Al-Mutaffifin 83:31 - Linguistic Miracle

And when they returned to their families, they returned satiated

Interestingly, the verb ‘returned’ comes from the same root as the word ‘heart’ in verse 14. The root means the inner part of something. From this, it came to be used to mean flipping something to expose its inner part. From this flipping over, this root came to be used in the meaning of changing a state to its opposite, and from this idea of turning something over, Arabs used this root for returning from where someone came.⁸² But there is wisdom in using this root instead of saying رجعوا or عادوا , both of which

mean to return and have frequent uses in the Qurʾān itself. Allah is highlighting the state of their hearts that lead them to commit these actions. Their actions are being mentioned but with special focus on the root and cause of these actions - their rusted hearts. This has already been explained in detail in verse 29, but Allah keeps on focusing on their hearts to show that they mock and hurt others because of their own sins, not because of the fault of others. Secondly, since they flipped the state of their hearts, and changed it to the opposite of their original state, Allah will exact justice like for like by flipping the table on them as will come later. Also, the verb ‘returned’ is mentioned twice. It would have been enough to say “When they returned to their families, they jested” or “When they returned to their families, they were joyful/ jestful.”

The repetition of the verb serves to drive the point home. To strongly establish what they did in the mind of the listener, since it is something that deserves attention. Remember that their mocking was hurtful to the believers. This action of theirs, when they returned to their families, being proud and overjoyed with mocking and hurting the believers, deserves your special attention. Why? Because now Allah will flip the table. Allah is highlighting their sin, pay attention to what they did, because what they are about to receive on judgment day is exactly what they themselves did on the earth.

Lastly, when the verb is repeated in the manner in which it is done in this verse, an accompanying explanation with a preposition is the norm in Arabic, but here the preposition is not there. Going by the norm, this would have been rendered as “when they returned to their families, they would return amusing themselves by talking about the believers.”

The preposition may be omitted because it is understood from the context 83 but a better explanation is that the omission is to generalize the meaning. They would return amusing themselves with what they did to the believers and by speaking ill of them, as well as being joyful and proud over what they were - of disbelieving in Allah, of their sins,being happy over the profits they made by cheating, and being joyful over the wrong they did to others by other means.⁸⁴ A man normally returns to his family after having completed his day’s work. So this does not simply denote them returning to their families, but their entire day, and hence their entire lives. This is how they live their lives day by day. This is what they do consistently, day after day. This is their way of life, of taking pride in doing wrong to others.

Lastly, earlier in the surah, the people of paradise were satiated by Tasnīm, whereas these people are satiated by their evil actions in this world.

⁸² Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 4, p. 1828
⁸³ Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Taḥrīr wa al-Tanwīr, vol. 30, p. 212
⁸⁴ al-Rāzī, Mafātīḥ al-Ghayb, vol. 31, p. 102