Inakubaliwa na wote kwamba mwanzo wa sura hii ndio ufunuo wa kwanza wa Qur'ani. Riwaya zinazosema kwamba aya nyingine zilifunuliwa kwanza si sahihi. Imam Ahmad anasimulia hadithi ifuatayo kwa mapokezi ya 'Aisha, mke wa Mtume ﷺ:

It is universally agreed that the opening of this sūrah was the first Qur’ānic revelation. The accounts stating that other verses were revealed first are not authentic. Imām Aĥmad transmits the following ĥadīth on the authority of `Ā’ishah, the Prophet’s wife:

Sehemu ya kwanza ya Wahyi kwa Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu ilikuwa ndoto zake kutimia. Chochote alichokiona katika usingizi wake kingetokea hasa kama alivyokiona. Kisha, alianza kupenda kujitenga. Alikuwa akiingia peke yake pangoni mwa Ḥirā' ambako angekaa siku kadhaa katika ibada kabla ya kurudi kwa familia yake. Alikuwa akichukua chakula pamoja naye, na atakaporudi, angechukua chakula kipya kwa kipindi kingine. Aliendelea kufanya hivyo hadi alipopokea ukweli akiwa pangoni mwa Ḥirā'. Malaika alimjia na kumwambia, 'Soma.' Akajibu, 'Mimi si msomaji.' Mtume ﷺ anasema: 'Alinishika na kunibana sana hadi nikachoka, kisha akaniachia na kusema, 'Soma,' nami nikajibu, 'Mimi si msomaji.' Basi, alinishika tena na kunibana sana mara ya pili hadi nikachoka, kisha akaniachia na kusema, 'Soma.' Nikajibu, 'Mimi si msomaji.' Kisha alinishika na kunibana sana mara ya tatu. Kisha akasema, '{Soma kwa jina la Mola wako Mlezi aliyeumba, aliyemuumba mwanadamu kwa pande la damu. Soma, na Mola wako Mlezi ndiye Mkarimu mno, aliyefundisha kwa kalamu, amemfundisha mwanadamu asiyoyajua.}' Mtume ﷺ alirudi nyumbani kwa Khadījah akitetemeka na kusema, 'Nifunikeni! Nifunikeni!' Wakamfunika, na hofu yake ikapungua. Akamgeukia Khadījah na kusema, 'Nimepatwa na nini?' akamsimulia yaliyompata na kusema, 'Ninaogopa kwa ajili ya nafsi yangu.' Khadījah akajibu, 'Usiogope, uwe mtulivu na upumzike. Mwenyezi Mungu hatakuacha upate udhalili, kwa sababu wewe unawafanyia wema jamaa zako, unasema kweli, unamsaidia mwenye shida, unawakirimu wageni wako, na unasaidia katika kila jambo la haki.' Kisha alimpeleka kwa Waraqah bin Nawfal, binamu wa baba yake ambaye alikuwa amesilimu kutoka Ukristo na msomi mwenye ujuzi mzuri wa Kiarabu, Kiebrania na Biblia. Alikuwa amepoteza uwezo wa kuona na alikuwa mzee sana. Khadījah alimwambia Waraqah, 'Binamu, je, ungependa kusikia anachosema mpwa wako?' Waraqah akasema, 'Naam, mpwa wangu, umeona nini?' Mtume alimsimulia alichokiona. Alipomaliza, Waraqah alisema, 'Huu ni ufunuo uleule ulioteremshwa kwa Musa. Natamani ningekuwa kijana ili niwe hai siku watakapokufukuza watu wako katika mji huu.' Mtume ﷺ akauliza kwa mshangao, 'Je, watanifukuza?' Waraqah akajibu, 'Ndiyo! Hakuna mtu aliyewahi kuhubiri ujumbe kama wako bila kukabiliwa na uadui. Nikiishi mpaka siku hiyo, hakika nitakuunga mkono kwa kila kitu.' Lakini Waraqah alifariki muda mfupi baada ya hapo...

The first aspect of revelation to God’s Messenger was that his dreams came true. Whatever vision he might have in his sleep would occur exactly as he had seen. Then, he began to enjoy seclusion. He used to retreat alone into the cave of Ĥirā’ where he would spend several days in devotion before going back to his family. He used to take some food with him, and when he came back, he would take a fresh supply for another period. He continued to do so until he received the truth while in the cave of Ĥirā’. The angel came to him and said, ‘Read.’ He replied, ‘I am not a reader.’ The Prophet says, ‘He held me and pressed hard until I was exhausted, then he released me and said, ‘Read,’ and I replied, ‘I am not a reader.’ o, he held me and pressed me hard a second time until I was exhausted, then he released me and said, ‘Read.’ I replied, ‘I am not a reader.’ He then held me and pressed me hard for the third time. Then he said, ‘Read in the name of your Lord who has created — created man out of a germ-cell. Read — for your Lord is the most Bountiful One, who has taught the use of the pen, taught man what he did not know.’ The Prophet returned home to Khadījah trembling and said, ‘Wrap me! Wrap me!’ They wrapped him and his fear subsided. He turned to Khadījah and exclaimed, ‘What has happened to me?’ and related to her what had happened and said, ‘I fear for myself.’ And Khadījah replied, ‘Fear not, be calm and relax. God will not let you suffer any humiliation, because you are kind to your relatives, you speak the truth, you assist anyone in need, you are hospitable to your guests and you help in every just cause.’ Then she took him to Waraqah ibn Nawfal, her paternal cousin who was a Christian convert and a scholar with a good knowledge of Arabic, Hebrew and the Bible. He had lost his eyesight and had grown very old. Khadījah said to Waraqah, ‘Cousin, would you like to hear what your nephew has to say?’ Waraqah said, ‘Well, nephew, what have you seen?’ The Prophet related to him what he had seen. When he finished, Waraqah said, ‘It is the same revelation as was sent down to Moses. I wish I was a young man so that I might be alive when your people turn you away from this city.’ The Prophet exclaimed, ‘Would they turn me away?’ Waraqah answered ‘Yes! No man has ever preached a message like yours but was met with enmity. If I live till that day, I will certainly give you all my support.’ But Waraqah died soon after that...

Nilitafakari kwa muda kuhusu tukio hili. Sote tumelisoma mara nyingi katika vitabu; iwe vile vya wasifu wa Mtume ﷺ au vile vinavyofafanua maana ya Qur'ani. Lakini sisi tunalisoma kwa juujuu au hatulipi fikra nyingi, na tunaendelea na usomaji wetu.

I reflected for a while upon this event. We have all read it many times in books; either those of the Prophet’s biography or those explaining the meaning of the Qur’ān. But we either read it casually or give it little thought and go on with our reading.

Lakini tukio hili lina umuhimu mkubwa. Ni tukio lenye athari muhimu katika maisha ya binadamu; lakini ingawa leo tunajitahidi sana kutambua thamani yake kubwa, baadhi ya vipengele vyake bado viko nje ya uwezo wetu wa kuvitambua. Si kuzidisha kusema kwamba tukio hili ndilo kubwa zaidi katika historia ndefu ya uwepo wa binadamu.

Yet this is an event which has immense significance. It is an event which has an important bearing on the life of humanity; but much as we try today to perceive its great value, many of its aspects remain beyond our perception. It is no exaggeration to describe this event as the greatest in the long history of human existence.

Kiini halisi cha tukio hili ni kwamba Mwenyezi Mungu, Mkuu, Mwenye kulazimisha, Mwenye nguvu zote, Aliye juu kabisa, Mtawala wa ulimwengu wote, kwa wema Wake, amemgeukia kiumbe Wake huyo aitwaye binadamu, ambaye makao yake ni kona isiyoonekana kwa urahisi ya ulimwengu, ambayo jina lake ni dunia. Ameiheshimu spishi hii ya viumbe Vyake kwa kumchagua mmoja wao kuwa mpokeaji wa nuru Yake ya kimungu na mlinzi wa hekima Yake.

The true nature of this event is that God, the Great, the Compeller, the Almighty, the Supreme, the Sovereign of the whole universe, out of His benevolence, has turned to that creation of His which is called man, and which takes its abode in a hardly visible corner of the universe, the name of which is the earth. He has honoured this species of His creation by choosing one of its number to be the recipient of His divine light and the guardian of His wisdom.

Hiki ni kitu chenye ukuu usio na kikomo. Baadhi ya vipengele vya ukuu huu hudhihirika mtu anapojaribu, kwa uwezo wake wote, kutambua sifa za msingi za Mungu: uwezo kamili, kutokuwa na mipaka yoyote, na kuwepo milele; na anapotafakari, kwa kulinganisha, sifa za msingi za waja wa Mungu ambao wamo chini ya mipaka fulani ya uwezo na urefu wa maisha. Ndipo mtu anaweza kutambua umuhimu wa kujali huku kwa Mungu kwa binadamu. Anaweza kutambua utamu wa hisia hii na kuonyesha shukrani yake kwa kumshukuru Mungu, kwa sala na ibada. Anahisi kwamba ulimwengu wote unashiriki furaha kubwa inayoenezwa na ufunuo wa maneno ya Mungu kwa binadamu katika kona yake ndogo ya ulimwengu.

This is something infinitely great. Some aspects of its greatness become apparent when man tries, as best as he can, to perceive the essential qualities of God: absolute power, freedom from all limitations and everlastingness; and when he reflects, in comparison, on the basic qualities of God’s servants who are subject to certain limitations of power and life duration. One may then perceive the significance of this divine care for man. He may realize the sweetness of this feeling and manifest his appreciation with thanksgiving, prayer and devotion. He feels that the whole universe shares in the general happiness spread by the revelation of divine words to man in his obscure corner of the universe.

Ni dhahiri kwamba sehemu nyingine ya sura hii haikuteremshwa wakati mmoja na mwanzo wake, bali baadaye. Inarejelea hali fulani na matukio ya baadaye katika maisha ya Mtume ﷺ, baada ya kuagizwa kufikisha ujumbe wake na kufanya ibada yake hadharani, na baada ya kukutana na upinzani kutoka kwa makafiri. Hili linaonyeshwa katika sehemu ya sura inayoanza kwa maneno: "Je, umemwona yule anayemzuia mja wa Mwenyezi Mungu asiswali?" (Aya 9-10). Hata hivyo, kuna upatanifu kamili kati ya sehemu zote za sura. Mambo inayoyasimulia baada ya sehemu ya mwanzo pia yamepangwa kwa mpangilio kamili.

It is self evident that the rest of the sūrah was not revealed at the same time as its opening but at a later date. It refers to a certain situation and later events in the Prophet’s life, after he was instructed to convey his message and offer his worship in public, and after he was met with opposition by the unbelievers. This is indicated in the part of the sūrah which begins: “Look at the one who tries to prevent a servant of God from praying!” (Verses 9-10) Yet there is perfect harmony between all parts of the sūrah. The facts it relates after the opening part are also arranged in a perfect order.

Mambo haya mawili yanaifanya sūrah kuwa kitu kimoja kilichopangwa kwa upatano kamili.

These two factors make the sūrah one perfectly harmonious unit.

Soma kwa jina la Mola wako aliyeumba — aliyemuumba mwanadamu kutokana na tone la manii.

Read in the name of your Lord who has created — created man out of a germ-cell.

Soma — kwani Mola wako Mlezi ndiye Mkarimu zaidi, aliyefundisha kwa kalamu, akamfundisha mwanadamu asiyoyajua. (Aya 1-5)

Read — for your Lord is the most Bountiful One, who has taught the use of the pen, taught man what he did not know. (Verses 1-5)

Hii ni sūra ya kwanza ya Qur’ān, kwa hiyo inaanza kwa jina la Mungu. Inamwelekeza Mtume wa Mungu tangu wakati wa kwanza kabisa wa kuwasiliana kwake kwa baraka na jamii ya juu, na kabla ya kuchukua hatua yake ya kwanza kabisa katika njia ya ujumbe alioteuliwa kuufikisha, asome kwa jina la Mungu: ‘Soma kwa jina la Mola wako.’ Sifa ya kwanza ya Mungu inayotajwa nayo ni ile ya uumbaji na kuanzisha: ‘... Mola wako ambaye ameumba.’ Kisha inazungumzia hasa uumbaji wa binadamu na asili yake: ‘ameumba binadamu kutokana na tone la damu iliyoganda.’ Ameumbwa kutokana na tone lililokauka la damu linalopandikizwa tumboni: dutu ya unyenyekevu na isiyo na ugumu. Hili linaakisi neema na rehema ya Muumba kama vile linavyoakisi uweza Wake. Ni kwa neema Yake kwamba amelipandisha tone hili la mbegu hadi kiwango cha binadamu anayeweza kufundishwa na kujifunza:

Ni Mungu, basi, ndiye anayeumba, anayefundisha na kumjalia mwanadamu neema zake nyingi.

It is God, then, who creates, teaches and bestows His abundant bounties on man.

Hii inaashiria kwamba mwanadamu anapaswa kutambua wema wa Mungu na kumshukuru kwa ajili yake.

This implies that man should acknowledge God’s benevolence and be grateful for it.

Lakini kinachotokea kwa kweli ni tofauti.

But what actually happens is something different.

Sehemu ya pili ya sura inahusu uasi wa mwanadamu. "Hakika mwanadamu hupindukia mipaka kwa kiburi pale anapojiona kuwa amejitosheleza. Hakika kwa Mola wako ndiko kurejea kote." (Aya 6-8) Ni Mungu anayempa mwanadamu kwa wingi na kumfanya awe huru asiyehitaji wengine. Pia anamuumba, anamfundisha na kumtendea wema wake mkubwa. Lakini watu kwa ujumla — isipokuwa wale waliolindwa na imani — hawashukuru uhuru wao ambao umewezekana kwa sababu ya yale waliyopewa. Hawatambui chanzo cha neema hii, ambacho ndicho chanzo kile kile cha uumbaji wao, elimu yao na riziki yao. Wanatenda kwa kiburi na kuvuka mipaka yote, badala ya kuwa watiifu na wenye shukrani.

The second part of the sūrah deals with man’s transgression. “Indeed, man becomes grossly overweening, once he thinks himself self- sufficient. Surely to your Lord all must return.” (Verses 6-8) It is God who gives to man in abundance and makes him independent. He also creates and teaches him and extends to him His generous treatment. But men in general — except for those guarded by faith — are not thankful for their independence which is made possible by what they are given. They do not recognize the source of this grace, which is the same as the source of their creation, knowledge and livelihood. They behave arrogantly and transgress all limits instead of being dutiful and thankful.

Picha ya mtu mwenye kiburi na jeuri aliyesahau asili yake inafuatiwa na maoni yenye onyo lililofichika: "Hakika kwa Mola wako kila kitu kitarejea." (Aya ya 8) Basi mtu huyu mwenye kiburi na jeuri atageukia wapi?

The image of the transgressing, conceited person who has forgotten his origin is followed by a comment charged with an implicit warning: “Surely to your Lord all must return.” (Verse 8) Where can this proud and overweening person then turn?

Wakati huo huo, kanuni ya msingi ya imani ya Kiislamu inasisitizwa. Nayo ni kwamba kila mtu lazima amrejee Mungu katika kila jambo, fikra au tendo. Yeye ndiye kimbilio pekee na mahali pa kukinga.

At the same time a fundamental rule of the Islamic faith is emphasized. That is, all must refer to God in every matter, thought or action. He is the only resort and refuge.