المطففين
Al-Mutaffifin
About this surah
Name
It is derived from the very first verse; Wayl-ul-lil mutaffifin.
Period of Revelation
The style of the Surah and its subject matter clearly show that it was revealed in the earliest stage at Makkah, when surah after surah was being revealed to impress the doctrine of the Hereafter on the people's minds. This Surah was revealed when they had started ridiculing the Muslims and disgracing them publicly in the streets and in their assemblies, but persecution and manhandling of the Muslims had not yet started. Some commentators regard this as a Madani Surah. This misunderstanding has been caused by a tradition from Ibn Abbas according to which when the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) arrived in Madinah, the evil of giving short weight and measure was widespread among the people there. Then Allah sent down Wayl ul-lil mutaffifin and the people began to give full weight and measure. (Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, Ibn Marduyah, Ibn Jarir, Baihaqi: Shu\`ab-il-Iman) But, as we have explained in the introduction to Surah Ad-Dahr, the common practice with the Companions and their successors was that when they found that a verse applied to a certain matter of life, they would say that it had been sent down concerning that particular matter. Therefore, what is proved by the tradition of Ibn Abbas is that when after his emigration to Madinah the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) saw that the evil was widespread among the people there, he recited this Surah before them by Allah's Command and this helped them mend their ways.
Theme and Subject Matter
The theme of this Surah too is the Hereafter. In the first six verses the people have been taken to task for the prevalent evil practice in their commercial dealings. When they had to receive their due from others, they demanded that it be given in full, but when they had to measure or weigh for others, they would give less than what was due. Taking this one evil as an example out of countless evils prevalent in society, it has been said that it is an inevitable result of the heedlessness of the Hereafter. Unless the people realized that one day they would have to appear before God and account for each single act they performed in the world, it was not possible that they would adopt piety and righteousness in their daily affairs. Even if a person might practice honesty in some of his less important dealings in view of "honesty is the best policy," he would never practice honesty on occasions when dishonesty would seem to be "the best policy". Man can develop true and enduring honesty only when he fears God and sincerely believes in the Hereafter, for then he would regard honesty not merely as "a policy" but as "a duty" and obligation, and his being constant in it, or otherwise, would not be dependent on its being useful or useless in the world.
Thus, after making explicit the relation between morality and the doctrine of the Hereafter in an effective and impressive way, in vv. 7-17, it has been said: The deeds of the wicked are already being recorded in the black list of the culprits, and in the Hereafter they will meet with utter ruin. Then in vv. 18-28, the best end of the virtuous has been described and it has been laid that their deeds are being recorded in the list of the exalted people, on which are appointed the angels nearest to Allah.
In conclusion, the believers have been consoled, and the disbelievers warned, as if to say: "The people who are disgracing and humiliating the believers today, are culprits who, on the Resurrection Day, will meet with a most evil end in consequence of their conduct, and these very believers will feel comforted when they see their fate."
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
- 83:1وَيۡلٞ لِّلۡمُطَفِّفِينَWoe to those who give less [than due],
- 83:2ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ٱكۡتَالُواْ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ يَسۡتَوۡفُونَWho, when they take a measure from people, take in full.
- 83:3وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمۡ أَو وَّزَنُوهُمۡ يُخۡسِرُونَBut if they give by measure or by weight to them, they cause loss.
- 83:4أَلَا يَظُنُّ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ أَنَّهُم مَّبۡعُوثُونَDo they not think that they will be resurrected
- 83:5لِيَوۡمٍ عَظِيمٖFor a tremendous Day -
- 83:6يَوۡمَ يَقُومُ ٱلنَّاسُ لِرَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَThe Day when mankind will stand before the Lord of the worlds?
- 83:7كَلَّآ إِنَّ كِتَٰبَ ٱلۡفُجَّارِ لَفِي سِجِّينٖNo! Indeed, the record of the wicked is in sijjeen.
- 83:8وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا سِجِّينٞAnd what can make you know what is sijjeen?
- 83:9كِتَٰبٞ مَّرۡقُومٞIt is [their destination recorded in] a register inscribed.
- 83:10وَيۡلٞ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لِّلۡمُكَذِّبِينَWoe, that Day, to the deniers,
- 83:11ٱلَّذِينَ يُكَذِّبُونَ بِيَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِWho deny the Day of Recompense.
- 83:12وَمَا يُكَذِّبُ بِهِۦٓ إِلَّا كُلُّ مُعۡتَدٍ أَثِيمٍAnd none deny it except every sinful transgressor.
- 83:13إِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِ ءَايَٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَWhen Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Legends of the former peoples."
- 83:14كَلَّاۖ بَلۡۜ رَانَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِم مَّا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَNo! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning.
- 83:15كَلَّآ إِنَّهُمۡ عَن رَّبِّهِمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لَّمَحۡجُوبُونَNo! Indeed, from their Lord, that Day, they will be partitioned.
- 83:16ثُمَّ إِنَّهُمۡ لَصَالُواْ ٱلۡجَحِيمِThen indeed, they will [enter and] burn in Hellfire.
- 83:17ثُمَّ يُقَالُ هَٰذَا ٱلَّذِي كُنتُم بِهِۦ تُكَذِّبُونَThen it will be said [to them], "This is what you used to deny."
- 83:18كَلَّآ إِنَّ كِتَٰبَ ٱلۡأَبۡرَارِ لَفِي عِلِّيِّينَNo! Indeed, the record of the righteous is in 'illiyyun.
- 83:19وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا عِلِّيُّونَAnd what can make you know what is 'illiyyun?
- 83:20كِتَٰبٞ مَّرۡقُومٞIt is [their destination recorded in] a register inscribed
- 83:21يَشۡهَدُهُ ٱلۡمُقَرَّبُونَWhich is witnessed by those brought near [to Allah].
- 83:22إِنَّ ٱلۡأَبۡرَارَ لَفِي نَعِيمٍIndeed, the righteous will be in pleasure
- 83:23عَلَى ٱلۡأَرَآئِكِ يَنظُرُونَOn adorned couches, observing.
- 83:24تَعۡرِفُ فِي وُجُوهِهِمۡ نَضۡرَةَ ٱلنَّعِيمِYou will recognize in their faces the radiance of pleasure.
- 83:25يُسۡقَوۡنَ مِن رَّحِيقٖ مَّخۡتُومٍThey will be given to drink [pure] wine [which was] sealed.
- 83:26خِتَٰمُهُۥ مِسۡكٞۚ وَفِي ذَٰلِكَ فَلۡيَتَنَافَسِ ٱلۡمُتَنَٰفِسُونَThe last of it is musk. So for this let the competitors compete.
- 83:27وَمِزَاجُهُۥ مِن تَسۡنِيمٍAnd its mixture is of Tasneem,
- 83:28عَيۡنٗا يَشۡرَبُ بِهَا ٱلۡمُقَرَّبُونَA spring from which those near [to Allah] drink.
- 83:29إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أَجۡرَمُواْ كَانُواْ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ يَضۡحَكُونَIndeed, those who committed crimes used to laugh at those who believed.
- 83:30وَإِذَا مَرُّواْ بِهِمۡ يَتَغَامَزُونَAnd when they passed by them, they would exchange derisive glances.
- 83:31وَإِذَا ٱنقَلَبُوٓاْ إِلَىٰٓ أَهۡلِهِمُ ٱنقَلَبُواْ فَكِهِينَAnd when they returned to their people, they would return jesting.
- 83:32وَإِذَا رَأَوۡهُمۡ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ لَضَآلُّونَAnd when they saw them, they would say, "Indeed, those are truly lost."
- 83:33وَمَآ أُرۡسِلُواْ عَلَيۡهِمۡ حَٰفِظِينَBut they had not been sent as guardians over them.
- 83:34فَٱلۡيَوۡمَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنَ ٱلۡكُفَّارِ يَضۡحَكُونَSo Today those who believed are laughing at the disbelievers,
- 83:35عَلَى ٱلۡأَرَآئِكِ يَنظُرُونَOn adorned couches, observing.
- 83:36هَلۡ ثُوِّبَ ٱلۡكُفَّارُ مَا كَانُواْ يَفۡعَلُونَHave the disbelievers [not] been rewarded [this Day] for what they used to do?