Verses 1–21
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful.
This sūrah was revealed in Mecca and consists of 36 verses. It begins with a warning against the defrauders in weight and measures. It admonishes them that they shall be raised for retribution on a tremendous day, which is the Day of Resurrection. The chapter then presents an account of what the vicious and the virtuous will go through on that day. The theme of the opening verses—regarding the defrauders—is more compatible with Medinan chapters, but the rest of the verses can be either Meccan or Medinan.
Commentary
وَيْلٌ لِلْمُطَفِّفِينَ ١
(83:1) Shame on the defrauders who use short measures (lil-muṭaffifīn, from taṭfīf),
This verse implies a curse. Taṭfīf means “giving someone short measure” in terms of count or weight. God has prohibited this, and called it ifsād (corruption, causing mischief) on earth, as narrated from Prophet Shuʿayb: O my people! Give full measure and full weight in justice, and wrong not people in respect of their goods. And do not act wickedly on the earth, causing corruption (). Under that verse we explained in what sense such practice amounts to causing corruption on the earth.
الَّذِينَ إِذَا اكْتَالُوا عَلَى النَّاسِ يَسْتَوْفُونَ ٢ وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمْ أَوْ وَزَنُوهُمْ يُخْسِرُونَ ٣
(83:2-3) who, when they measure (iktālū, from iktiyāl) [a commodity bought] against (ʿalá) the people, take the full measure (yastawfūna, from istīfāʾ), but diminish (yukhsirūna, from ikhsār) when they measure (kālūhum, from kayl) or weigh for them.
Iktiyāl means “getting something from someone using a measure,” and kayl means “giving something to someone using a measure.” The preposition ʿalá (against, over, on) is used in the first verse to imply afflicting a loss on the other side. Istīfāʾ means “receiving one’s right fully.” Ikhsār means “inflicting a loss upon someone.”
The meaning is: “When they are supposed to receive something from others with measure, they receive what belongs to them in full. But when they are supposed to give something to others with measure or weight, they pay them less than their right. Thus they cause them a loss.”
The verses together make up a single criticism: They respect their own right, but do not respect the rights of others. In other words, they do not consider others to be entitled to the same rights as they consider themselves to be. This bias results in the corruption of the society, which is founded on justice and the reciprocity of rights and responsibilities. If this balance is not maintained, everything falls into ruin.
Why does the first verse [] only mentions measure without weight, while the second one [] mentions both: when they measure or weigh for them ()? Here are some suggested answers:
- The subjects involved were merchants who predominantly purchased large quantities of grains, vegetables and other commodities wholesale. Then they would resell them gradually in small quantities. Most of these commodities were commonly traded with measure, not with weight. That is why the first only mentions measure by generalization (taghlīb).
- Even though weight is not mentioned in the verse, it is implied by the mention of measure.
Comment: The second verse [] defies this explanation, because the verse mentions both. Hence, this view is an unwarranted imposition on the verse.
- The verses were revealed according to the common practice of the audience at the time. They used to buy things only with measure, but sell with both measure and weight.
Comment: There is no evidence to substantiate this claim. There are further suggested explanations for the difference of expression in the two verses, but none of them is quite plausible.
أَلَا يَظُنُّ أُولَٰئِكَ أَنَّهُمْ مَبْعُوثُونَ ٤ لِيَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ ٥
(83:4-5) Do they not speculate (yaẓunnu, from ẓann) that they (ūlāʾika) will be resurrected on a tremendous day,
This is a rhetorical question which implies a negation and surprise. Ẓann is meant in its common sense (speculating, supposing, thinking). The verse refers to the subjects using the demonstrative pronoun ūlāʾika (they, those) [which is used for people at a distance] in order to indicate their distance from God’s mercy. The tremendous day is the Day of Resurrection, when they will be paid back for their deeds.
Even though it is incumbent to believe in the hereafter with certainty, even the speculation and possibility of afterlife would be sufficient for the purpose of these verses. This is because in practice, the mere expectation of loss and damage suffices to safeguard oneself and prevent its occurrence, even though one may not know whether it will occur or not for sure. Therefore, speculating that there might be a tremendous day when God will hold the people accountable for their deeds would require one to refrain from such an egregious sin—a sin that would result in an excruciating punishment. Some exegetes have said that ẓann in this verse means knowledge.
يَوْمَ يَقُومُ النَّاسُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ٦
(83:6) a day when humankind will stand before the Lord of all nations?
What is meant is standing up from their graves, which is a figurative expression for being raised to life after being dead. They will stand and await God’s judgment among them.
كَلَّا إِنَّ كِتَابَ الْفُجَّارِ لَفِي سِجِّينٍ ٧
(83:7) Nay (kallā)! The record (kitāb) of the vicious is indeed in Sijjīn.
It is said that the exclamation kallā (nay, never, no way) pushes aside their common usage of short measures and their heedlessness of the resurrection and reckoning.
Through contemplating the four verses here about Sijjīn [], and the four verses below about ʿIlliyyūn—Nay! The record of the virtuous is indeed in ʿIlliyyūn… (18-21)—we can deduce the following: Sijjīn is the antonym of ʿIlliyyūn, which means “the highest of the high.” Accordingly, Sijjīn implies elements of abasement and imprisonment, much like what is mentioned in the verse: Then we relegated them to the lowest of the low (). Therefore, it is best to interpret it as a hyperbolic form of the word sijn (prison), analogous to sikkīr (very intoxicated) and shirrīb (massive drinker), which are intensified forms of sukr (intoxication) and shurb (drinking). As such, Sijjīn means a place that confines whoever enters it forever. This is how some exegetes have interpreted the term.
What is meant by kitāb here is maktūb (that which is written). It is derived from kitābah (inscription, writing) which means “definite decree.” The record of the vicious is the retribution that God has recorded and ordained for them by His decree. The effective meaning is: “The retribution that God has determined for them and warned them with is in Sijjīn, which is a prison that confines whoever enters it for a long time—or forever.”
وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا سِجِّينٌ ٨
(83:8) And what will show you what is Sijjīn?
This is an expression of intense terror.
كِتَابٌ مَرْقُومٌ ٩
(83:9) A written (marqūm, from raqm) record (kitāb).
This verse interprets and describes Sijjīn. Again [as in verse ], kitāb here means maktūb (that which is written), derived from kitābah (inscription, writing), which means “decreeing, recording.” Al-Rāghib says:
Raqm means “large handwriting.” It is also defined as “marking a writing with dots.” Both meanings can be applied to the verses: A written record (, ).
The second meaning [of raqm] is more appropriate in this context, because it would imply that what is prescribed for them has been clarified from all ambiguity. In other words, it is a definite decree that cannot be revoked. The effective meaning is: “Sijjīn is decreed and recorded for them [as their eternal abode] in a clear way that leaves no ambiguity.”
This means the record of the vicious is in Sijjīn, which itself is a record. There is no problem with this view because the latter is a broader receptacle which contains the former. Sijjīn is a comprehensive record that includes the fates of anyone who deserves punishment, including the vicious as well as others.
وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ١٠
(83:10) Shame on the deniers on that day,
This verse curses the vicious, and equates them with the deniers. Effectively speaking, on that day identifies the time for the occurrence of the verse: The record of the vicious is indeed in Sijjīn (). The meaning is: “May the vicious—who are the deniers—perish. On that day the retribution that God has written and ordained for them shall come to pass, and the punishment shall befall them.”
The above is what we can say after contemplating the four verses [] as parts of a consistent thread of meaning. Exegetes have a wide range of views concerning the words and phrases in these verses. Here are some of their interpretations:
- The record (kitāb) of the vicious (): The word kitāb here means maktūb (that which is written), and implies the records of their deeds.
- The word kitāb means kitābah (inscription, writing), and implies an omission in the verse. The implied meaning is: “The inscription of the deeds of the vicious is indeed in Sijjīn.”
- Al-fujjār (the vicious, the wrongdoers, the sinners) are a broader group than the deniers (), including both the disbelievers and the sinners [among believers].
- Sijjīn is the lowest of the seven layers of earth [or land], wherein the records of the vicious shall be placed.
- Sijjīn is a valley in hell.
- Sijjīn is a well in hell.
- Sijjīn is a name for their records of deeds.
- The first Sijjīn [in verse ] is the name of the place where the records of their deeds will be placed. The second Sijjīn [in verse ] is a name for their records of deeds.
- Sijjīn is a name for an encyclopedic book for all evil, where the misdeeds of all the jinns and humans are recorded.
- What is meant by Sijjīn is total loss, failure and humiliation. It is much like saying, “So-and-so reached their nadir” when they drop all the way to the bottom [in terms of happiness and success].
- Sijjīn is an altered form of sijjīl (baked clay, shale) [as used in verses , , ]. This is like saying Jibrīn instead of Jibrīl (Gabriel).
- The current verse—Woe to the deniers on that day ()—picks up the discussion from the verse: a day when humankind will stand before the Lord of all nations? (). The three verses in between [] are parenthetical.
- A written record (): This verse does not interpret Sijjīn [in verse ], but it interprets The record in the verse: The record of the vicious ().
Comment: If the readers reflect on the above views, they would concur that many of them involve unfounded impositions on the verses, without any evidence for them whatsoever. Further, they interrupt the continuous thread that runs through the verses, which can be matched with the four verses below concerning the virtuous []. That is why we will not bother analyzing these suggestions individually
الَّذِينَ يُكَذِّبُونَ بِيَوْمِ الدِّينِ ١١
(83:11) who deny the Day of Retribution;
The verse interprets the deniers in the last verse. Given the following verses, apparently what is meant here is outspoken deniers who are not shy about their denial. This means that the rebuke in the verses pertains to disbelievers in particular, and does not include sinners among the believers. Hence, the subject of discussion is not all defrauders, but only the infidels among them.
An alternative view is that perhaps denial is meant in a general sense, including denial through one’s acts and practice. This may be confirmed by what we read above: Do they not speculate that they will be resurrected? (). If so, the verse would be applicable to all wrongdoers among both believers and unbelievers.
وَمَا يُكَذِّبُ بِهِ إِلَّا كُلُّ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ ١٢
(83:12) and none denies it except every sinful (athīm) transgressor (muʿtadī, muʿtad)
What is meant here is transgressing beyond the boundaries of servitude. Athīm means “very sinful,” such that one’s sins accumulate on top of one another as the person plunges headlong into one’s desires. Clearly, the sole impediment to sinning is belief in afterlife and retribution. But when one grows accustomed to sin, when one’s heart gets attached to stepping beyond the limits, and when one is immersed in the pursuit of desires, then they will be reluctant to submit to any harness that restrains them from disobedience. This will eventually lead to outright denial of the resurrection and reckoning. God says: Then the fate of those who committed misdeeds was that they denied the signs of Allah and they used to deride them ().
إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا قَالَ أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ ١٣
(83:13) When Our signs (āyātunā) are recited to him, he says, “Fables (asāṭīr) of the ancients!”
Given the word recited, we can infer that “Our signs” (āyātunā) mean the verses (āyāt) of the Qur’an. Asāṭīr means “that which is written in lines (sing. saṭr).” What is meant here is the superstitious legends and tales of ancient nations. The meaning is: “When the verses of Qur’an are recited to them, admonishing them against disobedience and warning them about the resurrection and retribution, they retort: ‘These are mumbo-jumbo.’”
كَلَّا ۖ بَلْ ۜ رَانَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ ١٤
(83:14) Nay! Rather, their hearts have been sullied (rāna, from rayn) by what they have been earning.
The exclamation kallā (nay, never, no way) rejects the above mentioned claim of the deniers: “Fables of the ancients” (). What they have been earning is their sins. Al-Rāghib says:
Rayn is the rust or stain that forms on the surface of a shiny object. God says: Rather, their hearts have been sullied, which means that their deeds have covered the polish of their hearts like rust. Thus they cannot distinguish between good and evil.
Saying that their hearts are rusted by their sins means that their sins are veiling them from grasping the truth as it is. We can deduce a few points from this verse:
- Evil deeds have certain forms and patterns that mark their impression on the soul.
- These impressions hinder and veil the soul from perceiving the truth as is.
- In its pristine state, the human soul is pure, transparent and polished, such that it can perceive the truth as it is, can mark it from falsehood, and can distinguish virtue from vice. God says: By the soul and by What fashioned it, then inspired it with [discernment between] its virtues and its vices ().
كَلَّا إِنَّهُمْ عَنْ رَبِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَمَحْجُوبُونَ ١٥
(83:15) Nay! They will be alienated from their Lord on that day.
The exclamation kallā (nay, never, no way) refutes their sins which block their hearts from comprehending the truth. They are alienated from their Lord on the Day of Resurrection in the sense that they will be deprived of having an honorable position of proximity to the divine. Perhaps this is what is meant by some exegetes, saying that it means being veiled from the mercy of their Lord.
Meanwhile, all veils will be lifted for everyone in another sense: All intermediate causes between God and His creatures will fall on that day, such that everyone will have complete knowledge of their Lord. The Qur’an says: “To whom does the sovereignty belong today?” “To Allah, the One, the All-Paramount!” (); and they shall know that Allah is the Manifest Reality ().
ثُمَّ إِنَّهُمْ لَصَالُو الْجَحِيمِ ١٦
(83:16) Then (thumma) they will indeed enter hell,
In this verse and the next one, the word thumma (then) marks the different parts of speech [not a temporal gap]. Exegetes have offered two meanings for this verse: (1) “They will enter hell and abide there.” (2) “They will enter hell and suffer its heat.”
ثُمَّ يُقَالُ هَٰذَا الَّذِي كُنْتُمْ بِهِ تُكَذِّبُونَ ١٧
(83:17) then told, “This is what you used to deny!”
This is a statement of blame and rebuke. The speaker is either the keepers of hell, or the inhabitants of paradise.
كَلَّا إِنَّ كِتَابَ الْأَبْرَارِ لَفِي عِلِّيِّينَ ١٨ وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا عِلِّيُّونَ ١٩ كِتَابٌ مَرْقُومٌ ٢٠
(83:18-20) Nay! The record of the virtuous is indeed in ʿIlliyyūn. And what will show you what is ʿIlliyyūn? A written record,
The word Nay in this verse is comparable to the same word in the verse: Nay! The record of the vicious… (). As we already explained, ʿIlliyyūn, means “elevation above elevation,” which can be matched with lofty positions and stations of proximity to the Almighty God. This is in direct contrast with Sijjīn. These three verses [] should be interpreted in the same way that we interpreted their counterparts above: Nay! The record of the vicious is indeed in Sijjīn. And what will show you what is Sijjīn? A written record (). The meaning is: “What has been written and decreed for the virtuous as the rewards of their good deeds lies in ʿIlliyyūn. But what do you know about ʿIlliyyūn? It is a written and ordained reality which is definite and inevitable, without any ambiguity around it.”
Exegetes have offered a wide range of views under these verses, much like what we narrated under the verses above []. Here are some of their suggestions concerning ʿIlliyyūn in particular:
- It is the seventh heaven, right under the Throne, where the souls of the believers will abide.
- It is the Lote Tree of the Ultimate Boundary (), which is the final destination of the deeds [as they rise to heaven].
- It is a tablet of zabarjad (chrysolite, emerald, aquamarine) that hangs beneath the Throne, with the acts of the virtuous inscribed on it.
- It means high ranks that are enveloped by [divine] majesty.
Comment: The problem with these views is the same problem that we stated above [under verse ].
يَشْهَدُهُ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ ٢١
(83:21) witnessed by those brought near [to Allah] (al-muqarrabūn).
Given the preceding verses, what is meant by “witnessing” here is observing [not testifying]. Al-muqarrabūn (those brought nigh, the near most ones) are a subset of the inhabitants of paradise who are superior to the majority of the good-doers. This can be deduced from a verse below: a spring where those brought near [to Allah] drink (). They shall witness it [the record of the virtuous, and/or the ʿIlliyyūn] as God will show it to them. A similar description is mentioned in the Qur’an with respect to hell: Nay! Were you to know with the knowledge of certitude, you would surely see hell (). This clarifies that al-muqarrabūn are the people of certitude (ahl al-yaqīn).
Here are two other suggested views:
- “Witnessing” here means presence, and al-muqarrabūn are the angels. The verse is about the angels being present with the records of deeds of the virtuous as they take the records up to God.
- Al-muqarrabūn includes both the virtuous (al-abrār) and the angels.
Comment: Both views hinge on interpreting the word kitāb (record, writing) [in verse ] as the record of deeds. However, we already explained the implausibility of this interpretation [under verse ].
Examining Narrations
- Imam al-Bāqir said: Sūrah al-Muṭaffifīn was revealed to the Prophet when he migrated to Medina. At the time, they [the Medinans] were the most unscrupulous of people in terms of measurement [in transactions], but then they started to measure properly.
- Imam al-Bāqir said: “Indeed the Almighty God created us [Ahl al-Bayt] from the top of ʿIlliyyūn (the Highest Heaven, the Elevated Record). He created the hearts of our followers (lit. shīʿah) from what He created us from, and created their bodies from [a substance] lower than that. Thus their hearts incline toward us because they are created from what we are created from.” Then he recited: Nay! The record of the virtuous is indeed in ʿIlliyyūn. And what will show you what is ʿIlliyyūn? A written record, witnessed by those brought near [to Allah] ().
The Imam continued: “God created the hearts of our enemies from Sijjīn (the Lowest Hell, the Infernal Record). He created the hearts of their followers from what He created them from, and created their bodies from [a substance] lower than that. Thus their hearts incline toward them because they [the followers’ hearts] are created from what they [the leaders] are created from.” Then He recited: Nay! The record of the vicious is indeed in Sijjīn. And what will show you what is Sijjīn? A written record. Shame on the deniers on that day ().
Author’s comment: As the reader can see, these narrations confirm our interpretation of the verses.
- Concerning Nay! The record of the vicious is indeed in Sijjīn () Tafsīr al-Qummī says: The punishment that God has inscribed for them is in Sijjīn.
- Imam al-Bāqir said: Sijjīn is the seventh earth [below all], and ʿIlliyyūn is the seventh heaven [above all].
Author’s comment: Assuming that this account is authentic, it is based on ascribing directions—such as up and down—to heaven and hell in some sense. The same idea is reflected in other narrations which describe the grave as “either a garden from the gardens of Paradise, or a pit from the pits of hell,” and narrations which identify the desert of Barahūt [in Yemen] as a place for hell.
- Once Salmān and ʿAbd-Allah b. Salām met each other, where one of them said, “If you die before me, come to see me [in a dream] and tell me how your Lord dealt with you. And if I die before you, I will come to see you and inform you.”
“How is that possible?” the other inquired.
“It is possible, since the souls of believers will be on a barzakh (middle ground, intermediate position) on the earth, where they can roam around as they wish, while the souls of disbelievers will be confined in Sijjīn. And God knows best.”
- Imam al-Bāqir said: There is a bright spot in the heart of every servant [of God]. If they sin, a dark stain appears on that bright spot. If they repent, the dark spot goes away. If they continue sinning, the dark stain will grow until it covers the brightness. Once it covers the brightness, the person would never return to goodness. That is what God says: Nay! Rather, their hearts have been sullied by what they have been earning ().
- The Messenger of God said: Converse with each other, meet one another, and narrate hadith amongst yourselves, because indeed hadith is a polish for the heart. Indeed the hearts rust as swords rust, and their polish is hadith…
- Imam al-Bāqir said: Nothing is as detrimental to the heart as sin. Indeed the heart incurs sin, and continues with it until sin dominates it. Then its bottom comes up, and its top goes down [that is, the heart is subverted].
- The Messenger of God said: When a believer commits a sin, a dark spot appears on their heart. If they repent, refrain [from repeating it], and ask forgiveness [from God], they polish their heart of that. But if they add [to their sins], then that [spot] will grow. This is the rayn (rust, sully, stain) that God has mentioned in His Book: Nay! Rather, their hearts have been sullied by what they have been earning ().
According to Majmaʿ al-bayān, the verbs kāla (to measure) and wazana (to weigh) can be used either without or with the letter lām (for). The former is the usage of the people of Hejaz, while the latter belongs to others. The verse has been revealed based on the former. (Auth.) ↩︎
“Measure” (kayl) means units of volume or capacity, such as bushels of grain. “Weight” (wazn) means units of weight, as used for honey. Two other units of measurement are “count” (ʿadad) which is used for livestock, and “area” (masāḥah) which is used for land. (Ed.) ↩︎
Concerning the Qur’anic usage of uncertainty about the hereafter, see the footnote under volume 39, p. 44 of the English translation, under verse . (Ed.) ↩︎
ʿIlliyyūn can be translated as “the Highest Heaven” or “the Elevated Record,” and Sijjīn as “the Lowest Hell” or “the Infernal Record.” (Ed.) ↩︎
Kitābah is a maṣdar (infinitive noun, gerund) which means “the act of writing.” (Ed.) ↩︎
This verse is a predicate for an omitted subject, which is a pronoun that refers to Sijjīn. (Auth.) ↩︎
The author’s interpretation assumes that verse builds on verse by interpreting Sijjīn. However, the repetition of the word kitāb suggests that verse refers back to verse , where the same word is mentioned. This makes the meaning more fluent: “It is inscribed that the vicious are destined to Sijjīn, and this is an unequivocal decree.” Similarly, verses say: “It is inscribed that the virtuous shall abide in ʿIlliyyūn. This is a final verdict, and those who are near most to God are witness to it.” This is the last of the suggested views by the exegetes under the next verse. In the Qur’an’s parlance, wa mā adrāka… (And what will show you what is…) is a complete expression that underlines the importance of a reality, without necessitating a follow-up. (Ed.) ↩︎
Muʿtadī (transgressor) is an ism al-fāʿil (nominative substantive, active participial noun) derived from the verb iʿtidāʾ, which means “transgression, violation, trespass.” (Auth.) ↩︎
Thumma in such cases can be interpreted as “in addition, besides.” (Ed.) ↩︎
Tafsīr al-Qummī, on the authority of Abū al-Jārūd. ↩︎
Al-Kāfī, via its chain of narration, on the authority of Abū Ḥamzah al-Thumālī. Another similar hadith is narrated from the Imam in al-Kāfī, on the authority of al-Thumālī, through other chains of narration. And another similar hadith is narrated from Imam al-Ṣādiq in ʿIlal al-sharāʾiʿ, on the authority of Zayd al-Shaḥḥām, via an unconnected chain of transmission (marfūʿ). ↩︎
Tafsīr al-Qummī, on the authority of Abū al-Jārūd. ↩︎
Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of Ibn al-Mubārak, on the authority of Saʿīd b. Musayyib. ↩︎
Al-Kāfī, via its chain of narration, on the authority of Zurārah. The same idea is also narrated from the Prophet in al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of several collections of hadith, on the authority of Abū Hurayrah. ↩︎
Ḥadīth literally means “speech,” but apparently what is meant here is Prophetic narrations. Otherwise, most other speech not only do not polish the heart of its rust, but add further dust. (Ed.) ↩︎
Al-Kāfī, via its chain of narration, on the authority of ʿAbd-Allah b. Muḥammad al-Ḥajjāl, on the authority of some of our companions, via an unconnected chain of transmission (marfūʿ). ↩︎
Rawḍat al-wāʿiẓīn. ↩︎
Rawḍat al-wāʿiẓīn. ↩︎