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Surah 83 · Makkan · 36 ayahs

Al-Mutaffifin

المطففين

The Defrauding

Arabic in the Uthmani script. English translation by Saheeh International. Every ayah below carries its own reference.

What is this surah about?

Scholarly explanation

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.

Reference · Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, Tafhim al-Qur'an — The Meaning of the Quran

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

83:1

وَيْلٌ لِّلْمُطَفِّفِينَ

Woe to those who give less [than due],

83:2

ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ٱكْتَالُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ يَسْتَوْفُونَ

Who, when they take a measure from people, take in full.

83:3

وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمْ أَو وَّزَنُوهُمْ يُخْسِرُونَ

But if they give by measure or by weight to them, they cause loss.

83:4

أَلَا يَظُنُّ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَنَّهُم مَّبْعُوثُونَ

Do they not think that they will be resurrected

83:5

لِيَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ

For a tremendous Day -

83:6

يَوْمَ يَقُومُ ٱلنَّاسُ لِرَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

The Day when mankind will stand before the Lord of the worlds?

83:7

كَلَّآ إِنَّ كِتَـٰبَ ٱلْفُجَّارِ لَفِى سِجِّينٍ

No! Indeed, the record of the wicked is in sijjeen.

83:8

وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا سِجِّينٌ

And what can make you know what is sijjeen?

83:9

كِتَـٰبٌ مَّرْقُومٌ

It is [their destination recorded in] a register inscribed.

83:10

وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ

Woe, that Day, to the deniers,

83:11

ٱلَّذِينَ يُكَذِّبُونَ بِيَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ

Who deny the Day of Recompense.

83:12

وَمَا يُكَذِّبُ بِهِۦٓ إِلَّا كُلُّ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ

And none deny it except every sinful transgressor.

83:13

إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَـٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ

When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Legends of the former peoples."

83:14

كَلَّا ۖ بَلْ ۜ رَانَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ

No! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning.

83:15

كَلَّآ إِنَّهُمْ عَن رَّبِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّمَحْجُوبُونَ

No! Indeed, from their Lord, that Day, they will be partitioned.

83:16

ثُمَّ إِنَّهُمْ لَصَالُوا۟ ٱلْجَحِيمِ

Then indeed, they will [enter and] burn in Hellfire.

83:17

ثُمَّ يُقَالُ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى كُنتُم بِهِۦ تُكَذِّبُونَ

Then it will be said [to them], "This is what you used to deny."

83:18

كَلَّآ إِنَّ كِتَـٰبَ ٱلْأَبْرَارِ لَفِى عِلِّيِّينَ

No! Indeed, the record of the righteous is in ʿilliyyūn.

83:19

وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا عِلِّيُّونَ

And what can make you know what is ʿilliyyūn?

83:20

كِتَـٰبٌ مَّرْقُومٌ

It is [their destination recorded in] a register inscribed

83:21

يَشْهَدُهُ ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ

Which is witnessed by those brought near [to Allāh].

83:22

إِنَّ ٱلْأَبْرَارَ لَفِى نَعِيمٍ

Indeed, the righteous will be in pleasure

83:23

عَلَى ٱلْأَرَآئِكِ يَنظُرُونَ

On adorned couches, observing.

83:24

تَعْرِفُ فِى وُجُوهِهِمْ نَضْرَةَ ٱلنَّعِيمِ

You will recognize in their faces the radiance of pleasure.

83:25

يُسْقَوْنَ مِن رَّحِيقٍ مَّخْتُومٍ

They will be given to drink [pure] wine [which was] sealed.

83:26

خِتَـٰمُهُۥ مِسْكٌ ۚ وَفِى ذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَتَنَافَسِ ٱلْمُتَنَـٰفِسُونَ

The last of it is musk. So for this let the competitors compete.

83:27

وَمِزَاجُهُۥ مِن تَسْنِيمٍ

And its mixture is of Tasneem,

83:28

عَيْنًا يَشْرَبُ بِهَا ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ

A spring from which those near [to Allāh] drink.

83:29

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُوا۟ كَانُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يَضْحَكُونَ

Indeed, those who committed crimes used to laugh at those who believed.

83:30

وَإِذَا مَرُّوا۟ بِهِمْ يَتَغَامَزُونَ

And when they passed by them, they would exchange derisive glances.

83:31

وَإِذَا ٱنقَلَبُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهِمُ ٱنقَلَبُوا۟ فَكِهِينَ

And when they returned to their people, they would return jesting.

83:32

وَإِذَا رَأَوْهُمْ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ لَضَآلُّونَ

And when they saw them, they would say, "Indeed, those are truly lost."

83:33

وَمَآ أُرْسِلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ حَـٰفِظِينَ

But they had not been sent as guardians over them.

83:34

فَٱلْيَوْمَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلْكُفَّارِ يَضْحَكُونَ

So Today those who believed are laughing at the disbelievers,

83:35

عَلَى ٱلْأَرَآئِكِ يَنظُرُونَ

On adorned couches, observing.

83:36

هَلْ ثُوِّبَ ٱلْكُفَّارُ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْعَلُونَ

Have the disbelievers [not] been rewarded [this Day] for what they used to do?

Ayah 1 of 36

Recited by Mishari Rashid al-Afasy