SURAH AL – MUTAFFIFIN – Chapter – 83 - Juzz - 30

This blog is part of a series of blogs based on my research and compilation of all the Surahs of Holy Quran. An effort to make each of these Surahs understandable in an easy way. Today's effort is SURAH AL – MUTAFFIFIN – Chapter – 83. If you consider it a piece of learning do comment at the bottom of the blog. May Allah forgive any mistake, omission, or error on my part in its compilation (Aameen Summa Aameen). Please do write comments about this blog at its bottom.

English Translation:

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

1.Woe to those who give less [than due], 2.  from people, take in full. 3. But if they give by measure or by weight to them, they cause loss. 4. Do they not think that they will be resurrected, 5. For a tremendous Day –6. The Day when mankind will stand before the Lord of the worlds? 7. No! Indeed, the record of the wicked is in sijjeen. 8. And what can make you know what is sijjeen? 9. It is [their destination recorded in] a register inscribed. 10. Woe, that Day, to the deniers, 11. Who deny the Day of Recompense. 12. And none deny it except every sinful transgressor. 13. When Our verses are recited to him, he says, “Legends of the former peoples.” 14. No! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning. 15. No! Indeed, from their Lord, that Day, they will be partitioned. 16. Then indeed, they will [enter and] burn in Hellfire. 17. Then it will be said [to them], “This is what you used to deny.” 18. No! Indeed, the record of the righteous is in ‘illiyyun. 19. And what can make you know what is ‘illiyyun? 20. It is [their destination recorded in] a register inscribed 21. Which is witnessed by those brought near [to Allah]. 22. Indeed, the righteous will be in pleasure 23. On adorned couches, observing. 24. You will recognize in their faces the radiance of pleasure. 25. They will be given to drink [pure] wine [which was] sealed. 26. The last of it is musk. So for this let the competitors compete. 27. And its mixture is of Tasneem, 28. A spring from which those near [to Allah] drink. 29. Indeed, those who committed crimes used to laugh at those who believed. 30. And when they passed by them, they would exchange derisive glances. 31. And when they returned to their people, they would return jesting. 32. And when they saw them, they would say, “Indeed, those are truly lost.” 33. But they had not been sent as guardians over them. 34. So Today those who believed are laughing at the disbelievers, 35. On adorned couches, observing. 36. Have the disbelievers [not] been rewarded [this Day] for what they used to do?

Introduction:

Al-Mutaffifin is the eighty-third (83) surah of the Qur'an. It has 36 ayats or verses, with 750 letters, and 169 words, 118 unique words without repetition and is placed in Juzz 30 of holy Quran, its other names are The Cheats, The Cheaters, Those That Engage in Cheating, The Defrauders, The Stinters, The Unjust. n 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. This surah belongs to the seventh and final group of surahs which starts from Surah Al-Mulk (67) and runs to the end of the Quran. This surah forms a pair with the next one (Al-Inshiqaq) about their subject-matter. This Surah is well-known for its moral lessons and wise teachings. The main message of Surah Mutaffifin is that Allah is just and fair, and will never wrong anyone. In addition to its moral lessons, Surah Mutaffifin also has a host of benefits for the believer. Some of these benefits include:

·         Protection from envy and jealousy

·         Guidance towards righteousness and justice

·         Receiving Allah’s mercy and forgiveness

Period of Revelation

This Surah was revealed in the earliest stage at Makkah, when Surah after Surah were being revealed to impress the doctrine of the Hereafter upon the people's minds. This Surah was revealed when the disbelievers 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.

Major Issues, Divine Laws and Guidance

·         Defrauders will be called to account and punished while the righteous will be rewarded with soft couches, the choicest wine and special spring water.

·         Today disbelievers laugh at the believers, a Day will come when they themselves will be laughed at.

The Surah is divided into five categories:

1. It seriously warns and threatens the defrauders.

2. It points to the lack of strong belief in the Resurrection as being the origin of corruption and great sins.

3. There are some hints in this Surah showing the end of the Wicked on That Great Day.

4. It points to some of the great gifts and delightful blessings of the Righteous in the Garden of Bliss.

5. The unbelievers, foolishly mocking at the believers, in this life, and the reverse situation, in the Hereafter is briefly referred to in the Surah.

The surah warns the audience that the acts of the wicked are recorded in the book Sajjín in 7th to 9th ayats. 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 ayats up to 17th.

Main Theme of Surah Al-Mutaffifin:

The theme of this Surah is also the Hereafter. In the first six verses, the people are taken to task for the evil practice prevalent in their commercial dealings. When they received 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 is 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 a true and enduring honest nature 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 consistent in it, would not be dependent on its being useful or useless in the world.

The Virtue in Studying the Surah

There is a tradition from the holy Prophet (S) that says: “The person who studies Surah Mutaffifin (Defrauders), Allah will make him drink of the pure, sealed drink on That Day.

And there is also a narration from Imam Sadiq (as) which says: “The person who recites Surah Mutaffifin (Defrauders) in his obligatory prayers, Allah will keep him safe from fire on the Day of Judgement. Then, neither the fire will meet him nor will he meet the fire.”

It is narrated from the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) that if this Surah is recited on a treasure, it will remain safe. In fact, reciting it on anything keeps it safe, even from the vermin of the Earth.

Imam Jafar (Radi allahu tala anhu) has said that if a person recites this Surah in his faraaz prayers, he will be safe from Jahannam. He will not even see it, hear it or even come close to it. His accounts for deeds will not be taken. These great rewards are for the one who studies it and acts accordingly, of course.

Benefits of Reciting Surah Al Mutaffifin:

Ø  It emphasizes the consequences of cheating and shortchanging others in worldly matters.

Ø  The Surah warns against arrogance and the belief in one’s superiority over others.

Ø  It encourages believers to strive for righteousness and justice in all aspects of life.

Ø  Surah Al-Mutaffifin reminds individuals of the Day of Judgment and the accountability for their actions.

Ø  It has been narrated from the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) that the person who recites Surah Mutaffifin, God will give him a drink of sealed nectar on Qiyamah.

Ø  When you recite Surah Mutaffifin Benefits, Allah will protect you from being unfair and unjust to others. Allah will also make sure that you receive what is rightfully yours, in both this life and the hereafter. What’s more, Allah will give you the strength to resist temptation and to do what is right, no matter how difficult it may be.

Ø  Recite this Surah before making any major decisions or participating in any activities pertaining to business or finance. Doing so will increase your chance of success and protect you from falling victim to any sort of deceit.

Conclusion.

Through this Surah the believers are consoled, and the disbelievers warned that 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 the believers will feel comforted when they will see their fate.

This chapter starts off by warning those who defraud others by selling to them less than the value for their money. It goes on to talk about Qiyamah and the fate and outcome of the believers and disbelievers and their rewards and punishments, finally ending with describing how the tables will be turned on Qiyamah and where in the world the believers were mocked by the disbelievers, on that day it be the opposite.

Researched & compiled by:

OVAIS ASAD KHAN