83:7 No indeed; the book of the wicked is in Sijjin;
83:8 and what shall make you realize what Sijjin is?
83:9 It is a register, inscribed.
83:10 Woe on that day to the deniers,
83:11 who deny the Day of Recompense.
83:12 And none denies it but every sinful transgressor.
83:13 When Our Ayat are recited to him, he says, ‘Fables of the ancients.’
83:14 No! Rather, what they used to earn has covered their hearts.
83:15 No! Indeed, they will be screened off from their Lord on that day.
83:16 Then they will surely burn in Hell.
83:17 Then it will be said to them, ‘This is what you used to deny.’
Relationship with the Previous Part
The previous part mentions that consuming people’s rights unlawfully is a great sin deserving painful torment on the Day of Judgment. Then this part mentions that all deeds of human beings, small or big, are written in records. It also warns those who disbelieve in the resurrection on the Day of Judgment and claim that the Quran that Allah revealed to Messenger Muhammad is fables of the ancients that they will severe severe torment.
Tafsir
83:7 No indeed; the book of the wicked is in Sijjin;
83:8 and what shall make you realize what Sijjin is?
83:9 It is a register, inscribed.
‘No indeed.’ This is a severe warning to the defrauders for their sins and cheating people.
‘The book of the wicked is in Sijjin.’ The Arabic version used the word ‘fujar translated into the wicked. It means those who violate Allah’s rights and do not fear His punishment.
The deeds of the wicked will be kept in Sijjin. The scholars differ about the meaning of Sijjin. 1) It is a place on the seventh earth. 2) It is the lowest part of the earth. 3) What is written in the book of deeds of the wicked will cause them loss. 4) Sijjin is a prison.
Imam Muhammad bin Jarir maintains that Sijjin means a prison. That is because there is a prophet narration to this effect. Abara’, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that Messenger Muhammad talks about the soul of the wicked and that it would be taken to heaven. Then he said, ‘They will take it to heaven. Whenever they pass by some angels, they will be asked, ‘Whose soul is this?’ They will say, ‘He is so-and-so, referring to him by the most wicked names that he used to have in the worldly life.’ When they reach the nearest heaven to the earth, they will ask for permission to enter, but they will not be allowed.’ Then Messenger Muhammad recited, [7:40 Indeed, those who reject Our signs and arrogantly turn away from them – the gates of heaven will not be opened for them, nor will they enter paradise until the camel passes through the eye of the needle; and thus, We recompense the wicked.] Then Allah will say, ‘Write his name in the lowest part of the earth, which is a prison in the lowest earth.’
The matter is not as the disbelievers claim, i.e. that there will be no resurrection after death nor reckoning. Rather, the resurrection will certainly take place. All deeds of the wicked, e.g. disbelieving in Allah’s Oneness and consuming people’s rights unlawfully, are written in the record of evil deeds, which is kept in a prison in the lowest part of the earth.
83:8 and what shall make you realize what Sijjin is?
The interrogation is to magnify the viciousness of Sijjin. It also implies that the wicked will enter Hell and suffer its painful torment.
The deeds of the wicked are recorded in a book that does not omit anything and is kept on the lowest earth. Their end will be Hell where they will suffer painful torment.
83:10 Woe on that day to the deniers,
83:11 who deny the Day of Recompense.
This is a severe warning to the deniers, who reject to believe in Allah’s Oneness and the resurrection and recompense on the Day of Judgment. They will suffer loss, destruction, and perpetual imprisonment in the lowest part of Hell.
83:12 And none denies it but every sinful transgressor.
83:13 When Our Ayat are recited to him, he says, ‘Fables of the ancients.’
The ayat mentions the attributes of the deniers of the Day of Judgment. They are transgressors, overstepping all correct bounds. They are sinful in their statements and deeds. They say that the Quran contains fables of the ancients when they hear it is being recited, namely, they believe that the ayat of the Quran are lies that the ancients wrote in their books and that Messenger Muhammad learned from the books of the ancients. This means that they believe that the Quran is not a divine revelation.
83:14 No! Rather, what they used to earn has covered their hearts.
The ayah mentions the cause of the attitude of the deniers of the Day of Judgment towards the Quran, i.e. they describe it as the fables of the ancients.
The Arabic version used ‘ran’ translated into covered. This word is derived from ar-rayn, namely, rust that forms on iron or steel. Ran means to cover, dominate, and overwhelm.
The matter is not as the deniers of the Day of Judgment say about the Quran; rather, the cause of their attitude is that disbelief in Allah’s Oneness, stubbornness, and denial that cover, dominate, and overwhelm their hearts. Thus, they become unable to distinguish the truth from falsehood.
Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that Messenger Muhammad said, ‘When a believer sins, there will be a black spot over his heart. If he repents and seeks Allah’s forgiveness, it will be removed from his heart. If he keeps on sinning, it will keep on increasing until it covers all his heart. That is the ran that Allah mentions in the Quran, [83:14 No! Rather, what they used to earn has covered their hearts.]
83:15 No! Indeed, they will be screened off from their Lord on that day.
83:16 Then they will surely burn in Hell.
83:17 Then it will be said to them, ‘This is what you used to deny.’
The ayah mentions what will be the end of the deniers of the Day of Judgment. No! The matter is not as the deniers of the Day of Judgment claim, namely, the Quran is the fables of the ancients. Indeed, they will be screened off from seeing their Lord, Allah, on the Day of Judgment. Imam, ash-Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, said, ‘This ayah is evidence that the believers will see Allah on the Day of Judgment.’ This is a logical conclusion from the understood meaning of the ayah. Authentic prophetic narrations mention that the believers will see Allah on the Day of Judgment.
The deniers of the Day of Judgment will suffer painful torment in Hell. They will be reprimanded for their evil deeds and it will be said to them, ‘This is torment you are suffering is what you used to deny in the worldly life and defiantly say that it will not take place. So taste it. You will remain in Hell forever.
Learned Lessons from Surah al-Mutaffifin Ayah 7-17
• The deeds of the wicked disbelievers are recorded in a book. Their end will be in a prison in the lowest part of Hell, suffering painful torment therein.
• Only the sinful transgressors who overstep all proper bounds deny the occurrence of the Day of Judgment. They indulge in sinning to the extent that they claim that the Quran that Allah revealed to Messenger Muhammad is fables of the ancients without having any proof. They claim so out of stubbornness and transgression.
• The Quran is the speech of Allah that He revealed to Messenger Muhammad, containing the truth.
• The hearts of the deniers of the Day of Judgment are covered with layers of sins that they cannot see the truth and cannot distinguish the truth from falsehood.
• The wicked disbelievers will be deprived of seeing Allah on the Day of Judgment, while the believers will enjoy seeing their Lord, Allah, in the Hereafter.
• The wicked disbelievers will be reprimanded for their disbelief in Allah’s Oneness and denial of the occurrence of the Day of Judgment. It will be said to them, ‘Taste the torment of Hell, which you used to deny in the worldly life.’
The Noble Quran, Surah al-Mutaffifin, English Translation
Towards understanding the Quran, Surah al-Mutaffifin
The Noble Quran, Tafsir of Surah Hud, Allah Will Never Forsake the Believers
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