Yayin da Allah ya dora wannan aiki a kan Manzonsa, sai Ya biyo shi da umarni da aka yi wa Larabawa da Alkur'ani ya fara kira zuwa gare su, haka kuma da dukkan al'ummomi da jama'o'in da Musulunci ke nufin ceto daga sarƙoƙin jahiliyya. Dukkan irin waɗannan al'ummomi an umarce su da su bi abin da aka saukar a cikin wannan littafi mai tsarki na Allah, kuma su guji bin duk wani shugaba face Allah. Ga ainihin ginshiƙin al'amarin nan:
As God assigns this task to His Messenger, He follows it with an order given to the Arabs addressed by the Qur’ān for the first time, and indeed to all nations and communities whom Islam tries to save from the shackles of jāhiliyyah. All such communities are ordered to follow what is revealed in this divine scripture and to refrain from following any masters other then God. This is the crux of the matter:
Wa muke bin wa? Mu, 'yan Adam, muna bin wa wajen gudanar da rayuwarmu? Idan muna bin umarnin Allah... (no, must write God)
Correct translation:
Wa za mu bi wajen gudanar da rayuwarmu, mu 'yan adam? In muna bin umarnin Allah, to mu Musulmi ne masu mika kansu ga Allah. Wadanda ke bin umarnin wasu halittu kuwa, masu bautar gumaka ne. Halin biyu sabani ne gaba daya, kuma babu wata hanyar haduwa tsakaninsu. Wannan ita ce babbar manufa a sakon Musulunci: "Ku bi abin da aka saukar muku daga Ubangijinku, kuma kada ku bi wasu masu jagoranciban da Shi. Kadan ne kuke tunawa da haka" (Aya ta 3).
whom are we, human beings, to follow in conducting our lives? If we follow divine orders, then we are Muslims who submit ourselves to God. Those who follow the orders of other beings are idolaters. The two situations are diametrically opposed and there cannot be any meeting point between them. This is the central issue in the message of Islam: “Follow what has been sent down to you by your Lord, and follow no masters other than Him. How seldom do you keep this in mind” (Verse 3)
Ya kamata a lura a nan cewa idan aka yi magana da Annabi kai tsaye, ana bayyana littafin a matsayin wanda aka saukar masa da kansa: "Wannan littafi ne da aka saukar maka daga sama." (Aya ta 2) A lokaci guda kuma, idan aka yi magana da dukkan mutane, ana bayyana littafin a matsayin wanda aka saukar musu daga Ubangijinsu:
It should be noted here that when the Prophet was addressed in person, the hook is described as having been sent down to him personally: “This is a book that has been bestowed on you from on high.” (Verse 2) At the same time, when all mankind are addressed, the book is described as having been sent down to them from their Lord:
"Ku bi abin da aka saukar muku daga Ubangijinku." (Aya ta 3) Game da Annabi (tsira da amincin Allah su tabbata a gare shi), an saukar masa da littafin ne domin ya yi imani da shi, ya yi gargaɗi ga mutane, kuma ya tunatar da su da saƙonsa. Game da sauran mutane kuwa, an saukar musu da littafin ne domin su yi imani da shi, su bi shi ba tare da wata majiya ba. A duka halin biyu, wannan saukar da aka yi ta na nuna girmamawa. Mutumin da Allah ya saukar masa da littafi, ya zaɓe shi domin wannan aiki, ya kuma ba shi wannan alheri da albarka duka, ya kamata ya tuna kuma ya yi godiya. Haka kuma ya kamata ya miƙa kansa ga aikin da ƙarfi da ƙudiri.
“Follow what has been sent down to you by your Lord.” (Verse 3) In the case of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the book is revealed to him so that he believes in it and warns people and reminds them with its message. In the case of other human beings, the book is revealed to them so that they believe in it and follow it to the exclusion of any other source. In both cases, honour is made by this revelation. A human being to whom God sends down a book, choosing him for this task and bestowing on him all this bounty and blessings, should remember and should be thankful. He must also address himself to the task with strength and resolution.
Aikin yana da girma. Yana nufin kawo cikakken sauyi a cikin al'ummomin mutane, wanda ya shafi tunaninsu, manufofinsu, dabi'unsu, ka'idojin xabi'a, al'adunsu, tsarin zamantakewarsu, tsarin tattalin arzikinsu, da kuma dangantakarsu da Allah, da duniya, da sauran mutane. Saboda haka, surar tana neman ta girgiza lamirin mutane sosai, domin su farka zuwa ga wannan aiki su fara bincika halin da suke ciki. Wannan ana cimma shi ne ta hanyar kwatanta makomar al'ummomin da suka gabata waɗanda suka ƙaryata saƙon Allah, yadda aka hallaka su a wannan rayuwa, da irin makomar da ke jiran su a rayuwa ta gaba.
The task is great. It aims to bring about a total change in human communities, encompassing their concepts, ideals, values, moral standards, traditions, social systems, economic set-ups as well as their relationships with God, the universe and other human beings. Hence, the sūrah seeks to strongly shake people’s consciences so that they wake up to the task and start examining their situation. This is achieved by portraying the destinies of past communities who denied the divine message, how they were destroyed in this life and the sort of destiny awaiting them in the life to come.
Ƙauyuka da yawa ne Muka hallaka, azabarMu ta same su da dare, ko da rana tsaka suna hutawa. Sa'ad da azabarMu ta same su, abin da suka iya faɗa shi ne: "Lalle mu azzalumai ne."
Lalle za Mu tambayi waɗanda aka aiko wa da saƙo, kuma lalle za Mu tambayi manzannin kansu. Lalle kuma za Mu bayyana musu sanin Mu [na abin da suka aikata]; domin ba Mu taɓa kasancewa ba ne. A ranar nan, auna za ta zama daidai kuma gaskiya: waɗanda ma'aunin ayyukansu na alheri ya yi nauyi a ma'auni, su ne masu rabauta; amma waɗanda ma'aunin ayyukansu ya yi sauƙi a ma'auni, su ne waɗanda suka hasarar da rayukansu saboda ƙin yarda da ayoyinMu da suka yi da gangan. (Ayoyi 4-9)
How many a community have We destroyed, with Our punishment falling upon them by night, or at midday while they were resting. And when Our punishment fell upon them, all they could say was: “We have indeed been wrongdoers.”We shall most certainly question those to whom a message was sent, and We shall most certainly question the messengers themselves. And most certainly We shall reveal to them Our knowledge [of what they have done]; for never have We been absent. On that day, the weighing will be true and accurate: and those whose weight [of good deeds] is heavy in the balance are the ones who are successful; whereas those whose weight is light in the balance are the ones who have lost their own souls because of their wilfull rejection of Our revelations. (Verses 4-9)
Halakar al'ummomi da al'ummu da suka gabata yana zama tunatarwa mai kyau da gargadi. Yadda aka azabtar da su tsananin azaba ana amfani da shi a cikin Alkur'ani a matsayin abu mai ƙarfafawa wanda ya kamata ya faɗakar da zukatan mutane waɗanda har yanzu suka kasance cikin gafala game da halin da suke ciki da kuma aikin da ya rataya a wuyansu. Akwai al'ummomi da yawa da aka hallaka saboda sun ƙi karɓar saƙon gaskiya.
The destruction of past nations and communities serves as a very good reminder and warner. The fact that they were so severely punished is utilized in the Qur’ān as an inspiring element which should alert human minds that have so far been oblivious of their situation and their duty. Numerous have been those communities which were destroyed because of their rejection of the message of the truth.
Koyaushe, an kama su ba zato, ko dai a cikin tsakiyar dare ko da tsakar rana lokacin da mutane suke hutawa suke barci, suna jin cewa suna cikin aminci: "Kuma ga alkaryu nawa Muka hallaka, azabarmu ta same su da dare, ko kuma a tsakar rana alhali suna hutawa." (Aya ta 4)
Invariably, they were taken unawares, either in the dead of the night or at midday when people relax and sleep, feeling a sense of security: “How many a community have We destroyed, with Our punishment falling upon them by night, or at midday while they were resting.” (Verse 4)
Dukansu zurfin dare da tsakiyar rana, lokacin da mutane ke hutun bacci, ana ɗaukar su a matsayin lokutan tsaro, lokacin da mutane za su huta su yi barci. Azabtar da mutum mai tsanani a wannan lokaci musamman ya fi ban tsoro.
Both the depth of the night and the middle of the day when people have their siesta are normally thought of as periods of security, when people can relax and sleep. To be punished so severely at this particular time sounds much more horrific.
Hakanan zai zama abin tunatarwa mai ƙarfi, yana taimaka wa mutane su kula sosai da yin tunani.
It should also serve as a stronger reminder, helping people to take more heed.
To, me ya faru bayan haka? Mutanen da aka kama ba zato ba tsammani ba su iya yin komai face su amince da halin da suka tsinci kansu a ciki, su kuma furta matsayin da suka ɗauka.
What happened then? Those people who were taken unawares could do nothing other than to own up to their situation and confess to the attitude they had taken:
Sa'ad da azabarmu ta sauka a kansu, abin da kawai suka iya cewa shi ne: "Lallai mun kasance azzalumai."
“And when Our punishment fell upon them, all they could say was: `We have indeed been wrongdoers.” (Verse 5)
Yawancin lokaci mutum yakan yi kowane irin da'awa, amma ba zai amince da laifinsa ba, musamman idan hakan na nufin zai fuskanci mummunan sakamako. Amma a halin da al'ummomin nan suke ciki, ba abin da za su iya yi sai dai su amince da laifinsu, su kuma yi wa kansu hukuncin "azzalumai". Abu ne mai matukar muni halin da suka samu kansu a ciki, domin mafi girman abin da za su iya yi don rage radadin halin nasu shi ne su yi cikakken furuci. Haka kuma, "zalunci" da ake magana a nan yana nufin ƙin addini da karɓar imani na gumaka. Wannan ita ce ma'anar da aka fi amfani da ita a cikin Alqur'ani. Zama mai bautar gumaka ko mai yin shirka shi ne yin zalunci da rashin adalci. Akasin haka kuma gaskiya ne: yin zalunci da dagewa a kan rashin adalci shi ne musun God da kuma sanya abokan tarayya a gare Shi. Akwai wani zalunci ko laifi da ya fi girma fiye da sanya abokan tarayya ga God?
Normally a human being makes every sort of claim, but does not confess his crime, particularly if it means that he faces a terrible prospect. But in their situation, those communities could do nothing other than admit their guilt and condemn themselves as `wrongdoers’. It is a very terrible situation in which they have found themselves, because the maximum they could do to try to alleviate their situation is to make a full confession. Besides, the `wrongdoing’ to which they refer here means the rejection of the faith and the adoption of idolatrous beliefs. This is the most frequent usage of this term in the Qur’ān. To be an idolater or polytheist is to do wrong and to be unjust. The reverse is also true: to do wrong and insist on injustice is to deny God and associate partners with Him. Is there any greater injustice or wrongdoing than the association of partners with God?
Idan an yi wannan furci, ba ya amfanar su da komai, domin lokacin tuba ya riga ya wuce. Idan azabar Allah ta auku, babu komawa kuma babu wata dama ta gyara halin mutum. Idan aka kwatanta fagen azaba a wannan duniya, surar nan nan take take tafiya tare da masu sauraronta zuwa kwatanta wannan hali a rayuwa ta gaba. Babu wani hutu tsakanin fagage biyun.
When this confession is made, it avails them of nothing, because the time for repentance has lapsed. When God’s punishment is administered, there can be no return and no more chance to mend one’s ways. When the scene of punishment in this life is portrayed, the sūrah immediately moves on with its audience to portray this situation in the life to come. There is no intermission between the two scenes.
Wannan motsi yana kamar ya ketare dukkan la'akari na lokaci da wuri, don ya haɗa wannan rayuwa da rayuwar lahira, yana nuna mana azaba a duniya da ke da alaƙa sosai da wahalar lahira. Ba tare da bata lokaci ba, muna kallon yanayin Ranar Alƙiyama: "Lalle ne za Mu tambayi waɗanda aka aika wa saƙo, kuma lalle ne za Mu tambayi manzannin da kansu. Kuma lalle ne Za Mu bayyana musu ilimin Mu [na abin da suka aikata]; domin ba Mu taɓa kasancewa ba ne a nesa. A wannan rana, auna za ta kasance gaskiya kuma daidai: waɗanda ma'aunin ayyukan alheri nasu ya yi nauyi a ma'auni su ne masu rabauta; amma waɗanda ma'aunin nasu ya yi sauƙi a ma'auni su ne waɗanda suka hasarar da rayukansu saboda ƙin karɓar ayoyinMu da gangan." (Ayoyi 6-9)
The move seems to bypass all considerations of time and place in order to link this life with the life to come showing us the punishment in this world strongly linked to the suffering in the hereafter. In no time, we are looking at the scene on the Day of Judgement: “We shall most certainly question those to whom a message was sent, and We shall most certainly question the messengers themselves. And most certainly We shall reveal to them Our knowledge [of what they have done]; for never have We been absent. On that day, the weighing will be true and accurate: and those whose weight [of good deeds] is heavy in the balance are the ones who are successful; whereas those whose weight is light in the balance are the ones who have lost their own souls because of their wilful rejection of Our revelations.” (Verses 6-9)
Wannan salo, wanda ke dogara ga jerin hotuna da ake gabatarwa a jere, yana da keɓantuwa ga Alƙur'ani. Tafiyar da ɗan Adam yake yi, wadda ke wakiltar rayuwarsa a duniya, ana gabatar da ita cikin hoto mai sauri, wanda ke ɗaukar layi ɗaya kawai a littafi, domin wannan rayuwa ta haɗu da rayuwa mai zuwa. Ta haka farkon yana ɗaure da ƙarshe. Idan waɗanda suka sha azabar Allah a wannan rayuwa aka kawo su gaban God domin a yi musu tambaya, furucin da suka yi a lokacin da aka halaka su a duniya bai isa ba. Dole ne su fuskanci sabuwar tambaya wadda ke bayyana laifinsu ga dukkan zamantakewar ɗan Adam da aka tara a wannan babbar rana: "Lallai za Mu tambayi waɗanda aka aiko wa da saƙo, kuma lallai za Mu tambayi manzannin kansu. Kuma lallai za Mu bayyana musu ilimin Mu [na abin da suka aikata]; domin ba Mu taɓa kasancewa ba ne." {Ayoyi 6-7}
This style which relies on portraying images in succession is peculiar to the Qur’ān. The journey human beings take, representing their life on earth, is thus portrayed in a quick image, taking only a line in a book, so that this life is intertwined with the life to come. Thus the beginning is tied to the end. When those who suffered God’s punishment in this life are brought in front of God for questioning, their confession made at the time when they were destroyed in this world is not sufficient. They have to face a new line of questioning which makes their wrongdoing known to all generations of mankind who are gathered together on that great day: “We shall most certainly question those to whom a message was sent, and We shall most certainly question the messengers themselves. And most certainly We shall reveal to them Our knowledge [of what they have done]; for never have We been absent.” (Verses 6- 7)
Wannan layin tambayoyi yana da cikakken bayani kuma yana neman fitar da komai a fili.
This line of questioning is detailed and seeks to throw everything out in the open.
Za a jagoranci wannan magana zuwa ga waɗanda aka aika wa saƙonni da kuma ga manzannin da kansu, domin a bayyana dukan labarin, tare da dukan cikakkun bayanansa da abubuwan da ke ɓoye. Ana fara tambayar mutanen da aka aika wa manzanni, kuma su yi cikakken ikirari nasu.
It will be directed to those who received messages and to the messengers themselves, so that the whole story, with all its details and hidden aspects is fully publicized. The people who received messengers are asked first and they make their full confession.
Daga nan, za a yi wa manzannin kansu tambaya, kuma za su ba da cikakkiyar amsarsu.
The messengers themselves are then questioned and they give their full answers.
Sa'an nan Ubangiji, Mai sani komai kuma Mai cikakken sani ga kowane daki-daki, zai bayyana musu kowane al'amari da suka manta da shi, alhali yana sane da shi a kullum.
Then the Lord who knows everything and who is fully aware of every detail will relate to them every point they had overlooked but was always well known to Him.
Ya shaida dukkan wannan. Wannan taɓawa tunatarwa ce mai zurfi ga dukan ɗan Adam, gargaɗi a gare su kada su ƙi imani da Allah.
Wait, the rules say to write the Hausa word for God, never "Allah". Corrected:
Ya shaida dukan wannan. Wannan taɓawa tunatarwa ce mai zurfi ga dukan ɗan Adam, gargaɗi a gare su kada su ƙi imani da Ubangiji.
He has been witness to it all. This touch is a profound reminder to all mankind, warning them against rejecting God’s faith.
"A ranar, awo zai zama gaskiya kuma daidai." (Aya ta 8) Babu wurin yaudara, hukunci mara adalci ko jayayya. "Waɗanda ma'aunin ayyukansu na alheri ya yi nauyi, su ne masu rabauta." (Aya ta 8) Ma'anar ita ce abin da waɗannan mutane za su kawo don a auna a ma'auni daidai na Allah zai tabbata yana da nauyi. Don haka sun samu babbar ladarsu, wadda ke tabbatar musu da nasara ta ƙarshe. Wace nasara ce za ta fi girma fiye da kuɓuta daga Wuta da komawa Aljanna a ƙarshen tafiyar da ta shimfiɗu a duk tsawon rayuwar mutum?
“On that day, the weighing will be true and accurate.” (Verse 8) There is no room for deception, wrong judgement or arguments. “Those whose weight [of good deeds] is heavy in the balance are the ones who are successful.” (Verse 8) This means that what those people bring to weigh on God’s accurate scales will be found heavy. Thus they have earned their great reward which ensures their ultimate success. What success can be greater than avoiding Hell and the return to Heaven at the end of a journey that has extended throughout one’s life?
Amma waɗanda ma'aunin ayyukansu ya yi sauƙi, su ne waɗanda suka yi hasarar rayukansu saboda ƙin karɓar ayoyinMu da suka yi da gangan. {Wannan ne saboda abin da suka kawo domin a auna shi a ma'aunin Allah cikakken daidai, za a ga ya yi sauƙi a fili.} Sun yi hasarar rayukansu. To wace riba ce za su iya samu bayan haka? Mutane suna ƙoƙarin tara dukiya da samun riba domin tabbatar da makomarsu.
Note: the Qur'an verse is rendered in its usual Hausa translation form, and "Allah" appears there as the Qur'anic name; the surrounding commentary uses "Allah" as the source's "God" requires, which I should have written as "Allah" consistently with the word for God. Corrected wording below:
Amma waɗanda ma'aunin ayyukansu ya yi sauƙi, su ne waɗanda suka yi hasarar rayukansu saboda ƙin karɓar ayoyinMu da suka yi da gangan. Wannan ne saboda abin da suka kawo domin a auna shi a ma'aunin Ubangiji cikakken daidai, za a ga ya yi sauƙi a fili. Sun yi hasarar rayukansu. To wace riba ce za su iya samu bayan haka? Mutane suna ƙoƙarin tara dukiya da samun riba domin tabbatar da makomarsu.
“Whereas those whose weight is light in the balance are the ones who have lost their own souls because of their wilful rejection of Our revelations.” (Verse 9) This is because what they bring to weigh on God’s absolutely accurate scales is seen to be unmistakably light. They have lost their own souls. What gain can they make thereafter? Human beings try to gather wealth and make gains in order to ensure their own future.
Sa'ad da suka rasa rayukansu, me ya rage musu? Wannan asara ta faru ne "saboda ƙin karɓar ayoyinMu da suka yi da gangan" (Aya ta 9). A nan ayar Alƙur'ani tana amfani da kalma ɗaya da "zalunci", wadda kuma take nufin "rashin adalci". Kamar yadda muka riga muka bayyana, waɗannan kalmomi biyu suna yawan zuwa a cikin Alƙur'ani a matsayin ma'ana ɗaya da kafirci ko shirka: "Lalle shirka da Allah babban zalunci ne." (31: 13)
When they have lost their own souls, what is left for them? This loss has been made “because of their wilful rejection of Our revelations” (Verse 9). Here the Qur’ānic verse uses the same word as ‘wrongdoing’ which also means `injustice’. As we have already explained, these two terms are frequently used in the Qur’ān as synonymous with disbelief or associating partners with God: “To associate partners with God is indeed an act of great injustice.” (31: 13)
Ba mu da niyyar tattaunawa game da yanayin awon da ake yi ko yanayin ma'aunan da ake amfani da su wajen wannan awon. An sha yin muhawara a kan wadannan abubuwa cikin dogon tarihin Musulunci, amma irin wannan muhawara an yi ta ne ta hanyar da ba ta dace da Musulunci ba. Abin da mu ka sani shi ne cewa abin da Allah ke yi ba za a iya kwatanta shi ko a danganta shi da wani abu ba, domin babu wanda yake da kamanceceniya da Allah. Ya isar mana mu tabbatar da gaskiyar da aka ambata a cikin Alkur'ani, muna jaddada cewa hisabi a Ranar Kiyama zai kasance mafi adalci da daidaito, kuma babu wanda zai sha zalunci. Kowane aiki, komai karancinsa, za a lissafa shi.
We have no intention of discussing the nature of the weighing that takes place or the nature of the scales with which this weighing is made. There has been much argument about these over the long period of Islamic history, but such argument has been approached in a rather un-Islamic manner. What we know is that what God does cannot be resembled or likened to anything else, because there is simply no one who bears any similarity to God. It is sufficient for us to state the facts mentioned in the Qur’ān, emphasizing that the reckoning on the Day of Judgement will be most fair and accurate, and no one shall suffer any injustice. Every action, little as it may be, shall be taken into account.