Surah Al-Mutaffifin (The Defrauders) Full Text — Waylun lil-Mutaffifin (Hafs)

وَيْلٌۭ لِّلْمُطَفِّفِينَ﴿١﴾ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ٱكْتَالُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ يَسْتَوْفُونَ﴿٢﴾وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمْ أَو وَّزَنُوهُمْ يُخْسِرُونَ﴿٣﴾أَلَا يَظُنُّ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَنَّهُم مَّبْعُوثُونَ﴿٤﴾لِيَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍۢ﴿٥﴾يَوْمَ يَقُومُ ٱلنَّاسُ لِرَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ﴿٦﴾كَلَّآ إِنَّ كِتَٰبَ ٱلْفُجَّارِ لَفِى سِجِّينٍۢ﴿٧﴾وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا سِجِّينٌۭ﴿٨﴾كِتَٰبٌۭ مَّرْقُومٌۭ﴿٩﴾وَيْلٌۭ يَوْمَئِذٍۢ لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ﴿١٠﴾ٱلَّذِينَ يُكَذِّبُونَ بِيَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ﴿١١﴾وَمَا يُكَذِّبُ بِهِۦٓ إِلَّا كُلُّ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ﴿١٢﴾إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ﴿١٣﴾كَلَّا ۖ بَلْ ۜ رَانَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ﴿١٤﴾كَلَّآ إِنَّهُمْ عَن رَّبِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍۢ لَّمَحْجُوبُونَ﴿١٥﴾ثُمَّ إِنَّهُمْ لَصَالُوا۟ ٱلْجَحِيمِ﴿١٦﴾ثُمَّ يُقَالُ هَٰذَا ٱلَّذِى كُنتُم بِهِۦ تُكَذِّبُونَ﴿١٧﴾كَلَّآ إِنَّ كِتَٰبَ ٱلْأَبْرَارِ لَفِى عِلِّيِّينَ﴿١٨﴾وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا عِلِّيُّونَ﴿١٩﴾كِتَٰبٌۭ مَّرْقُومٌۭ﴿٢٠﴾يَشْهَدُهُ ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ﴿٢١﴾إِنَّ ٱلْأَبْرَارَ لَفِى نَعِيمٍ﴿٢٢﴾عَلَى ٱلْأَرَآئِكِ يَنظُرُونَ﴿٢٣﴾تَعْرِفُ فِى وُجُوهِهِمْ نَضْرَةَ ٱلنَّعِيمِ﴿٢٤﴾يُسْقَوْنَ مِن رَّحِيقٍۢ مَّخْتُومٍ﴿٢٥﴾خِتَٰمُهُۥ مِسْكٌۭ ۚ وَفِى ذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَتَنَافَسِ ٱلْمُتَنَٰفِسُونَ﴿٢٦﴾وَمِزَاجُهُۥ مِن تَسْنِيمٍ﴿٢٧﴾عَيْنًۭا يَشْرَبُ بِهَا ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ﴿٢٨﴾إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُوا۟ كَانُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يَضْحَكُونَ﴿٢٩﴾وَإِذَا مَرُّوا۟ بِهِمْ يَتَغَامَزُونَ﴿٣٠﴾وَإِذَا ٱنقَلَبُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهِمُ ٱنقَلَبُوا۟ فَكِهِينَ﴿٣١﴾وَإِذَا رَأَوْهُمْ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ لَضَآلُّونَ﴿٣٢﴾وَمَآ أُرْسِلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ حَٰفِظِينَ﴿٣٣﴾فَٱلْيَوْمَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلْكُفَّارِ يَضْحَكُونَ﴿٣٤﴾عَلَى ٱلْأَرَآئِكِ يَنظُرُونَ﴿٣٥﴾هَلْ ثُوِّبَ ٱلْكُفَّارُ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْعَلُونَ﴿٣٦﴾

About Surah Al-Mutaffifin

Surah Al-Mutaffifin is the 83rd surah in the order of the mushaf, and one of the Meccan surahs in the standard classification. It contains 36 ayahs, and a complete reading takes about four minutes at a moderate pace.

The surah takes its name from its opening — «Waylun lil-mutaffifin» (“Woe to those who give short measure”) — a warning to those who demand full measure when they take from people, yet give less when they measure or weigh for them. It ties this everyday dishonesty to the Tremendous Day on which mankind will stand before the Lord of the worlds, then contrasts two written records — the record of the wicked in Sijjin and the record of the righteous in ‘Illiyyun — and two endings: the Blaze for the deniers, and bliss with pure sealed nectar, mixed with Tasnim, for the righteous. It closes with the scene of the laughter reversed, when the believers who were mocked in this world gaze from their couches at the fate of their mockers.

The text shown on this page follows the narration of Hafs ‘an ‘Asim, in the Uthmani script of the Madinah mushaf. The audio recitation is by Sheikh Saad Al-Ghamdi.

Virtues and place of Surah Al-Mutaffifin

1. Honesty in trade is a matter of faith

The surah makes fair measure and weight a Resurrection issue: it asks the defrauders whether they do not think they will be raised for a Tremendous Day, the Day mankind stands before the Lord of the worlds. Ibn Abbas related that when the Prophet ﷺ arrived in Madinah, its people were among the worst in weights and measures — then this surah was revealed, and they became fair in their dealings (recorded by an-Nasa’i and Ibn Majah, graded hasan). Honesty in buying, selling and every dealing is, in this surah, inseparable from belief in the Hereafter.

2. Sin rusts the heart — the verse of «ran»

Ayah 14 is one of the most quoted verses on the state of the heart: what the sinners used to earn has rusted («ran») upon their hearts. The commentators describe this rust as a covering that sins build up over the heart until it no longer recognises the truth — a warning that makes the surah a mirror for self-examination, not only a rebuke of dishonest traders.

3. The believer’s long view

The closing scene consoles everyone who is mocked for their faith. In this world the criminals laughed at the believers, winked at one another, and called them astray; on that Day it is the believers who laugh, reclining on couches and gazing. The surah teaches the believer to take the long view: mockery in this world is brief, and the joy of the next is lasting.

Themes of the Surah

1. Woe to those who give short measure (ayahs 1–6)

The surah opens with a woe to al-mutaffifin — those who demand full measure when they take from people, but give less when they measure or weigh for them — and asks: do they not think they will be resurrected for a Tremendous Day, the Day mankind stands before the Lord of the worlds?

Read from ayah 1 →

2. The record of the wicked in Sijjin (ayahs 7–17)

The record of the wicked is in Sijjin — a written register. Woe that Day to the deniers who reject the Day of Recompense: none denies it but every sinful transgressor, whose heart has been rusted by what he used to earn. They will be veiled from their Lord and enter the Blaze, and be told: “This is what you used to deny.”

Read from ayah 7 →

3. The record of the righteous in ‘Illiyyun (ayahs 18–28)

The record of the righteous is in ‘Illiyyun — a written register witnessed by those brought near. The righteous are in bliss, on couches, gazing, the radiance of delight on their faces. They are given pure sealed nectar («rahiq makhtum») whose seal is musk — “so for this let the competitors compete” — mixed with Tasnim, a spring from which those brought near to Allah drink.

Read from ayah 18 →

4. The laughter reversed (ayahs 29–36)

The criminals used to laugh at the believers, winking at one another when they passed by, returning to their families jesting, and calling the believers astray — though they were never sent as guardians over them. But on that Day it is the believers who laugh, reclining on couches and gazing: “Have the disbelievers been repaid for what they used to do?”

Read from ayah 29 →

Tips for reading and memorising

It is a short surah with short ayahs — well suited to daily reading and memorisation.
A simple plan is about six ayahs a day over six days — or one of the four sections above at a time.
Listen to the recitation above by Sheikh Saad Al-Ghamdi and repeat after him.
Let the structure carry you: the woe to the defrauders, the record in Sijjin, the record in ‘Illiyyun, then the laughter reversed — the contrast makes the order easy to remember.
Use the “font size” buttons at the top of the page for a comfortable read.
You can print the surah from your browser (Ctrl+P) for a clean paper copy.

Frequently asked questions

How many ayahs are in Surah Al-Mutaffifin?

Surah Al-Mutaffifin has 36 ayahs. It is the 83rd surah in the order of the mushaf, and it is classed as a Meccan surah.

Who are the mutaffifin?

The mutaffifin — “those who give short measure”, or “the defrauders” — are people who demand full measure when they take from others, but give less when they measure or weigh for them. The surah opens with «Waylun lil-mutaffifin» (“Woe to those who give short measure”), and it takes its name from this word.

Is Surah Al-Mutaffifin Meccan or Medinan?

In the standard classification of the mushaf it is a Meccan surah. Some narrations, however, connect its revelation to the time of the migration to Madinah: Ibn Abbas related that when the Prophet ﷺ arrived in Madinah, its people were among the worst in weights and measures — then this surah was revealed, and they became fair in their dealings (recorded by an-Nasa’i and Ibn Majah, graded hasan).

What are Sijjin and ‘Illiyyun?

According to the commentators, Sijjin is the register — and abode — of the records of the wicked, while ‘Illiyyun is the register — and abode — of the records of the righteous, witnessed by those brought near to Allah. The surah describes each of them as «kitabun marqum», “a written record”.

What are rahiq makhtum and Tasnim?

The «rahiq makhtum» is the pure, sealed nectar the righteous are given to drink in Paradise — its seal is musk, and of it the surah says: “so for this let the competitors compete.” It is mixed with Tasnim, a spring from which those brought near to Allah drink.

What does “ran” on the hearts mean (ayah 14)?

In ayah 14 Allah says of the deniers that what they used to earn has rusted («ran») upon their hearts. The commentators explain «ran» as a rust that sins build up over the heart until it no longer recognises the truth — it is one of the most quoted Quranic descriptions of the heart’s state.

What is Surah Al-Mutaffifin about?

It opens with a woe to those who cheat in measure and weight, asking whether they do not think they will be resurrected for a Tremendous Day — the Day mankind stands before the Lord of the worlds. It then contrasts two records — the record of the wicked in Sijjin and the record of the righteous in ‘Illiyyun — and two destinies: the Blaze for the deniers, and bliss, sealed nectar and Tasnim for the righteous. It closes with the laughter reversed: the criminals who mocked the believers in this world are themselves watched, on that Day, by the believers on couches.

How long does it take to read the full surah?

A complete recitation of Surah Al-Mutaffifin takes about 4 minutes at a moderate pace. Its verses are short, which makes it well suited to daily reading and memorisation.

Which recitation is the text on this page based on?

The text shown on this page follows the narration of Hafs ‘an ‘Asim, written in the Uthmani script of the Madinah mushaf. The audio recitation on this page is by Sheikh Saad Al-Ghamdi.

Surah Al-Mutaffifin (The Defrauders) — Full Text in Clear Arabic Script

Listen to the recitation