Surah Al-Mutaffifin
المطففين
Surah Al-Mutaffifin is a 36-verse surah that begins by condemning people who cheat in trade and goes on to contrast the records and fates of the wicked and the righteous.
- Meaning
- The Defrauding
- Surah
- 83 of 114
- Verses
- 36
- Revealed in
- Mecca
- Found in
- Juz 30
What Surah Al-Mutaffifin is about
Surah Al-Mutaffifin, "The Defrauding", opens with a warning to a very ordinary kind of wrongdoer. Verses 1 to 3 describe traders who demand full measure when they receive goods but give short measure when they sell. Verses 4 to 6 ask whether such people do not realize they will be raised on a great Day, when all of humanity stands before the Lord of the Worlds.
From there the surah sets two records side by side. Verses 7 to 17 describe the record of the wicked, kept in a place called Sijjin, and the person who dismisses revelation as old legends. Verse 14 explains that their hearts have become rusted over by what they used to do, and verse 15 says they will be screened from their Lord. Verses 18 to 28 describe the record of the righteous in Illiyyin, witnessed by those brought near to Allah, and their reward: thrones, faces bright with joy, a sealed drink whose seal is musk, mixed from the spring of Tasnim. Verse 26 says this is what people should truly compete for.
The last section, verses 29 to 36, recalls how the arrogant used to laugh at the believers, wink at each other and call them misguided. On the Day of Judgment the roles reverse, and the believers look on from their couches.
The surah is usually counted as Meccan, though a report from Ibn Abbas links its opening to the people of Medina, and some scholars consider it one of the first surahs revealed there.
Main themes
Honesty in everyday dealings
The surah begins not with idolatry but with dishonest weighing and measuring. It ties a small, daily act of cheating directly to belief in the Day when everyone stands before Allah.
Verses 1–6Two records, two destinies
The wicked have their record in Sijjin and the righteous in Illiyyin. Each is described as a written, numbered book, and the surah follows each record to where it leads.
Verses 7–28Hearts that rust
Verse 14 explains why some people cannot hear the message: their own deeds have built up on their hearts like rust. The image suggests that turning away from truth is gradual and self-made.
Verses 14–15Mockery reversed
The closing verses describe believers being laughed at, winked at and dismissed. The surah ends by showing the same scene from the other side on the Day of Judgment.
Verses 29–36
Verses to know
وَيۡلࣱ لِّلۡمُطَفِّفِينَ ﴿١﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ٱكۡتَالُواْ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ يَسۡتَوۡفُونَ ﴿٢﴾ وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمۡ أَو وَّزَنُوهُمۡ يُخۡسِرُونَ ﴿٣﴾
1Woe to the defrauders. 2Those who, when they take a measure from people, they take in full. 3But when they measure or weigh to others, they cheat.
One of the clearest Quranic statements on fair trade. It condemns a person who wants full measure for themselves but short-changes others.
كَلَّاۖ بَلۡۜ رَانَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِم مَّا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ ﴿١٤﴾
Not at all. Their hearts have become corroded by what they used to earn.
This verse gives the image of a heart rusted or covered over by repeated wrongdoing. A well-known hadith explains it as the dark spot that grows on the heart with each sin unless the person repents.
خِتَٰمُهُۥ مِسۡكࣱۚ وَفِي ذَٰلِكَ فَلۡيَتَنَافَسِ ٱلۡمُتَنَٰفِسُونَ ﴿٢٦﴾
Whose seal is musk—this is what competitors should compete for.
Amid the description of Paradise, this verse tells people what is really worth competing for, redirecting the rivalry that drives trade and status.
Surah Al-Mutaffifin in Arabic and English
All 36 verses, with the Arabic, a transliteration to help you read it aloud, and the English translation by Talal Itani.
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
- 1
وَيۡلࣱ لِّلۡمُطَفِّفِينَ
Waylun lilmutaffifeena
Woe to the defrauders.
- 2
ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ٱكۡتَالُواْ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ يَسۡتَوۡفُونَ
Allatheena itha iktaloo AAala alnnasi yastawfoona
Those who, when they take a measure from people, they take in full.
- 3
وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمۡ أَو وَّزَنُوهُمۡ يُخۡسِرُونَ
Waitha kaloohum aw wazanoohum yukhsiroona
But when they measure or weigh to others, they cheat.
- 4
أَلَا يَظُنُّ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ أَنَّهُم مَّبۡعُوثُونَ
Ala yathunnu olaika annahum mabAAoothoona
Do these not know that they will be resurrected?
- 5
لِيَوۡمٍ عَظِيمٖ
Liyawmin AAatheemin
For a Great Day?
- 6
يَوۡمَ يَقُومُ ٱلنَّاسُ لِرَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ
Yawma yaqoomu alnnasu lirabbi alAAalameena
The Day when mankind will stand before the Lord of the Worlds?
- 7
كَلَّآ إِنَّ كِتَٰبَ ٱلۡفُجَّارِ لَفِي سِجِّينٖ
Kalla inna kitaba alfujjari lafee sijjeenin
Not at all. The record of the wicked is in Sijjeen.
- 8
وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا سِجِّينࣱ
Wama adraka ma sijjeenun
But how can you know what Sijjeen is?
- 9
كِتَٰبࣱ مَّرۡقُومࣱ
Kitabun marqoomun
A numerical book.
- 10
وَيۡلࣱ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لِّلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ
Waylun yawmaithin lilmukaththibeena
Woe on that Day to the deniers.
- 11
ٱلَّذِينَ يُكَذِّبُونَ بِيَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ
Allatheena yukaththiboona biyawmi alddeeni
Those who deny the Day of Reckoning.
- 12
وَمَا يُكَذِّبُ بِهِۦٓ إِلَّا كُلُّ مُعۡتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ
Wama yukaththibu bihi illa kullu muAAtadin atheemin
But none denies it except the sinful aggressor.
- 13
إِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِ ءَايَٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ
Itha tutla AAalayhi ayatuna qala asateeru alawwaleena
When Our revelations are recited to him, he says, “Legends of the ancients.”
- 14
كَلَّاۖ بَلۡۜ رَانَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِم مَّا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ
Kalla bal rana AAala quloobihim ma kanoo yaksiboona
Not at all. Their hearts have become corroded by what they used to earn.
- 15
كَلَّآ إِنَّهُمۡ عَن رَّبِّهِمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لَّمَحۡجُوبُونَ
Kalla innahum AAan rabbihim yawmaithin lamahjooboona
Not at all. On that Day, they will be screened from their Lord.
- 16
ثُمَّ إِنَّهُمۡ لَصَالُواْ ٱلۡجَحِيمِ
Thumma innahum lasaloo aljaheemi
Then they will roast in Hell.
- 17
ثُمَّ يُقَالُ هَٰذَا ٱلَّذِي كُنتُم بِهِۦ تُكَذِّبُونَ
Thumma yuqalu hatha allathee kuntum bihi tukaththiboona
Then it will be said, “This is what you used to deny.”
- 18
كَلَّآ إِنَّ كِتَٰبَ ٱلۡأَبۡرَارِ لَفِي عِلِّيِّينَ
Kalla inna kitaba alabrari lafee AAilliyyeena
No indeed; the record of the righteous is in Elliyyeen.
- 19
وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا عِلِّيُّونَ
Wama adraka ma AAilliyyoona
But how can you know what Elliyyoon is?
- 20
كِتَٰبࣱ مَّرۡقُومࣱ
Kitabun marqoomun
A numerical book.
- 21
يَشۡهَدُهُ ٱلۡمُقَرَّبُونَ
Yashhaduhu almuqarraboona
Witnessed by those brought near.
- 22
إِنَّ ٱلۡأَبۡرَارَ لَفِي نَعِيمٍ
Inna alabrara lafee naAAeemin
Indeed, the righteous will be amid bliss.
- 23
عَلَى ٱلۡأَرَآئِكِ يَنظُرُونَ
AAala alaraiki yanthuroona
On thrones, looking on.
- 24
تَعۡرِفُ فِي وُجُوهِهِمۡ نَضۡرَةَ ٱلنَّعِيمِ
TaAArifu fee wujoohihim nadrata alnnaAAeemi
You will recognize on their faces the radiance of bliss.
- 25
يُسۡقَوۡنَ مِن رَّحِيقٖ مَّخۡتُومٍ
Yusqawna min raheeqin makhtoomin
They will be given to drink a sealed wine.
- 26
خِتَٰمُهُۥ مِسۡكࣱۚ وَفِي ذَٰلِكَ فَلۡيَتَنَافَسِ ٱلۡمُتَنَٰفِسُونَ
Khitamuhu miskun wafee thalika falyatanafasi almutanafisoona
Whose seal is musk—this is what competitors should compete for.
- 27
وَمِزَاجُهُۥ مِن تَسۡنِيمٍ
Wamizajuhu min tasneemin
Its mixture is of Tasneem.
- 28
عَيۡنٗا يَشۡرَبُ بِهَا ٱلۡمُقَرَّبُونَ
AAaynan yashrabu biha almuqarraboona
A spring from which those brought near drink.
- 29
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أَجۡرَمُواْ كَانُواْ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ يَضۡحَكُونَ
Inna allatheena ajramoo kanoo mina allatheena amanoo yadhakoona
Those who committed crimes used to laugh at those who believed.
- 30
وَإِذَا مَرُّواْ بِهِمۡ يَتَغَامَزُونَ
Waitha marroo bihim yataghamazoona
And when they passed by them, they would wink at one another.
- 31
وَإِذَا ٱنقَلَبُوٓاْ إِلَىٰٓ أَهۡلِهِمُ ٱنقَلَبُواْ فَكِهِينَ
Waitha inqalaboo ila ahlihimu inqalaboo fakiheena
And when they went back to their families, they would go back exulting.
- 32
وَإِذَا رَأَوۡهُمۡ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ لَضَآلُّونَ
Waitha raawhum qaloo inna haolai ladalloona
And if they saw them, they would say, “These people are lost.”
- 33
وَمَآ أُرۡسِلُواْ عَلَيۡهِمۡ حَٰفِظِينَ
Wama orsiloo AAalayhim hafitheena
Yet they were not sent as guardians over them.
- 34
فَٱلۡيَوۡمَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنَ ٱلۡكُفَّارِ يَضۡحَكُونَ
Faalyawma allatheena amanoo mina alkuffari yadhakoona
But on that Day, those who believed will laugh at the unbelievers.
- 35
عَلَى ٱلۡأَرَآئِكِ يَنظُرُونَ
AAala alaraiki yanthuroona
On luxurious furnishings, looking on.
- 36
هَلۡ ثُوِّبَ ٱلۡكُفَّارُ مَا كَانُواْ يَفۡعَلُونَ
Hal thuwwiba alkuffaru ma kanoo yafAAaloona
Have the unbelievers been repaid for what they used to do?
Surah Al-Mutaffifin PDF
The whole surah on printable pages: Arabic, transliteration and English side by side. Free to download, print and share.
Questions about Surah Al-Mutaffifin
What is Surah Al-Mutaffifin about?
It warns people who cheat in weights and measures, then contrasts the record and fate of the wicked (in Sijjin) with that of the righteous (in Illiyyin). It ends with believers who were mocked in this life being honored on the Day of Judgment.
How many verses are in Surah Al-Mutaffifin?
Surah Al-Mutaffifin has 36 verses. It is the 83rd surah of the Quran.
Is Surah Al-Mutaffifin Meccan or Medinan?
It is usually listed as Meccan. Some scholars considered it Medinan or one of the first surahs revealed in Medina, based on a report from Ibn Abbas about cheating in trade there.
What are Sijjin and Illiyyin?
They are the places where the records of the wicked (verse 7) and the righteous (verse 18) are kept. The surah describes each as a written, numbered book.