Hadi sasa sūrah imetupeleka katika safari ndefu, ikituonyesha baadhi ya sheria za maumbile zinazofanya kazi katika ulimwengu, kanuni zinazotawala makundi yanayobeba ujumbe wa Mungu, hatima ya watu, na kuangamizwa kwa jamii zilizopita. Sasa inachukua tena hoja iliyotajwa mwanzoni mwa sūrah kuhusu namna washirikina walivyompokea Mjumbe wa Mungu na mafunuo aliyopewa, kejeli walizomrushia, na ukaidi wao wa kuendelea kukataa.

So far the sūrah has taken us on a long journey, showing us some of the laws of nature that operate in the universe, the rules that govern groups advocating God’s message, people’s fate, and the destruction of past communities. Now it picks up the point mentioned at the beginning of the sūrah about the way the unbelievers received God’s Messenger and the revelations he was given, the mockery they hurled at him and their persistent disbelief.

Sura hiyo inafuatia kwa kueleza kwamba, kwa asili yake, binadamu ni mwepesi wa haraka. Mojawapo ya dhihirisho la haraka hii ni juhudi za makafiri za kutaka adhabu ya Mwenyezi Mungu iletwe mapema.

The sūrah follows this by pointing out that, by nature, man is hasty. One manifestation of this haste is the unbelievers’ attempts to hasten God’s punishment.

Kwa hiyo, inawaonya dhidi ya haraka kama hiyo na inawafanya waelewe wazi kwamba ni lazima wajizuie kumdhihaki Mtume ﷺ ikiwa wanataka kuepuka matokeo ya tabia hiyo isiyo na msingi. Inawachorea picha ya jinsi wale wanaoshika madaraka katika maisha haya wanavyoona mamlaka yao yakipungua, na katika onyesho jingine inaonyesha baadhi ya mateso ya Akhera yanayowapata makafiri wanaoendelea na ukafiri wao.

Hence, it warns them against such haste and makes it clear to them that they must refrain from mocking the Prophet if they wish to avoid the consequences of such unwarranted behaviour. It paints for them a picture of how those who wield power in this life find their authority dwindling, and in another scene demonstrates some aspects of the suffering in the hereafter meted out to persistent unbelievers.

Kifungu hiki kipya kinamalizia kwa kusisitiza usahihi wa hesabu katika Akhera na kufaa kwa malipo yanayotolewa Siku ya Kiyama. Kwa hivyo, hesabu na malipo vimeunganishwa na kanuni zinazofanya kazi katika ulimwengu, katika maumbile ya binadamu na katika maisha ya binadamu.

This new passage concludes by emphasizing the accuracy of the reckoning in the hereafter and the suitability of the reward given on the Day of Judgement. Thus, the reckoning and the reward are linked to the rules operating in the universe, human nature and human life.

Na wakafiri wanapokuona, hawakufanyi isipokuwa mzaha, wakisema: "Je, huyu ndiye anayezitaja vibaya miungu yenu?" Nao wenyewe, wanapotajwa Mwingi wa Rehema, ndio wanaokataa kwa haraka.

When the unbelievers see you, they make you the target of their mockery, saying [to one another], Is this the one who speaks against your gods?’ Yet they are the ones who, at the mention of the Most Merciful, are quick to deny Him. (Verse 36)

Makafiri wanakataa kabisa kuwepo kwa Mungu, Mwingi wa Rehema, ambaye ameumba ulimwengu na kuweka kanuni zinazofanya kazi ndani yake na kuendeleza uwepo wake. Wanapinga ukweli kwamba Mjumbe wa Mungu, Muhammad ﷺ, anapinga miungu yao na kuonyesha kwamba sanamu hizo zisizo na uhai hazina faida. Hata hivyo, wao wenyewe wanamkataa Mungu, Mwingi wa Rehema, kwa dharau. Jambo hili ni la ajabu sana! Wanamtukana na kumdhihaki Mjumbe wa Mungu, wakisema kwamba haikubaliki yeye kukosoa ibada zao za sanamu. Wanaambiana: “Je, huyu ndiye anayezisema vibaya miungu yenu?” (Aya ya 36) Hata hivyo, wao, kama viumbe vya Mungu, hawaoni kosa lolote katika kiburi kinachowapelekea kukataa kuwepo kwa Mungu na kuikataa Qur'ani aliyowateremshia. Upotovu wa mtazamo wao unadhihirisha kikamilifu uharibifu mkubwa unaoathiri maumbile yao na kudhoofisha hukumu yao.

The unbelievers deny the very existence of God, the Most Merciful, who has created the universe and set the rules that operate in it and sustain its existence. They object to the fact that God’s Messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him), speaks out against their deities, showing such inanimate idols to be useless. Yet they themselves rudely deny God, the Most Merciful. How singular! They hurl abuse and mockery at God’s Messenger, saying that it is unacceptable that he should criticize their idol worship. They say to one another: “Is this the one who speaks against your gods?” (Verse 36) Yet they, creatures of God as they are, find nothing wrong with the arrogance that leads them to deny God’s existence and reject the Qur’ān He has revealed to them. The irony of their attitude exposes to the full the far- reaching corruption that affects their nature and impairs their judgement.

Zaidi ya hayo, wao wanajaribu kuharakisha adhabu ambayo Mtume ﷺ anawaonya nayo. Kwa maumbile yake, mwanadamu ni mwenye haraka: "Mwanadamu ameumbwa kwa haraka. Nitawaonyesha ishara zangu."

What is more, they try to hasten the punishment against which the Prophet warns them. For, by nature, man is hasty: “Man is a creature of haste. I shall show you My signs:

Basi usiniharakishe. Wao husema: ‘Ahadi hii itatimizwa lini, ikiwa mnachosema ni kweli?’ (Aya 37-38)

do not, then, ask Me to hurry them on. They say: ‘When is this promise to be fulfilled, if what you say be true?’” (Verses 37-38)

Katika kilele cha tukio hili la ajabu, linalofanya mioyo itetemeke, Mtume ﷺ anaagizwa kutoa onyo la mwisho: “Sema: Sifanyi lolote zaidi ya kukuonyeni kwa msingi wa Wahyi wa Mwenyezi Mungu!” Lakini viziwi hawawezi kusikia wito huu, hata wakionywa mara ngapi.” (Aya ya 45)

At the height of this awesome scene, which leaves hearts trembling, the Prophet is instructed to deliver the final warning: “Say: I do but warn you on the strength of divine revelation!’ But the deaf cannot hear this call, however often they are warned.” (Verse 45)

Basi na wajihadhari wasije wakawa ni viziwi wasiosikia! Ni viziwi watakaokumbwa na hatima ya kupunguzwa kwa ardhi chini yao, na mkono wa Mwenyezi Mungu Mwenye Nguvu ukiiponda nguvu zao, ukiwaondoa wao na anasa zao.

Let them, then, beware lest they should be the deaf who do not hear! It is the deaf who will suffer the fate of having the earth shrunk beneath them, and the hand of the Almighty smashing their power, doing away with them and their luxuries.

Sura inaendelea na majadiliano yake, ikigusa sana mioyo ya watu. Inawaelezea wale wasioamini hao pale wanapoanza kuonja adhabu ya Mungu: "Na ikiwagusa hata pumzi ndogo tu ya adhabu ya Mola wenu Mlezi, hakika watasema: 'Ole wetu! Hakika tulikuwa wenye kudhulumu.'" (Aya ya 46) Katika lugha ya Kiarabu, neno nafĥah, linalotumika katika aya hii kwa maana ya 'pumzi', kwa kawaida huhusishwa na rehema na neema, lakini hapa linatumika katika muktadha wa mateso, kwa maana ya kwamba hata pumzi ndogo tu ya adhabu ya Mungu inatosha kuwafanya wawe tayari kukiri. Lakini kwa bahati mbaya, kukiri hakuna faida wakati huo. Mapema katika sura hii tuliona jamii za zamani zilizopigwa na nguvu za Mungu, zikilia kwa maombi hayo hayo: "Wakasema: 'Ole wetu! Hakika sisi tulikuwa wenye kudhulumu!' Na kilio chao hicho hakikukoma mpaka tukawafanya kama mavuno yaliyokatwa, tulivu kimya kama majivu." (Aya ya 14-15)

The sūrah continues its discourse making a profound effect on people’s hearts. It describes those very unbelievers as they begin to suffer God’s punishment: “Yet, if but breath of your Lord’s punishment touches them, they are sure to cry, ‘Oh, woe betide us! We were wrongdoers indeed.’” (Verse 46) In Arabic, the word, nafĥah, used in this verse for ‘breath’ is normally associated with mercy and grace, but here it is used in the context of suffering so as to imply that even the slightest breath of God’s punishment is sufficient to make them ready to confess. Alas, confession is of no use now. Earlier in the sūrah we were shown past communities smitten by God’s might, crying out with the same appeals: “They said: ‘Woe betide us! We were indeed wrongdoers!’ And that cry of theirs did not cease until We caused them to become like a field mown down, still and silent as ashes.” (Verses 14-15)

Sura hii inamalizia kwa tukio la mwisho kutoka Siku ya Hesabu: "Tutaweka mizani ya uadilifu Siku ya Kiyama, hivyo hakuna nafsi itakayodhulumiwa hata kidogo. Hata kama kuna uzito wa mbegu ya haradali, Tutauleta [kuuhesabu]. Inatosha Sisi kuwa Wahesabuji." (Aya ya 47) Mbegu ya haradali hapa inawakilisha kitu kidogo na chepesi zaidi ambacho macho yetu yanaweza kukiona. Hata hivyo, hata mbegu ya haradali haisahauliki wala kupuuzwa.

The present passage concludes with a final scene from the Day of Reckoning: “We shall set up just scales on the Day of Resurrection, so that no soul shall be wronged in the least. If there be but the weight of a mustard seed, We shall bring it [to account]. Sufficient are We for reckoning.” (Verse 47) The mustard seed here represents the smallest and lightest thing our eyes can see. Yet not even a mustard seed is overlooked or ignored.

Mizani zinazotumika ni sahihi sana hivi kwamba mbegu moja ya haradali inaleta tofauti.

The scales that are used are so accurate that a single mustard seed makes a difference.

Watu basi na wafikiri juu ya walichokitanguliza kwa siku hiyo. Mioyo iwe makini kwa maonyo, na wale wanaogeuka mgongo au kujiingiza katika dhihaka na waonywe. Huenda wakaweza kukwepa adhabu katika maisha haya, lakini siku ya Hukumu hesabu inazingatia kila kitu kidogo. Mizani siku hiyo ni sahihi sana hata mbegu ndogo tu inaweza kuleta tofauti kubwa.

Let people, then, reflect on what they put forward for that day. Let hearts be attentive to the warnings, and let those who turn their backs or indulge in ridicule be warned. They may be able to evade punishment in this life, but on Judgement Day the reckoning takes every little thing into account. The scales then are so accurate that even a tiny seed can make all the difference.

Kwa hiyo, mizani sahihi ya Akhera, sheria zisizokosea za ulimwengu, kanuni zinazowahusu wanaolingania dini, na sheria za asili ya mwanadamu zinakutana pamoja kwa upatano kamili, zikiendeshwa kwa mkono wa Mwenyezi Mungu. Hili linathibitisha ukweli wa umoja wa Mungu, mada inayoenea katika sura hii yote.

Thus the accurate scales of the hereafter, the unfailing laws of the universe, the rules applicable to advocates of the faith and the laws of human nature converge in perfect harmony, operated by the hand of the Almighty. This testifies to the truth of God’s oneness, the theme that pervades this whole sūrah.