al-Awza`i said;
وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِّكُلِّ شَيْءٍ
(And We have revealed the Book (the Qur'an) as an explanation of everything),

meaning, with the Sunnah. The is the reason why the phrase,
وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ
(And We have revealed the Book to you), is mentioned immediately after the phrase,

وَجِيْنَا بِكَ شَهِيدًا عَلَى هَـوُلاء

And We shall bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against these.

the meaning - and Allah knows best - is that the One Who obligated you to convey the Book which He revealed to you, will also ask you about that on the Day of Resurrection.

فَلَنَسْـَلَنَّ الَّذِينَ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَنَسْـَلَنَّ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

Then We shall indeed question those (people) to whom it (the Book) was sent and We shall indeed question the Messengers. (7;6)

فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَسْـَلَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

عَمَّا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ

So by your Lord We question them all about what they did. (15;92-92)

يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُ اللَّهُ الرُّسُلَ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَا أُجِبْتُمْ قَالُواْ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَأ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلَّـمُ الْغُيُوبِ

On the Day when Allah gathers the Messengers together and says to them;"What was the response you received (to your Message)!"

They will say;"We have no knowledge, indeed only You are the Knower of all that is hidden." (5;109)

And Allah says;

إِنَّ الَّذِى فَرَضَ عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْءَانَ لَرَادُّكَ إِلَى مَعَادٍ

Verily, He Who obligated the Qur'an upon you (O Muhammad) will surely bring you back to the return. (28;85)

meaning, the One Who gave you the obligation of conveying the Qur'an will bring you back to Him, and your return will be on the Day of Resurrection, and He will question you about you commission of the duty He gave you.

This is one of the opinions, and it presents a good understanding of it