Wannan sūrah an saukar da ita a Makka, bayan saukar Sūrah 12, Yusuf. Lokacin yana da matuƙar muhimmanci, domin ya faɗi tsakanin "shekarar baƙin ciki", lokacin da Annabi ya rasa matarsa Khadīja da kawunsa Abū Ţālib, da shekarar da Annabi ya yi hijira zuwa Madīna. Don haka sūrah tana nuna bukatu da buƙatun wannan lokaci mai wahala. Don cikakken bayani game da wannan lokaci mai muhimmanci, ku duba Gabatarwar Sūrah Yunus da Sūrah Hūd, a Juzu'i na IX, da Sūrah Yusuf a wannan juzu'in.

This sūrah was revealed in Makkah, after the revelation of Sūrah 12, Joseph. The time was a very critical one, falling as it did between the ‘year of sorrow’ when the Prophet lost his wife Khadījah and his uncle Abū Ţālib and the year when the Prophet migrated to Madinah. The sūrah thus reflects the needs and requirements of this difficult period. For specifics about this crucial time please refer to the Prologues of Sūrahs Jonah and Hūd, in Volume IX, and Sūrah Joseph in this volume.

Musamman ma, surar tana umurtar Annabi ﷺ da al'ummar Musulmi yadda za su fi dacewa wajen magance matsalolinsu na zahiri, da yadda za su tsaya tsayin daka wajen fuskantar tsayayyiyar adawar kafirai. Wannan ke nan matsayi da yanayin Alkur'ani.

In particular, the sūrah directs the Prophet and the Muslim community in how best to deal with their practical problems, and how to stand firm in the face of the unbelievers’ stubborn opposition. This then is the role and nature of the Qur’ān.

A wannan lokaci mai muhimmanci, saƙon Musulunci yana samun ci gaba kaɗan saboda tsayayyen adawar Quraishawa, ƙabilar Larabawa da ke zaune a Makka, kuma wadda shugabancinta ƙabilun Larabawa suka amince da shi. Zaluncinsu ga Annabi ﷺ da mabiyansa yanzu ya kai ƙololuwarsa. Saboda haka, Alƙur'ani yana gargaɗi da tsoratar da waɗannan Larabawa masu bautar gumaka, yana kwatanta makomar al'ummun da suka gabata waɗanda suka musunta saƙon Allah kuma suka yi adawa da manzanninsa. Yana bayyana wa Annabi ﷺ ainihin dalilan da ke bayan taurin kansu. A zahiri ba shi da alaƙa da gaskiyar saƙonsa, sai dai da taurin kansu wanda ba a iya sassauta shi ko da sun ga alamomin Allah bayyanannu. Saboda haka, sūratu tana ta'azantar da Annabi ﷺ. Tana umurce shi da ya riƙe gaskiyar da yake da ita da ƙarfi, ya kuma fuskanci dukkan waɗanda suka ƙi ta da ita. An kuma umurce shi da ya yi haƙuri cikin wahala, yana isar da saƙonsa ga ɗan Adam da ƙudiri.

At this critical juncture, the message of Islam was making little progress because of the unwavering resistance of the Quraysh, the Arabian tribe residing in Makkah, and whose leadership was recognized by the rest of Arabia. Their persecution of the Prophet and his followers was now at its zenith. Hence, the Qur’ān warns and threatens these pagan Arabs, portraying as it does the fate of earlier communities which denied God’s messages and opposed His messengers. It reveals to the Prophet the real reasons behind their determined opposition. Essentially it had nothing to do with the truth of his message and much to do with their stubbornness which could not be moderated even as a result of seeing God’s clear signs. Hence, the sūrah consoles the Prophet. It directs him to hold fast to the truth he has and to confront with it all those who reject it. He is also instructed to remain patient in adversity, conveying his message to mankind with determination.

Ta haka wannan sura ta yi tarayya da sauran surorin da aka saukar a lokaci guda da ita cikin abin da suke magana a kai da kuma siffofinsu na gaba ɗaya. Haka kuma, tana magana kan bukatu da buƙatun wannan zamani, lokacin da saƙon Musulunci ya fuskanci jahiliyyar da ta mamaye Larabawa. Hakan kuma ya shafi duk wani zamani makamancin haka a tarihi.

Thus the sūrah shares with other sūrahs revealed during the same period the same subject matter and general features. Likewise, it addresses the needs and requirements of that period when the Islamic message faced the ignorance, or jāhiliyyah, that prevailed in Arabia. The same applies to any similar period in history.

Haka nan ma yanzu yana aiki.

Indeed it even applies now.

Mun dade muna jaddada cewa Alkur'ani littafi ne mai amfani a aikace, kuma wannan yana da matukar muhimmanci wajen fahimtar wannan littafi, manufofinsa da burinsa. Wannan yana nufin cewa dole ne mu san yanayin da ake ciki a lokacin da aka saukar da wata sura ko wani nassi, domin mu iya fahimtar hanyar da nassin ya bi da kuma fahimtar umarninsa. Ta haka ne za mu iya ganin yadda yake magance al'amuran rayuwa ta gaske, da mutane masu rai wadanda ko dai suna goyon bayansa ko kuma suna adawa da shi. Ta haka ne kuma za mu iya fahimtar hukunce-hukuncensa sosai, mu kuma amfana da umarninsa a duk lokacin da irin wannan yanayi ya kasance. Musamman ma muna bukatar irin wannan hali a zamaninmu na yau.

We have always emphasized the practical nature of the Qur’ān because it is central to an understanding of this book, its goals and objectives. This means that we need to be aware of the circumstances that prevailed when a particular sūrah or text was revealed so that we can better recognize the drift of the text and understand its directives. We are thus able to appreciate how it deals with real life situations, and with living human beings who either actively support or oppose it. In this way, we can better understand its rulings and benefit by its directives whenever similar circumstances prevail. We particularly need to take such an attitude in our own times.

Amma muna faɗin haka ne sanin cewa kawai waɗanda ke fuskantar wannan hali na jahilci a yanzu, waɗanda ke aiki don farfado da Musulunci, ne za su duba nassosin Alƙur'ani ta wannan fuska. Irin waɗannan mutane suna fuskantar yanayi da abubuwan da suka yi kama da waɗanda Muhammadu ﷺ, mai kira na farko zuwa wannan addini, da sahabbansa na farko suka fuskanta. Suna fuskantar irin wannan ƙin yarda da babbar gaskiyar wannan addini, wadda ke buƙatar cikakken mika wuya ga Allah a dukkan fannonin rayuwa: na addini, na ɗabi'a, na siyasa, na tattalin arziki da na zamantakewa. Haka nan, suna fuskantar irin wannan zalunci da ƙungiyar Musulmi ta farko ta sha. Irin waɗannan mutane ne kawai za su iya fahimtar hanyar Musulunci ta kira mai aiki, wadda ba za a iya gane ta ta hanyar ka'idar ilimi kawai ba.

But we say this knowing full well that only those who are actively facing this present state of ignorance in their work to bring about an Islamic revival will look at the Qur’ānic texts in this light. Such people are dealing with circumstances and events similar to those faced by the first advocate of this faith, Muĥammad (peace be upon him), and his early Companions. They face the same type of rejection of the great truth of this faith, which requires complete submission to God in all aspects of life: religious, moral, political, economic and social. Likewise, they face the same type of persecution which was endured by the first group of Muslims. Only such people are able to deduce the Islamic method of active advocacy which cannot be deduced in a theoretical approach.

Ya kamata a bayyana a nan cewa abin da ake buƙata a zamaninmu shi ne fahimtar hanyar da ya kamata wani sabon motsi na Musulunci ya bi, wanda ke fuskantar yanayi gaba ɗaya wanda ba na Musulunci ba. Irin wannan motsi yana nufin fitar da mutane daga duhu zuwa haske, da daga jahilci da biyayya ga abubuwa daban-daban zuwa yanayin da mutane suke miƙa wuya ga God shi kaɗai. Waɗannan su ne manufofin ƙarnin farko na Musulmi, tun kafin a kafa dawlar Musulunci a Madina, kuma kafin Musulunci ya sami iko a ko'ina a duniya.

It should be stated here that what is required in our own time is an understanding of the method to be followed by a young Islamic movement facing a totally un- Islamic state of affairs. Such a movement aims to bring mankind out of darkness into light, and out of ignorance and submission to different beings into a state where people submit themselves to God alone. These were the objectives of the first Muslim generation, even before the Islamic state in Madinah was born, and before Islam enjoyed any authority anywhere on earth.

A yau muna cikin wani hali wanda, ko da yake ba daidai yake da wancan zamani na farko ba, yana da wasu kamanceceniya da shi. Ba sai an faɗa ba, yanayi da abubuwan waje sun bambanta. Duk da haka, muna nufin kafa da'awar Musulunci mai aiki a fuskantar adawa gabaki ɗaya. Gaskiyar cewa yanayi sun bambanta yana nufin buƙatu da bukatun wannan da'awa sun bambanta. Saboda haka ne muke buƙatar yau sabuwar fahimta game da hanyar aiki da Musulunci ya amince da ita. Irin wannan fahimta za ta dace da misalan da ƙungiyar Musulunci ta farko, wadda Annabi ﷺ ya kafa, ta kafa, zuwa ga yanayi da buƙatun zamani na yanzu.

Today we are in a position which, though not identical to that early period, has some similarities to it. Needless to say, circumstances and external factors are different. Yet we are aiming to establish an active advocacy of Islam in the face of total opposition. The fact that circumstances are different means that the needs and requirements of such advocacy are different. Hence why we need today fresh insight into the method of action that Islam approves. Such insight will fit the precedents set by the first Islamic movement, established by the Prophet, to the circumstances and requirements of the present period.

Irin wannan basira ce sabuwar harkar Musulunci ke bukata. Yanzu ya yi wuri da za a samar da tsarin mulki, da kuma tsara dokar shari'a.

It is such insight that the newly-born Islamic movement requires. It is too early now for the development of a system of government, and the drafting of a legal code.

A yau babu wata ƙasa ko al'umma guda da ƙa'idar asali ta mu'amalar ɗan Adam ita ce dokar Allah da tsarin shari'ar Musulunci. Irin fahimtar da take haifar da tsarin mulki da kundin shari'a tana zuwa a lokacin da ya dace. Cikakkun bayanansa su dace da al'ummar Musulmai da take buƙatarsa, duk lokacin da ta samu, kuma ta fara fuskantar matsalolin aiki da suka shafe ta. Kafin wannan lokaci, ƙirƙirar irin wannan tsari da kundi kamar yunƙurin shuka iri a cikin iska ne, ana fatan zai tsiro.

Today, there is not a single state or community where the basic rule of human transactions is God’s law and the Islamic code. The type of insight which gives birth to a system of government and a legal code comes at the appropriate time. Its details should fit the Muslim community that needs it, whenever it comes into existence, and begins to face the practical problems that apply to it. Prior to this, producing such a system and a code is no different from trying to plant seeds in the air and hoping they will sprout.

Babban batu na farko da surah ta tabo ya bayyana halin waɗanda suka ƙi wannan addinin Musulunci, wanda ya dogara da miƙa wuya ga Allah shi kaɗai, kuma ya fayyace gaskiyar dalilan da suka sa suka yi hakan. Haka kuma ya siffanta mummunan makomar da ke jiran irin waɗannan kafirai. Surah ta tabo wannan a zagaye-zagaye da dama, tana amfani da batutuwa da dabaru daban-daban, kamar labari, nuna al'amuran sararin halitta da al'amuran Ranar Lahira, da umurni da sharhi waɗanda ko dai suke gabanin labaran da take bayarwa ko kuma suke biye da su.

The first major topic the sūrah tackles highlights the nature of those who reject this faith of Islam, based on submission to God alone, and outlines their true motives for so doing. It also describes the terrible fate that awaits such unbelievers. The sūrah tackles this in several rounds, employing different subjects and techniques, such as narrative, an exhibition of scenes of the universe and scenes of the Day of Judgement, and directives and comments that either precede or follow the stories it relates.

Duk da cewa yanayin gaba ɗaya na Sūratu Ra'ad (Rana mai ƙarfi, Thunder), yana tuna mana Sūratul An'am (Dabbobi, Cattle), yanayin gaba ɗaya na wannan sūratu yana tuna mana Sūratul A'raf (Wurare Masu Tsayi, The Heights). Dukkansu suna farawa da gargaɗi mai tsanani, kuma dukkan sūratun suna tabbatar da hakan. Sai dai sūratun biyu sun bambanta sosai ta fuskar hanyar da suke bi.

While the general atmosphere of Sūrah 13, Thunder, reminds us of Sūrah 6, Cattle, the general atmosphere of this sūrah reminds us of Sūrah 7, The Heights. Both begin with a serious warning, and the whole sūrah confirms it. The two sūrahs, however, differ greatly in their method.

Gargaɗin da ke farkon Sūratul A'rāf an bayyana shi a fili sosai: "Wannan littafi ne da aka saukar maka daga sama — don haka kada ka sami wani shakka a cikinsa — domin ka gargaɗi mutane da saƙonsa, kuma ka yi wa masu bi wa'azi. Ku bi abin da aka saukar muku daga Ubangijinku, kada ku bi wasu masu jagoranciban Shi. Yaya kaɗan kuke tunawa da wannan. Yawan al'ummomin da Muka hallaka, azabarMu ta same su da dare, ko da tsakar rana yayin da suke hutawa. Kuma a lokacin da azabarMu ta same su, abin da za su iya faɗa kawai shi ne: 'Lalle mun kasance azzalumai.'"

The warning at the beginning of Sūrah 7 is stated very clearly: “This is a book that has been bestowed on you from on high — so do not entertain any doubt about it — in order that you may warn people with its message, and admonish the believers. 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. 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.’“ (7: