Nass ni lafdhi (usemi wenye maneno) unaoongoza kwenye maana yake halisi au iliyokusudiwa kutokana na muktadha wake, pamoja na uwezekano wa kufasiriwa (Ihtimaal Ta'weel). (Maelezo ya mwandishi: Neno 'Nass' hutumiwa kiisimu kwa kila Aya na kila Hadithi kwa maana ya 'Matini' (yaani Nass Al-Hadeeth au Nusoos Al-Qur'aan (matini za Qur'aan)), lakini katika maana yake ya kiistilahi, An-Nass ni kile ambacho ufafanuzi ulio hapo juu umekionyesha.)

The Nass is the Lafzh (worded expression) that guides to its originally meant or intended meaning from its context with the Ihtimaal (openness to and possibility for) Ta’weel (interpretation). (Author’s note: The word ‘Nass’ is applied linguistically to every Aayah and Hadeeth with the meaning of ‘Text’ (i.e. Nass Al-Hadeeth or the Nusoos Al-Qur’aan (texts of the Qur’aan)) however in its Istilaahi meaning An-Nass means what the above definition has indicated to).

Nass ni kile kinachoongeza uwazi juu ya Zhaahir. Ongezeko hilo la uwazi halitokani na umbo lenyewe (Seeghah), kwa sababu Zhaahir na Nass zote mbili ziko sawa, au katika kiwango kimoja, kuhusu uwazi. Badala yake, linatokana na maana iliyokusudiwa asili na kwa msingi katika Nass, wakati maana ya Zhaahir inaeleweka kulingana na kitu kisicho kile kilichokusudiwa asili (ndani ya muktadha wa matumizi yake).

The Nass is that which has increased clarity over the Zhaahir. The increase in clarity did not come from the form (Seeghah) itself because both the Zhaahir and the Nass are equal or on the same level in respect to the clarity. Rather it comes from the meaning in the ‘Nass’ being intended in origin and initially whilst the meaning of the ‘Zhaahir’ is understood in according to other than what is intended originally (within the context of its usage).

Mfano: Allah (SWT) amesema:

Example: Allah (swt) said:

Hapa dalalah (dalili) ya halali na haramu ni ya dhahir katika aya, lakini aya hiyo ni "nass" kwa kuhusu kutofautisha kati yao, kwa sababu kutofautisha kati yao ndiko maana ya asili iliyokusudiwa tangu kuteremshwa kwa aya, ambayo aya hiyo ilikwisha kuonyesha.

Here the Dalaalah (indication) upon the Halaal and Haraam is Zhaahir in the Aayah however the Aayah is ‘Nass’ in respect to differentiating between them because the differentiation between them is the intended original meaning from the revelation of the Aayah which the Aayah was already indicated to:

Dalili (mwongozo), unaoonyesha kile ambacho Shaari' (Mwekaji wa Sheria) alikusudia kutoka kwenye Aya, ni Siyaaq (muktadha) wa Aya au unatokana na Sabab (sababu) ya Nuzuul (kushuka) kwake, kama ilivyo kuhusu Aya ifuatayo:

The guide (Daleel), indicating to what the Shaari’ (Legislator) intended from the Aayah, is the Siyaaq (context) of the Aayah or it comes from the Sabab (reason) of its Nuzool (revelation/descent) like in respect to the following Aayah:

Lazima kufanyiwa kazi kwa mujibu wake, kwa sababu maana yake ni ile iliyokusudiwa awali na Ash-Shaari'.

1 – It must be worked in accordance to because its meaning is what has been originally intended by the Shaari’.

2 – Inaruhusiwa kufanyiwa Ta'weel, lakini uwezekano wa Ta'weel (ufasiri wa ndani) huu ni mdogo zaidi ikilinganishwa na Zhaahir (maana ya wazi).

2 – It is open to Ta’weel however this Ihtimaal (openness or possibility) for Ta’weel (interpretation) is less likely than compared to the Zhaahir.

3 – Ikiwa kuna mgongano kati ya Hukm Azh-Zhaahir na Hukm An-Nass katika Mas’alah fulani (suala fulani), basi Hukm ya Nass ndiyo inayochukuliwa.

3 – If there is a conflict between the Hukm Azh-Zhaahir and the Hukm An-Nass in a particular Mas’alah (issue) the Hukm of the Nass is taken.

Mfano:

Example:

Allah Ta'ala amesema:

Allah Ta’Aalaa said:

Aya hii kwa maana yake ya dhahiri inaongoza kwenye ruhusa (ibaahah) ya kuoa wale wasio wale waliotajwa kuwa haramu kwake katika aya iliyotangulia. Haikubainisha wala kuweka kikomo cha idadi ya wake, na kwa hiyo, kulingana na dhahiri ya aya, ni ruhusa kuoa bila kikomo cha idadi maalum. Hata hivyo, kauli yake (SWT):

This Aayah in its Zhaahir (apparent meaning) guides to the Ibaahah (permissibility) of marrying other than those who have been declared to be Haraam for him in the preceding Aayah. It did not specify or put a limit to the number of wives and as such it is permissible, in accordance to the Zhaahir of the Aayah to marry without a limitation to a specific number. However, His Qawl (swt):

Kwa mtazamo wa "Nass", ambayo inabainisha idadi ya wake, huku ikienda kinyume na Dhaahir ya matini:

From the angle of the ‘Nass’ specifies the number of wives whilst it goes against the Zhaahir of the text:

Kwa hiyo, Nass inachukuliwa na Dhaahir inaachwa, yaani, ufafanuzi (takhsīs) unachukuliwa kwa sababu Nass ina nguvu zaidi kuliko Dhaahir.

Consequently, the Nass is taken and the Zhaahir is left i.e. the specification is taken because the Nass is stronger than the Zhaahir.

1 – Kila mmoja wao ana Dalaalaat (maana zinazofahamika kutoka kwenye matini) zilizo wazi.

1 – Each of them has clear Dalaalaat (textual implications/indications).

2 – Kila mojawapo yao inaweza kufasiriwa (Ta'weel).

2 – Each of them is open to Ta’weel (interpretation).

3 – Ni wajibu kufanya kazi kwa mujibu wa hukmu inayotolewa na vyote viwili, mradi tu hakuna jambo lenye nguvu zaidi linalopingana nayo.

3 – It is obligatory to work in accordance to the Hukm that is provided by both of them as long as nothing stronger than it is conflicting to it.

4 – Kila mojawapo kati yao hufunguliwa kwa An-Naskh (kufutwa hukmu) wakati wa ujumbe (yaani kabla ya kufariki kwa Mtume ﷺ na kumalizika kwa Wahyi).

4 – Each of them is open to An-Naskh (abrogation) during the time of the message (i.e. before the passing of the Messenger (saw) and end of the Wahi).

5 – Kuhusu tofauti kati ya hizo mbili: Maana inayopatikana kutoka kwenye Nass ni maana ambayo Ash-Shaari' aliikusudia kwa asili kutokana na muktadha au mfumo wa usemi (Siyaaq). Maana inayochukuliwa kutoka kwenye Zhaahir si maana ambayo Ash-Shaari' aliikusudia kwa asili, bali Ash-Shaari' aliikusudia kwa kufuata au kwa kuendana na maana ya asili.

5 – As for the difference between the two: The meaning provided by the Nass has been intended by the Shaari’ in origin from the context or framing (Siyaaq) of the speech. The meaning taken from the Zhaahir is not what the Shaari’ intended in origin but rather the Shaari’ intended it in accordance to or in following to the original meaning.

Wanachuoni wengi wa Usul miongoni mwa Malikiyah, Shafi'iyah na Hanafiyah wamezingatia kwamba hakuna tofauti kati ya Dhahir na Nass, huku wengine wakitofautisha baina yao kwa namna tuliyoieleza hapo juu.

Many of the scholars of Usool from the Maalikiyah, the Shaafi’iyah and the Hanafiyah have considered there to be no difference between the Zhaahir and the Nass whilst others distinguished between them in the manner that we have explained above.