أَلَا يَظُنُّ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَنَّهُم مَّبْعُوثُونَ 4
Translations
Do they not think that they will be resurrected
Transliteration
Alā yažunnu ulāʾika annahum mabʿūthūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah poses a rhetorical question to those who commit fraud and deception in weights and measures, asking: 'Do they not think that they will be resurrected?' According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this ayah emphasizes that the disbelievers who engage in dishonest practices seem to have forgotten or denied the reality of the Day of Judgment, when they will be held accountable for their deeds. The verse serves as a powerful reminder that accountability before Allah is inevitable, which should deter believers from such unethical behavior.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Mutaffifin was revealed in Mecca during the early Islamic period, addressing the dishonest merchants of Mecca who would defraud customers in commercial transactions. This ayah appears in the opening section of the surah that condemns such fraud and serves as a transition to the broader warning about the Day of Judgment, implying that those who commit such acts have abandoned belief in the Hereafter.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The seller and the buyer have the option (to keep or return goods) as long as they have not separated. If they are truthful and clarify the defects, they will be blessed in their transaction, and if they tell lies and conceal defects, the blessing of their transaction will be erased.' (Sahih Bukhari 2079). Additionally, 'Whoever cheats us is not from us' (Sahih Muslim 102) emphasizes the severity of deception in commerce.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that awareness of Allah's judgment and the certainty of resurrection should be the foundation of ethical behavior, particularly in business dealings. In today's world, it reminds us that honest conduct in all transactions—whether commercial, professional, or personal—is not merely about societal norms but a fundamental aspect of faith and accountability before Allah.