“Ya Annabi! Ka ji tsoron Allah kuma kada ka bi kafirai da munafukai. Lalle Allah ya kasance Masani, Mai hikima. Ka bi abin da aka yi maka wahayi daga Ubangijinka; lalle Allah masani ne ga abin da kuke aikatawa. Ka dogara ga Allah; isasshe ne Allah ya zama Mai kāre.” (Ayoyi 1-3) Ta haka ne surar da take daidaita wasu al'amuran rayuwar zamantakewa da ɗabi'a ta al'ummar Musulmi da aka haifa sabuwa take farawa. Wannan farawa yana faɗa mana wani abu game da yanayin tsarin Musulunci da ka'idojinsa na asali. Musulunci ba kawai jerin umarni da gargaɗi ba ne, ko ladabi da ɗabi'u masu kyau, ko tarin dokoki da ƙa'idoji, ko al'adu da ayyuka. Duk waɗannan suna cikin Musulunci, amma ba sune suke cikakken Musulunci gaba ɗaya ba. Musulunci yana nufin miƙa kai ga nufin Allah, da shirin yin biyayya ga umarninsa, da kiyaye haramcinsa, ba tare da neman wani tsari ba, ko bin wata hanya ta daban. Asali dai, karɓar cewa ɗan Adam yana ƙarƙashin dokar Allah baki ɗaya da take jagorantar rayuwarsu da duniyar da suke rayuwa a kanta, da kuma sauran duniyoyi da taurari, har ma take jagorantar dukan halittu, ciki har da abubuwan da ba mu sani ba. Haka kuma, tabbaci ne cewa a matsayinmu na mutane, zaɓin da ya kamata mu yi shi ne mu aikata abin da Allah ya umarta, mu nisanci abin da ya hana, mu karɓi abin da ya sanya a hannunmu, sannan mu jira sakamakon da Ya kawo. Wannan ita ce ƙa'ida ta asali da ake gina dokoki, ƙa'idoji, al'adu, ɗabi'u da kyawawan halaye a kanta. Duk waɗannan suna bayyana aikin imani da miƙa kai ga Allah a zahiri. Musulunci imani ne da yake kafa doka wadda take kafa tsarin zamantakewa na musamman.

“Prophet! Have fear of God and do not yield to the unbelievers and the hypocrites. God is certainly All-Knowing, Wise. Follow what is revealed to you by your Lord; for God is well aware of all that you do. Place your trust in God; for God alone is worthy of all trust.” (Verses 1-3) Thus begins the sūrah which regulates certain aspects of the social and moral life of the newly born Muslim community. It is a beginning that tells us something about the nature of the Islamic system and its underlying principles. Islam is not merely a set of directives and admonitions, or manners and moral values, or a collection of laws and regulations, or traditions and practices. All these are included in Islam, but they do not make up Islam in its totality. Islam means submission to God’s will, a willingness to obey its orders, observe its prohibitions, looking up to no other system and adopting no other way. It is essentially an acceptance that mankind are subject to the overall divine code that governs their life and the earth they live on, as well as other planets and stars, and indeed governs the whole universe including the realms we know nothing about. It is also a certainty that as humans the only choice we should make is to do what God orders, refrain from what He forbids, take what He makes available and await the results He brings about. This is the basic rule on which are then established laws, regulations, traditions, manners and moral values. All these represent the practical manifestation of faith and submission to God. Islam is a faith that lays down a code which puts in place a specific social order.

Surah ta ci gaba yanzu da kawar da wasu al'adu domin a mayar da iyali ginshiƙin al'umma: "Haka nan, Ya ba sa matanku waɗanda kuke furta cewa haram ne a gare ku kamar mahaifiyarku ta zama uwayenku da gaske. Haka nan kuma, Ya ba sa 'ya'yan riƙonku su zama 'ya'yanku da gaske. Waɗannan kalmomi ne kawai kuke faɗa da bakunanku, amma Allah ya faɗi gaskiya, shi kaɗai ne kuma yake nuna hanya madaidaiciya. Ku kira su da sunayen ubanninsu; hakan ya fi adalci a wurin Allah. Idan kuwa ba ku san ubanninsu ba, to ku ɗauke su a matsayin 'yan'uwanku cikin addini da kuma abokan tafiyarku. Ba za a ɗora muku laifi ba idan kun yi kuskure, sai dai abin da zukatanku suka nufa. Lalle Allah Mai yawan gafara ne, Mai jin ƙai." (Ayoyi 4-5)

The sūrah now moves on to abolish certain practices in order to make the family the basis of the community: “Nor does He make your wives whom you declare to be as unlawful to you as your mothers’ bodies truly your mothers. Likewise, He does not make your adopted sons truly your sons. These are only words you utter with your mouths, but God says the truth and He alone shows the right path. Call them by their fathers’ names; that is more just in God’s sight. If you do not know who their fathers are, then treat them as your brethren in faith and your proteges. You shall not be blamed if you make a mistake, but for what your hearts intend. God is indeed Much-Forgiving, Merciful.” (Verses 4-5)

A cikin zamanin jahiliyya, mutum zai ce wa matarsa, ‘ke a gare ni kamar bayan mahaifiyata’, wanda ke nufin ta haramta a gare shi ya aure ta. Daga wannan lokaci, jima'i tsakaninsu yana zama kamar zina da mahaifiya. Duk da haka tana zama a tsaka: ba a sake ta ba har ta iya auren wani mutum, ba kuma tana cikin aure da halaltacciyar dangantaka da mijinta ba. Wannan yana daga cikin zaluncin da ake yi wa mata a zamanin jahiliyya. Yayin da Musulunci ya fara sake tsara dangantakar al'umma, yana mai da iyali tushen al'umma inda kowane sabon tsara ke girma cikin yanayi mai kyau, ya ba da muhimmanci sosai wajen kawar da irin waɗannan zalunce-zalunce ga mata, da kuma ba dangantakar iyali tushen adalci da yanayi mai sauƙi da annashuwa. Ɗaya daga cikin sabbin dokokinsa shi ne: “Kuma Ya ba ku matanku da kuke furta cewa su haram ne a gare ku kamar jikunan iyayenku mata ba, su ne iyayenku mata ba.” (Aya ta 4) Kalmomin da mutum ya furta ba sa canza gaskiya. Uwaye da mata abubuwa ne mabambanta gaba ɗaya, kuma ba a iya canza yanayin dangantaka da furta kalma. Saboda haka, irin wannan furci, wato żihār, ba ya sa mace ta zama haram ga mijinta har abada kamar ita uwarsa ce.

In pre-Islamic days a man would say to his wife, ‘you are to me like my mother’s back’, which meant that she was forbidden for him to marry. From that moment sex between them was regarded as incestuous. Yet she remained suspended: she was neither divorced such that she could marry another man, nor married having a lawful relationship with her husband. This was one aspect of the cruelty to which women were subjected in pre-Islamic days. As Islam started to reorganize social relations, making the family the basic social unit where each new generation grows in a sound environment, it attached great importance to removing such injustices against women and to giving family relations a basis of fairness and an easy, relaxed atmosphere. One of its new laws was “Nor does He make your wives whom you declare to be as unlawful to you as your mothers’ bodies truly your mothers.” (Verse 4) The words a man utters do not change facts. Mothers and wives are totally different, and the nature of a relationship cannot be changed by the uttering of a word. Therefore, a pronouncement like this, or żihār, did not make a wife permanently forbidden to her husband as if she were his mother.

Hakazalika, al'adar ɗaukar yaro a matsayin ɗan reno tana nuna lahani a tushen iyali da al'umma. Duk da cewa Larabawa sun daraja tsarkin zamantakewar aure ƙwarai, kuma an sani sosai cewa suna alfahari da asalin zuriyarsu, akwai wasu al'amura da suke tafiya ta akasin haka. Waɗannan al'amura an fi karɓarsu gabaɗaya, amma ba a cikin manyan iyalai da kabilu ba. Haka ma, wasu mutane ba su iya sanin wanda ya zama ubansu ba.

Similarly, the practice of adopting a child reflected flaws in the foundation of the family and society. Although chastity was highly valued by the Arabs who, as is widely known, took pride in their ancestry, there were other phenomena that moved in the opposite direction. These were generally accepted, but not in the prominent families and clans. Indeed, some individuals could not tell who their fathers were.

Haka kuma, idan wani mutum ya so ɗaya daga cikin waɗannan "’ya’yan da aka ɗauka", zai iya ɗaukar shi, yana kiransa ɗansa, kuma su biyun za su gāji juna. Haka kuma ya shafi wasu mutanen da iyayensu na gaskiya ma an san su. Ta wannan fuska, su ma ana iya ɗaukar su a matsayin ’ya’ya. Wannan ya fi faruwa musamman ga bayi da aka kama, lokacin da aka kama yara ko matasa a yaƙi ko a farmaki kan wani gari ko wani gida. Idan mutum ya so ya ɗauki irin wannan bawa a matsayin ɗa, zai sanar da ɗaukar shi, sai bawan ya zama sananne da ɗan mai ɗaukar shi. Zai kuma more haƙƙoƙin ɗa, kuma zai zama wajibi a kansa ya cika ayyukan ɗa.

Furthermore, if a man liked one of these ‘off-spring’, he could adopt him, calling him his son, and the two would then inherit each other. The same applied to some people whose real fathers were even known. In this respect, they too could be adopted. This was particularly so with captives, when children or adolescents were taken captive in a raid on a clan or during a war. If a man then wished to adopt such a captive, he would declare such adoption, and the captive would then be known as a son of his adopting father. He would then enjoy the privileges of being a son and was required to fulfil his duties as a son.

Ɗaya daga cikinsu shi ne Zaid ɗan Ḥāritha, na kabilar Larabawa ta Kalb. An kama shi tun yana ƙarami a zamanin jahiliyya, sannan aka sayar da shi ga Ḥakīm ɗan Ḥizām, wanda ya ba da shi kyauta ga innarsa Khadīja. Lokacin da ta auri Annabi ﷺ, ta ba shi Zaid a matsayin kyauta, amma mahaifin Zaid da kawunsa sun roƙe shi da ya sake Zaid.

One of these was Zayd ibn Ĥārithah, of the Arab tribe of Kalb. He was taken captive when young in pre-Islamic days, then sold to Ĥakīm ibn Ĥizām who gave him as a gift to his aunt Khadījah. When she was married to the Prophet, she gave him Zayd as a gift, but Zayd’s father and uncle appealed to him for Zayd’s release.

Bayan an soke reno, surar ta ci gaba da kawo karshen tsarin zumunci na 'yan uwantaka, wanda Musulunci ya kafa bayan hijirar Musulmi daga Makka zuwa Madina. Wannan wani mataki ne na zahiri don magance halin da muhajiran da suka bar 'yan uwansu da dukiyoyinsu a Makka suka tsinci kansu a ciki, da kuma halin Musulmin Madina wadanda alakar su da iyalansu ta yanke sakamakon karbar Musulunci. A lokaci guda, an jaddada ikon Annabi ﷺ a kan dukkan muminai, kuma an sanya shi a matsayi mafi girma fiye da duk dangin jini, yayin da matansa za a dauke su a matsayin uwayen ruhi na dukkan muminai: "Annabi ya fi muminai da kansu hakki, kuma matayensa uwayensu ne. Dangin jini kuma, bisa hukuncin Allah, sun fi juna hakki fiye da sauran muminai [na Madina] da wadanda suka yi hijira [saboda Allah]. Duk da haka, ku yi wa abokanku na kusa alheri. Wannan an rubuta shi a hukuncin Allah." (Aya ta 6)

Having abolished adoption, the sūrah moves on to put an end to the brotherhood institution, established by Islam following the migration of the Muslims from Makkah to Madinah. This was a practical measure to address the situation of those immigrants who had abandoned their relations and property in Makkah, and the situation of Muslims in Madinah whose relations with their families were severed as a result of their embracing Islam. At the same time, the Prophet’s personal authority over all believers is emphasized and given a higher position than all blood relations, while his wives are to be seen as the spiritual mothers of all believers: “The Prophet has more claim on the believers than they have on their own selves; and his wives are their mothers. Blood relatives have, according to God’s decree, a stronger claim upon one another than other believers [of Madinah] and those who have migrated [for God’s sake]. Nonetheless, you are to act with kindness towards your close friends. This is written down in God’s decree.” (Verse 6)

Sa'ad da Muhājirīn, watau Musulmin daga Makka, suka tafi Madina, dole ne su bar komai a baya, suna fifita imaninsu a kan dangi, kabilu, dukiya, arziki, abokai, da tunanin rayuwarsu. Sun watsar da duk wannan saboda imaninsu. Hijirarsu ta wannan hanya, suna barin duk abin da suke ƙauna, ciki har da iyalansu, ta ba da misali na yadda imani yake riƙe dukkan mutum. Sun ba da misali na zahiri na mutuncin halin Musulunci, suna tabbatar da maganar Alkur'ani: "Allah bai taɓa sanya zuciya biyu a cikin jikin mutum ɗaya ba." (Aya ta 4)

When the Muhājirīn, i.e. the Muslims from Makkah, left for Madinah, they had to leave everything behind, preferring their faith to their relatives, clans, property, livelihood, friends, and life memories. They abandoned all this for their faith. Their migration in this way, abandoning all that was dear, including their own families, provided an example of how faith grips one’s whole being. They provided the practical example of the integrity of the Islamic personality, confirming the Qur’ānic statement: “Never has God put two hearts in one man’s body.” (Verse 4)

A lokaci guda kuma, ya sake jaddada ikon Annabi bisa dukkan Musulmai, wanda hakan ya ba shi da'awa mafi girma fiye da ta jini, har ma fiye da abin da mutum yake so ko yake sha'awa da kansa: "Annabi ya fi kusanci ga muminai fiye da yadda suke kusantar kansu." (Aya ta 6) Haka kuma Musulunci ya mai da matan Annabi ﷺ uwayen ruhaniya ga dukkan muminai: "kuma matan sa uwayensu ne." (Aya ta 6)

At the same time, it re-emphasized the Prophet’s authority over all Muslims, which gave him a higher claim than that of blood, indeed one that is higher than one’s own wishes and desires: “The Prophet has more claim on the believers than they have on their own selves.” (Verse 6) Islam also makes the Prophet’s wives spiritual mothers to all believers: “and his wives are their mothers.” (Verse 6)

Ikon Annabi bisa dukkan Musulmai yana da cikakke. Babu makawa, wannan ya haɗa da tsara cikakkiyar hanyar rayuwa a gare su. Ba su iya zaɓar wa kansu wani abu sai abin da ya zaɓa musu bisa abin da Allah ke saukarwa a gare shi. A cikin wani hadisi ingantacce, an ruwaito Annabi ﷺ yana cewa: "Babu wani daga cikinku da zai zama mumini na gaskiya har sai son zuciyarsa ya zama yana biyayya ga saƙona." Wannan yana da yaɗuwa har ya haɗa da abubuwan da suke ji a cikin zukatansu, har Annabi ﷺ ya zama mafi soyuwa a gare su fiye da rayukansu. Don haka, muminai ba sa fifita amincin kansu a kan nasa, kuma ba sa sanya kowa a gaba da shi a cikin zukatansu. Hadisai ingantattu da ke magana akan haka suna da yawa, kuma anan za mu kawo misali biyu kawai: "Babu wani daga cikinku da ya kai ga imani na gaskiya har sai na zama mafi soyuwa a gare shi fiye da ransa, dukiyarsa, zuriyarsa da dukkan mutane." "Umar ya ce wa Annabi ﷺ: 'Na rantse da Allah! Ina son ka fiye da yadda nake son kowa sai kaina.' Annabi ﷺ ya ce: 'A'a, Umar! Ya kamata in zama mafi soyuwa a gare ka fiye da kanka.' Sai Umar ya amsa: 'Ya Manzon Allah! Ina son ka fiye da kowa, har da kaina.' Annabi ﷺ ya ce: 'Yanzu ka samu, Umar.'" Wannan ba kalma ce kawai da ake furtawa ba. Ma'auni ne, mai girma ƙwarai, wanda mutane ba za su iya kaiwa gare shi ba sai sun mallaki wata baiwa ta musamman da ke buɗe wata sararin sama mai daraja a zukatansu, tana tsarkake su daga son kai wanda ke zurfafe a cikin halittarsu. Lallai mutane suna son kansu fiye da yadda za su iya tunani. Muna iya tunanin mun samu nasarar sarrafa son kanmu.

The Prophet’s authority over all Muslims is comprehensive. Inevitably, this includes charting a complete way of life for them. They cannot choose for themselves anything other than what he chooses for them in accordance with what God reveals to him. In an authentic ĥadīth, the Prophet is quoted as saying: “No one of you is a true believer until his preferences are subject to my message.” This is so pervasive as to include their own feelings whereby the Prophet (peace be upon him) is dearer to them than their own lives. Thus, believers do not prefer their own safety to his, and they do not place anyone ahead of him in their hearts. Authentic aĥādīth speaking of this are many, and here we give just two examples: “None of you attains to true faith until I am dearer to him than his own soul, his property, offspring and all mankind.” “`Umar said to the Prophet: ‘By God! I love you more than I love anyone other than my own self.’ The Prophet said: ‘No, `Umar! I should be dearer to you than your own self.’ Then `Umar rejoined: ‘Messenger of God! I love you more than anyone else, including myself.’ The Prophet said: ‘You have got it now, `Umar.’ This is not some mere utterance of a word. It is a standard, an extremely high one that people cannot attain to without possessing a special touch that opens a sublime horizon before their hearts, purging them of the self love that is deeply rooted in their very natures. Indeed, human beings love themselves far more than they can imagine. We may think that we have managed to bring our self love under control.

Dangane da hukuncin Allah da ya ƙudura cewa ya zama tsarin dindindin, sūrar tana nufin alkawarinsa da annabawa gabaɗaya, musamman da Annabi Muhammadﷺ da sauran manzanni masu ƙudiri. Wannan alkawari ya ɗaura musu nauyin isar da saƙon Allah, wanda ke ɗauke da dokokinsa game da rayuwar ɗan Adam, da aiwatar da shi da kira zuwa gare shi a cikin al'ummomin da aka aike su zuwa gare su. Idan suka cika haka, mutane za su ɗauki alhakin halayensu game da shiriyar Allah, da imaninsu ko kafircinsu. Yanzu suna da alhakin kansu, ba kuma wata hujja a gare su ta rashin bin shiriyar Allah bayan manzannin Allah sun isar musu da saƙonsa: "Lalle ne Mun karɓi alkawari mai ƙarfi daga dukkan annabawa: daga gare ka, (Muhammadﷺ), da daga Nuhu, da Ibrahim, da Musa, da Isa ɗan Maryam. Daga dukkansu Muka karɓi alkawari mai nauyi da ƙarfi. Allah zai tambayi masu gaskiya game da gaskiya [da aka amince musu]. Ya shirya azaba mai raɗaɗi ga kafirai." (Ayoyi 7-8)

Referring to God’s decree that He willed it to be the permanent system, the sūrah refers to His covenant with prophets in general, and with the Prophet Muĥammad and other messengers of firm resolve in particular. This covenant commits them to deliver God’s message containing His code for human life, and to implement and advocate it among the communities to which they were sent. When they have done so, people will then be responsible for their own attitudes towards divine guidance, and for their belief or disbelief. They are now accountable for themselves having no justification whatsoever for not following divine guidance after God’s messengers delivered His message to them: “We did accept a solemn pledge from all the prophets: from you, [Muĥammad], and from Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus son of Mary. From all did We accept a weighty, solemn pledge. God will question the truthful about the truth [entrusted to them]. He has prepared painful suffering for the unbelievers.” (Verses 7-8)

Idan alkawari ɗaya ne ko alƙawarin da ya kasance iri ɗaya tun daga Nuhu har zuwa Muhammadu ﷺ, mai rufe dukkan annabawa (amincin Allah ya tabbata a gare su duka). Alkawari ɗaya ne, tsari ɗaya ne, kuma amana ɗaya ce da kowane ɗayansu ya ɗauka. Ayoyi biyu masu zuwa suna bayyana alkawarin gaba ɗaya: "Kuma Mun karɓi alƙawari mai ƙarfi daga dukkan annabawa." Sannan an yi ambaton takamaiman Manzo wanda aka saukar da Alƙur'ani a kansa, wanda kuma saƙonsa yana ga dukkan mutane: "daga gare ku, (ya Muhammadu ﷺ)," sannan ya ambaci sauran manzanni waɗanda aka ba su ƙudurin ƙarfi da tsayuwa. Waɗannan su ne waɗanda aka danƙa musu manyan saƙonnin Allah kafin Muhammadu ﷺ, wanda shi ne na ƙarshe: "da Nuhu, da Ibrahim, da Musa, da Ísa ɗan Maryam." Sai surar ta bayyana alkawarin kansa: "Kuma daga dukkansu Mun karɓi alƙawari mai nauyi, mai ƙarfi." Bayanin alkawarin a nan yana ba shi siffa ta zahiri, mai ƙarfi. Hakika alkawari ne tsakanin Allah da mutanen da Ya zaɓa don karɓar wahayinsa, isar da saƙonninsa, da kafa dokokinsa, suna masu kasancewa amintattu ga abin da Ya danƙa musu a kowane lokaci.