Sehemu hii ya mwisho ya sūrah inataja maswali ya watu kuhusu Saa, yaani siku ya Kiyama itakapofika. Watu wengi wamekuwa wakiomba Saa iharakishwe, wakionyesha shaka juu yake. Jibu la swali hili daima linaacha wakati wake kwa Mwenyezi Mungu, likiwaonya watu kwamba iko karibu, na kwamba inaweza kuwafikia bila kutarajia wakati wowote. Kisha sūrah inachora picha ya Saa ambayo hakika haiwapendezi wale wanaoiharakisha. Ni picha ya nyuso zao zikigeuzwa motoni, wakionyesha majuto makubwa kwa kutomtii Mwenyezi Mungu na Mtume Wake, wakiomba wakubwa wao na viongozi wao wapewe adhabu mara mbili. Ni tukio la msiba ambalo hakuna anayependa kulifikiria. Kisha sūrah inarejea tena dunia ya sasa, ikiwaonya waumini wasifuate nyayo za wale walioudhi Musa na kumtupia tuhuma, lakini Mwenyezi Mungu akathibitisha kutokuwa na hatia kwake. Hili linaonekana kuwa jibu la jambo lililotokea kweli. Huenda likirejelea ukweli kwamba baadhi yao walizungumzia ndoa ya Mtume ﷺ na Zaynab, jambo lililopingana na mila ya Waarabu. Waumini wanaalikwa kusema yaliyo sahihi tu, na kujiepusha na kashfa, ili Mwenyezi Mungu apokee matendo yao na kuwasamehe dhambi zao. Hili linawafanya kumtii Mwenyezi Mungu na Mtume Wake kuwa jambo lenye kuvutia zaidi kwao, kwani wameahidiwa thawabu kubwa kwa hilo.

This final passage of the sūrah mentions people’s questions about the Last Hour, when the Day of Judgement arrives. People have often asked for the Last Hour to be hastened, expressing doubt about it. The answer to this question always leaves its timing o God Almighty, warning people that it is close at hand, and that it could take them unawares at any time. The sūrah then portrays an image of the Last Hour that certainly does not please those who hasten it. It is an image of their own faces as they are turned over in the fire, expressing profound regret for not obeying God and His Messenger, and praying that their masters and chiefs be given double punishment. It is a scene of catastrophe that no one likes to consider. The sūrah then turns again to the present world, warning the believers against following in the footsteps of those who gave offence to Moses and levelled accusations against him, but God confirmed his innocence. This appears to be in answer to something that actually took place. It might have been referring to the fact that some of them spoke about the Prophet’s marriage to Zaynab, which was contrary to Arab tradition. The believers are invited to say only what is right, refrain from slander, so that God will accept their deeds and forgive them their sins. It makes obeying God and His Messenger more appealing to them, promising them great reward for this.

Aya za mwisho zinarejelea amana ambayo mbingu, ardhi na milima vilikataa kuibeba, kwa kuogopa kwamba ni nzito mno kwao. Hata hivyo, mwanadamu alikubali kuibeba, ili kusudi la Mungu litimizwe: malipo basi yanalingana na tendo, na mwanadamu atalazimika kutoa hesabu ya chaguo zake.

The final verses refer to the trust which the heavens, the earth and the mountains would not agree to shoulder, fearing that it was too heavy for them. Nevertheless, man undertook to bear it, so that God’s purpose is accomplished: reward then is commensurate with action, and man will have to account for his choices.

Watu wanakuuliza kuhusu Saa. Sema: ‘Elimu yake iko kwa Mwenyezi Mungu peke yake.’ Pengine Saa inaweza kuwa karibu kwa vile unavyojua. (Aya ya 63)

People ask you about the Last Hour. Say: ‘Knowledge of it rests with God alone.’ Yet for all you know the Last Hour may well be near. (Verse 63)

Watu hao waliendelea kumwuliza Nabii ﷺ kuhusu Saa ya Mwisho, ambayo alikuwa ameshawaonya nayo kwa muda mrefu, wakati Qur-ani ilitoa maelezo ya kina ya baadhi ya matukio yake, ambayo karibu waliweza kuyaona kwa macho yao. Wanamuuliza Nabii ﷺ kuhusu wakati wake, na wanadai kwamba ije upesi. Hili lilidokeza shaka, kukataa au kudhihaki swali zima, kulingana na tabia ya mtu aliyeuliza na jinsi alivyokuwa karibu au mbali na imani.

Those people continued to ask the Prophet about the Last Hour, which he has long warned them against, while the Qur’ān gave vivid descriptions of some of its scenes, which they could almost see before their eyes. They ask the Prophet about its timing, and demand that it should he hastened. This implied doubt, rejection or ridicule of the whole question, according to the nature of the person asking and how close or far removed they were from faith.

Saa ya Mwisho ni sehemu ya yale yaliyo nje ya uwezo wetu wa kuyatambua. Mungu ndiye pekee anayejua kila kitu kuhusu hilo. Ni mapenzi yake kwamba hakuna miongoni mwa viumbe vyake atakayejua wakati wake, hata wajumbe wake na malaika waliopendelewa. Hadithi inayofupisha imani ya Kiislamu inasimuliwa na 'Umar ibn al-Khaţţāb, ambaye anasimulia:

The Last Hour is part of what lies beyond our perception. God is the only one who knows all about it. It is His will that no one among His creatures should know its timing, not even His messengers and favoured angels. A ĥadīth summing up Islamic faith is reported by `Umar ibn al-Khaţţāb, who reports:

Siku moja tulipokuwa tumeketi pamoja na Mjumbe wa Mungu ﷺ, alijitokeza mbele yetu mtu mmoja ambaye mavazi yake yalikuwa meupe sana na nywele zake zilikuwa nyeusi sana; hakuonekana kuwa na dalili yoyote ya safari juu yake, lakini hakuna hata mmoja wetu aliyemjua. Alimwendea Mtume ﷺ na kuketi karibu naye.

One day as we were sitting with God’s Messenger (peace be upon him), there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no sign of travelling was o be seen on him but none of us knew him. He walked up to the Prophet and sat down by him.

Akiweka magoti yake dhidi ya magoti ya Mtume ﷺ na kuweka mikono yake juu ya mapaja yake, alisema: 'Muhammad, niambie kuhusu Uislamu.' Mtume ﷺ akasema: 'Uislamu ni kushuhudia kwamba hakuna mungu isipokuwa Mungu, na kwamba Muhammad ni Mtume wa Mungu ﷺ, kusimamia Sala kwa bidii, kutoa Zakat, kufunga Ramadhani, na kuhiji Nyumba ya Mungu ikiwa unaweza kufanya hivyo.' Yule mtu akasema:

Inaonekana kwamba ndoa ya Mtume ﷺ na Zaynab bint Jaĥsh, ambayo ililenga kuondoa desturi zilizokuwepo katika kipindi cha kabla ya Uislamu, haikupita kwa urahisi. Wanafiki wengi na wale waliokuwa na maradhi moyoni walianza kusema maneno mabaya kuhusu ndoa hiyo. Vivyo hivyo walifanya baadhi ya wale ambao walikuwa bado hawajaelewa vizuri dhana ya Kiislamu ya mahusiano ya kijamii. Watu wote hao walitoa kauli za kejeli na dokezo, wakati mwingine kwa kunong'ona, wakati mwingine waziwazi; wote walieleza mawazo ya kutisha. Wanafiki na wale waliokuwa wakieneza uongo hawakuwa tayari kunyamaza. Walitafuta kila fursa ya kuingiza sumu yao katika jamii mpya ya Kiislamu, kama tulivyowaona wakifanya wakati wa shambulio la majeshi ya washirika, katika habari ya uzushi, katika mgawanyo wa ngawira, na kadhalika. Daima walikuwa wakisubiri jambo ambalo wangeweza kulitumia kumsababishia Mtume ﷺ maumivu.

It seems that the Prophet’s marriage to Zaynab bint Jaĥsh, which was intended to replace the norms prevailing in pre-Islamic days, did not pass so easily. Many of the hypocrites and the sick at heart began to speak ill of it. So did some of those who had not yet ascertained the Islamic concept of social relations. All such people cast remarks and innuendoes, sometimes in a whisper, sometimes openly: they all expressed monstrous thoughts. The hypocrites and those who spread lies were not going to keep quiet. They sought every opportunity to inject their poison into the new Muslim society, just as we saw them do during the attack by the confederate forces, the story of falsehood, the division of booty, etc. They were always on the look out for something which they could use to cause the Prophet pain.

Wakati huu, Qurayẓah walipofukuzwa, wakitanguliwa na makabila mengine ya Kiyahudi, hakukuwa tena mtu yeyote Madinah aliyekuwa kafiri waziwazi. Wakazi wake wote sasa walikuwa Waislamu, ingawa baadhi yao walijionyesha tu hivyo, na kwa hakika walikuwa wanafiki. Ni hawa wanafiki ndio waliokuwa wakieneza uvumi na kuzua uongo. Baadhi ya waumini walinasa katika mtego wao bila kujua, kwa kurudia baadhi ya yale waliyoyasikia. Sasa, sūrah inawaonya dhidi ya kumkosea adabu Nabii ﷺ, kama vile Wana wa Israili walivyomkosea adabu Mūsā. Inawaelekeza kusema yale tu yaliyo haki, sahihi na yanayofaa, ikiwaambia kwamba ni kwa kutii Mungu na Mjumbe Wake tu ndipo wangeweza kutumaini kupata mafanikio makubwa:

By this time, when the Qurayżah were expelled, preceded by other Jewish tribes, no one was left in Madinah who was openly an unbeliever. All its inhabitants were now Muslims, even though some of them only put up appearances while in actuality they were hypocrites. It was these hypocrites who circulated rumours and fabricated lies. Some believers unwittingly fell prey o them, repeating some of what they had heard. Now, the sūrah warns them against giving offence to the Prophet, in the same way as the Children of Israel gave offence to Moses. It directs them to say only what is right, correct and proper, telling them that only through obedience o God and His Messenger could they hope to achieve the great success:

Katika tendo hili la rehema, Mwenyezi Mungu anazingatia udhaifu wa mwanadamu, mzigo mkubwa anaoubeba, na amana aliyoibeba peke yake wakati mbingu, ardhi na milima zilikataa, kwa kuogopa kwamba haziwezi kuyamudu mahitaji yake. Lakini mwanadamu si dhaifu tu; anakabiliwa na shinikizo linalotokana na matamanio yake na mielekeo yake, ukosefu wa elimu, muda mfupi wa maisha yake, pamoja na vizuizi vya wakati na mahali. Yote haya yanamfanya akose elimu sahihi, asiweze kuona yaliyo nje ya vizuizi hivyo wala kutazama mbali mbele:

In this act of grace, God considers man’s weakness, the great burden he shoulders and the trust he has been bearing alone when the heavens, the earth and the mountains refused, fearing that they could not cope with its requirements. Yet man is not only weak; he suffers from pressures created by his desires and inclinations, lack of knowledge, short life span as also barriers of time and place. All this makes him lacking in proper knowledge, unable to see what is beyond barriers or to look far ahead:

Tulitoa amana kwa mbingu na ardhi na milima, lakini zilikataa kuibeba na zikaogopa kuipokea. Lakini mwanadamu aliichukua. Yeye daima amekuwa mwelekevu wa kuwa mwovu, mjinga. (Aya ya 72)

We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear it and were afraid to receive it. Yet man took it up. He has always been prone to be wicked, foolish. (Verse 72)

Mbingu, ardhi na milima, viumbe vikubwa na vyenye utukufu kama vilivyo, ni miongoni mwa vitu ambavyo Qur’ani inavichagua kuvizungumzia. Ikilinganishwa navyo, mwanadamu anayeishi ndani yake au kando yake anaonekana mdogo na asiye na thamani. Hata hivyo, viumbe hivi vinamjua Mola wao bila kuhitaji juhudi yoyote. Wanaifuata sheria Yake kwa asili yao wenyewe na mfumo unaowahusu, bila haja ya mtu wa kati, tafakari wala uchaguzi.

The heavens, the earth and the mountains, great and magnificent beings as they are, are chosen for discussion by the Qur’ān. Compared to these, man who lives in or beside them appears small and insignificant. These creatures, however, know their Lord without having o make an effort. They follow His law by their very nature and the system applicable to them, without need for an intermediary, reflection or choice.

Они всі huendelea kutekeleza majukumu yao bila kukosea, wakitimiza kazi zao kwa sababu ya asili na muundo wao. Jua linasonga katika mzunguko wake kwa usahihi kamili, likituma miale yake na hivyo kutimiza wajibu ambao Mwenyezi Mungu alilopangia. Bila kujijua, linazishikilia sayari zake za kufuata na miili mingine ya angani kwa kipimo maalum cha mvutano, hivyo likitimiza nafasi yake katika ulimwengu. Dunia nayo huendesha mzunguko wake, ikitoa mimea yake na kuwalisha wakazi wake, ikiwazika wafu na kupandisha maji yake kama chemchemi, yote kwa kufuata sheria ya Mungu, bila kuhitaji kufanya uchaguzi. Mwezi, nyota, sayari, upepo, mawingu, hewa na maji, milima na mabonde, vyote vinatimiza kazi zake kwa idhini ya Mola wao. Wanamjua Mola wao na wanatii mapenzi yake bila kuhitaji kujitahidi. Je, amana hii ambayo wote waliogopa kuipokea ni ipi? Ni amana ya uwajibikaji, nguvu ya hiari, ujuzi binafsi na uchaguzi.