SURAH 83 — Al-Muṭaffifīn — المطففين — “The Defrauders / Those Who Give Less”

• Revelation Order: 86
• Event Anchor: Late Meccan condemnation of commercial dishonesty (c. 620–622 CE)

Explanation:
Al-Muṭaffifīn rebukes merchants who cheat in measurements and transactions, a problem well attested in Meccan trade culture. The surah fits the late Meccan stage when the Prophet confronted societal injustices linked to the city’s mercantile economy. Its warnings about divine judgment and the record of the righteous versus the wicked speak to an environment where moral corruption was defended by wealthy elites. The surah’s strong criticism of dishonesty aligns with the escalating ethical challenge Islam posed to Mecca’s economic practices just before the Hijra.

Verse	Verse #	Meccan v Medinan	General Index
Woe to those who give less [than due],	1	Meccan	5849
Who, when they take a measure from people, take in full.	2	Meccan	5850
But if they give by measure or by weight to them, they cause loss.	3	Meccan	5851
Do they not think that they will be resurrected	4	Meccan	5852
For a tremendous Day –	5	Meccan	5853
The Day when mankind will stand before the Lord of the worlds?	6	Meccan	5854
No! Indeed, the record of the wicked is in sijjeen.	7	Meccan	5855
And what can make you know what is sijjeen?	8	Meccan	5856
It is [their destination recorded in] a register inscribed.	9	Meccan	5857
Woe, that Day, to the deniers,	10	Meccan	5858
Who deny the Day of Recompense.	11	Meccan	5859
And none deny it except every sinful transgressor.	12	Meccan	5860
When Our verses are recited to him, he says, “Legends of the former peoples.”	13	Meccan	5861
No! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning.	14	Meccan	5862
No! Indeed, from their Lord, that Day, they will be partitioned.	15	Meccan	5863
Then indeed, they will [enter and] burn in Hellfire.	16	Meccan	5864
Then it will be said [to them], “This is what you used to deny.”	17	Meccan	5865
No! Indeed, the record of the righteous is in ‘illiyyun.	18	Meccan	5866
And what can make you know what is ‘illiyyun?	19	Meccan	5867
It is [their destination recorded in] a register inscribed	20	Meccan	5868
Which is witnessed by those brought near [to Allah].	21	Meccan	5869
Indeed, the righteous will be in pleasure	22	Meccan	5870
On adorned couches, observing.	23	Meccan	5871
You will recognize in their faces the radiance of pleasure.	24	Meccan	5872
They will be given to drink [pure] wine [which was] sealed.	25	Meccan	5873
The last of it is musk. So for this let the competitors compete.	26	Meccan	5874
And its mixture is of Tasneem,	27	Meccan	5875
A spring from which those near [to Allah] drink.	28	Meccan	5876
Indeed, those who committed crimes used to laugh at those who believed.	29	Meccan	5877
And when they passed by them, they would exchange derisive glances.	30	Meccan	5878
And when they returned to their people, they would return jesting.	31	Meccan	5879
And when they saw them, they would say, “Indeed, those are truly lost.”	32	Meccan	5880
But they had not been sent as guardians over them.	33	Meccan	5881
So Today those who believed are laughing at the disbelievers,	34	Meccan	5882
On adorned couches, observing.	35	Meccan	5883
Have the disbelievers [not] been rewarded [this Day] for what they used to do?	36	Meccan	5884