Questioning of prophets; testimony of witnesses; giving of the scrolls of deeds in the right and left hands and some circumstances of Qiyamah.

The Almighty Allah says:

يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُ اللَّهُ الرُّسُلَ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَا أُجِبْتُمْ قَالُوا لَا عِلْمَ لَنَا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ

“On the day when Allah will assemble the apostles, then say: What answer were you given? They shall say: We have no knowledge, surely, Thou art the great Knower of the unseen things” (5:109).

And He said:

فَلَنَسْأَلَنَّ الَّذِينَ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَنَسْأَلَنَّ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

“Most certainly then We will question those to whom (the apostles) were sent, and most certainly We will also question the apostles” (7:6).

فَلَنَقُصَّنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ بِعِلْمٍ وَمَا كُنَّا غَائِبِينَ

“Then most certainly We will relate to them with knowledge, and We were not absent” (7:7).

And He said:

وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا ثُمَّ لَا يُؤْذَنُ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَلَا هُمْ يُسْتَعْتَبُونَ

“And on the day when We will raise up a witness out of every nation, then shall no permission be given to those who disbelieve, nor shall they be made to solicit favour” (16:84).

And He said:

فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ بِشَهِيدٍ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَىٰ هَٰؤُلَاءِ شَهِيدًا

“How will it be, then, when We bring from every people a witness and bring you as a witness against these?” (4:41).

And He said:

وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ شَهِيدًا عَلَىٰ هَٰؤُلَاءِ وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ

“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” (16:89).

And He said:

يَوْمَ تَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ وَأَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

“On the day when their tongues and their hands and their feet shall bear witness against them as to what they did” (24:24).

The giving of the scroll of deeds of the delivered people in the right hand and that of the condemned in their left hand is mentioned in many traditions.

It is narrated through correct chains of narrators in the interpretation of this verse that: The prophets are questioned about the conduct of their respective nations regarding their successors. They reply: We don’t know, what they did with our successors.

‘Ali Ibn Ibrahim has narrated through apparently correct chains of narrators from Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (‘a) in the interpretation of this verse:

يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُ اللَّهُ الرُّسُلَ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَا أُجِبْتُمْ قَالُوا لَا عِلْمَ لَنَا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ

“On the day when Allah will assemble the apostles, then say: What answer were you given? They shall say: We have no knowledge, surely, Thou art the great Knower of the unseen things” (5:109).

That is, we have no knowledge about their conduct with our successors.

The Imam (‘a) said: On Judgment Day, people will be gathered for accounting; terrors will pass over that day, and they will not reach the plain of gathering, except after bearing great hardships. Then they will be made to stand before the ‘Arsh and the Almighty Allah will address them. And the first to be summoned through a call heard by all creatures is His Eminence, Muhammad Ibn Abdullah, the Qarshi and Arab prophet. He will made to stand at the right side of the ‘Arsh.

After that your Imam, that is His Eminence, ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a) will be summoned. He will stand to the right of the Messenger of Allah (S). Then all Imams from the progeny of the Holy Prophet (S) will be summoned along with the whole Ummah. They will be made to stand to the right of Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a). After that each prophet will be summoned along with his community and made to stand at the right side of the ‘Arsh.

Then the first to be summoned for interrogation will be the Pen (Qalam). It will arrive in human form and stand before the ‘Arsh. The Almighty Allah will ask: Did you write on the Tablet (Lawh) all that I inspired you? The Pen will reply: O Lord, You know that I have written everything You inspired to me. Almighty Allah will ask: Who will testify your claim? The Pen will say: O Lord, can anyone among Your creatures be informed of Your exclusive secret? The Almighty Allah will say: You have exhausted your argument.

Then the Tablet (Lawh) will be summoned. It will also arrive in human form and stand beside the Pen. Allah will ask: Did the Pen write on you all that I inspired it? The Tablet will say: Yes, my Lord, I have conveyed all of it to Israfil.

Now Israfil will be summoned, and he will also come in human form and stand to the side of the Pen and Tablet. The Almighty Allah will ask: Did the Tablet convey to you all it was supposed to? Israfil will reply: Yes, my Lord, I conveyed all of it to Jibra’il.

Then Jibra’il will be summoned, and he will appear and stand besides Israfil. The Almighty Allah will ask: Did Israfil convey to you all what he was supposed to? Jibra’il will reply: Yes, my Lord, I have conveyed all of it to Your messengers and prophets. I delivered Your messages, revelations, and books to all Your prophets and after them all I conveyed everything to His Eminence, Muhammad Ibn Abdullah, the Arab and the Quraishite and Your beloved.

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (‘a) said: The first to be summoned for questioning will be His Eminence, Muhammad Ibn Abdullah. The Almighty Allah will accommodate him near His ‘Arsh and that day no one would be as proximate and as honoured to God as he would. Has Jibra’il delivered to you all I had commanded him to like, knowledge, wisdom, and revelation? The Messenger of Allah (S) will reply: Yes, my Lord, he delivered to me all the knowledge, wisdom and revelation You had commanded him to.

The Almighty Allah will ask His Eminence, Muhammad (S): Did you convey to your Ummah what Jibra’il brought to you from My knowledge and Book? The Holy Prophet (S) will reply: Yes, my Lord, I delivered to my Ummah, the Book and knowledge that Jibra’il revealed to me from You. I strived in Your way.

The Almighty Allah will ask: Who will verify your assertions? The Holy Prophet (S) will say: You have Yourself witnessed the deliverance of the message; moreover, Your angels and the righteous from my Ummah will also vouch for it. Then the angels will be summoned, and they will verify that the Holy Prophet (S) had indeed delivered the message, which was entrusted to him. Then his Ummah will be summoned, and it will also testify that he had indeed delivered the message.

Then the Almighty Allah will ask the Prophet: Did you appoint anyone as your successor in your Ummah, who may establish My knowledge and wisdom among them and explain My Book to them, to explain to them what they will differ in after you, and also be the Divine Proof and Caliph on the earth?

The Messenger of Allah (S) will reply: Yes, my Lord, I appointed as Caliph, ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a), my brother, successor, vicegerent, and the best of my Ummah. I appointed him during my lifetime, so that he might become signpost of guidance and I invited all to his obedience. I appointed him as my Caliph, so that he might be the Imam and leader of the Ummah till Judgment Day.

Then ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a) will be summoned and asked: Did Muhammad make a bequest to you and appoint you as his Caliphate in the Ummah to be the sign of the path of guidance? Did you occupy his position after him?

Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) will say: Yes, my Lord, His Eminence, Muhammad (S) did make a bequest to me and appointed me as his Caliph in the Ummah, but when You called him to Yourself, his Ummah denied and deceived me; they rendered me weak and had almost killed me. They gave precedence to one, whom You had relegated and relegated one, whom You had given precedence. They did not accept my statements and did not obey me. Thus, I strived against them as per Your command, till they martyred me.

Then Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) will be asked: Did you leave someone as Caliph on the earth, so that he may call people to My religion and My obedience and guidance?

Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) will reply: Yes, my Lord, I left Hasan, my son and grandson of Your Prophet.

Then Imam al-Hasan (‘a) will be summoned and asked the same questions as Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) was asked. Then each Imam will be summoned one after the other and his proof will be exhausted on the people of his Ummah. Then the Almighty Allah will accept their justification.

Then Allah will say:

هَٰذَا يَوْمُ يَنْفَعُ الصَّادِقِينَ صِدْقُهُمْ

“This is the day when their truth shall benefit the truthful ones” (5:119).

Al-Kulayni has narrated that on Judgment Day the Almighty Allah will gather all the creatures and the first to be summoned will be Prophet Nuh (‘a). He will be asked if he had discharged the duty of messengership. He will reply in the positive. He will be asked, who can vouch for his statement. He will reply: His Eminence, Muhammad Ibn Abdullah (S).

Then Nuh (‘a) will emerge from there and stepping over the heads of people come to Prophet Muhammad (S). His Eminence will be seated on a hillock of Musk and Imam ‘Ali (‘a) will be there in his company. This is the meaning of the following verse of the Holy Qur’an:

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ زُلْفَةً سِيئَتْ وُجُوهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَقِيلَ هَٰذَا الَّذِي كُنْتُمْ بِهِ تَدَّعُونَ

“But when they shall see it nigh, the faces of those who disbelieve shall be sorry, and it shall be said; This is what you used to call for” (67:27).

Nuh (‘a) will say: O Muhammad, the Almighty Allah is asking me to provide witness for deliverance of message. The Messenger of Allah (S) will say: O Ja’far and Hamza, go both of you and testify in favour of Nuh (‘a); that he had indeed delivered the message of God.

Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) said: Thus, Ja’far Tayyar and Hamza, uncle of the Prophet, will testify in favour of Nuh (‘a) that he had indeed delivered the message of God.

The narrator asked: May I be sacrificed on you, where will Imam ‘Ali (‘a) be at that time? He replied: The rank of Imam ‘Ali (‘a) is much more exalted that he should be sent as a witness.

The author says: The summoning of Prophet Nuh (‘a) first, is perhaps in relation to all prophets after summoning of the Prophet (S) and his successors (‘a).

Ayyashi has narrated from Imam Zayn al-’Abidin (‘a) that Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) said: On Judgment Day, the balances will be installed, and prophets and witnesses will be presented and the witnesses are the Imams; each Imam will testify for the people of his time, to whom he was appointed by the command of Allah and whom he guided to the path of Allah.

Al-Kulayni has narrated from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) in the interpretation of the verse:

فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ بِشَهِيدٍ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَىٰ هَٰؤُلَاءِ شَهِيدًا

“How will it be, then, when We bring from every people a witness and bring you as a witness against these?” (4:41).

This verse is only revealed with regard to the Ummah of Muhammad. There is an Imam from us for every period of this Ummah, who is the witness over them and His Eminence, Muhammad is witness on us.

There are many traditions of this meaning that the people of every age are presented with the Imam of their time and the people, who are testified for by their Imams get deliverance. The deniers and opponents are condemned to Hell based on his testimony.

Shaykh Tusi (r.a.) has mentioned in Majalis through correct chains of narrators that people asked Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) about the interpretation of the verse:

قُلْ فَلِلَّهِ الْحُجَّةُ الْبَالِغَةُ

“Say: Then Allah’s is the conclusive argument” (6:149).

The Iam (‘a) said: On Judgment Day, the Almighty Allah says to His servant: Were you aware? If he says: Yes, He says: Then why have you not practiced? If he says: I was ignorant, He says: Why did you not seek knowledge? Thus, the divine proof is exhausted on him, and this is the Hujjat Baligha of Allah on the creatures.

Al-Kulayni has narrated through reliable chains of narrators that Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) said: A person from you, that is from the righteous or Shi’a, who lives in a locality. The Almighty Allah deems him to be the proof on his neighbours and tells them:

Was so and so person not among you; did you not hear his discourse; did his wails at night not reach your ears? Thus, he is the proof of Allah. Almighty Allah says regarding the details of Qiyamah:

وَإِذَا الصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتْ

“And when the books are spread” (81:10).

‘Ali Ibn Ibrahim has said that scrolls imply the deeds of people.

Ayyashi has narrated from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) that on Judgment Day, each person will be given the scroll of his deeds and he would be told to read it. The Almighty Allah will remind him of all his deeds, including glancing, speaking, writing, or taking a step, in such a way, as if he has done at that very moment. He will say: Woe on us, what a scroll is this? That it has neither left out a greater nor a lesser sin.

‘Ali Ibn Ibrahim has narrated in the interpretation of the verse:

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

“Until when they come to it, their ears and their eyes and their skins shall bear witness against them as to what they did” (41:20).

That when they will arrive in Qiyamah, their ears, eyes, and their skin will testify for their acts.

‘Ali Ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) that skin implies their private parts. And this verse is revealed about those, who when reminded of their acts, they deny them and say that they have not done it. At that time their recording angels testify against them. Imam (‘a) said: The unbelievers say: O Allah, these are Your angels and they testify for You. Then they swear in the name of Allah and deny their acts, as the Almighty Allah has said:

يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا فَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ كَمَا يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ عَلَىٰ شَيْءٍ أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُونَ

“On the day that Allah will raise them up all, then they will swear to Him as they swear to you, and they think that they have something; now, surely they are the liar.” (58:18).

These are the ones, who usurped the rights of Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a). At that time the Almighty Allah seals their mouths and their organs turn vocal. The ear testifies their hearing that, which is deemed unlawful by Allah; the eye testifies their seeing what was deemed unlawful by Allah; the hands testify their doing what they did; legs testify about their effort to commit unlawful; the private parts testify about what it has committed unlawfully. Then the Almighty Allah makes their tongues speak.

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

“And they shall say to their skins: Why have you borne witness against us? They shall say: Allah Who makes everything speak has made us speak, and He created you at first, and to Him you shall be brought back” (41:21).

Al-Kulayni has narrated through reliable chains of narrators from Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (‘a) that organs do not testify against the believers; on the contrary, they testify against one, on whom divine chastisement is confirmed.

Ayyashi has narrated that a person came to Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) and he was claiming defects in the Holy Qur’an; among his objections was: On one occasion, the Almighty Allah has said:

لَا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابًا

“They shall not speak except he whom the Beneficent God permits and who speaks the right thing” (78:38).

On another occasion, He says:

قَالُوا وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ

“They would say: By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheists” (6:23).

Moreover, He says:

ثُمَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَكْفُرُ بَعْضُكُمْ بِبَعْضٍ وَيَلْعَنُ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا

“Then on the resurrection day some of you shall deny others, and some of you shall curse others” (29:25).

Thus, all these statements contradict each other.

The Imam (‘a) said: All these do not occur on one and the same occasion that they should be contradictory of each other. On the contrary, there are numerous occasions of Judgment Day, whose length is fifty thousand years. Thus, the Almighty Allah gathers them in one place where they recognize each other. Some seek forgiveness for others, and they are those, who were obedient to prophets and who cooperated with each other in good works and on piety.

Those who were disobedient curse each other and they are those, who have committed sins in the world, and they have cooperated with the arrogant and oppressors. From them some will curse others and they attribute disbelief (kufr) to each other. On another occasion, they run away from each other, as the Almighty Allah has said:

يَوْمَ يَفِرُّ الْمَرْءُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ

“The day, on which a man shall flee from his brother” (80:34).

وَأُمِّهِ وَأَبِيهِ

“And his mother and his father” (80:35).

وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَبَنِيهِ

“And his spouse and his son” (80:36).

If they had cooperated with each other in oppression and transgression.

Then they gather at another place and weep there. If those wails were audible to people, it would definitely make every creature oblivious of their occupation; and split the mountains, except if Allah wants otherwise. They will weep incessantly, till they weep with tears of blood. Then they are gathered in another place; where they are made to speak up and they say: By Allah, O God, we were not polytheists. They will not confess to their deeds.

Thus, their mouths are sealed, and their hands, legs and skins are made to speak up. They testify to each of the sins that they have committed. Then the seal is removed from their tongues, and they ask their skins and legs: Why did you testify for us? They reply: One, who made other things speak, has also given us the power of speech. Then they gather at another place, where the whole world is made to speak. There, no one speaks up, except whom the Beneficent Lord permits, and he speaks the word of truth. Thus, the prophets are brought to question them, as He says:

فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ بِشَهِيدٍ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَىٰ هَٰؤُلَاءِ شَهِيدًا

“How will it be, then, when We bring from every people a witness and bring you as a witness against these?” (4:41).

The Holy Prophet (S) will be witness on the witnesses and the witnesses are the prophets.

Then they gather at another place, where they dispute with each other. The Almighty Allah extracts the right of the oppressed from the oppressor. This place is the court of justice of the Almighty Allah and all these events precede the accounting. When the accounting begins, each man is involved in his own circumstances, and he does not pay attention to others. I beseech Allah for the blessing of that day.

It is narrated in Ilal ash-Shara’i that people asked Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a): Is it preferable to perform supererogatory prayers in one place or different places? Imam (‘a) replied: In different places, because on Judgment Day, all these places will testify for him.

Al-Kulayni has narrated through correct chains of narrators from the Imam that when a person performs the repentance of Nusuh, the Almighty Allah loves him and conceals his sins in the world and the hereafter. The narrator asked: How He does conceal them? He replied: He makes him forget them and erases his sins from the scroll of deeds the two recording angels have written, and He reveals to his organs to keep his sins concealed from him and reveals to the locations of the earth to conceal the sins he has committed on them. When he arrives on the stage of accounting there is nothing to testify for his sins.

It is mentioned in many traditions that on Judgment Day, the Holy Qur’an will testify and intercede for one that has recited it and has acted on it; till he will be conveyed to the lofty stages of Paradise.

Ibn Babawayh has narrated from the Imam that: We are witnesses on our Shi’as and our Shi’as are witnesses on the people. They are rewarded and punished on the basis of the testimony of our Shi’as.

It is mentioned in many traditions that every day that dawns, calls man: O son of Adam, I am a new day, and I am a witness on you. Thus, you must say a good word or perform a good deed in me, so that I may witness for you on Judgment Day. After this, you will never see me again. Each night also calls out in the same way.

Moreover, it is narrated from the Imam that on Judgment Day, the believer will be given an open scroll stating that this scroll is of the wise and powerful Allah; admit so and so to Paradise.

It is mentioned in Tafsir Imam Hasan al-’Askari (‘a) that the Messenger of Allah (S) said: Just as the Almighty Allah has commanded you all to preserve your lives, properties, and loans by appointing fair witnesses for them, in the same way, He has observed precaution regarding the people by appointing witnesses on their good and bad deeds.

For each person many angels are appointed. They keep a record of all their actions like words, deeds, and glances. In the same way, the places on the earth, where he does good and bad deeds are also witnesses. Days, nights and even months are witnesses to his good and bad deeds. The righteous believers are also witnesses to his good and bad deeds. There are many people, who will succeed due to such testimony on Judgment Day and there are many, who will be punished through such testimony on Judgment Day.

Indeed, the Almighty Allah gathers all his servants on a plain on Judgment Day in such a way that all would be visible, and they would all be able to hear the voice of the caller from Allah.

Then all the days, nights, months, years, and places of the world will be summoned, so that they may give witness. Thus, one that has done a good deed, his organs will testify in his favour and so will the hours, days, months and years, and hours of Friday eve, and that person will get everlasting success. For one that has committed evil, these will testify against him and he will get everlasting misfortune. So, act for the Judgment Day and gather provisions for it.

After that Imam (‘a) has mentioned the excellence of the months of Rajab, Sha’ban and Ramadhan and fasting in those months and the excellence of performing good deeds and the testimony of those months in favour of that person.

al-Husayn Ibn Sa’id has said in Kitab az-Zuhd narrating from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) that when the Almighty Allah wants to take the account of a believer, He gives his scroll of deeds in his right hand and He takes account of him personally, so that no one is aware of it. The Almighty Allah says: Did you this and that? He replies: Yes, my Lord. The Almighty Allah says: I have forgiven them and changed them with good deeds. Thus, all the people will say: Glory be to God, this man does not have a single sin in his account.

This is the interpretation of the statement of Allah. Thus, one, whose scroll is given in the right hand; after that he will be accounted for; an account that is easy, and he will return to his people happily. The narrator asked: What people? Imam (‘a) replied: The people he has in the world; that same will be his family members in Paradise as well, provided they are believers. Then Imam (‘a) said: If the Almighty Allah has an ill intention about someone; He takes his account in public and after exhausting proof on him, gives his scroll in his left hand as the Almighty Allah has said:

وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ وَرَاءَ ظَهْرِهِ

“And as to him who is given his book behind his back” (84:10).

فَسَوْفَ يَدْعُو ثُبُورًا

“He shall call for perdition” (84:11).

وَيَصْلَىٰ سَعِيرًا

“And enter into burning fire” (84:12).

إِنَّهُ كَانَ فِي أَهْلِهِ مَسْرُورًا

“Surely he was (erstwhile) joyful among his followers” (84:13).

إِنَّهُ ظَنَّ أَنْ لَنْ يَحُورَ

“Surely he thought that he would never return” (84:14).

This is a hint that the hands of infidels and hypocrites will be tied around their necks and their scrolls of deeds will be handed to them in their left hand. Both these points are mentioned in the supplication of Wudhu at the time of washing of the hands: O Allah; give my scroll in my right hand and the letter of my perpetuality in Paradise in my left hand; and take an easy accounting from me. May the Almighty Allah, not give my scroll of deeds in my left hand and neither from behind my back; and do not tie my hands around my neck.

We should know what the difference is in this. What is the meaning of testimony by organs parts? Some have said that He creates a voice in them. Some say that He gives them a tool of speech. Some say that He creates a quality in them proving the sins committed by them and the word of ‘speaking’ is mentioned metaphorically. In the same way, is the witnessing by times, locations on the world and doors of heavens through whom the deeds of believers are taken to the heavens.

But some have adopted a different opinion; they say: It implies the testimony of the angels appointed on them. Some say that lifeless things also possess a weak perception. Some are of the view that on Judgment Day, the Almighty Allah will give them perception and tools of speaking. Some say that He creates a facsimile for them, and this is most probable. We must have faith in all of them in brief and not contemplate on their details and processes, because if this had been necessary, the Holy Imams (‘a) would have explained that as well and had not left them to our defective intellects.

وَاللَّهُ يَقُولُ الْحَقَّ وَهُوَ يَهْدِي السَّبِيلَ

“And Allah speaks the truth, and He guides to the way” (33:4).