Surah 83. At-Tatfif.
Translation: [Maariful Quran by Mufti Muhammad Shafi]
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Woe to the curtailers who, when they measure something to receive from people, take it in full, and when they measure or weigh something to give it to them, give less than due. Do they not think that they have to be raised up on a Great Day, the Day when all the people will stand before the Lord of the worlds? Never! Indeed, the Record of Deeds of the sinners is in Sijjin. And what may let you know what Sijjin is? A register, inscribed! Woe that day to the deniers, who deny the Day of Requital! And none denies it but every sinful transgressor. When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "(These are) tales of the ancients." No! But that which they used to commit has covered their hearts with rust. No! Indeed, they will be screened off from their Lord on that Day. Then they will have to enter the Hell. Then it will be said, "This is what you used to deny."
No! The record of deeds of the righteous is in Illiyyun. And what may let you know what Illiyyun is? A register inscribed, attended by those who are blessed with nearness to Allah! Indeed, the righteous will be in absolute bliss. While on thrones, they will be watching the scenes of Paradise. You will recognize on their faces the glamour of bliss. They will be served with a pure sealed wine to drink, the seal of which will be of musk. And in aspiring for this, the competitors should compete. And it will be blended with a drink from Tasnim, a spring from which those who are blessed with nearness drink.
Indeed, those who were guilty used to laugh at those who believed, and when they passed by them, they used to wink at one another, and when they went back to their family, they went enjoying their mockery, and when they saw them, they said, "Surely these are the ones who have gone astray" while they were not sent as watchmen over them. So, today those who believed will laugh at the disbelievers. While on thrones, they will be seeing whether the disbelievers have been paid back for what they used to do.
Surah 83. Al-Muṭaffifīn.
Exegesis.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Woe to al-muṭaffifīn, even if no one is watching, all their works are still being recorded, as Sijjin is always doing its work and recording faithfully every details meticulously. As in quantum mechanics, if it is not observed or observable, it did not happen. If it is not recorded in the chart or complaints, it did not happen, as in a court of law or in medicine. If your crime has no witness or victim, then it is not a crime, as in a criminal court. But God is all knowing, all observing and has assigned the Earth as the great recorder of information, and on that Great Day, it will tell all the deeds you have done via its speech given by God [surah 99:4-5]. As old matter goes deep inside the earth over time (a natural process, everything old goes underground over time), your oldest record is hidden deep beneath the earth, where all information is preserved faithfully. And what's the environment of the deep underneath the earth? It is hot (Lava and hot springs). Thus, Sijjin is simultaneously a hot hell, a record, and an undeniable information jail. The Greatest Jail is the Documented "Information Jail" - by this recording, you cannot escape its consequences. Such a Jail is Sijjin, where its mode of action is faithful recording by Great Earth. Regret for committing sin (especially publicly recorded sin, as recorded in Sijjin) is the greatest torment for the soul, burning harder than the most heated fire.
God feels sorry for them, because by their deeds, "they have covered their hearts with rust." Hence, they cannot see the truth, as expressed in "none denies it but every sinful transgressor." An additional misfortune for those al-muṭaffifīn is that their self-imposed rusty, blinded hearts will act as a veil, so they cannot see God's face. But when they see the Sijjin as they enter it, they will realize what they have been denying, but it's too late.
The same is true for the records of the righteous, where they are kept in an elevated, high or exalted place, the Illiyyun, where the souls of the righteous are "blessed with nearness to Allah." While on thrones, the righteous will be watching the scenes of Illiyyun, and you can recognize them being "near to God" by a "glow" in their faces. They will drink Tasnim, a spring from which those who are "blessed with nearness" drink. And THIS should be the only real goal that competitors should compete for. While on thrones, the righteous will have the last smile to see that disbelievers have been paid back, and God's justice always wins in the end.
Exegesis with inline linguistics.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Woe to al-muṭaffifīn [who do unequal measurement for self vs. others, iktāla], even if no one is watching, all their works are still being recorded, as Sijjin [which is a kitabun marqūm], is always doing its work and recording faithfully every details meticulously. As in quantum mechanics, if it is not observed or observable, it did not happen. If it is not recorded in the chart or complaints, it did not happen, as in a court of law or in medicine. If your crime has no witness or victim, then it is not a crime, as in a criminal court. But GOD is all knowing, all observing and has assigned the Earth as a great recorder of information, and on that Great Day [yawma-idhin], it will tell all the deeds you have done via its speech given by God [99:4-5]. As old matter goes deep inside the earth over time (a natural process, everything old goes underground over time), your oldest record is hidden deep beneath the earth, where all information is preserved faithfully. And what's the environment of the deep underneath the earth? It is hot (Lava and hot springs). Thus, Sijjin [[kitabun marqūm] is simultaneously a hot hell, a record inscribed, and an undeniable information jail. The Greatest Jail [al-jahīm] is the Documented "Information Jail" - by this recording, you cannot escape its consequences. Such a Jail is Sijjin, where its mode of action is faithful recording by Great Abys. Regret for committing sin (especially publicly recorded sin, as recorded in Sijjin) is the greatest torment for the soul, burning harder than the most heated fire [al-jahīm, "to be hot" or "to be severe"].
God feels sorry for them because by their deeds [[yak'sibūn], "they have covered their hearts with rust" and cannot see the the Great [azim] Day [liyawmin] of accountability [by raised him up, mabʿūthūn] is coming up soon where they will stand [yaqūmu] trial. Hence, sinner [al-fujjār] cannot see it, as expressed in "none denies it but every sinful transgressor [mu'tadin]." An additional misfortune for those al-muṭaffifīn is that their self-imposed rusty [rānā], blinded hearts [qulūbihim] that will act as a veil [ĥjūbūn, ḥajab], so they cannot see God's face. But when they see the Sijjin as they enter it, they will realize what they have been denying [tukadhdhibūn], but it's too late.
The same is true for the records [kitaba] of the righteous [al-abarrār], where they are kept in an elevated, high or exalted place, the Illiyyun, where the souls of the righteous are "blessed with nearness to Allah [muqarrab, qurban]." While on thrones [al araaa'iki], the righteous will be watching the scenes of Illiyyun, and you can recognize [ʿarafa] their face of bliss [al-na'im] being "near to God" by a "glow [naḍir]" in their faces. They will drink [sharāb] a signature/sealed wine [raḥīq) with a misk [with perfume] mixed with Tasnim [elevated" or "highest fountain of drink"], a spring [ayyana] from which those who are "blessed with nearness" drink. And THIS should be the only real goal that competitors [al-mutanafisuna, nāfasa] should compete for. While on thrones [al araaa'iki], the righteous who believed [[amanu] will have the last smile [yadhakuna] to see that disbelievers [al-kufaru] have been paid back [thuwwiba], and God's Justice [ad Din] always wins in the end.