⭑ The Sin of Giving Short Measure and Weight ⭑
Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
① Qur’anic Warning
Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَيْلٌ لِّلْمُطَفِّفِينَ ﴿١﴾ الَّذِينَ إِذَا اكْتَالُوا عَلَى النَّاسِ يَسْتَوْفُونَ ﴿٢﴾ وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمْ أَو وَّزَنُوهُمْ يُخْسِرُونَ ﴿٣﴾ أَلَا يَظُنُّ أُولَٰئِكَ أَنَّهُم مَّبْعُوثُونَ ﴿٤﴾ لِيَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ ﴿٥﴾ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ النَّاسُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٦﴾﴾ [al-Muṭaffifīn: 1–6]
“Woe to those who give less [than due], who, when they take a measure from people, take in full; but when they give them by measure or by weight, they cause loss. Do they not think that they will be resurrected for a Great Day — the Day when all people will stand before the Lord of the worlds?”
② Reason for Revelation
Ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما narrated:
“When the Prophet ﷺ came to Madinah, the people were among the worst in measurement. Then Allah revealed: ‘Woe to those who give less [than due]…’, and after that, they improved their measuring.”
[Hasan: Sahih al-Targhib: 1760; Ibn Majah: 2223; Ibn Hibban: 4898; al-Bayhaqi in Shu‘ab al-Iman: 5286]
③ Social Consequences of Dishonesty
Ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما said:
“Whenever dishonesty spreads in a people, Allah casts fear into their hearts. Whenever adultery becomes widespread in a people, deaths increase among them. Whenever a people give short measure and weight, Allah cuts off their provision. Whenever a people judge without justice, bloodshed becomes common among them. Whenever a people break their covenant, Allah imposes their enemies upon them.”
[Hasan li-ghayrihi: Sahih al-Targhib: 1762]
④ Specific Punishment Mentioned in Hadith
Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“A people do not give short measure and weight except that they are afflicted with famine.”
[Sahih li-ghayrihi: Sahih al-Targhib: 1761; Ibn Majah: 4019; al-Bayhaqi in Shu‘ab al-Iman: 3314]
