Surah 83. Al-Mutaffifin The Defrauders - English Translation

View all 114 Quran Surahs
Verses : 36
المطففين
Facebook send X send WhatsApp send

Listen and Read Surah Al-Mutaffifin in Arabic & English

Arabic Below the verses
Arabic Only

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

bookmark 1. Woe to the defrauders.

1. وَيْلٌۭ لِّلْمُطَفِّفِينَ

bookmark 2. Those who, when they take a measure from people, they take in full.

2. ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ٱكْتَالُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ يَسْتَوْفُونَ

bookmark 3. But when they measure or weigh to others, they cheat.

3. وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمْ أَو وَّزَنُوهُمْ يُخْسِرُونَ

bookmark 4. Do these not know that they will be resurrected?

4. أَلَا يَظُنُّ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَنَّهُم مَّبْعُوثُونَ

bookmark 5. For a Great Day?

5. لِيَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍۢ

bookmark 6. The Day when mankind will stand before the Lord of the Worlds?

6. يَوْمَ يَقُومُ ٱلنَّاسُ لِرَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

bookmark 7. Not at all. The record of the wicked is in Sijjeen.

7. كَلَّآ إِنَّ كِتَٰبَ ٱلْفُجَّارِ لَفِى سِجِّينٍۢ

bookmark 8. But how can you know what Sijjeen is?

8. وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا سِجِّينٌۭ

bookmark 9. A numerical book.

9. كِتَٰبٌۭ مَّرْقُومٌۭ

bookmark 10. Woe on that Day to the deniers.

10. وَيْلٌۭ يَوْمَئِذٍۢ لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ

bookmark 11. Those who deny the Day of Reckoning.

11. ٱلَّذِينَ يُكَذِّبُونَ بِيَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ

bookmark 12. But none denies it except the sinful aggressor.

12. وَمَا يُكَذِّبُ بِهِۦٓ إِلَّا كُلُّ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ

bookmark 13. When Our revelations are recited to him, he says, “Legends of the ancients.”

13. إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ

bookmark 14. Not at all. Their hearts have become corroded by what they used to earn.

14. كَلَّا ۖ بَلْ ۜ رَانَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ

bookmark 15. Not at all. On that Day, they will be screened from their Lord.

15. كَلَّآ إِنَّهُمْ عَن رَّبِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍۢ لَّمَحْجُوبُونَ

bookmark 16. Then they will roast in Hell.

16. ثُمَّ إِنَّهُمْ لَصَالُوا۟ ٱلْجَحِيمِ

bookmark 17. Then it will be said, “This is what you used to deny.”

17. ثُمَّ يُقَالُ هَٰذَا ٱلَّذِى كُنتُم بِهِۦ تُكَذِّبُونَ

bookmark 18. No indeed; the record of the righteous is in Elliyyeen.

18. كَلَّآ إِنَّ كِتَٰبَ ٱلْأَبْرَارِ لَفِى عِلِّيِّينَ

bookmark 19. But how can you know what Elliyyoon is?

19. وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا عِلِّيُّونَ

bookmark 20. A numerical book.

20. كِتَٰبٌۭ مَّرْقُومٌۭ

bookmark 21. Witnessed by those brought near.

21. يَشْهَدُهُ ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ

bookmark 22. Indeed, the righteous will be amid bliss.

22. إِنَّ ٱلْأَبْرَارَ لَفِى نَعِيمٍ

bookmark 23. On thrones, looking on.

23. عَلَى ٱلْأَرَآئِكِ يَنظُرُونَ

bookmark 24. You will recognize on their faces the radiance of bliss.

24. تَعْرِفُ فِى وُجُوهِهِمْ نَضْرَةَ ٱلنَّعِيمِ

bookmark 25. They will be given to drink a sealed wine.

25. يُسْقَوْنَ مِن رَّحِيقٍۢ مَّخْتُومٍ

bookmark 26. Whose seal is musk—this is what competitors should compete for.

26. خِتَٰمُهُۥ مِسْكٌۭ ۚ وَفِى ذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَتَنَافَسِ ٱلْمُتَنَٰفِسُونَ

bookmark 27. Its mixture is of Tasneem.

27. وَمِزَاجُهُۥ مِن تَسْنِيمٍ

bookmark 28. A spring from which those brought near drink.

28. عَيْنًۭا يَشْرَبُ بِهَا ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ

bookmark 29. Those who committed crimes used to laugh at those who believed.

29. إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُوا۟ كَانُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يَضْحَكُونَ

bookmark 30. And when they passed by them, they would wink at one another.

30. وَإِذَا مَرُّوا۟ بِهِمْ يَتَغَامَزُونَ

bookmark 31. And when they went back to their families, they would go back exulting.

31. وَإِذَا ٱنقَلَبُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهِمُ ٱنقَلَبُوا۟ فَكِهِينَ

bookmark 32. And if they saw them, they would say, “These people are lost.”

32. وَإِذَا رَأَوْهُمْ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ لَضَآلُّونَ

bookmark 33. Yet they were not sent as guardians over them.

33. وَمَآ أُرْسِلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ حَٰفِظِينَ

bookmark 34. But on that Day, those who believed will laugh at the unbelievers.

34. فَٱلْيَوْمَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلْكُفَّارِ يَضْحَكُونَ

bookmark 35. On luxurious furnishings, looking on.

35. عَلَى ٱلْأَرَآئِكِ يَنظُرُونَ

bookmark 36. Have the unbelievers been repaid for what they used to do?

36. هَلْ ثُوِّبَ ٱلْكُفَّارُ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْعَلُونَ

Context of Revelation

The surah Al-Mutaffifin (“Those Who Give Less”) is a Meccan surah consisting of 36 verses. According to Ibn Kathīr and Al-Qurtubī, it was revealed in Mecca, though some scholars — such as As-Suyuti — suggest Medina, as it addresses dishonest commercial practices observed in that period. The term Al-Mutaffifin refers to “cheaters,” those who defraud in measure and weight. As reported by Ibn ‘Abbas through At-Tabari, the surah was revealed as a warning to merchants who demanded full measure when buying but gave less when selling — condemning fraud in trade as a symbol of moral corruption.

Main Teachings and Notable Insights

The surah Al-Mutaffifin is a strong call for integrity, justice, and moral responsibility. It warns against deceit in business dealings and reminds of the inevitable Judgment where every deed will be exposed. Its main lessons include:

  • Condemnation of fraud and dishonesty in transactions — cheating, lying, or manipulating weights and measures. (verses 1–6)
  • Announcement of the Day of Judgment and the punishment awaiting wrongdoers. (verses 7–17)
  • Depiction of the records of sinners (Sijjin) and the records of the righteous (‘Illiyyin). (verses 7–21)
  • The reward of the faithful: bliss and the vision of God in Paradise. (verses 22–28)
  • Reversal of mockery: those who ridiculed the believers will be mocked in return on Judgment Day. (verses 29–36)

This surah connects economic justice with eschatological justice: respecting human rights is inseparable from honoring divine law.

Structure and Central Themes

  • Moral condemnation of fraudsters (verses 1–6): denunciation of inequity in trade.
  • The records of the hereafter (verses 7–21): contrast between the fate of the wicked (Sijjin) and the righteous (‘Illiyyin).
  • Reward of the just (verses 22–28): joy, purity, and divine proximity.
  • Reversal of roles on Judgment Day (verses 29–36): mockers of this world will be humiliated in the next.

The tone of the surah is moral, stern, and balanced: it warns that social and economic injustice reflects forgetfulness of God and will bear consequences in the afterlife.

Key Verse

The central verse of the surah is verse 14:

كَلَّا بَلْ ۜ رَانَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِم مَّا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ

No! Rather, their hearts have been rusted by what they used to earn.

Why is this verse key?

  • It summarizes the spiritual consequence of sin and dishonesty: repeated wrongdoing covers the heart with a veil of corrosion.
  • It illustrates the Qur’anic concept of “ran” — the rust that blinds the heart — showing how habitual disobedience dulls moral awareness.
  • It highlights the link between morality and faith: worldly corruption mirrors an inner and spiritual disorder.

In summary, Al-Mutaffifin denounces fraud, injustice, and arrogance while celebrating the purity of the righteous and the certainty of divine retribution. It binds together faith, ethics, and social justice in a unified spiritual vision.

Surah Al-Mutaffifin
0:00 0:00
Pick up where you left off?