Surah Al-Mutaffifin (83) — Ayah 1

(Ayah 1){ وَيْلٌ لِّلْمُطَفِّفِيْنَ: ’’اَلتَّطْفِيْفُ‘‘} To decrease in measure or weight. Any other standards of transaction besides measure and weight, any decrease in them is also {’’اَلتَّطْفِيْفُ‘‘}. {’’اَلطَّفِيْفُ‘‘} refers to something very small. If a “Sa’” is filled but less than completely full, this deficiency is called {’’طَفَّ الصَّاعُ‘‘}. Since the one who decreases in measure or weight does not steal a large amount but steals a very small thing, that is why he is called {’’اَلْمُطَفِّفُ‘‘}. This act is the height of baseness and is evidence that a person who steals such a small thing would not refrain from stealing a large amount either; he is only restraining himself from such theft due to his own cowardice or fear of being caught, otherwise there is no deficiency left in the corruption of his nature and lack of trustworthiness. Allah Almighty has warned those who commit this heinous act with {’’ وَيْلٌ ‘‘}, which means destruction. The destruction that will occur in the Hereafter is beyond measure; some details of it are coming in this very Surah, although it is for the deniers, but this act also arises from denial of the Hereafter. As for the destruction that occurs in this world, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has described it; the hadith is long, one sentence of it is: [ وَلَمْ يَنْقُصُوا الْمِكْيَالَ وَالْمِيْزَانَ، إِلاَّ أُخِذُوْا بِالسِّنِيْنَ، وَشِدَّةِ الْمَؤُوْنَةِ، وَجَوْرِ السُّلْطَانِ عَلَيْهِمْ ] [ ابن ماجہ، الفتن، باب العقوبات : ۴۰۱۹ ] “Whenever a nation decreases in measure and weight, it is seized with famine, severe hardship, and the oppression of rulers.” Shaykh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) has graded this hadith as Hasan due to the chain in Mustadrak Hakim. [ دیکھیے سلسلۃ الأحادیث الصحیحۃ : ۱۰۶ ] One of the reasons for the punishment upon the people of Shu’ayb (peace be upon him) was also this.
Note: The narration in Tirmidhi that “Wayl is a valley in Hell…” is not Sahih. [ دیکھیے ضعیف ترمذي، سورۃ الأنبیاء : ۳۳۸۹ ]