Al-Muṭaffifīn ( ar, المطففين, “The Defrauders”) is the eighty-third surah of the

Qur'an The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , si ...

. It has 36 ayat or verses.

Summary

The primary theme of this surah is

Islamic eschatology Islamic eschatology ( ar, علم آخر الزمان في الإسلام, ) is a field of study in Islam concerning future events that would happen in the end times. It is primarily based on hypothesis and speculations based on sources from ...

or the hereafter, and the

rhetoric Rhetoric () is the art of persuasion, which along with grammar and logic (or dialectic), is one of the three ancient arts of discourse. Rhetoric aims to study the techniques writers or speakers utilize to inform, persuade, or motivate par ...

addresses the following subjects is the

discourse Discourse is a generalization of the notion of a conversation to any form of communication. Discourse is a major topic in social theory, with work spanning fields such as sociology, anthropology, continental philosophy, and discourse analysis. ...

. The surah opens with a declaration of war and denunciation of those who use false weights and measures in the first six ayat. The surah warns the audience that the acts of the wicked are recorded in the book ''

Sajjín ''Sijjin'' ( ar, سِجِّين lit. Netherworld, Underworld, Chthonian World) is in Islamic belief either a prison, vehement torment or straitened circumstances at the bottom of ''Jahannam'' or hell, below the earth (compare Ancient Greek religi ...

'' in 7th to 9th ayaat. The surah makes explicit the relation between morality and the doctrine of the Hereafter effectively and impressively with woes to those who reject Muhammad and deny the judgment-day in ayaat up to 17th. Further up to 21st ayat, the surah describes that the acts of the righteous are registered in '' Illiyún.'' The rewards of the righteous in Paradise are explained in ayaat 22nd up to 28th. In conclusion, from 29th to the 36th ayat, the believers have been consoled, and the disbelievers warned as if to say: Unbelievers mock at Muslims now but shall be laughed at in turn on the

Day of Resurrection In Islam, "the promise and threat" () of Judgment Day ( ar, یوم القيامة, Yawm al-qiyāmah, Day of Resurrection or ar, یوم الدین, italic=no, Yawm ad-din, Day of Judgement), when "all bodies will be resurrected" from the dead, a ...

Ayat (verses)

*1-6 Denunciation of those who use false

weights and measures A unit of measurement is a definite magnitude of a quantity, defined and adopted by convention or by law, that is used as a standard for measurement of the same kind of quantity. Any other quantity of that kind can be expressed as a mul ...

*7-9 The acts of the wicked are recorded in the book

*10-18 Woe to those who reject Muhammad and deny the judgment-day *18-21 The acts of the righteous are registered in Illiyún *22-28 The rewards of the righteous in Paradise *29-36 Unbelievers mock at The Believers now, but shall be laughed at in turn

Name of the surah

Jalaluddin Al-Suyuti Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti ( ar, جلال الدين السيوطي, Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūṭī) ( 1445–1505 CE),; ( Brill 2nd) or Al-Suyuti, was an Arab Egyptian polymath, Islamic scholar, historian, Sufi, and jurist. From a family of Persia ...

co-author of the classical Sunni tafsīr known as

Tafsir al-Jalalayn ''Tafsīr al-Jalālayn'' ( ar, تفسير الجلالين, lit=Tafsir of the two Jalals) is a classical Sunni interpretation (tafsir) of the Qur'an, composed first by Jalal ad-Din al-Maḥalli in 1459 and then completed after his passing by Ja ...

suggests that some of the sūrahs have been named using incipits (i.e. the first few words of the surah).

Hamiduddin Farahi Hamiduddin Farahi (18 November 1863 – 11 November 1930) was an Indian Islamic scholar known for his work on the concept of ''nazm'', or coherence, in the Quran. He was instrumental in producing scholarly work on the theory that the vers ...

a celebrated

Islamic Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or ''Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the main ...

scholar of

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographical region in Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas. Geopolitically, it includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India ...

is known for his groundbreaking work on the concept of Nazm, or Coherence, in the Quran. He writes that some sūrahs have been given names after some conspicuous words used in them. The Surah takes its name from its second word al-Mutaffifin -

Abul A'la Maududi Abul A'la al-Maududi ( ur, , translit=Abū al-Aʿlā al-Mawdūdī; – ) was an Islamic scholar, Islamist ideologue, Muslim philosopher, jurist, historian, journalist, activist and scholar active in British India and later, following the parti ...

.Compiled from a First Edition, multi-volume paperback English translation of the Quran by

Tafhim-ul-Quran ''Tafhim-ul-Quran'' ( ur, تفہيم القرآن, lit=Towards Understanding the Qur'an, Tafheem-ul-Quran) is a 6-volume translation and commentary of the Qur'an by the Pakistani Islamist ideologue and activist Syed Abul Ala Maududi. Maududi beg ...

Placement and coherence with other surahs

The idea of a textual relation between the verses of a chapter has been discussed under various titles such as ''nazm'' and ''munasabah'' in non-English literature and ''coherence'', ''text relations'', ''intertextuality'', and ''unity'' in English literature.

, an

scholar of the

, is known for his work on the concept of nazm, or coherence, in the Quran. Fakhruddin al-Razi (died 1209 CE), Zarkashi (died 1392) and several other classical as well as contemporary Quranic scholars have contributed to the studies. This surah belongs to the seventh and final group of surahs which starts from Surah

Al-Mulk Al-Mulk ( ar, الملك, "Sovereignty, Kingdom") is the 67th chapter (surah) of the Quran, comprising 30 verses. The surah emphasizes that no individual can impose his will on another; he may only guide and set an example (67:26). Summary * ...

(67) and runs to the end of the Quran. This surah forms a pair with the next one (

Al-Inshiqaq Al-Inshiqāq ( ar, الانشقاق, “The Sundering”, “Splitting Open”) is the eighty-fourth chapter (''surah'') of the Qur'an, with 25 verses ('' āyāt''). It mentions details of the Day of Judgment when, according to this chapter, ever ...

) about their subject-matter.

Connection with previous surah

Tadabbur-i-Quran ''Tadabbur-i-Qur'an'' ( ur, تدبر قرآن) is a exegeses (''tafsir'') of the Qur'an by Amin Ahsan Islahi based on the concept of thematic and structural coherence, which was originally inspired by Allama Hamiduddin Farahi. The tafsir is exte ...

is a

tafsir Tafsir ( ar, تفسير, tafsīr ) refers to exegesis, usually of the Quran. An author of a ''tafsir'' is a ' ( ar, مُفسّر; plural: ar, مفسّرون, mufassirūn). A Quranic ''tafsir'' attempts to provide elucidation, explanation, in ...

(exegeses) of the

Amin Ahsan Islahi Amin Ahsan Islahi ( ur, مولانا امین احسن اصلاحی; 1904 – 15 December 1997), was a Pakistani Muslim scholar best known for his Urdu exegesis of the Quran, '' Tadabbur-i-Quran'' "Pondering on the Quran", which he based ...

based on the concept of thematic and structural coherence, which was originally inspired by Allama Hamiduddin Farahi. The tafsir is extended over nine volumes of six thousand pages. It describes Al-Mutaffifin as a supplement to the previous surah al-Infitar concerning the central theme and that this surah elaborates the division righteous and the deviants mentioned in last passage of the previous surah. This surah further continues and elaborates the concept of

alluded towards the end of previous surah.

Connection with next surah

According to

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Javed Ahmad Ghamidi ( ur, , translit=Jāvēd Aḥmad Ghāmidī; April 7, 1952) is a Pakistani philosopher, educationist, and scholar of Islam. He is also the founding President of Al-Mawrid Institute of Islamic Sciences and its sister organisa ...

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

i Muslim theologian,

Quran The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , sing.: ...

scholar,

Islamic modernist Islamic modernism is a movement that has been described as "the first Muslim ideological response to the Western cultural challenge" attempting to reconcile the Islamic faith with modern values such as democracy, civil rights, rationality, ...

, exegete and educationist; the central theme of both surahs is to warn the

Quraysh The Quraysh ( ar, قُرَيْشٌ) were a grouping of Arab clans that historically inhabited and controlled the city of Mecca and its Kaaba. The Islamic prophet Muhammad was born into the Hashim clan of the tribe. Despite this, many of the Q ...

of any misconception they may have about the Day of Judgement. Most surely, they are going to be raised on that day to appear before their Lord and shall definitely meet different fates according to their deeds.

Special traits of Sūrat Al-Mutaffifin

The Quran consists of 114 chapters of varying lengths, each known as a

sūrah A ''surah'' (; ar, سورة, sūrah, , ), is the equivalent of "chapter" in the Qur'an. There are 114 ''surahs'' in the Quran, each divided into '' ayats'' (verses). The chapters or ''surahs'' are of unequal length; the shortest surah ('' Al-K ...

. Many of the surahs contain overlapping subjects yet many of them hold special traits. In this surah, for example, the word
al-Mutaffifin
' is unique in its frequency of occurrence as it is mentioned only once in the whole of the Quran. Al-Mutaffifin means the stinters who use unfair means & measures to take more than they should and give less than they should. As the principal subject of the

is the stinters/al-Mutaffifin, the surah further elaborates the actions of either; using malpractice or carefully being honest; are recorded in
Sajjín
' and
Illiyún
' respectively. Both of these words ''Sajjín'' and ''Illiyún'' also occur only in this surah and nowhere else in the whole Quran just like their trigger word ''Al-Mutaffifin''.

Hadith

The first and foremost

exegesis Exegesis ( ; from the Greek , from , "to lead out") is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text. The term is traditionally applied to the interpretation of Biblical works. In modern usage, exegesis can involve critical interpretations ...

of the

is found in hadith of Muhammad. Although scholars including

ibn Taymiyyah Ibn Taymiyyah (January 22, 1263 – September 26, 1328; ar, ابن تيمية), birth name Taqī ad-Dīn ʾAḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥalīm ibn ʿAbd al-Salām al-Numayrī al-Ḥarrānī ( ar, تقي الدين أحمد بن عبد الحليم � ...

claim that Muhammad has commented on the whole of the Qur'an, others including Ghazali cite the limited amount of narratives, thus indicating that he has commented only on a portion of the Qur'an. Ḥadīth (حديث) is literally "speech" or "report", that is a recorded saying or tradition of Muhammad validated by

isnad Hadith studies ( ar, علم الحديث ''ʻilm al-ḥadīth'' "science of hadith", also science of hadith, or science of hadith criticism or hadith criticism) consists of several religious scholarly disciplines used by Muslim scholars in th ...

; with

Sirah Rasul Allah Al-Sīra al-Nabawiyya (), commonly shortened to Sīrah and translated as prophetic biography, are the traditional Muslim biographies of Muhammad from which, in addition to the Quran and Hadiths, most historical information about his life and th ...

these comprise the

sunnah In Islam, , also spelled ( ar, سنة), are the traditions and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad that constitute a model for Muslims to follow. The sunnah is what all the Muslims of Muhammad's time evidently saw and followed and pass ...

and reveal

shariah Sharia (; ar, شريعة, sharīʿa ) is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition. It is derived from the religious precepts of Islam and is based on the sacred scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran and the ...

. According to

Aishah Aisha ( ar, , translit=ʿĀʾisha bint Abī Bakr; , also , ; ) was Muhammad's third and youngest wife. In Islamic writings, her name is thus often prefixed by the title "Mother of the Believers" ( ar, links=no, , ʾumm al- muʾminīn), refer ...

, the life of Prophet Muhammad was practical implementation of

. Therefore, mention in hadith elevates the importance of the pertinent surah from a certain perspective.

Ibn Abbas ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbbās ( ar, عَبْد ٱللَّٰه ٱبْن عَبَّاس; c. 619 – 687 CE), also known as Ibn ʿAbbās, was one of the cousins of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He is considered to be the greatest mufassir of the Qur'a ...

is known for his knowledge of traditions as well as his critical interpretation of the

. From early on, he gathered information from other companions of

Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monot ...

and gave classes and wrote commentaries. According to him * "When the Prophet

came to

Al-Madinah Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the Holiest sites in Islam, second-holiest city in Islam, ...

, they were the worst people in weights and measures. Then, Allah, Glorious is He revealed: "Woe to the Mutaffifun (those who give less in measure and weight)"(Al-Mutaffifin), and they were fair in weights and measures after that. * According to

Abdullah ibn Masud Abdullah ibn Masūd, or Abdullah ibn Masood, or Abdullah Ben Messaoud ( ar, عبد الله بن مسعود, ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʽūd; c.594-c.653), was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad who he is regarded the greatest mufassir of Qu ...

, Muhammad used to recite two equal surahs in one rak'ah; he would recite (for instance)

An-Naziat An-Nāziʻāt ( ar, النازعات, “Those Who Pull Out”, in reference to “the angels who tear out the souls of the wicked”) is the seventy-ninth sura of the Qur'an, with 46 ayat. Its name derived from the word ''wan-nazi‘at'' wit ...

(79) in one rak'ah, surahs (Al-Mutaffifin) (83) and Sūrat al-ʿAbasa (80) in one rak'ah.

Sunan Abu Dawood ''Sunan Abu Dawood'' ( ar-at, سنن أبي داود, Sunan Abī Dāwūd) is one of the ''Kutub al-Sittah'' (six major hadith collections), collected by Abu Dawud al-Sijistani (d.889). Introduction Abu Dawood compiled twenty-one books related t ...

1396; in-book reference: Book 6, Hadith 26; English translation: Book 6, Hadith 1391

References

External links

Quran 82

Clear Quran translation Mustafa Khattab is a Canadian–Egyptian Muslim scholar, author, youth mentor, public speaker, imam, and university chaplain. He holds a professional ijâzah in the Ḥafṣ style of recitation. He is known for his translation of the Quran i ...

{{Authority control Mutaffifin