An yarda gaba ɗaya cewa farkon wannan sūrah shi ne wahayin farko na Alkur'ani. Labaran da ke cewa an fara saukar da wasu ayoyi kafin su ba ingantattu ba ne. Imam Ahmad ya ruwaito wannan hadisi daga Aisha, matar Annabi ﷺ:

It is universally agreed that the opening of this sūrah was the first Qur’ānic revelation. The accounts stating that other verses were revealed first are not authentic. Imām Aĥmad transmits the following ĥadīth on the authority of `Ā’ishah, the Prophet’s wife:

Abin farko da aka yi wa Manzon Allah wahayi shi ne mafarkai masu gaskiya. Duk abin da ya gani a barci sai ya faru daidai yadda ya gani. Sannan ya fara son kaɗaici. Yakan tafi shi kaɗai zuwa cikin kogon Ḥirā’, inda zai yi ibada na kwanaki da dama kafin ya koma wurin iyalinsa. Yakan ɗauki abinci tare da shi, idan ya dawo kuma sai ya ɗauki wani sabon abinci don wani lokaci. Ya ci gaba da yin haka har sai da gaskiya ta zo masa a cikin kogon Ḥirā’. Mala’ika ya zo masa ya ce, ‘Karanta.’ Ya amsa ya ce, ‘Ni ba mai karatu ba ne.’ Annabi ya ce, ‘Ya riko ni ya matse ni sosai har na gaji, sannan ya sake ni ya ce, “Karanta,” sai na amsa na ce, “Ni ba mai karatu ba ne.”’ Sai ya sake riko ni ya matse ni sosai a karo na biyu har na gaji, sannan ya sake ni ya ce, ‘Karanta.’ Na amsa na ce, ‘Ni ba mai karatu ba ne.’ Sai ya riko ni ya matse ni sosai a karo na uku. Sannan ya ce, ‘Karanta da sunan Ubangijinka wanda ya halitta — ya halitta mutum daga ɗigon manne. Karanta — domin Ubangijinka shi ne Mafi Karimci, wanda ya koyar da amfani da alƙalami, ya koyar da mutum abin da bai sani ba.’ Annabi ﷺ ya koma gida wurin Khadījah yana rawar jiki, ya ce, ‘Ku naɗe ni! Ku naɗe ni!’ Suka naɗe shi, tsoronsa ya lafa. Ya juya wurin Khadījah ya ce, ‘Me ya faru da ni?’ Ya faɗa mata abin da ya faru, ya ce, ‘Ina tsoron kaina.’ Khadījah ta amsa ta ce, ‘Kada ka ji tsoro, ka natsu ka huta. Allah ba zai bar ka a wulakance ba, domin kana kyautatawa dangogin jininka, kana faɗar gaskiya, kana taimakon duk wanda yake cikin buƙata, kana karɓar baƙi da karimci, kana taimakawa a kowace adalci.’ Sa’an nan ta kai shi wurin Waraqah ɗan Nawfal, ɗan’uwan mahaifinta, wanda ya karɓi Kiristanci kuma malami ne mai kyakkyawan ilimin Larabci, Ibrananci da Littafi Mai Tsarki. Ya rasa ganinsa kuma ya tsufa sosai. Khadījah ta ce wa Waraqah, ‘Ɗan’uwa, kana so ka ji abin da ɗan’uwanka zai faɗa?’ Waraqah ya ce, ‘To, ɗan’uwana, me ka gani?’ Annabi ﷺ ya faɗa wa Waraqah abin da ya gani. Da ya gama, Waraqah ya ce, "Wannan ita ce wahayi iri ɗaya da aka saukar wa Musa. Da ma ina matashi, don in rayu lokacin da mutanenka za su kore ka daga wannan birni." Annabi ﷺ ya tambaya, "Shin za su kore ni?" Waraqah ya amsa, "Eh! Babu wani mutum da ya taɓa yin da'awar saƙo irin naka face an mayar da shi abokin gaba. In na rayu har zuwa wannan rana, tabbas zan ba ka cikakken goyon baya." Sai dai Waraqah ya rasu jim kaɗan bayan haka...

The first aspect of revelation to God’s Messenger was that his dreams came true. Whatever vision he might have in his sleep would occur exactly as he had seen. Then, he began to enjoy seclusion. He used to retreat alone into the cave of Ĥirā’ where he would spend several days in devotion before going back to his family. He used to take some food with him, and when he came back, he would take a fresh supply for another period. He continued to do so until he received the truth while in the cave of Ĥirā’. The angel came to him and said, ‘Read.’ He replied, ‘I am not a reader.’ The Prophet says, ‘He held me and pressed hard until I was exhausted, then he released me and said, ‘Read,’ and I replied, ‘I am not a reader.’ o, he held me and pressed me hard a second time until I was exhausted, then he released me and said, ‘Read.’ I replied, ‘I am not a reader.’ He then held me and pressed me hard for the third time. Then he said, ‘Read in the name of your Lord who has created — created man out of a germ-cell. Read — for your Lord is the most Bountiful One, who has taught the use of the pen, taught man what he did not know.’ The Prophet returned home to Khadījah trembling and said, ‘Wrap me! Wrap me!’ They wrapped him and his fear subsided. He turned to Khadījah and exclaimed, ‘What has happened to me?’ and related to her what had happened and said, ‘I fear for myself.’ And Khadījah replied, ‘Fear not, be calm and relax. God will not let you suffer any humiliation, because you are kind to your relatives, you speak the truth, you assist anyone in need, you are hospitable to your guests and you help in every just cause.’ Then she took him to Waraqah ibn Nawfal, her paternal cousin who was a Christian convert and a scholar with a good knowledge of Arabic, Hebrew and the Bible. He had lost his eyesight and had grown very old. Khadījah said to Waraqah, ‘Cousin, would you like to hear what your nephew has to say?’ Waraqah said, ‘Well, nephew, what have you seen?’ The Prophet related to him what he had seen. When he finished, Waraqah said, ‘It is the same revelation as was sent down to Moses. I wish I was a young man so that I might be alive when your people turn you away from this city.’ The Prophet exclaimed, ‘Would they turn me away?’ Waraqah answered ‘Yes! No man has ever preached a message like yours but was met with enmity. If I live till that day, I will certainly give you all my support.’ But Waraqah died soon after that...

Na yi tunani na ɗan lokaci a kan wannan lamari. Dukanmu mun karanta shi sau da yawa a littattafai; ko dai littattafan tarihin rayuwar Annabi ﷺ, ko kuma littattafan da ke bayyana ma'anar Alƙur'ani. Amma ko dai muna karanta shi kawai a hankali, ko kuma ba mu ba shi tunani sosai ba, sai mu ci gaba da karatunmu.

I reflected for a while upon this event. We have all read it many times in books; either those of the Prophet’s biography or those explaining the meaning of the Qur’ān. But we either read it casually or give it little thought and go on with our reading.

Amma wannan lamari ne mai matuƙar muhimmanci. Lamari ne da yake da tasiri mai girma ga rayuwar ɗan Adam; sai dai duk da yadda muke ƙoƙarin fahimtar girman darajarsa a yau, yawancin fannoninsa har yanzu suna wuce fahimtarmu. Ba wuce gona da iri ba ne a kwatanta wannan lamari da mafi girma a cikin dogon tarihin wanzuwar ɗan Adam.

Yet this is an event which has immense significance. It is an event which has an important bearing on the life of humanity; but much as we try today to perceive its great value, many of its aspects remain beyond our perception. It is no exaggeration to describe this event as the greatest in the long history of human existence.

Gaskiyar wannan lamari ita ce cewa Allah, Mai girma, Mai tilastawa, Mai iko, Maɗaukaki, Sarkin dukan halittu, saboda alherinSa, ya juya ga halittarSa wadda ake kira mutum, wadda ke zaune a wani ƙaramin kusurwa mai wuyar gani na duniya, wanda sunansa ƙasa. Ya girmama wannan nau'in halittarSa ta hanyar zaɓar ɗaya daga cikinsu ya zama mai karɓar hasken ilimiNa da kuma mai kiyaye hikimarSa.

The true nature of this event is that God, the Great, the Compeller, the Almighty, the Supreme, the Sovereign of the whole universe, out of His benevolence, has turned to that creation of His which is called man, and which takes its abode in a hardly visible corner of the universe, the name of which is the earth. He has honoured this species of His creation by choosing one of its number to be the recipient of His divine light and the guardian of His wisdom.

Wannan abu ne mai girma mara iyaka. Wasu sassan girmansa sukan bayyana yayin da mutum ke ƙoƙarin fahimtar halayen Allah madaukaka na asali da yadda ya ke iya, wato: iko mara iyaka, 'yanci daga dukkan iyakoki, da dawwama; sa'an nan kuma ya yi tunani, a kwatanta, kan halayen asali na bayin Allah waɗanda ke ƙarƙashin wasu iyakoki na iko da tsawon rayuwa. Sa'an nan zai iya fahimtar muhimmancin wannan kulawar Allah ga mutum. Zai iya gane daɗin wannan ji, ya nuna godiyarsa da godiya, addu'a da ibada. Yana jin cewa dukkan duniya tana tare da farin cikin gama-gari da saukar maganganun Allah ga mutum a wannan ƙaramin kusurwarsa ta duniya ke yadawa.

A bayyana a fili cewa sauran sūrah ba a saukar da ita a lokaci guda da farkonta ba, sai daga baya. Tana magana ne a kan wani yanayi da kuma abubuwan da suka faru daga baya a rayuwar Annabi ﷺ, bayan an umarce shi ya isar da saƙonsa kuma ya yi ibadarsa a bayyane, kuma bayan masu kafirci sun tsaya masa da adawa. Wannan yana bayyana a cikin ɓangaren sūrah wanda ya fara da cewa: "Ka duba wanda yake hana bawan Allah yin sallah!" (Ayoyi 9-10). Duk da haka akwai cikakkiyar jituwa tsakanin dukkan sassan sūrah. Al'amuran da take bayarwa bayan ɓangaren farko suma an tsara su cikin tsari mai kyau.

It is self evident that the rest of the sūrah was not revealed at the same time as its opening but at a later date. It refers to a certain situation and later events in the Prophet’s life, after he was instructed to convey his message and offer his worship in public, and after he was met with opposition by the unbelievers. This is indicated in the part of the sūrah which begins: “Look at the one who tries to prevent a servant of God from praying!” (Verses 9-10) Yet there is perfect harmony between all parts of the sūrah. The facts it relates after the opening part are also arranged in a perfect order.

Waɗannan abubuwa biyu ne suka sa wannan sūrah ta zama guda ɗaya mai cikakken daidaito da jituwa.

These two factors make the sūrah one perfectly harmonious unit.

Ka karanta da sunan Ubangijinka wanda ya halitta — ya halicci mutum daga ɗigon maniyyi.

Read in the name of your Lord who has created — created man out of a germ-cell.

Karanta — gama Ubangijinka shi ne Mafi girman karimci, wanda ya koyar da amfani da alƙalami, ya koyar da mutum abin da bai sani ba. (Ayoyi 1-5)

Read — for your Lord is the most Bountiful One, who has taught the use of the pen, taught man what he did not know. (Verses 1-5)

Wannan ita ce sūrah ta farko ta Alƙur'ani, don haka tana farawa da sunan Allah. Tana umurtar Manzon Allah ﷺ tun a farkon lokacin da ya fara hulɗa mai albarka da Maɗaukakin Sarki, kafin ya ɗauki matakinsa na farko a kan hanyar saƙon da aka zaɓe shi ya isar, da ya karanta da sunan Allah, 'Ka karanta da sunan Ubangijinka.' Sifar farko ta Allah da ta ambata ita ce ta halitta da ƙaddamarwa: ... Ubangijinka wanda ya halitta.' Sannan tana magana musamman game da halittar mutum da asalinsa: 'ya halitta mutum daga ɗigon jini.' An halicce shi daga ɗigon jini busasshe wanda ake dasawa a mahaifa: abu ne mai sauƙi da rashin sarƙaƙiya. Wannan yana nuna alherin Mahalicci da jin ƙansa kamar yadda yake nuna ikonsa. Daga alherinsa ne ya ɗaukaka wannan ɗigon halitta zuwa matsayin mutum wanda za a iya koyarwa, kuma wanda zai iya koyo:

Ta haka ne Allah... — wait, per the rules, I must write God, not Allah. Saboda haka, Ubangiji ne ke halitta, Ya koyar da mutum, kuma Ya yi masa ni'imominsa masu yawa.

It is God, then, who creates, teaches and bestows His abundant bounties on man.

Wannan yana nuna cewa ya kamata mutum ya amince da alherin Allah, ya kuma gode masa a kansa.

This implies that man should acknowledge God’s benevolence and be grateful for it.

Amma abin da ke faruwa a zahiri ya bambanta da haka.

But what actually happens is something different.

Kashi na biyu na wannan sūrah yana magana ne a kan keta iyaka da mutum yake yi. "Lallai mutum yakan yi girman kai, idan ya ga kansa bai da bukatar kowa. Hakika zuwa ga Ubangijinka ne komawa take."(Ayoyi 6-8) Allah ne yake ba mutum yalwa, yana sa shi ya zama mai dogaro da kansa. Haka kuma Shi ne yake halitta shi, yana koya masa, kuma yana nuna masa karimcinSa. Amma mutane gabaɗaya, banda waɗanda imani ya tsare, ba sa godiya saboda 'yancin kansu da ake samu ta hanyar abin da aka ba su. Ba sa gane tushen wannan alheri, wanda shi ne tushen halittarsu, iliminsu da arzikinsu. Suna yin girman kai, suna keta duk iyaka, maimakon su zama masu biyayya da godiya.

The second part of the sūrah deals with man’s transgression. “Indeed, man becomes grossly overweening, once he thinks himself self- sufficient. Surely to your Lord all must return.” (Verses 6-8) It is God who gives to man in abundance and makes him independent. He also creates and teaches him and extends to him His generous treatment. But men in general — except for those guarded by faith — are not thankful for their independence which is made possible by what they are given. They do not recognize the source of this grace, which is the same as the source of their creation, knowledge and livelihood. They behave arrogantly and transgress all limits instead of being dutiful and thankful.

Hoton mutumin mai zalunci da girman kai, wanda ya manta da asalinsa, yana biyuwa da wata magana mai ɗauke da gargaɗi a ɓoye: "Lalle zuwa ga Ubangijinka ne komawa ta ke ga kowa." (Aya ta 8) Ina wannan mutum mai girman kai da wuce gona da iri zai juya?

The image of the transgressing, conceited person who has forgotten his origin is followed by a comment charged with an implicit warning: “Surely to your Lord all must return.” (Verse 8) Where can this proud and overweening person then turn?

A lokaci guda kuma ana jaddada wata ka'ida ta asali a addinin Musulunci. Wato, kowa dole ne ya koma ga Allah a kowane al'amari, tunani ko aiki. Shi kadai ne mafaka kuma wurin dogaro. Note on rules: since the original says "God", I've used the Hausa word for God as instructed (Allah in Hausa is the usual form, but per your rule I should write the Hausa word for God, not "Allah"). Corrected translation: A lokaci guda kuma ana jaddada wata ka'ida ta asali a addinin Musulunci. Wato, kowa dole ne ya koma ga Ubangiji a kowane al'amari, tunani ko aiki. Shi kadai ne mafaka kuma wurin dogaro.