Ni katika muktadha wa sheria, halali na haramu, pamoja na kuunda jamii ya Waislamu wa Madina, na kuitakasa kutokana na mabaki yote ya mila za zamani za siku za giza, ndipo hukumu wazi na ya uamuzi thabiti inapotolewa kuhusu vileo na kamari, pamoja na desturi za kumshirikisha Mungu wengine.
It is within the context of legislation, permissibility and prohibition, as well as the moulding of the Muslim community in Madinah, purging it from all remaining traces of past tradition of the dark days, that a clear and decisive verdict is given on intoxicating drinks and gambling, coupled with practices of associating partners with God.
Enyi mlioamini, vileo vyenye kulevya, michezo ya bahati nasibu, ibada za kishirikina na mishale ya kubashiri ni machukizo yaliyotokana na shetani. Basi jiepusheni navyo ili mpate kufaulu. Shetani anataka tu kuchochea uadui na chuki baina yenu kwa kupitia vileo na michezo ya bahati nasibu, na kukugeuza mbali na kumkumbuka Mungu na na sala. Je, basi, hamtaacha?
(Aya 90-91)
Believers, intoxicants, games of chance, idolatrous practices and divining arrows are abominations devised by Satan. Therefore, turn away from them so that you may be successful. Satan seeks only to stir up enmity and hatred among you by means of intoxicants and games of chance, and to turn you away from the remembrance of God and from prayer. Will you not, then, desist? (Verses 90-1)
Unywaji wa pombe, kamari, sanamu na mishale ya kubashiri vilikuwa mambo muhimu katika Uarabuni kabla ya Uislamu. Vilihusiana sana katika mazoea na mila. Waarabu walikuwa wakinywa pombe kupita kiasi. Waliona kwamba unywaji wa pombe uliwapa watu hadhi ya pekee. Mara nyingi walitaja unywaji wa pombe katika mashairi yao kama jambo la kujivunia au la kuwasifia wengine nalo. Katika mikusanyiko ya kijamii, unywaji wa pombe ulihusishwa na uchinjaji wa wanyama, ambao nyama yao ilipikwa mara moja ili kuwapa chakula wale walioshiriki katika karamu hizi za unywaji, wale waliotoa pombe na wale waliohudhuria mikusanyiko kama hiyo. Wanyama walichinjwa miguuni mwa sanamu, ambazo zilinyunyiziwa damu ya dhabihu yao. Katika matukio hayo ya kijamii, mazoea ya kupiga ramli kwa mishale yalifanywa ili kuamua ugawaji wa nyama ya dhabihu.
Drinking, gambling, idols and divining arrows were important aspects of pre- Islamic Arabia. They were closely related in both practice and tradition. The Arabs used to drink to the point of extravagance. They considered that drinking afforded people distinction. They often mention drinking in their poetry as a practice to be proud of or to praise others with. In social gatherings, drinking was coupled with the slaughter of animals which were immediately cooked to provide food to those who took part in these drinking bouts, those who served wine and those who frequented such gatherings. The animals were slaughtered at the feet of idols which were sprayed with the blood of their sacrifice. In such social events, the act of divining arrows was practised in order to determine the sharing out of the sacrificial meat.
Kila mtu alipata sehemu yake kwa kutegemea mshale wake, huku mshale wenye alama ya juu ukipata sehemu kubwa zaidi, na mshale wa chini kabisa haukupata sehemu yoyote, hata kama ulikuwa ni mshale wa mtu aliyetoa mnyama wa kuchinjwa. Hili linatupa picha ya jinsi mila zilivyofungamana na dhana potofu za kijahiliya.
Everyone’s share was determined by his arrow, with the highest arrow giving the largest share, and the lowest giving no share whatsoever, even though it might have been the arrow of the person who provided the animal for slaughter. This gives us an idea of how traditions were intertwined with ignorant ideological concepts.
Uislamu haukushughulikia mila kama hizi mwanzoni, kwa sababu zimejengwa juu ya imani potofu. Kujaribu kuzirekebisha juu juu kabla ya kuweka msingi sahihi wa imani kungekuwa juhudi isiyo na faida, na mfumo wa Kiungu usingeweza hata kulizingatia jambo hilo. Uislamu unaanza mageuzi yake kwa swali kuu kwa kila binadamu, yaani imani. Unang'oa dhana za msingi kabisa za kiitikadi za ujinga ili kuweka dhana ya Kiislamu, ambayo inapatana kikamilifu na maumbile ya binadamu. Unawaeleza watu jinsi dhana zao kuhusu Mungu zilivyopotoka kabisa, na unawaongoza kumtambua Bwana wao wa kweli na Muumbaji wao. Mara wanapomjua, huanza kusikiliza kwa makini sana ili kujua ni nini kinachomridhisha na kinachomkasirisha Bwana wao. Kabla ya hapo hawako tayari hata kusikiliza au kutii amri au agizo. Hawako tayari kuacha desturi zao za kijinga, bila kujali mara ngapi wanaonywa dhidi yake. Ufunguo wa maumbile ya binadamu ni imani. Pasipo kutumia ufunguo sahihi, hakuna maadili wala mageuzi ya kijamii yatakayoota mizizi katika maumbile ya binadamu. Hivyo, yanabaki yamefungwa, hayajaangazwa, na hayaeleweki.
Islam did not address such traditions at the start, because they are based on mistaken beliefs. To try to reform them at the surface level before establishing the right foundation of faith was bound to be a wasted effort, and this a Divine system would not even consider. Islam begins its reform with the paramount question for every human being, namely, faith. It uproots the very basic ideological concepts of ignorance in order to put in place the Islamic concept, which is in complete harmony with human nature. It explains to people how grossly mistaken their concepts of God are and guides them to recognise their true Lord and Creator. Once they know Him, they begin to listen with great attention in order to find out what pleases and displeases their Lord. Prior to this they are not even ready to listen or obey an order or commandment. They are not prepared to abandon their ignorant practices no matter how often they are advised against them. The key to human nature is that of faith. Unless the right key is used, nothing of morality or social reform will take root in human nature. Thus, it remains closed, unenlightened, and unfathomable.
Mbinu ya Kiislamu ya mageuzi haikuanza kwa kurekebisha upotovu na maovu ya zama za giza, yaani Jāhiliyyah. Ilianza kwa kushughulikia suala la imani, ikianza na tamko kwamba hakuna mungu isipokuwa Mungu. Ilichukua takriban miaka 13
The Islamic method of reform did not start with correcting the deviations and abominations of the dark ages, or Jāhiliyyah. It addressed the question of faith, beginning with the declaration that there is no deity save God. It took around 13
miaka ya kuanzisha dhana hii ya upweke wa Mungu, pamoja na yote yanayoihusu, katika nyoyo za Waislamu wa mwanzo. Katika kipindi hiki, lengo pekee lilikuwa kuiimarisha, ili watu waweze kumjua Bwana wao na kujisalimisha kwa mamlaka yake. Imani ilipokuwa imethibitika wazi katika nyoyo zao, na wakatambua kwamba hawakuwa na chaguo jingine isipokuwa lile ambalo Mungu amewachagulia, ndipo hatua inayofuata ya kueleza majukumu yao, ikiwemo ibada, ilipoanza. Hili lilifungamanishwa na mchakato wa kuondoa athari za kijamii, kiuchumi, kimaadili na kitabia za ujinga. Kwa kweli ulianza wakati ule ule amri ya Mungu ilipoweza kutiiwa bila kusitasita, kwa sababu watu walitambua kwamba Mungu hawezi kuamuru chochote isipokuwa kile kilicho chema kwao.
years to establish this concept of God’s oneness, with all that it entails, in the hearts of the early Muslims. In this period, the only aim was its establishment, so that people could know their Lord and submit themselves to His authority. When faith was clearly established in their hearts and they recognised that they could have no choice other than what has been chosen for them by God, then the next phase of outlining their duties, including worship, began. This was combined with the process of eradicating the social, economic, moral and behavioural traces of ignorance. It began in effect at the moment when God’s order could be obeyed without hesitation because people realised that God could only order them to do what is good for them.
Kwa maneno mengine, amri zilitolewa baada ya utii kuwa wazi, wakati kila Muislamu alipotambua kwamba hakuwa na kauli nyingine isipokuwa kauli ya Mungu. Shaikh Abu’l Ĥasan `Alī al-Nadwī anaelezea hatua hii kwa ufupi na uwazi katika kitabu chake cha thamani kubwa Islam and the World, chini ya kichwa kidogo “Kilele cha Juu Kabisa cha Maendeleo”.
In other words, commandments were issued after submission had become clear, when every Muslim realised that he had no say other than the say of God. Shaikh Abu’l Ĥasan `Alī al-Nadwī describes this stage succinctly and clearly in his invaluable book Islam and the World, under the subtitle “Highest Pinnacle of Development”:
Mara baada ya fundo gumu la kutokuamini kukatwa, ilikuwa rahisi kufungua mafundo mengine yaliyowafunga (yaani Waislamu wa mwanzo). Mara Mtume ﷺ alipokwisha kufungua mioyo yao kwa Uislamu, hakulazimika kupambana katika kila hatua ili wakatae lililo baya na wakubali lililo sahihi. Walikuwa wameingia katika dini mpya kwa moyo na roho yao yote, na walijisalimisha bila kusita kwa kile ambacho Mtume ﷺ alichokiamuru. Walikiri mbele ya Mtume ﷺ makosa yao ambayo hayakujulikana na mtu yeyote isipokuwa wao wenyewe. Iwapo walitenda kosa lolote, walijisalimisha kwa hiari kwa ajili ya adhabu. Wengi wao walikuwa wameshika vikombe vya mvinyo mikononi mwao wakati amri ya Qur'ani ya kukataza matumizi ya vileo ilipoteremshwa, lakini Neno la Mungu liliingia kati yao na vikombe hivyo. Mara moja walivitupa vikombe na kuvunja mapipa yao ya mvinyo, hivyo kwamba mifereji ya Madina ilifurika kwa maana halisi kwa yaliyomo machukivu.6
Once the Gordian knot of unbelief had been cut, it was easy to unfasten the other knots that bound them (meaning the early Muslims). Once the Prophet had opened their hearts to Islam, he did not have to struggle at each step to make them reject the Wrong and accept the Right. They had entered into the new faith heart and soul and submitted themselves without demur to what the Prophet decreed. They unhesitatingly confessed before the Prophet such crimes as were not known to anyone but themselves. If they committed any crime, they voluntarily submitted themselves for punishment. Many of them actually had wine cups in their hands when the Qur’ānic injunction against the use of intoxicants was revealed, but the Word of God came between them and the cups. They threw away the cups at once and broke their wine barrels so that the drains of Madinah literally overflowed with their detestable contents.6
Hata hivyo, katazo la vileo na michezo ya kubahatisha halikuja kwa mshangao.
Yet, the prohibition of intoxicants and games of chance did not come as a surprise.
Kabla ya katazo hili la wazi, zilichukuliwa hatua kadhaa za kulegeza mshiko wa mila za kijamii za aina hii, ambazo zilikuwa zimefungamana kwa karibu na tabia za mtu binafsi pamoja na masuala ya kiuchumi. Kwa hakika, hii ilikuwa hatua ya tatu au ya nne ambayo Uislamu ulichukua ili kutatua tatizo la vileo.
Before this categorical prohibition, some steps were taken to loosen the hold of such social traditions which were closely intertwined with personal habits as well as with economic aspects. Indeed, this was the third or fourth step Islam took to solve the problem of intoxicant drinks.
Hatua ya kwanza haikuwa zaidi ya kurusha risasi moja katika mwelekeo sahihi, wakati Mwenyezi Mungu (Mtukufu ni Yeye, Utukufu wake hauna mipaka) anasema katika Sura ya 16, An-Nahl, iliyoteremshwa Makka: “Na katika matunda ya mitende na mizabibu mnapata kileo pamoja na riziki njema.” (16:
The first step was no more than firing a shot in the right direction, when God (limitless is He in His Glory) says in Sūrah 16, The Bee, revealed in Makkah: “And from the fruit of date palms and vines you derive intoxicants as well as wholesome food.” (16:
67) Hii ilikuwa ishara ya kwanza kwa Waislamu ambayo ilweka vileo kinyume na riziki nzuri na halali.
67) This was the first indication to Muslims whereby intoxicants were placed in opposition to wholesome sustenance.
Hatua ya pili ilishughulikia dhamiri ya kidini ya Waislamu kupitia mantiki ya kisheria, kwa kutumia aya iliyoteremshwa katika Sūrah 2, Al-Baqarah (Ng'ombe): "Wanakuuliza kuhusu vileo na michezo ya bahati nasibu. Sema: Katika hivyo viwili kuna uovu mkubwa, ingawa vina manufaa fulani kwa watu; lakini uovu wake unazidi kwa mbali manufaa yake." (2: 219) Maana yake hapa ni wazi: kwa kuwa uovu wa mwenendo fulani ni mkubwa zaidi kuliko manufaa yake, basi ni bora kuuacha kabisa. Karibu hakuna kitu kisichokuwa na manufaa kabisa, lakini ruhusa au katazo lake hutegemea kiasi ambacho uovu wake unazidi manufaa yake.
The second step addressed the Muslims’ religious conscience through legislative logic, with the verse revealed in Sūrah 2, The Cow: “They ask you about intoxicants and games of chance. Say: In both there is great evil although they have some benefits for people; but their evil far exceeds their benefit.” (2: 219) The import here is clear: since the evil of a particular practice is far greater than its benefit, then it is better to abandon it altogether. Hardly anything is totally devoid of benefit, but its permissibility or prohibition depends on how far its evil outweighs its benefit.
Hatua ya tatu ilivunja tabia ya kunywa pombe na kuiweka katika mgongano wa moja kwa moja na kuhudhuria sala ya lazima. Hapa tuna aya iliyoteremshwa katika Sūrah 4, An-Nisā':
The third step broke the habit of drinking and put it on a collision course with attendance to obligatory prayer. Here we have the verse revealed in Sūrah 4, Women:
"Enyi mlioamini, msijaribu kusali mkiwa mmelewa, [bali subirini] mpaka mjue mnachokisema." (4: 43) Kwa kuwa Waislamu hutekeleza Sala tano za faradhi kila siku, zenye muda wa karibu baina yake, ambao hautoshi kulewa kisha kurejea katika hali ya utimamu wa akili, agizo hili lilipunguza kwa vitendo nyakati zilizokuwepo za kunywa pombe. Hii ikawa kwa kweli imeondoa tabia ya kunywa katikati ya asubuhi na katikati ya alasiri, ambazo zilikuwa sehemu ya desturi za Arabia ya kabla ya Uislamu. Zaidi ya hayo, lilipinga ulevi wa kupindukia, ambao unahusiana kwa karibu na kiasi cha muda kilichopo cha kunywa. Kwa namna hii, ikawa karibu haiwezekani kwa Muislamu kutekeleza Sala zake kwa wakati, na pia kunywa kwa nyakati zake za kawaida.
“Believers, do not attempt to pray when you are drunk, [but wait] until you know what you are saying.” (4: 43) Since Muslims offer five obligatory prayers every day, with a close time range between them, which is not sufficient to get drunk in and then regain sobriety, this instruction practically restricted the times available for drinking. This, in effect, abolished the habits of midmorning and mid-afternoon drinking, which were part of the traditions of pre-Islamic Arabia. Moreover, it militated against addiction, which is closely related to the amount of time available for drinking. In this way, it became practically impossible for a Muslim to attend to his prayers on time, and to drink at his usual times.
Hatua ya nne na ya mwisho ilikuwa ile katazo kali, ambalo lilikuja baada ya watu kuwa wameandaliwa kikamilifu kulikubali. Lilihitaji amri ya wazi tu, nao Waislamu walikuwa hakika wangeitii bila kusita.
The fourth and final stage was this categorical prohibition which came after people had become fully ready to accept it. It needed only a clear order and the Muslims were sure to obey it without hesitation.