Surah Al-Israa · سُوْرَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ · Juz 15
Q 17:35
وَأَوْفُوا۟ ٱلْكَيْلَ إِذَا كِلْتُمْ وَزِنُوا۟ بِٱلْقِسْطَاسِ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا
Translations
And give full measure when you measure, and weigh with an even balance. That is the best [way] and best in result.Et donnez la pleine mesure quand vous mesurez, et pesez avec une balance exacte. C'est mieux [pour vous] et le résultat en sera meilleur.Tafsir
Give full measure when you measure for others and do not cheat them. Weigh with an accurate scale that does not diminish or undervalue anything. That giving of full weight and measure is better for you in this world and the Hearafter, than giving short measure or weight.
Read Ibn Kathir (Ibn Kathir (abridged, English))
And come not near to the orphan's property except to improve it, until he attains the age of full strength. And fulfill (every) covenant. Verily, the covenant will be questioned about (34)And give full measure when you measure, and weigh with a balance that is straight. That is good (advantageous) and better in the end (35)
The Command to handle the Orphan's Wealth properly and to be Honest in Weights and Measures
وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا مَالَ الْيَتِيمِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُ
(And come not near to the orphan's property except to improve it, until he attains the age of full strength.) meaning, do not dispose of the orphan's wealth except in a proper manner.
وَلَا تَأْكُلُوهَا إِسْرَافًا وَبِدَارًا أَن يَكْبَرُوا ۚ وَمَن كَانَ غَنِيًّا فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ فَقِيرًا فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ
(but consume it [the orphan's property] not wastefully and hastily fearing that they should grow up, and whoever (among guardians) is rich, he should take no wages, but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is just and reasonable (according to his labor).)[4:6] In Sahih Muslim it is recorded that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Abu Dharr:
يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ إِنِّي أَرَاكَ ضَعِيفًا، وَإِنِّي أُحِبُّ لَكَ مَا أُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِي: لَا تَأَمَّرَنَّ عَلَى اثْنَيْنِ، وَلَا تَوَلَّيَنَّ مَالَ الْيَتِيمِ
(O Abu Dharr, I see that you are weak (in adiministering), and I like for you that which I like for myself. Do not let yourself be appointed as Amir over two people, and do not let yourself be appointed as guardian of an orphan's property.)
وَأَوْفُوا بِالْعَهْدِ
(And fulfill (every) covenant.) meaning, everything that you promise people, and the covenants that you agree to, because the person who makes a covenant or a promise will be asked about it:
إِنَّ الْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْئُولًا
(Verily, the covenant will be questioned about.)
وَأَوْفُوا الْكَيْلَ إِذَا كِلْتُمْ
(And give full measure when you measure.) meaning, do not try to make it weigh less nor wrong people with their belongings.
وَزِنُوا بِالْقِسْطَاسِ
(and weigh with a balance) meaning scales,
الْمُسْتَقِيمِ
(that is straight.) meaning that which is not distorted nor that which will cause confusion.
ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ
(that is good) for you, in your daily life and in your Hereafter. So Allah says:
وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا
(and better in the end.) meaning, with regard to your ultimate end in the Hereafter.
ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا
(That is good (advantageous) and better in the end.) Sa'id narrated that Qatadah said that this means "Better in reward and a better end. " Ibn 'Abbas used to say: "O people, you are entrusted with two things for which the people who came before you were destroyed - these weights and measures."
Arabic text: Tanzil (Uthmani). Translations: Sahih International (en), Muhammad Hamidullah (fr). tanzil.net