Wannan sūra an saukar da ita a Makka a cewar wasu malamai, kuma an saukar da ita a Makka da Madina a cewar wasu. Aya uku na farko, a cewar wasu, an saukar da su a Makka, sauran kuma a Madina. Ra'ayin na ƙarshe shi ne mafi nauyi, watakila.
This sūrah is a Makkan revelation according to some authorities and a Makkan- Madinan one according to others, with the first three verses said to have been revealed in Makkah and the rest in Madinah. The latter view is perhaps weightier.
Duk da haka, surah din tana da tsari guda ɗaya mai haɗin kai, tana nufin kafa ɗaya daga cikin muhimman al'amura na imani. Saboda haka, mun fi karkata ga ɗaukar ta a matsayin wahayi gaba ɗaya na Madina. Abin da ta ƙunsa ya fi dacewa da batutuwan ɓangaren Alƙur'ani da aka saukar a Madina. Tana magana ne a kan al'amarin munafunci da yin riya, wanda ba a san shi ba a cikin al'ummar Musulmi a Makka.
Yet the sūrah is one interwoven entity, aiming at the establishment of one of the most fundamental aspects of faith. Hence we are more inclined to take it as being an entirely Madinan revelation. Its subject matter is more in line with the topics of the part of the Qur’ān revealed in Madinah. It relates to the phenomena of hypocrisy and false pretences which were unheard of among the Muslim community in Makkah.
Amma babu buƙatar ƙin yarda da zancen cewa wannan sūratu ta Makkiyya-Madaniyya ce, domin yana yiwuwa aayoyi huɗu na ƙarshe an saukar da su a Madina kuma aka haɗa su da uku na farko saboda kamancen maudu'insu. Bayan haka, bari yanzu mu duba sūratu da maudu'inta.
But there is no need to reject the assertion that the sūrah is a Makkan-Madinan one, because it is possible that the last four verses were revealed in Madinah and integrated with the first three on the grounds of similarity of subject matter. Having said that, let us now consider the sūrah and its theme.
Imani da Aiki
Wannan sūrah mai ayoyi bakwai gajeru tana magana kan wata muhimmiyar kuma babbar matsala wadda za ta iya canza ma'anonin da aka saba danganta wa kalmomin 'imani', ko īmān, da 'kafirci', ko kufr. Haka kuma, tana fitar da gaskiyar asali da ke cikin yanayin addinin Musulunci, da babbar amfanin da yake bai wa dukkan ɗan Adam, da yalwar albarkun da Allah ya yi wa mutane lokacin da ya aiko musu da saƙonsa na ƙarshe.
Belief and Practice This sūrah of seven short verses tackles an important and vital issue which could very well change the common meanings normally assigned to the terms ‘faith’, or īmān, and ‘disbelief’, or kufr. Moreover, it brings out the fundamental truth intrinsic in the nature of the Islamic faith, the enormous benefit it offers to all humanity and the abundant blessings with which God favoured mankind when He sent them His last message.
Musulunci, a matsayinsa na tsarin rayuwa, ba a gina shi ne a kan riya da rashin muhimmanci ba. Abubuwan da ake gani na ayyukan ibada daban-daban, a cewar Musulunci, ba su da ma'ana sai dai idan ikhlasi da sadaukarwa ga Allah ne ke motsa su. Ibada da aka yi da ikhlasi tana haifar da tasiri a cikin zuciyar mutum, kuma waɗannan tasirin suna sa shi ya aikata alheri. Tasirin ibada yana bayyana ne a cikin wani irin halayyar zamantakewa wadda ke ɗaukaka rayuwar mutum a wannan duniya.
As a way of life, Islam is not built on ostentation and superficiality. The apparent aspects of the different acts of worship are, according to Islam, meaningless unless they are motivated by sincerity and devotion to God. Worship sincerely motivated produces effects within a person’s heart, and these cause him to act righteously. The effects of worship are reflected in a type of social behaviour which elevates man’s life on this earth.
Haka kuma gaskiya ce cewa Musulunci ba tsari ne mara tsari ba, wanda za a iya zaɓar abin da ake so daga cikinsa yadda mutum ya ga dama. Akasin haka, cikakkiyar hanyar rayuwa ce, mai ibadu da al'adun ibada, da wajibai na mutum ɗaya da na al'umma, waɗanda suke cika juna. Su tare suna kai ga manufa wadda ɗan Adam shi kaɗai ne ke amfana da ita; manufar da ke tabbatar da tsarkake zukata, da daukaka rayuwa, da kuma haɗin kan mutane don amfanin kowa da ci gaba; manufar da ke cike da albarkun Allah.
No less true is the fact that Islam is not a loose, fragmentary, disjointed system from which one can pick and choose at leisure. On the contrary, it is a complete way of life with acts of worship and rites, as well as individual and collective obligations that are mutually complementary. Together they lead to a goal of which mankind is the sole beneficiary; a goal which ensures that hearts are purified, life is ennobled, and men co-operate for the common good and progress; a goal wherein abound God’s blessings.
Mutum na iya bayyana cewa shi Musulmi ne, wato yana karɓar wannan addini da dukan ginshiƙansa, yana yin salla a kai a kai kuma yana bin sauran ayyukan ibada, duk da haka ya rasa ainihin imani da gaskiyar akida. A gaskiya ma, yana iya kasancewa nesa da waɗannan abubuwa. Domin akwai alamomin da ke nuna cewa waɗannan halaye sun tabbata sosai a zukatan mutane.
A person may profess to be a Muslim, that is, he accepts this religion and all its principles, offers prayers regularly and observes other acts of worship, and yet is lacking in the essence of faith and sincerity of belief. In fact, he may be very far from these. For there are signs which indicate the firm establishment of these qualities in people’s hearts.
Kamar yadda aka bayyana a cikin tafsirin Suratul Asr (Suratu 103, Ranar Faduwar Rana), jigon imani idan ya tabbata sosai a zukatan mutane da tunaninsu, nan take yake fara aiki kuma yana bayyana kansa a halayensu. Surar ta jaddada ba tare da wata shakka ba cewa idan ba haka ba ne, to babu imani.
As explained in the commentary on Sūrah 103, The Declining Day, the essence of faith once firmly rooted in people’s hearts and minds, immediately begins to operate and manifest itself in their behaviour. The sūrah stresses unequivocally that, if this is not the case, there is no faith.
"Shin, ka taba ganin wanda ke ƙaryata addini? To shi ne wanda yake korar maraya, kuma ba ya ƙarfafa wasu su ciyar da miskini." (Ayoyi 1-3) Sūrah ɗin ta fara da tambaya da aka yi wa duk wanda yake da ikon gani, wadda ke haifar da tunani da kuma riƙe hankali domin su gano manufa da maudu'in sūrah ɗin. Wane ne wannan halitta da Alƙur'ani ya bayyana da cewa ita ce wanda ke ƙaryata addinin Musulunci? Amsar tana zuwa nan take: "To shi ne wanda yake korar maraya, kuma ba ya ƙarfafa wasu su ciyar da miskini." (Ayoyi 2-3)
“Have you seen him who denies religion? It is he who thrusts the orphan away and does not urge others to feed the needy.” (Verses 1-3) The sūrah starts with a question addressed to all who can see, generating suspense and holding their attention in order to make them discover the target and subject of the sūrah. Who is this creature identified by the Qur’ān as the one who denies the religion of Islam? The answer is given immediately: “It is he who thrusts the orphan away and does not urge others to feed the needy.” (Verses 2-3)
Wannan ma'anar ga kafirai na iya zama abin mamaki idan aka kwatanta ta da ma'anar imani ta gargajiya, amma wannan ita ce babban jigon al'amarin. Hakika wanda ya ƙaryata imani shi ne wanda yake korar maraya da tsananin tura shi, yana wulakanta shi yana cutar da zuciyarsa, kuma wanda ba ya damuwa da mabuƙata ko jin daɗinsu. Gama idan gaskiyar Musulunci ta taɓa zuciyarsa ta kowace fuska, ba zai aikata irin waɗannan ayyuka ba.
This definition of unbelievers may sound surprising when compared with a traditional definition of faith, but this is the crux of the matter. Indeed the one who denies the faith is he who harshly pushes away the orphan, humiliating him and hurting his feelings, and who does not care for the needy or their welfare. For if the truth of Islam has touched his heart in any degree, he would not commit such acts.
Imani na gaskiya a Musulunci ba furuci ne kawai da harshe ba, a'a canji ne na zuciyar mutum baki daya, wanda ke motsa shi zuwa alheri da kyautatawa ga dukkan abokan zamansa da ke bukatar kulawarsa da kariyarsa. Allah ba ya son kalmomi kawai daga bayinsa, illa yana bukatar ayyuka da za su goyi bayan kalmomin da aka furta, wadanda in ba haka ba suna da nauyin da ba shi da daraja kamar toka da iska ke warwarewa. Babu abin da zai fi karfi wajen tabbatar da wannan gaskiya, wadda ke wakiltar yanayin imani, kamar wadannan ayoyi uku.
True belief in Islam is not a verbal statement, but an overall change of the individual’s heart, motivating him to benevolence and goodwill for all his fellow beings that are in need of his care and protection. God does not want mere words from His servants but demands deeds to support the spoken words which, otherwise, are as weightless and valueless as blown ash. Nothing can be more forceful than these three verses in affirming this fact which represents the nature of faith.
Ba mu nufin mu shiga tattaunawar shari'a a nan game da iyakokin imani da Musulunci ba. Waɗannan suna da muhimmanci a al'amuran shari'a, amma wannan sūrah tana bayyana gaskiya daga mahangar Allah da hukuncinsa, wanda ya bambanta sosai da fannin shari'a.
We do not intend here to indulge in a juristic discussion on the boundaries of faith and Islam. These are required in legal affairs, whereas this sūrah states the facts from God’s point of view and judgement, which is quite different from the legal aspect.
Na gaba, Allah yana ba da misali mai amfani game da abin da aka ambata a sama: "Kaiton waɗanda suke yin salla, waɗanda kuma suke sakaci da sallarsu." (Ayoyi 4-5) Waɗannan ayoyi sun ƙunshi la'antar Allah, ko barazanar hallaka, ga waɗanda suke yin salla amma ba sa kula da ita. To su wane ne irin waɗannan mutane? Su ne "waɗanda suke yin riya da ibada, amma sun ƙi ba wa wasu ko da ɗan taimako kaɗan." (Ayoyi 6-7)
Su ne waɗanda suke yin salla amma ba sa cika sharuɗɗanta yadda ya kamata. Suna yin sassan jiki na salla, suna kuma furta kalmomin da aka tsara, amma zukatansu ba sa rayuwa da ita, kuma ba sa amfana da abincin ruhi da salla take bayarwa. Ainihin ma'anar salla da sassanta, kamar karatun Alƙur'ani, addu'a da tsarkake Allah, ba sa kasancewa a cikin ransu. Suna yin salla ne kawai don yaudarar wasu, ba don ibada ga Allah ba. Saboda haka, idan suna salla ba sa mai da hankali. Suna yin sallar a zahiri kawai.
Musulmi suna buƙatar yin salla akai-akai, suna tuna cewa sallarsu alama ce ta bautarsu ga Allah shi kaɗai. Don haka salla ba ta bar wani sakamako a cikin waɗanda suke sakaci da ita, ba sa mai da hankali a cikinta. Sakamakon haka, suna ƙin ba da alheri ko taimako ga 'yan'uwansu mutane, kuma suna hana ko da ɗan sadaka ga kowane bawan Allah.
Next, God offers a practical illustration of what is meant above: “Woe, then, to those who pray but are heedless of their prayers.” (Verses 4-5) These verses contain God’s invocation against, or a threat of destruction to, those who offer prayers but are careless about them. Who exactly are such people? They are those “who put on a show of piety but refuse to give even the smallest help to others.” (Verses 67) Those who perform prayers but who do not aptly meet their requirements. They execute the mechanical aspects and pronounce the verbal formulae of prayers but their hearts are never alive to them, nor do they benefit by the spiritual nourishment prayers give. The essence and purpose of prayer and its component parts, such as Qur’ānic recitation, supplication and glorification of God, are never present in their souls. They offer prayers only to deceive others and not out of devotion to God. Hence, they are inattentive when they pray. They only outwardly perform their prayers. Muslims are required to offer their prayers regularly, having in mind that their prayers are a manifestation of their servitude to God alone. Thus, prayer leaves no result in those who are neglectful and inattentive to it. Consequently they refuse to give any kindness or help to their fellow beings and deny the slightest charity to any of God’s servants.
Sake da haka, muna sake samun kanmu a gaban gaskiyar asali da yanayin wannan addini. Wata ayar Alƙur'ani tana yin barazanar halaka ga waɗanda suke yin salla domin kawai suna yin motsi marasa ma'ana, marasa wata ruhi ko ma'anar manufa, waɗanda aka yi su don yaudara da riya, ba don bauta wa God da gaske ba. Tun da sallolinsu ba su yi tasiri a zukatansu da halayensu ba, ba wai kawai ba su da amfani ba ne, har ma zunubi ne da za a hukunta su saboda shi.
Once again, we find ourselves presented with the fundamental truth and nature of this religion. A Qur’ānic verse threatens with destruction those who offer prayers precisely because they carry out meaningless movements devoid of any spirit or sense of purpose, intended for deceit and pretence, and not devoted to God. Since their prayers have not affected their hearts and behaviour, they are not merely useless but rather a sin for which they will be punished.
Don haka mun fahimci manufar abin da Allah ke bukata daga bayinsa idan Ya umarce su su yi imani da Shi, kuma su bauta masa. Shi ba Ya neman wata amfani daga hakan don kansa, domin Shi ba Ya bukatar kowa ko komai. Abin da Yake damuwa da shi kawai shi ne jin dadinsu da walwalarsu, tsarkake zukatansu, da farin ciki a rayuwarsu. Allah yana son rayuwar mutum ta kasance mai daraja, cike da farin ciki, bisa tsararrun niyya masu tsafta, kuma mai nuna tausayi tsakanin juna, da zumunci, da tsarki a zukata da halaye.
We thus gather the purpose behind what God demands of His servants when He instructs them to believe in, and worship Him. He seeks no benefit thereof for Himself, as He is in no need of anyone or anything. All He cares for is their own welfare and prosperity, purification of their hearts and happiness in their lives. God wishes human life to be elevated, happy, based on pure motives and characterized by mutual compassion, brotherhood and purity of hearts and behaviour.
Zuwa ina ne ɗan Adam yake tuƙa kansa, yana barin wannan yalwar rahama; yana barin wannan hanya mai kyau kuma mai ɗaukaka? Ta yaya mutum zai wulakanta kansa har ya rayu a cikin jeji na jāhiliyyah mai muni da duhu, alhali yana ganin hasken imani mai haske a idonsa a wannan mahadar da yake tsaye yanzu?
To where then is humanity driving itself, moving away from this abundance of mercy; away from this wonderful and sublime path? How can mankind debase itself to living in the wilderness of a wretched and gloomy jāhiliyyah when it beholds the splendid light of faith before its very eyes at the cross-roads where it now stands?