83. Al-Mutaffifin (The Deceivers in Measuring)

Revealed in Makkah, this sūrah of 36 verses derives its name from the word Al-Mutaffifin or Al-Mutaffifeen (dealers in fraud or The Deceivers in Measuring) in the first verse. It explains enjoins honesty in dealings and presents some aspects of the afterlife.

In the Name of God, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate.

1. Woe to those who deal in fraud—

2. Those who, when they are to receive their due from others, demand that it be in full;

3. But when they measure or weigh out for others, they make it less (than the due).

4. Do those (people) not know that they are bound to be raised from the dead,

5. For an awesome Day—

6. The Day when all humankind will rise (from their graves) and stand before the Lord of the worlds?

7. No, indeed! (No one must deal in fraud heedlessly of that awesome Day!) The record of the shameless dissolute one is surely in sijjīn (a lowly register, portending eternal punishment).

8. What enables you to perceive what sijjīn is?

9. A register inscribed indelibly and sealed.

10. Woe on that Day to those who deny –

11. Those who deny the Day of Judgment—

12. Which none denies except every one exceeding the bounds (set by God), every one addicted to sinning,

13. Who, when Our Revelations are conveyed to him, says: “Fables of the ancients!”

14. By no means! But what they themselves have earned has rusted upon their hearts (and prevents them from perceiving the truth).

15. By no means! Assuredly they will on that Day be veiled from (the mercy of) their Lord.

16. Then they will certainly enter in the Blazing Flame to roast.

17. Thereafter, they will be told: “This is what you used to deny (while in the world).”

18. No, indeed! The record of the virtuous and godly ones is surely in ‘illiyyīn (a lofty register, portending elevated stations).

19. What enables you to perceive what ‘illiyyin is?

20. It is a register inscribed indelibly and sealed.

21. Those who are near-stationed to God will attest to it.

22. The virtuous and godly ones will certainly be in (Gardens of) bounty and blessing,

23. On thrones, looking around (at the blessings of Paradise).

24. You will recognize on their faces the brightness of bliss.

25. They will be served to drink pure wine,¹ under the seal (of Divine sanction and preservation);

26. Its seal is a fragrance of musk. And to that (blessing of Paradise), then, let all those who aspire (to things of high value) aspire as if in a race (with each other).

27. Its admixture will be from tasnīm (the most delightful drink out of the loftiest spring of Paradise).

28. A spring from which those near-stationed to God drink.

29. Those who disbelieved and were committed to accumulating sin used to laugh at those who believed:

30. Whenever they passed by them, they winked at one another (in derision);

31. And when they returned to their families, they would return full of quips (about how they mocked the believers).

32. When they saw those (who believed), they would say: “Look: those have indeed gone astray.”

33. Yet they were not appointed as keepers over them (that they should presume to pass judgment on them).

34. So, on this Day (of Judgment), those who believed will laugh at the unbelievers,

35. On thrones, looking on (at the condition of the unbelievers in Hell).

36. (Now see:) Are the unbelievers being paid for what they used to do?