Nay! Man will be well informed about himself, though he may put forth his excuses.
meaning, he will be a witness against himself, knowing full well what he did, even though he will try to make excuses and deny it.
This is as Allah says,
اقْرَأْ كَتَـبَكَ كَفَى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا
(It will be said to him);"Read your book. You are sufficient as a reckoner against yourself this Day." (17;14)
Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said,
بَلِ الاِْنسَانُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ بَصِيرَةٌ
Nay! Man will be well informed about himself.
"His hearing, his sight, his two hands, his two legs and his limbs."
Qatadah said, "This means he is a witness against himself."
In another narration from Qatadah he said,
"By Allah! If you wish to see him, you would see him as someone who sees the shortcomings of the people and their sins, yet he is heedless of his own sins."
It used to be said,
"Verily, it is written in the Injil;`O Son of Adam, do you see the small splinters in the eye of your brother and disregard the tree stump that is in your eye, so you do not see it"'
Mujahid said,
وَلَوْ أَلْقَى مَعَاذِيرَهُ
(Though he may put forth his excuses).)
"This means, even though he argues in defense of it, he is a witness against it."
Qatadah said,
وَلَوْ أَلْقَى مَعَاذِيرَهُ
(Though he may put forth his excuses).)
"Even though he will try to make false excuses on that Day, they will not be accepted from him."
As-Suddi said,
وَلَوْ أَلْقَى مَعَاذِيرَهُ
(Though he may put forth his excuses).)
"This means his argument."
This is as Allah says,
ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُنْ فِتْنَتُهُمْ إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ
There will then be no Fitnah for them but to say;"By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah." (6;23)
Allah also says,
يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهِ جَمِيعاً فَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ كَمَا يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ عَلَى شَىْءٍ أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْكَـذِبُونَ
On the Day when Allah will resurrect them all together; then they will swear to Him as they swear to you (O Muslims). And they think that they have something. Verily, they are liars! (58;18)
Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas;
وَلَوْ أَلْقَى مَعَاذِيرَهُ
(Though he may put forth his excuses).
"This is apologizing. Haven't you heard that Allah said,
لَا يَنفَعُ الظَّـلِمِينَ مَعْذِرَتُهُمْ
The Day when their excuses will be of no profit to wrongdoers. (40;52)
and He says,
وَأَلْقَوْاْ إِلَى اللَّهِ يَوْمَيِذٍ السَّلَمَ
And they will offer submission to Allah on that Day. (16;87)
and He says,
فَأَلْقَوُاْ السَّلَمَ مَا كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ مِن سُوءٍ
Then they will (falsely) submit;"We used not to do any evil." (16;28)
and their statement,
وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ
By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah. (6;23)