In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
A brief commentary
on the book *ID Cards
for the Surahs of the Noble Qur'an*
by Dr. Muhammad Ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz Ibn 'Umar Naseef,
may Allah preserve him.
Surah al-Mutaffifin.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings
be upon the Messenger of Allah,
and upon his family, his Companions, and those who follow his guidance.
We are still with the brief commentary
on the ID cards,
and with Surah al-Mutaffifin.
I have three points to highlight regarding it.
The first point concerns the placement of the surah.
We notice that it is preceded by al-Takwir and al-Infitar,
and followed
by al-Inshiqaq as well.
I mean that it is preceded
and followed by surahs that speak about the Day of Resurrection.
Likewise,
mention of that great Day appears in this surah.
However, we notice that each surah is distinguished by a particular emphasis.
Among the unique features of this surah
is the mention of mankind standing before the Lord of the worlds,
which is a monumental matter that brings us to the second point.
This second point is that remembering mankind's standing before the Lord of the worlds—
and remembering the events of the Hereafter in general—
ought to be a positive remembrance,
meaning it must have an impact on one's behavior.
Remembering mankind's standing before the Lord of the worlds is not
something a person simply recalls
merely to feel fear,
or merely to hope,
but rather to act and be deterred from sin.
We observe that those who engaged in defrauding others in measure—
their problem was the absence of this reality from their minds.
Thus, when this reality is present,
it ought to reform a person's behavior in this worldly life,
in preparation for that reality
when its time comes in the Hereafter.
This leads us to the third point.
For indeed, the Companions—
and this relates to the context of revelation—
who were in Madinah, Ibn 'Abbas says about them,
and regarding the residents of Madinah he says:
"When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, arrived in
Madinah, they were among the worst of people in weighing and measuring.
So Allah, Blessed and Exalted, revealed: ◁ Woe to those who give less [than due] ▷,
and they gave good measure after that."
Notice that Allah, Glorified and Exalted, warned against a disease,
namely defrauding in measure—which is a disease,
as all sins are truly diseases.
And He mentioned the cause of the disease, saying:
◁ Do such people not think that they will be resurrected for a tremendous Day? ▷
“The day when (all) mankind stand before the Lord of the Worlds?” (83:6)
So it was as if when they remembered this Day,
that occurred which he indicated at the end of the hadith:
"And they gave good measure after that."
Now we know that bad social
habits,
once they spread and a town becomes known for them,
are difficult to change.
In truth, nothing changes them except faith.
Here I conclude with a story
mentioned about a godly scholar,
whose biography was recorded by scholars
roughly in the last century
or the one before it.
He was in the land of India, and his name was Ahmad 'Irfan.
Read his biography.
He entered a town where alcohol was widespread,
and there were alcohol factories in it
in India.
The population numbered four million,
as I recall reading the story long ago.
Sheikh al-Tantawi, may Allah have mercy on him, wrote about him.
The amazing thing is that within a short period,
by strengthening the faith of the people of this town,
the alcohol factories closed their doors,
because they found no one to buy from them.
Faith is what changes things,
or rather it is what reforms whatever has become corrupt in societies.
And the greatest thing that strengthens faith
is the Qur'an, which influenced the residents of Madinah
so that "they gave good measure after that."
We ask Allah to make us among those who benefit
from this Magnificent Qur'an.
May Allah bless him and grant him peace,
and may the mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you.
And may the mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you.
May Allah bestow blessings and peace upon him and all his Companions.
And all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.