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Part 43
Sura Mutaffifin 83:1-6
In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The
Merciful
1.
"Woe
to the defrauders,"
2. "Who, when they take a measure from
people, take it in full,"
3. "But when they give by measure or
weight to men, they cause loss (give
less than what is due)."
4. "Do they not think that they shall be
raised (to life again)?"
5. "For a Great Day"
6. "The Day when (all) mankind shall stand
before the Lord of the Worlds?"
The Occasion of Revelation:
Ibn-Abbas says that when the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) arrived in
Medina large group of tradesmen used to deal fraudulently, then Allah sent down
these verses and, thereafter, they did not commit further fraud.
Another tradition says that: a large number of the inhabitants of
Medina were tradesmen at that time. They used to deal fraudulently and many of
their dealings were religiously unlawful. Then, these verses were revealed and
the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) recited them to the citizens of Medina. He also
added: There are five for five." They asked him which 'five' were
for which 'five'. And he answered:
"No nation broke their promise but that Allah set their enemies
over them."
"No society passed Judgement without suffering excessive poverty
when they were heedless of the laws of Allah."
No nation fornicated without being faced with abundant
fatality"
"No sect committed fraud save those whose crops became rotted and
famine plagued them."
No community refused paying Alms tax except that they were
parched by draught."name="_ftnref1" title="">[1]
The late Tabarsi has cited about the occasion of revelation of
these verses that there was a man in Medina by the name of Abu -Jahinah who had
two scales for measuring: one of them was big, which he used when he wanted to
buy things, and the other was small, which was used when he used to sell
things. (Then, this Sura was revealed and warned him and the likes of him).
Commentary:
Woe to Those Who Deal in Fraud.
In these verses, before everything, it addresses the shortchangers
and says:
"Woe to the defrauders"
This is a threat, indeed, from Allah to these arrogant, unmanly
oppressors who tread on the rights of the people.
The term /mutaffifin/ is based on / tatfif/ derived from /taf/
which means 'the edge of something'; and everything which is slight or
insufficient has been called / tafif / as well as a measure which is not
completely full viz., the content is up to the edge, but it is not sufficiently
full. Then, the different forms of this term have been used for 'shortchanging'.
The word / wayl /, here, means; 'woe, or a great misfortune, or
sorrow, or death, or punishment, or a very hot site in Hell'. It is usually
used when it is meant 'an evil and lowly sense or damnation'. The word
is very short, but it implies many ideas.
It is noteworthy that a narration from Imam Sadiq (p.b.u.h.)
says that Allah has not used the term /wayl / 'woe', in the Qur'an, for
anyone unless He has called the one a pagan, as He says: "....and woe
to the Unbelievers because of the (coming) Judgement of a momentous Day",(Sura
Maryam, No. 19. verse 37.).name="_ftnref3" title="">[3]
Thus, by this narration we understand that 'dealing in fraud'
is akin to 'paganism'.
"Who, when they take a measure from
people, take it in full."
"But when they give by measure or weight
to men; they cause loss (give less than what is due)".
Some of the commentators have understood from the above verse that
/mutaffif/ 'a defrauder' is a person who takes more than his right when
he buys something and gives less than what is due when he sells it, and Allah
has used the word 'woe' against him, in both cases.
However, this idea is wrong because the term / yastaufun / means
that they take their right fully, but, there is nothing in verse 2 which
indicates that they take something more than what is their right.
In comparison with these two circumstances of when they buy
something they take it in full, but, when they must give in full what is due
from them, they do not and cause a loss, Allah curses them.
This is noteworthy, too, that in dealing with others, when they
take their own right, it is speaking of 'measure' and they take measure
in full, but when they are going to give people's rights to them, it is speaking
of both 'measure and weight' and they give them less than what is their
due. This difference in the usage, of the words, may be due to one of the
following reasons:
The first is that, in old times when wholesale trades used to
occur the buyers mostly used big measures because, scales were not big enough
for weighing very heavy loads, but smaller measures were more suitable and
easily available. However in selling things they had both wholesale (by
measures) and retail (by weights).
The second is that for taking a share, it is more suitable to use 'measure'
because, shortchanging is more easy when weighing things and provides a
greater possibility to commit fraud.
This point is also notable that though the verses speak about
shortchangers, undoubtedly 'fraud' must be taken, here, in a more
general sense: It consists of giving short measure and short weight, but it
covers much more than that. It includes any shortchanging in numericals, (the
countable items which are sold one by one). Or, it may include lazy workers or
employees who do their duty insufficiently: so the verses condemn even them.
Some commentators consider a broader scope for the meaning of the
verses. They say that any changes in 'limits set by Allah' and any
deterioration in social relations and morals may be involved. Although there is
no clear implication about them in the verses, the idea is not inappropriate.
Hence, it is narrated from ' Abdullah - ibn - Mas'ud, a companion
of the Prophet's (p.b.u.h.), who said: "Prayer is measurable. If
one fills its measure completely (and says a prayer perfectly) Allah will give
him a complete reward, but if not, Allah's word about Mutafffin (defrauders)
will be against him, too."name="_ftnref4" title="">[4]
Then, to threaten them (the defrauders) reproachfully, it
questions:
"Do they not think that they shall be
raised (to life again)?"
"For a Great Day".
On the day whose account, punishment, and primary events and
horrors are all great.
"The Day when (all) mankind shall stand
before the Lord of the Worlds?"
That is, if they believed in the Hereafter and they knew an
account will be given there, and all their deeds are recorded for the Judgement,
before the Lord, and whoever has done an atom's weight of good or evil shall
behold it on That Great Day, they would not commit oppression and would
never tread on the rights of anyone.
Many of the commentators took the term /yazunnu/, based on the
term / zann /, to mean 'conviction'. It resembles Sura Baqarah,No. 2,
verse 249 which says: "...But those who were convinced that they must meet
Allah said: 'How oft, by Allah's will, hath a small force vanquished a big
one?'..."
A tradition from Hazrat Ali (p.b.u.h) for the commentary of
the verse attests to the idea. He said about the meaning of the verse: "Do
they not think that they shall be raised (to life again)", that it renders:
"Are they not sure that they will be raised (to life again) ?"
It has also been narrated that he said: "There are two
kinds of /zann/ 'imagination': one is 'of doubt' and the other is 'of
conviction'. What are given in the Qur'an about Resurrection are those of the '
imagination of conviction' and what are given about the World are those of the
imagination 'of doubt'."name="_ftnref6" title="">[6]
It is notable that, as Raqib has said in his book Mufradat,
the term /zann/ basically is a word used for that case which happens in a
person's mind where there are some implications in a person's thoughts about
something. If they are convincing, the knowledge and confidence rise, but if
they are feeble, there will be a mere 'delusion'.
Thus, the term /zann/ 'imagination', inspite of its present
day usage, has a broad meaning in the Qur'an that consists of the sense of both
'knowledge' and 'apprehension'. It has been used sometimes with
the former meaning and sometimes with the latter one.
Explanation:
'Dealing in Fraud' is One of the Factors of Mischief in the Land.
The Holy Qur'an frequently condemns fraud, for example, in the
story of Shu'ayb in Sura Shu'ara No.26, verse 181 to 183 it says: "Give
just measure, and cause no loss (to others by fraud)." "And weigh with scales
true and upright". "And withhold not things justly due to men, nor do evil in
the land, working mischief".
Hence, dealing in fraud unjustly, with measure or weight, is
counted as working mischief in the land. This is an evidence for the idea that
shortchanging is one of the aspects of social evils.
And, also, in Sura Rahman, No.55, verse 7--8, justice in
weights, which should be applied by people, is counted of the Balance of the
firmament which Allah raised high, where it says: "And the firmament has He
raised high, and He has set up the Balance (of Justice)," "In order that you
may not transgress (due) balance." This means that justice and balance of
the scale should be observed seriously, because it is an important factor not
only in social affairs, but it is, in fact, a part of the balance the
regulation in all the world that Allah has created.
For the same reason, the great leaders of Islam have paid much
attention to it. For example, Asbaq-iln-Nabatah has quoted from Hazrat Ali (p.b.u.h)
that when he was on the pulpit, he said: "0 tradesmen! 'practical
theology' is first then trade." And he repeated it thrice, then finally
added: "A tradesman is a wicked man and a wicked man will be in Hell
except for those who take their right in justice and give people's right (in
full)".[7]
Another narration from Imam Baqir (p.b.u.h.) says that when
Amir-al-Moimineen Ali (p.b.u.h) was in Kufa, every morning he used to
enter the markets and walk through them carrying a whip with him over his
shoulder (for the punishment of the offenders). He would stand in the middle of
the market and call: "O traders, fear Allah!". When people heard
his voice they dropped what they were doing and listened to his words
carefully. Then he said: "Ask Allah for goodness, and be easy in your
dealing with people, to be blessed. And approach the customers (in dealing),
and make patience a model of decorum for yourself. And restrain from
swearing; and avoid telling fies. Stand against cruelty, and treat the
oppressed justly. Do not approach usury. Give just measure and weight, nor
withhold from the people the things that are their due: commit not evi1in the
land with intent to do mischief."
And, also,
as it was mentioned for the occasion of revelation of the verses, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.)
said: "No sect committed fraud save those whose crops rotted and famine
plagued them."
As a
consequence from the above words, we find out that the use of short weights has
been one of the great factors of destruction and punishment for some of the
past generations, which caused disturbances in their economical order, and the
descent of Divine Punishment.
It has been
emphasized even in Islamic traditions about business behaviours that believers
should give others a bit more when measuring or weighing something, and take
from others a bit less than that which is due. This is opposite to what is
mentioned in these verses about the treatment of the defrauders, Who when
they take a measure from people, take it in full," "But when they give by
measure or weight to men, they cause loss (give less than what is due.)."
On the other
hand, as it was mentioned before, 'fraud' has such a broad meaning that
envelops any shortchanging in any business or problem or responsibility whether
they are personal or social or Divine.
href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title="">[1]
Tafsir
Fakhr-i-Razi, vol. 31, p. 88.
name="_ftn2" title="">[2] Majma'-al-Bayan, vol. 10, p. 452.
name="_ftn3" title="">[3] Usul-i-Kafi, based on
Nur-uth-Thaqalayn, vol. 5, p. 527
name="_ftn4" title="">[4] Majma'-al-Bayan, vol. 10, p. 452.
name="_ftn5" title="">[5] Borhan, Commmentary, vol. 4, p. 38.
name="_ftn6" title="">[6] Nur-al-Thaqalayn, vol. 5, p. 528.
name="_ftn7" title="">[7] Al-Kafi, vol. 5, Chapter: 'Trade'.
