وَأَوْفُوا۟ ٱلْكَيْلَ إِذَا كِلْتُمْ وَزِنُوا۟ بِٱلْقِسْطَاسِ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا 35
Translations
And give full measure when you measure, and weigh with an even [i.e., honest] balance. That is the best [way] and best in result.
Transliteration
Wa awfu al-kayla idha kiltum wa zinuu bil-qistasi al-mustaqeem. Dhalika khayrun wa ahsanu ta'wilan.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands believers to give full measure when measuring goods for others and to use an accurate, straight scale in weighing transactions. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize this as a command for justice and honesty in commerce, with Al-Qurtubi noting that 'al-qistasi al-mustaqeem' (the straight scale) is a metaphor for precise and fair dealing. The concluding phrase indicates that fulfilling this obligation is both better for one's character and has the most beneficial consequences in this life and the Hereafter.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Isra, a Meccan chapter that addresses fundamental principles of Islamic ethics and social conduct. The command fits within the broader theme of the surah regarding moral obligations and justice. While no specific asbab al-nuzul is traditionally recorded, the context suggests it was revealed to establish principles of commercial and social fairness among the early Muslim community.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Tirmidhi 3895), reflecting the importance of integrity in dealings. Additionally, 'Whoever cheats us is not of us' (Sahih Muslim 102) directly reinforces the prohibition against dishonest measurement and weight.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims that honest dealings in commerce are not merely economic practices but essential moral obligations reflecting obedience to Allah. In contemporary life, this principle extends beyond physical markets to all transactions—financial, professional, and interpersonal—reminding believers that integrity in small matters builds character and earns divine favor.
Related Ayahs
قُل لَّوْ أَنتُمْ تَمْلِكُونَ خَزَآئِنَ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّىٓ إِذًا لَّأَمْسَكْتُمْ خَشْيَةَ ٱلْإِنفَاقِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ قَتُورًا
Say [to them], "If you possessed the depositories of the mercy of my Lord, then you would withhold out of fear of spending." And ever has man been stingy.
أَوْ يَكُونَ لَكَ بَيْتٌ مِّن زُخْرُفٍ أَوْ تَرْقَىٰ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَلَن نُّؤْمِنَ لِرُقِيِّكَ حَتَّىٰ تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْنَا كِتَـٰبًا نَّقْرَؤُهُۥ ۗ قُلْ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّى هَلْ كُنتُ إِلَّا بَشَرًا رَّسُولًا
Or you have a house of ornament [i.e., gold] or you ascend into the sky. And [even then], we will not believe in your ascension until you bring down to us a book we may read." Say, "Exalted is my Lord! Was I ever but a human messenger?"
وَلَا تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلَىٰ عُنُقِكَ وَلَا تَبْسُطْهَا كُلَّ ٱلْبَسْطِ فَتَقْعُدَ مَلُومًا مَّحْسُورًا
And do not make your hand [as] chained to your neck or extend it completely and [thereby] become blamed and insolvent.
وَمَا مَنَعَنَآ أَن نُّرْسِلَ بِٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ إِلَّآ أَن كَذَّبَ بِهَا ٱلْأَوَّلُونَ ۚ وَءَاتَيْنَا ثَمُودَ ٱلنَّاقَةَ مُبْصِرَةً فَظَلَمُوا۟ بِهَا ۚ وَمَا نُرْسِلُ بِٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ إِلَّا تَخْوِيفًا
And nothing has prevented Us from sending signs [i.e., miracles] except that the former peoples denied them. And We gave Thamūd the she-camel as a visible sign, but they wronged her. And We send not the signs except as a warning.