Sura inaendelea na mwito wake kwa kuonyesha picha za zamani na kuzilinganisha na sasa. Inachora tukio linaloonyesha pengo kubwa kati ya hali hizo mbili, kwa manufaa ya jumuiya ya Waislamu iliyopigana vita na kupata ushindi mkubwa. Hivyo Waislamu wanaweza kuthamini neema ya Mwenyezi Mungu kama ilivyodhihirika katika yale aliyokuwa amewapangia. Ikilinganishwa na hayo, mateka yote ya vita yanaonekana kuwa madogo, na dhabihu zote hazina thamani kubwa.

The sūrah continues its address showing glimpses from the past and compares them with the present. It paints a scene showing a great gulf between the two situations for the benefit of the Muslim community which fought the battle and achieved a great victory. Thus Muslims are able to appreciate God’s grace as manifested in what He had planned for them. Compared to that, all the spoils of war appear trivial and all sacrifices of little consequence.

Kifungu cha kwanza kilieleza hali ya jumla ya Waislamu huko Makkah, na pia huko Madinah kabla ya vita. Walikuwa wachache kwa idadi, wakiwa hawana vifaa vya kutosha kiasi kwamba daima waliogopa adui zao wangeweza kuwashambulia. Hata hivyo, kwa neema ya Mungu hali hiyo yote ilibadilika kuwa hali ya nguvu, usalama na riziki nyingi. Katika kifungu hiki cha sasa, sūrah inaeleza mtazamo wa wasioamini wanapopanga njama dhidi ya Mtume wa Mungu ﷺ muda mfupi kabla ya kuhama kwake kwenda Madinah. Wanageuka mbali na ufunuo wa Mungu, wakidai kwamba wangeweza kutoa kitu kama hicho endapo wangetaka. Mtazamo wao ni wa ukaidi kiasi kwamba wanaomba adhabu ya Mungu ije upesi endapo ujumbe wa Muhammad ﷺ kutoka kwa Mungu ni wa kweli. Wao wanapendelea hilo badala ya kuukubali na kufuata mwongozo wake. Kifungu hiki pia kinataja kwamba wanatumia mali zao kwa namna ya kuwageuza watu mbali na mwongozo wa Mungu, na kukusanya fedha zao ili kuanzisha shambulio dhidi ya Mtume wa Mungu ﷺ. Wanaonywa kwamba juhudi zao zote zitamalizika kwa kushindwa kabisa katika maisha haya, kisha watasukumwa motoni katika maisha ya Akhera. Hasara katika dunia zote mbili itakuwa matokeo ya hila na njama zao.

The first passage described the general situation of the Muslims in Makkah, and also in Madinah before the battle. They were small in number, poor in equipment to the extent that they always feared their enemies could launch an onslaught against them. However, by God’s grace all that was changed to a situation of strength, security and good provision. In the present passage, the sūrah describes the attitude of the unbelievers as they scheme against God’s Messenger shortly before his departure to Madinah. They turn away from God’s revelations, claiming that they could produce something similar if they so wished. Their attitude is so stubborn that they appeal for God’s punishment to come sooner if Muĥammad’s message from God is true. They prefer this to accepting it and following its guidance. The passage also includes a reference to the fact that they allocate their resources so as to turn people away from God’s guidance and pool their money in order to launch an onslaught on God’s Messenger. They are warned that all their efforts will end in total failure in this life, and then they will be driven to hell in the life to come. Loss in both worlds will be the result of their scheming and plotting.

"Kumbukeni jinsi wasioamini walivyokuwa wakipanga njama dhidi yenu, wakitaka kukufungeni minyororo au kukuua au kukufukuza. Hivyo ndivyo wanavyopanga na kuweka mipango, lakini Mungu pia hupanga. Mungu yuko juu ya wapangao njama wote."(Aya ya 30) Huu ni ukumbusho wa hali ilivyokuwa Makka kabla mambo hayajabadilika kabisa. Ukumbusho huu pia ni hakikisho kuhusu wakati ujao, na unavuta fikira kwenye hekima iliyo nyuma ya utendaji wa mapenzi ya Mungu. Waislamu waliokuwa wa kwanza kuzungumzwa na Qur'ani walifahamu vyema hali zote mbili, kwa kuwa waliyapitia yote mawili. Ukumbusho wa zamani yao ya karibu, pamoja na hofu na wasiwasi waliyoupata siku zile, ulitosha kuwafanya wathamini usalama na amani ya sasa. Walijua njama za wasioamini na walichokusudia kumfanyia Mtume ﷺ.

“Remember how the unbelievers were scheming against you, seeking to keep you in chains or have you slain or banished. Thus they plot and plan, but God also plans. God is above all schemers.” (Verse 30) This is a reminder of the situation in Makkah before things underwent a total transformation. This reminder serves also as a reassurance concerning the future, and draws attention to the wisdom behind the operation of God’s will. Those Muslims who were the first to be addressed by the Qur’ān were fully aware of both situations, having experienced both. A reminder of their immediate past, as well as the fear and worry they experienced in those days, was sufficient to make them appreciate the safety and security of the present. They were aware of the unbelievers’ scheming and what they planned to do with the Prophet.

Lakini si tu mipango yao iliharibiwa kabisa; bali makafiri pia walipata kushindwa kwa aibu.

But not only their schemes were totally foiled; the unbelievers also suffered a humiliating defeat.

Makāfiri walikuwa wakitafakari njia mbadala: walifikiria kumkamata Mjumbe wa Mungu na kumfunga minyororo hadi afe, pia walizingatia kumuua ili waweze kumwondoa mara moja kwa wote. Pia walifikiria kumfukuza, kumpeleka uhamishoni. Baada ya kupima faida na hasara za kila mojawapo ya njia hizi, walichagua kumuua, wakikabidhi kazi hiyo kwa idadi ya vijana, kila mmoja akitoka kabila tofauti, ili makabila yote yashiriki katika mauaji yake. Ukoo wake, Hāshim, kwa njia hiyo, usingeweza kupigana na Waarabu wote kwa wakati mmoja. Kisha wangekubali ofa ya fidia ya damu, na jambo zima lingeishia hapo.

The unbelievers were considering alternatives: they thought of arresting God’s Messenger and putting him in chains until he died, and they also considered killing him so that they could get rid of him once and for all. They also thought of driving him away, sending him into exile. Having considered the pros and cons of each of these alternatives, they chose to kill him, entrusting the task to a number of young men, each belonging to a different tribe, so that all tribes would share in his assassination. His own clan, Hāshim, would thus be unable to fight all the Arabs at once. They would then accept an offer of blood money and the whole matter would finish at that.

Katika tafsiri yake ya Qur'ani, Ibn Kathīr anataja kwamba aliyesema hayo alikuwa al-Naḍr ibn al-Ḥārith.

In his scholarly commentary on the Qur’ān, Ibn Kathīr mentions that the person who said this was al-Nađr ibn al-Ĥārith:

Al-Nađr alikuwa amekwenda kwenye Dola ya Uajemi ambako alijifunza historia ya Uajemi na kusoma simulizi za wafalme wa zamani wa Uajemi, kama vile Rustam na Isfandayar. Aliporejea nyumbani, alimwona Mjumbe wa Mungu ﷺ baada ya kukabidhiwa ujumbe wa Mungu, na alimsikiliza akiwasomea watu Qur'ani. Mtume ﷺ alipomaliza kuzungumza na kundi lolote la watu, al-Nađr alikuwa akiketi nao na kuwasimulia hadithi za wale wafalme wa zamani. Kisha angewauliza: 'Niambieni, kwa jina la Mungu, ni nani anayesimulia hadithi vizuri zaidi: mimi au Muĥammad ﷺ?' Kwa hiyo, alipotekwa siku ya Vita vya Badr, Mtume ﷺ aliamuru auawe. Amri yake ilitekelezwa, shukrani kwa Mungu.34

Al-Nađr had been to the Persian Empire where he learnt Persian history and read accounts of past Persian kings, such as Rustam and Isfandayar. When he returned home, he saw God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) after he had been entrusted with God’s message, and he listened to him reciting the Qur’ān to people. When the Prophet finished talking to any group of people, al-Nađr would sit with them and tell them stories of those ancient kings. He would then ask them: ‘Tell me, by God, who tells better stories: I or Muĥammad?’ Hence, when he fell captive on the day of the Battle of Badr, the Prophet ordered that he should be executed. His order was carried out, thank God.34

Sahaba wa Nabii aliyekuwa amemteka alikuwa al-Miqdād ibn al-Aswad, kama Ibn Jarīr al-Ţabarī anavyosimulia:

The Prophet’s Companion who had taken him prisoner was al- Miqdād ibn al- Aswad, as Ibn Jarīr al-Ţabarī reports:

Mtume ﷺ aliamuru kuuawa kwa `Uqbah ibn Abī Mu`ayţ, Tu`aymah ibn `Adiy na al-Nađr ibn al-Ĥārith. Alipoamuru kuuawa kwa al-Nadr, al-Miqdād, Sahaba wa Mtume ﷺ aliyekuwa amemkamata, alisema:

The Prophet ordered the execution of `Uqbah ibn Abī Mu`ayţ, Tu`aymah ibn `Adiy and al-Nađr ibn al-Ĥārith. When he ordered the killing of al-Nadr, al- Miqdād, the Prophet’s Companion who had taken him prisoner, said:

"Mjumbe wa Mungu, huyu ni mateka wangu!" Nabii ﷺ alisema: "Alikuwa akisema mambo dhidi ya kitabu cha Mungu." Nabii ﷺ tena aliamuru kuuawa kwa al-Nadr.

‘Messenger of God, he is my prisoner!’35 The Prophet said: ‘He used to say things against God’s book.’ The Prophet again ordered al-Nadr’s execution.

Al-Miqdād tena alisema: “Ewe Mjumbe wa Mungu, huyu ni mateka wangu!” Mtume ﷺ akasema: “Ee Mola wangu, mtajirishe Al-Miqdād kwa fadhila Yako.” Al-Miqdād alitoa maoni kwamba alichotamani tu ni kupata dua kama hiyo kutoka kwa Mtume ﷺ.

Hadithi ya kubuni ni simulizi la zamani linalojumuisha imani fulani za kishirikina kuhusu miungu na ushujaa wa kawaida wa mashujaa wa hadithi. Inazungumzia matukio ya kufikirika yenye ushirikina mwingi.

A fable is an old tale that includes some superstitious beliefs about deities and the supernatural courage of legendary heroes. It speaks of imaginary events that involve so much superstition.

Wazee hao wa Kiquraishi walirejelea simulizi zilizotolewa katika Qur'ani kuhusu mataifa na jamii za kale, miujiza iliyoonyeshwa kwao, na maelezo ya Qur'ani kuhusu jinsi Mungu alivyowaangamiza wasioamini na kuwaokoa waumini. Waliwaambia watu wote kwamba simulizi hizo ni hadithi tu za watu wa zamani. Walidai kwamba Muhammad ﷺ alikuwa ameziandika ili kuwasimulia Waarabu wa Makka, akidai kwamba zimefunuliwa kwake na Mungu. Al-Nadhr ibn al-Harith alikuwa akichukua nafasi ya Mtume ﷺ baada ya kumaliza kuzungumza na watu, na aliwasimulia hadithi na visasili alivyojifunza katika safari zake huko Persia. Wakati mwingine, al-Nadhr hata alikuwa na kundi la watu waliokaa kwa duara karibu na kundi ambalo Mtume ﷺ alikuwa akilihutubia. Kisha angewaambia wasikilizaji wake: "Visasili hivi vinafanana na hadithi anazosimulia Muhammad, lakini mimi sidai kuwa Nabii wala kupokea wahyi. Zake zote ni hadithi na visasili vya aina hiyo hiyo." Bila shaka madai kama hayo yalizua mkanganyiko miongoni mwa watu, hasa mwanzoni, kabla visasili hivyo havijaonekana wazi kuwa tofauti kabisa na Qur'ani. Hivyo, tunaelewa kwa nini Mtume ﷺ alitoa tangazo kabla ya Vita vya Badr kwamba al-Nadhr ibn al-Harith auawe.

Those Quraysh elders referred to the accounts given in the Qur’ān of earlier nations and communities, the miracles shown to them and to the Qur’ānic descriptions of how God destroyed the unbelievers and saved the believers and said to the masses that such accounts were only fables of ancient people. They alleged that Muĥammad had it all written down in order to relate the same to the Arabs in Makkah, claiming that they had been revealed to him by God. Al-Nađr ibn al-Ĥārith would take the Prophet’s place after he had finished speaking to people, and would relate to them fables and legends which he had learnt on his travels in Persia. At times, al-Nađr would even have a group of people in a circle sitting next to the group addressed by the Prophet. He would then say to his audience: “These legends are similar to the fables related by Muĥammad, but I do not claim to be a Prophet or to receive any revelations. His are all fables and legends of the same type.” Such claims must, no doubt, have created some confusion among people, particularly at the beginning, before those legends were clearly seen as totally different from the Qur’ān. Hence, we appreciate why the Prophet issued an announcement before the Battle of Badr that al-Nađr ibn al-Ĥārith should be killed.

Sura inaendelea kueleza mtazamo wa ukaidi wa ajabu kabisa kwa upande wa makafiri. Wao wanajaribu kupambana na haki, lakini wanashindwa. Kiburi, hata hivyo, kinawazuia kuikubali haki na mamlaka yake, au kuinyenyekea.

The sūrah goes on to describe an attitude of most amazing stubbornness by the unbelievers. They try to wrestle with the truth and they are defeated. Pride, however, prevents them from acknowledging the truth and its authority or submitting to it.

Kwa hiyo, wao wanamwomba Mungu awashushie mawe kutoka mbinguni au awapatie adhabu chungu, ikiwa Qur’ani ni ukweli uliofunuliwa kutoka Kwake. Badala ya kumwomba Mungu awaongoze kwenye ukweli na awawezeshe kuufuata, wao wanaomba maangamizi yao wenyewe: “Pia walisema: ‘Ee Mungu, ikiwa hii ndiyo kweli yako iliyofunuliwa, basi tushushie mawe kutoka mbinguni, au tupatie adhabu chungu.’” (Aya ya 32)

Hence, they appeal to God to rain down stones over them or to smite them with grievous suffering, if the Qur’ān were the truth revealed by Him. Instead of praying to God to guide them to the truth and enable them to follow it, they pray for their own undoing: “They would also say: ‘God, if this be indeed Your revealed truth, then rain down upon us stones from the skies, or inflict grievous suffering on us.’“ (Verse 32)

Rufaa hii ni ya ajabu sana, na inaonyesha hali ya ukaidi usioyumba unaopendelea maangamizi kamili kuliko kukubali ukweli, hata pale unapokuwa ukweli wa hakika. Nafsi safi ya kibinadamu inapopatwa na shaka, huomba kwa Mungu imwonyeshe ukweli na imwongoze kwake. Nafsi safi haioni hilo kuwa la kudhalilisha hata kidogo. Lakini inapoharibiwa na kiburi kisichodhibitiwa, majivuno humsukuma mtu kwenye dhambi kiasi cha kupendelea mateso na maangamizi kuliko kukiri ukweli unapokuwa wazi, usiopingika. Ni kwa aina hii ya ukaidi ambapo makafiri wa Makka walipinga ujumbe wa Mtume ﷺ. Lakini ujumbe huu ulishinda mwishowe, licha ya ukaidi huo wa kuendelea.

This is certainly a very strange appeal which betrays a state of unwavering stubbornness that prefers total ruin to yielding to the truth, even when it is the absolute truth. When sound human nature experiences doubt, it prays to God to show it the truth and guide it to it. Sound human nature does not find that at all demeaning. But when it is corrupted by uncontrolled pride, arrogance drives it into sin to the extent that it prefers suffering and ruin to acknowledging the truth when it becomes clear, irrefutable. It is with this type of obstinacy that the unbelievers in Makkah resisted the Prophet’s message. But this message was victorious in the end, despite such persistent obstinacy.

Sura hii inaweka wazi kwamba wao kwa hakika walistahili mawe kumwagwa juu yao kutoka mbinguni, au adhabu chungu kuwashukia, kama walivyoomba wenyewe. Hata hivyo, Mwenyezi Mungu alipenda kutowaadhibu kwa aina ile ya maangamizi aliyowaletea jamii zilizotangulia. Hii ni kwa sababu Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu ﷺ bado alikuwa miongoni mwao, akiwaita wafuate uongofu Wake. Wala Mwenyezi Mungu hatawaadhibu kwa dhambi zao iwapo wataendelea kuomba msamaha baada ya kuzitenda.

Ni tabia ya kawaida ya makafiri kutumia mali zao kushirikiana katika kuwageuza watu wasiende kwenye njia ya Mungu. Hili walilifanya siku ya Vita vya Badr. Walifanya tena jambo hilo hilo baada ya Badr ili kujiandaa kwa vita vilivyofuata.

It is a common characteristic of unbelievers that they spend their money to cooperate in turning people away from God’s path. This they did on the day of the Battle of Badr. They did the same thing again after Badr to prepare for the next battle.

Mungu anawaonya kwamba lengo lao litavurugwa na kwamba watakuja kujuta hasara ya mali yao. Anawaahidi kushindwa katika maisha haya na adhabu ya Jahannamu katika maisha yajayo: "Hakika wale waliokufuru wanatumia mali zao ili kuwazuia watu na njia ya Mungu. Wataendelea kuzitumia, kisha hilo litakuwa chanzo cha majuto makubwa kwao; kisha watashindwa. Walioikataa kweli watasukumwa Jahannamu. Mungu atawatenganisha waovu na wema. Waovu atawaweka mmoja juu ya mwingine, ili awakusanye wote pamoja, kisha awatupe Jahannamu. Hao ndio waliopoteza." (Aya 36-37)

God warns them that their purpose will be foiled and that they will come to rue the loss of their money. He promises them defeat in this life and the punishment of hell in the life to come: “The unbelievers spend their riches in order to turn people away from the path of God. They will go on spending them, and then this will become a source of intense regret for them; and then they shall be defeated. The unbelievers shall into hell be driven. God will separate the bad from the good. The bad He will place one upon another, so He may heap them all up together, and then cast them into hell. Those indeed are the losers.” (Verses 36- 37)

Muĥammad ibn Isĥāq na wengineo wanasimulia:

Muĥammad ibn Isĥāq and others report:

Wakati Waquraishi walipopata pigo kubwa katika Vita vya Badr, na jeshi lao lililoshindwa likarudi Makkah, Abū Sufyān na msafara wake wa kibiashara walikuwa tayari wamekwisha rudi huko. ‘Abdullāh ibn Rabī`ah, `Ikrimah ibn Abī Jahl, Şafwān ibn Umayyah pamoja na watu wengine kadhaa kutoka Waquraishi ambao walipoteza baba zao, ndugu zao au wana wao huko Badr, walikwenda kwa Abū Sufyān na wafanyabiashara wenzake ambao walikuwa na hisa kubwa katika msafara huo wa kibiashara.

When the Quraysh suffered their major setback at the Battle of Badr, and their defeated army arrived back in Makkah, Abū Sufyān and his trade caravan had already returned there. ‘Abdullāh ibn Rabī`ah, `Ikrimah ibn Abī Jahl, Şafwān ibn Umayyah and a number of other people from the Quraysh who suffered the loss of their fathers, brothers or sons at Badr went to Abū Sufyān and his fellow merchants who had major shares in that trade caravan.

Sura sasa inawaelekea waumini: "Wapigane nao mpaka fitina isiwepo tena, na dini yote iwe ya Mwenyezi Mungu peke yake. Wakiacha, basi hakika Mwenyezi Mungu anaona yote wanayoyafanya."

The sūrah now addresses the believers: “Fight them until there is no more oppression, and all submission is made to God alone. If they desist, God is certainly aware of all they do.

Lakini wakikengeuka, basi jueni kwamba Mwenyezi Mungu ndiye Mola wenu Mlezi. Ni Mola Mlezi mzuri vipi, na ni msaidizi mzuri vipi!" (Aya 39-40)

But if they turn away, know that God is your Lord Supreme. How splendid is this Lord Supreme, and how splendid is this giver of support.” (Verses 39-40)

Hii ndiyo madhumuni na mpaka wa jihadi, au juhudi katika njia ya Mwenyezi Mungu, si kwa kipindi fulani tu katika historia, bali kwa nyakati zote. Kauli zinazohusu jihadi na sheria za vita na amani katika sura hii si za mwisho. Kauli ya mwisho ni ile iliyomo katika Sura ya 9, Al-Tawbah (Toba). Kwa upande mwingine, Uislamu ni harakati chanya inayoshughulikia hali za kibinadamu kwa kutumia njia zinazofaa kwa hali mbalimbali. Zaidi ya hayo, ni harakati iliyopangwa vizuri inayotumia njia na mbinu zinazofaa kwa kila hatua. Hata hivyo, hapa tuna kauli inayoweka kanuni ya kudumu inayobainisha malengo ya mapambano kati ya Uislamu na mifumo ya kijamii isiyo ya Kiislamu. Hii imo katika aya inayosema: "Piganeni nao mpaka hakuna tena dhulma, na utiifu wote ufanyike kwa Mungu peke yake." (Aya ya 39)

This is the purpose and the limit of jihād, or struggle for God’s cause, not only at a particular period in time, but at all times. The statements related to jihād and the laws of war and peace in this sūrah are not the final ones. The final version is that included in Sūrah 9, Repentance, or al-Tawbah. On the other hand, Islam is a positive movement which deals with human situations employing means that are suitable for different situations. Moreover, it is a well structured movement that uses fitting means and methods for every stage. Nevertheless, we have here a statement that lays down a permanent principle that defines the objectives of the confrontation between Islam and un-Islamic social set-ups. This is embodied in the verse which says: “Fight them until there is no more oppression, and all submission is made to God alone.” (Verse 39)

Katika Utangulizi wetu wa sura hii tulitaja kwamba Uislamu ni tangazo la jumla la ukombozi wa mwanadamu duniani kutoka kwenye utumwa kwa viumbe wengine, ikiwa ni pamoja na matamanio yake mwenyewe, kupitia kukiri Ubwana wa Mungu juu ya ulimwengu na viumbe vyote. Pia tulionyesha kwamba tangazo hili linaashiria mapinduzi kamili dhidi ya kukabidhi mamlaka kwa binadamu, kwa namna yoyote, mfumo wowote na hali yoyote ile mamlaka hayo yanaweza kuchukua. Kuna sharti mbili za msingi kwa ajili ya kufikia lengo hili kubwa. La kwanza ni kukomesha dhulma na mateso yote yanayowalenga wafuasi wa dini hii, ambao wanatangaza ukombozi wao wenyewe kutoka kwenye mamlaka ya binadamu na kujisalimisha kwa Mungu peke yake. Hili haliwezi kutokea isipokuwa jumuiya ya waumini itakapoanzisha harakati yake yenyewe na uongozi wake wenyewe unaojaribu kutekeleza tangazo hili la jumla kivitendo. Harakati hii itakuwa tayari kuendeleza mapambano yake dhidi ya kila dhalimu anayewatesa wafuasi wa dini hii au anayetumia nguvu, shinikizo na dhulma kuwageuza watu wasiifuate.