Hakika Tulituma Mitume kabla yako kwa mataifa mengine, nao tukawapatiliza kwa dhiki na mateso ili wanyenyekee. Laiti walipofikiwa na adhabu Yetu walinyenyekea! Bali nyoyo zao zilikuwa ngumu, na Shetani akawapambia matendo yao. Basi walipokuwa wamesahau kabisa yale waliyokumbushwa, tulifungua kwao milango ya kila kheri, mpaka walipokuwa wakifurahia yale waliyopewa, tukawachukua ghafla, nao wakawa katika kukata tamaa kabisa. Hivyo ndivyo mabaki ya watu waliodhulumu yalivyofutiliwa mbali. Sifa zote ni za Mungu, Mola wa viumbe vyote. (Aya 42-5)
Indeed We sent messengers before your time to other nations, and visited them with misfortune and hardship so that they might humble themselves. If only, when the misfortune decreed by Us befell them, they humbled themselves! Rather, their hearts were hardened and Satan made their deeds seem goodly to them. Then, when they had clean forgotten what they had been reminded of We threw open to them the gates of all good things, until just when they were rejoicing in what they had been granted, We suddenly took them to task; and they were plunged into utter despair. Thus the last remnant of the wrongdoing people was wiped out. All praise is due to God, the Lord of all the worlds. (Verses 42-5)
Aya hizi zinatuwekea mbele ya macho yetu mfano wa kihistoria wa jinsi watu wanavyojiweka wenyewe katika nguvu za Mungu, na kile kinachowapata kama matokeo yake. Mungu huwapa nafasi moja baada ya nyingine na kuwatumia makumbusho mfululizo, lakini bado wanasahau. Ikiwa majaribu wanayokutana nayo hayawashawishi kumgeukia Mungu na kumwomba, na ikiwa neema Yake wanayofurahia haiwasukumi kushukuru na kujilinda na uovu, basi maumbile yao yameharibika bila kurekebishika, na maisha yao hayastahili tena kuongezwa. Adhabu ya Mungu inawapata na dunia yao inaangamizwa: "Hakika tulituma kabla yako Mitume kwa umma nyingine, tukawapatia dhiki na taabu ili wanyenyekee. Laiti walipowapata msiba uliokwisha kuamriwa nasi wangalinyenyekea! Lakini nyoyo zao zilikuwa ngumu, na Shetani akawapambia matendo yao."
These verses place before our eyes an historical example of how people expose themselves to God’s might and what happens to them in consequence. God gives them one chance after another and issues them with successive reminders, but they still forget. If the trials they encounter do not persuade them to turn to God and implore Him, and if His grace which they enjoy does not prompt them to be grateful and to guard against evil, then their nature has become irremediably corrupt and their lives are no longer worth extending. God’s punishment befalls them and their world is destroyed: “Indeed We sent messengers before your time to other nations, and visited them with misfortune and hardship so that they might humble themselves. If only, when the misfortune decreed by Us befell them, they humbled themselves! Rather, their hearts were hardened and Satan made their deeds seem goodly to them.” (Verses 42-3)
Historia ya binadamu imejua mataifa mengi kama haya, na Qur'ani inatupa simulizi zao ambazo zinarejea nyakati za kale sana, kabla ya historia iliyoandikwa. Historia kama hiyo ni mpya, na ina sehemu ndogo tu ya historia yote ya binadamu duniani. Ingawa ni fupi hivyo, historia hii iliyoandikwa na binadamu imejaa upotoshaji na uongo. Pia inakosa uwezo wa kuzingatia kikamilifu mambo yote yanayoathiri mwenendo wa historia ya binadamu. Baadhi ya mambo hayo yamejificha ndani kabisa ya nafsi ya binadamu, huku mengine yakibaki nje ya uwezo wa mwanadamu kuyatambua kwa hisia. Ni baadhi tu ya mambo hayo ndiyo yanayoonekana, lakini hata hayo hayatambuliwi wala kufasiriwa ipasavyo au kwa usahihi. Kwa kweli, watu hawawezi kutofautisha uongo na ukweli katika mambo hayo.
Human history has known many such nations and the Qur’ān gives us accounts of them which date back to periods long before recorded history. Such history is new and it contains only a small portion of human history on earth. Short as it is, this history recorded by human beings is full of misrepresentation and falsehood. It is also marked by its inability to take full account of all factors which influence the movement of human history. Some of these lie deep in the human soul, while others remain beyond the realm of what is perceptible by man. Only some of these factors are made visible, but these are nevertheless not identified or interpreted properly or correctly. Indeed, people cannot distinguish the false from the true in these factors.
Kwa binadamu yeyote kudai kwamba ana ujuzi kamili wa historia ya mwanadamu, anaweza kuifasiri "kisayansi" na anaweza kutabiri matukio yake yasiyoepukika ya baadaye, ni kusema uwongo mkubwa kuliko yote ambayo mwanadamu anaweza kuyasema. Hata hivyo, baadhi ya watu hufanya madai kama hayo. Jambo la kushangaza zaidi ni kwamba baadhi ya watu huyaamini madai kama hayo. Lau mdai angesema kwamba anachoeleza zaidi ni kile anachokitarajia kitokee, si kile kisichoepukika, dai lake lingeweza kuwa la busara. Mwongo anapogundua kwamba watu ni wepesi wa kuamini, bila shaka atabuni uwongo zaidi wa kuwaambia.
For any human being to claim that he has full knowledge of human history, can interpret it ‘scientifically’ and is able to predict its inevitable future events is to say the greatest lie a human being may utter. Nevertheless, some people do make such claims. What is even more amazing is that some people believe such claims. Had the claimant said that he is mainly relating what he ‘expects’ to happen, not what is ‘inevitable’, his claim may be reasonable. When a liar finds people gullible enough to believe him, he will certainly invent lies to tell them.
Mungu husema kweli bila shaka. Yeye pia anajua yaliyotokea na sababu zilizopelekea kutokea kwake. Kwa rehema zake, Mungu huwaambia waja wake baadhi ya vipengele vya utendaji wa sheria yake na jinsi mapenzi yake yanavyofanya kazi, ili wapate kuzingatia. Hivyo, wanajikuta katika nafasi ya kufahamu mwingiliano wa mambo ya ndani na sababu za wazi ambazo zimepelekea matukio ya historia. Kisha wanaweza kuwa na matarajio ya kweli ya yatakayotokea kulingana na sheria ya Mungu aliyowafunulia, ambayo haibadiliki kamwe.
God certainly tells the truth. He also knows what happened and the reasons that led to it. Out of His grace, He tells His servants some aspects of the working of His law and how His will operates, so that they may take heed. They are, thus, placed in a position of knowing the interaction of inner factors and manifest reasons that have led to the events of history. They can then have a realistic expectation of what will happen in accordance with God’s law which God has revealed to them and which never changes.
Katika aya hizi tunapata muhtasari kamili wa mfano ambao umejirudia mara kadhaa: jamii ambazo zilipokea wajumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu lakini zikakataa ujumbe wao.
In these verses we have a full outline of an example that has repeated itself several times: communities that have received God’s messengers but rejected their messages.
Kisha Mungu aliwajaribu kwa taabu na mitihani iliyohusu maisha yao, mali zao na hali zao kwa jumla. Taabu na mitihani kama hiyo kwa wazi zilikuwa chini ya adhabu ya maangamizi kamili ambayo yanatajwa katika aya iliyotangulia.
God then tested them with hardship and tribulation that involved their lives, properties and general situations. Such hardship and tribulation obviously fell short of the punishment of total destruction to which reference is made in the preceding verse.
Qur’ani inataja mfano mahususi wa jamii hizi na mitihani iliyowapata, katika simulizi lake kuhusu Firauni na watu wake: “Hakika Tuliwaadhibu watu wa Firauni kwa ukame na upungufu wa mazao, ili wapate kukumbuka.
The Qur’ān mentions a specific example of these communities and the tribulations visited upon them in the account it gives of Pharaoh and his people: “Most certainly did We afflict Pharaoh’s people with drought and poor harvests, so that they might take heed.
Lakini kila jambo jema lilipowafikia, walisema, "Hii ni haki yetu"; na kila mateso yalipowapata, waliwalaumu Musa na wale waliomfuata kwa bahati yao mbaya. Hakika bahati yao mbaya ilikuwa imeamriwa na Mwenyezi Mungu, lakini wengi wao hawakujua hilo. Walisema [kwa Musa]: "Ishara yoyote utakayotuletea ili kutuloga, hatutakuamini wewe."
{Basi Sisi tukawapelekea gharika, nzige, chawa, vyura, na damu: ishara zilizo wazi zote; lakini waliendelea na kiburi chao, kwa sababu walikuwa watu waovu.} (7: 130-3)
But whenever something good came their way, they would say, `This is but our due’; and whenever affliction befell them, they would blame their evil fortune on Moses and those who followed him. Surely, their ill fortune had been decreed by God, though most of them did not know it. They said [to Moses]: ‘Whatever sign you may produce before us in order to cast a spell on us, we will not believe in you.’ So We plagued them with floods, locusts, lice, frogs, and blood: clear signs all; but they continued in their arrogance, for they were evil-doing folk.” (7: 130-3)
Huu ni mfano mmoja tu kati ya mingi ambayo aya hii ya Qur'ani inairejelea. Mwenyezi Mungu aliwapatia watu hawa dhiki na mitihani ili waamke na kuutambua ukweli. Alitaka wayachunguze hali zao. Dhiki hiyo ingeweza kuwasukuma kumwomba Mwenyezi Mungu kwa unyenyekevu wa hali ya juu, na ingeweza kuwasaidia kuondoa kiburi chao na kuomba kwa mioyo iliyo wazi na ya dhati. Lau wangefanya hivyo, Mwenyezi Mungu hakika angefungua kwao milango ya rehema yake. Lakini hawakumrudia Mwenyezi Mungu. Dhiki haikulainisha nyoyo zao, wala kufungua akili zao, wala kuwasaidia kujiondoa na ukaidi wao. Shetani aliendelea kuwapambia njia zao potofu kuwa ni nzuri na za kuvutia:
This is just one of numerous examples to which this Qur’ānic verse refers. God visited these people with hardship and tribulation so that they might awaken to the truth. He wanted them to examine their situation. The hardship might have prompted them to appeal to God in all humility, and might have helped them to get rid of their arrogance and to pray with open, sincere hearts. Had they done so, God would certainly have opened the gates of His mercy to them. But they did not turn back to God. The hardship did not soften their hearts, open their minds and help them rid themselves of their stubbornness. Satan continued to portray their erring ways to them as fair and appealing:
"Mioyo yao ilikuwa migumu, na Shetani aliwapambia matendo yao."
“Their hearts were hardened and Satan made their deeds seem goodly to them.” (Verse 43)
Wakati dhiki inaposhindwa kumfanya mwanadamu amgeukie Mungu ampe msaada, moyo wa mtu huyo bila shaka umeshakuwa mgumu. Hali yake ya asili ya kupokea mafundisho haifanyi kazi tena. Haisikii majuto ambayo kwa kawaida huyarudisha maisha mioyoni na kuyafanya yawe tayari kupokea kikamilifu. Mungu huwapitisha waja wake katika mtihani wa dhiki. Yule aliye hai ataamshwa nayo, na ndiye anayemrudia Bwana wake. Dhiki hiyo, basi, ni tendo la rehema ambalo Mungu amejiwekea mwenyewe kuwapa waja wake.
When hardship fails to make a human being turn to God for help, that person’s heart is certainly hardened. Its natural receptive quality is no longer functioning. It does not feel the compunction which normally brings life back to hearts and makes them fully receptive. God puts His servants through a test of hardship. He who is alive will be awakened by it and it is he who returns to his Lord. The hardship is, thus, an act of mercy which God has committed Himself to bestow on His servants.
Yeye aliyekufa hatapata faida yoyote kutokana na hilo. Kwa kweli, hilo linamwacha bila udhuru wowote kwa mwenendo wake. Linamfanya azidi kuwa katika hali ya taabu kwa kuwa ni utangulizi wa adhabu ya Mwenyezi Mungu.
He who is dead will benefit nothing by it. Indeed, it leaves him without any excuse for his attitude. He is made more miserable by it since it serves as an introduction to God’s punishment.
Jamii ambazo historia yake Mwenyezi Mungu anamsimulia Mtume Wake na wafuasi wake haikunufaika kwa chochote kutokana na mitihani waliyopitia. Hawakumwomba Mwenyezi Mungu. Hawakurekebisha njia zao potofu, bali waliendelea kuikataa haki, ambayo Shetani aliwaonyesha kuwa ni nzuri na sahihi. Kisha Mwenyezi Mungu aliwapa muda wa kupumzika na kuwapa riziki nyingi: “Basi walipokuwa wamesahau kabisa yale waliyokumbushwa, tuliwafungulia milango ya kila kitu chema, hadi pale walipokuwa wakifurahia yale waliyopewa, tukawashika ghafla; wakaingia katika kukata tamaa kabisa.” {Aya ya 44}
The communities whose history God relates to His Messenger and his followers have benefited nothing by the trials to which they were put. They made no appeal to God. They did not mend their erring ways but persisted with their rejection of the truth, which Satan portrayed to them as good and proper. God then allowed them a respite and gave them provisions in plenty: “Then, when they had clean forgotten what they had been reminded of We threw open to them the gates of all good things, until just when they were rejoicing in what they had been granted, We suddenly took them to task; and they were plunged into utter despair.” (Verse 44)
Watu wanaweza kujaribiwa kwa maisha ya wingi kama vile wanavyoweza kujaribiwa kwa dhiki.
People may be tested with a life of plenty just as they may be tested with hardship.
Hakika, Mungu anaweza kuwajaribu waja Wake watiifu na wale walio waasi, kwa wingi wa neema au kwa dhiki. Jaribu la wingi wa neema ni gumu zaidi na lina changamoto kubwa zaidi kuvumilia. Muumini anapojaribiwa kwa dhiki, huvumilia na kuonyesha subira yake, na anapojaribiwa kwa wingi wa neema, humshukuru Mola wake. Hivyo, kile kinachompata, matokeo yake ni mema kwa hakika. Mtume ﷺ amesema:
Indeed, God may test both His obedient servants and those who are disobedient, either with abundance or with hardship. The test of abundance is even harder and more difficult to endure. A believer who is tested with hardship perseveres and shows his steadfastness, and when he is tested with abundance, he is grateful to his Lord. Thus, whatever happens to him, the result is certainly good. The Prophet says:
"Ajabu ni hali ya Muumini. Lolote linalotokea humletea kheri. Hili halimhusu mtu yeyote isipokuwa Muumini, kwa sababu bahati nzuri inapomjia, anashukuru, na hilo ni kheri kwake. Msiba unapompata, huvumilia kwa subira, na hilo ni kheri kwake." (Imepokewa na Muslim.)
“Wonderful is the lot of a believer. Whatever may happen brings him good. This applies to no one other than a believer, because when good fortune comes his way, he is grateful and that is good for him. When misfortune befalls him, he endures patiently and that is good for him.” (Related by Muslim.)
Zile jumuiya zilizowakataa wajumbe wa Mungu na ambazo historia zake zimetajwa katika Qur’ān zilikuwa kwenye njia tofauti. Zilikumbushwa mtazamo sahihi lakini zikaupuuza. Wakati uharibifu wao ulipokuwa hauepukiki, Mungu aliwapatiliza kwa dhiki na mateso ili waamke na kurekebisha mienendo yao, lakini hawakufanya hivyo. Kisha akawajaribu kwa wingi wa neema. Qur’ān inatupa maelezo yenye picha wazi sana ya jinsi walivyojaribiwa: “Tukawafungulia milango ya kila kitu chema.” (Aya ya 44) Riziki zote, anasa na madaraka vimeonyeshwa hapa kama mafuriko yasiyozuiliwa. Vinawafikia bila wao kuhitaji kutia juhudi hata kidogo.
Those communities who rejected God’s messengers and whose histories are given in the Qur’ān were on a different course. They were reminded of the proper attitude but they ignored it. When their destruction was inevitable, God visited them with hardship and tribulation so that they would awaken and mend their ways, but they did not. He then put them to the test of abundance. The Qur’ān gives us a very vivid description of how they were put to that test: “We threw open to them the gates of all good things.” (Verse 44) All provisions, luxuries and power are shown here flowing like unhindered floods. They come to them without any need for them to put in even the smallest of effort.
Tuna hapa picha nzuri ya jamii iliyojaa uhai, kwa mtindo usioweza kuigwa wa Qur'ani. "Tuliwafungulia milango ya kila kitu chema, hata walipokuwa wakifurahia yale waliyopewa, tuliwashika ghafla, na hapo wakawa wamekata tamaa kabisa." (Aya 44)
Walifurahia wingi wa riziki na anasa zisizo na mwisho, lakini hawakumshukuru Mungu kwa neema aliyowapa. Walichojali ni kujiingiza katika starehe za dunia hii, bila kuacha nafasi katika maisha yao kwa mambo ya juu zaidi. Uharibifu huu wa mioyo yao na maadili yao ulifuatiwa na uharibifu wa mifumo yao, na hilo likapelekea kwa kawaida uharibifu kuwa alama ya maisha yao. Hayo yalitosha kuchochea sheria ya Mungu isiyoshindwa kamwe: "Tuliwashika ghafla; na hapo wakawa wamekata tamaa kabisa." (Aya 44)
We have here a wonderful scene depicting a state full of life in the inimitable style of the Qur’ān. “We threw open to them the gates of all good things, until just when they were rejoicing in what they had been granted.” (Verse 44) They enjoyed abundance of provisions and endless luxuries, but showed no gratitude to God for the grace He had bestowed on them. All they cared for was to indulge in the pleasures of this world, leaving no room in their lives for higher concerns. This corruption of their hearts and morals was followed by a corruption of their systems, and this naturally led to corruption being the mark of their lives. That was enough to trigger God’s law which never fails: “We suddenly took them to task; and they were plunged into utter despair.” (Verse 44)
Adhabu ya Mwenyezi Mungu iliwafikia walipokuwa wamelewa kabisa kwa starehe za maisha haya. Waliachwa wamechanganyikiwa, wamekata tamaa, wasijue wapi pa kuelekea. Waliangamizwa: "Basi mabaki ya watu waliodhulumu yakakatiliwa mbali." (Aya ya 45)
God’s punishment befell them when they were fully drunk with the pleasures of this life. They were left confused, hopeless, unable to think where to turn. They were destroyed: “Thus the last remnant of the wrongdoing people was wiped out.” (Verse 45)
Maandishi ya Kiarabu yanarejelea mtu wa mwisho kabisa wa kila jamii hizi. Ikiwa huyu aliangamizwa, basi kila mtu mwingine alikabiliwa na hatima hiyo hiyo. Msemo "watu madhalimu" hapa unamaanisha wale waliomshirikisha Mungu. Hili ni neno linalotumika mara kwa mara katika Qur'ani likirejelea ibada ya sanamu kuwa ni dhulma, na waabudu sanamu kuwa ni madhalimu.
The Arabic text refers to the very last one of each of these communities. If this one was wiped out then everyone else faced the same destiny. The phrase, `the wrongdoing people’, means here those who associated partners with God. This is a frequently used expression in the Qur’ān referring to idolatry as wrongdoing and idolaters as wrongdoers.
"Sifa zote ni za Mwenyezi Mungu, Mola wa viumbe vyote." (Aya ya 45) Hili linakuja kama maelezo kuhusu maangamizi ya watu waliodhulumu, au tuseme wale waliomshirikisha Mungu na washirika, baada ya kujaribiwa kwa majaribio mbalimbali. Je, tunaweza kufikiria neema yoyote kubwa zaidi kuliko kuwaondoa wadhalimu katika uso wa dunia, au kuwazia fadhila iliyoonyeshwa kwa waja wa Mungu bora kuliko usafishaji wa namna hii? Basi, sifa zinapaswa kutolewa kwa Mungu kwa baraka hii.
“All praise is due to God, the Lord of all the worlds.” (Verse 45) This comes by way of commenting on the destruction of the people who did wrong, or rather those who associated partners with God, after they were put to different tests. Can we think of any blessing greater than the eradication of the wrongdoers from the face of the earth or imagine an act of grace shown to God’s servants better than such a purge? Praise, then, must be offered to God for this blessing.
Mungu aliruhusu sheria hii ifanye kazi kwa watu wa Nuhu, Hūd, Şālih, Lūţ, pamoja na wafuasi wa Firauni, Wagiriki, Warumi na wengine wengi. Nyuma ya kupanda kwa kila mojawapo ya ustaarabu huu, na kuporomoka kwake na kuangamia kwake, kuna hatima hii ya siri na utendaji wa sheria ya Mungu. Hii ndiyo tafsiri sahihi na ya kweli ya matukio ya historia tunayoyajua.
God allowed this law to operate for the people of Noah, Hūd, Şālih, Lot, as well as the followers of Pharaoh, the Greeks, the Romans and many others. Beyond the rise of each of these civilizations and their decline and destruction lies this secret destiny and the operation of God’s law. This is the proper and true interpretation of the events of history known to us.
Jamii hizi zilifikia viwango vya ustaarabu, nguvu na utajiri ambavyo vilikuwa sawa, na katika baadhi ya mambo hata vilizidi, vile vinavyofurahiwa leo na jamii zenye nguvu za dunia, ambazo zimelewa nguvu zao. Nguvu zao huwadanganya wale wasiojua sheria ya Mungu inayoendesha majaribu ya dhiki na wingi. Jamii hizi haziwezi hata kuwazia kwamba Mungu anawajaribu tu. Wakiziangalia, jamii nyingine zinaweza kustaajabishwa na nguvu kubwa na utajiri wanaoufurahia. Wanadhani Mungu amezipa jamii hizi kila kitu, ilhali zinakataa kumwabudu Yeye, zinaasi mamlaka yake, zinajinasibisha sifa zake, zinaeneza ufisadi duniani na kuwadhulumu watu baada ya kuchukua mamlaka ya Mungu kwa nguvu.
These communities attained standards of civilization, power and affluence which were equal, if not in certain respects superior, to what is enjoyed today by the mighty communities of the world, intoxicated as they are with their power. Their might deceives those who do not know God’s law that operates tests of hardship and abundance. These communities cannot even imagine that God is simply putting them to a test. As they look at them, other communities may be dazzled with the great power and affluence they enjoy. They think that God has given these communities everything when they refuse to worship Him, rebel against His authority, claim His attributes for themselves, spread corruption on earth and deal unjustly with people after they have usurped God’s authority.
Nilipokuwa Marekani, niliweza kuona kwa macho yangu mwenyewe udhihirisho wa vitendo wa kauli hii ya Qur'ani: {Basi walipoisahau waliyokumbushwa, tulifungulia milango ya kila kitu}. (Aya ya 44) Hali ya riziki kumiminika bila kizuizi, inayoelezwa katika aya hii, haiwezi kuonekana mahali popote duniani kwa uwazi kama inavyoonekana huko. Pia nilishuhudia kiburi cha watu hawa, ambacho utajiri wao uliwapa. Walijifanya kana kwamba wingi huo daima ulikuwa wa mzungu peke yake. Niliwaona wakiwatendea watu wa rangi, hasa wale waliokuwa Waislamu, kwa kiburi cha chuki na ukatili mkubwa. Majivuno yao yalizidi kwa mbali yale ya Wanazi ambao Wayahudi wamewafanya kuwa ishara ya kiburi.
When I was in the United States,11 I could see with my own eyes, the practical manifestation of this Qur’ānic statement: “Then, when they had clean forgotten what they had been reminded of We threw open to them the gates of all good things.” (Verse 44) The scene portrayed in this verse of provisions flowing unchecked cannot be seen anywhere on earth as clearly as it can be seen there. I also witnessed the arrogance of these people, imparted to them by their wealth. They behaved as if that abundance was always exclusive to the white man. I saw them treating coloured people, especially those who were Muslim, with hateful arrogance and much brutality. Their conceit surpassed by far that of the Nazis of whom the Jews have made a symbol of arrogance.
Nilipokuwa nikishuhudia haya yote, nilikuwa nikikumbuka aya hii ya Qur’ani, nikitarajia sheria ya Mungu kuanza kutekelezwa. Hakika, nilikuwa nikiona ikija kuwashika watu wasiotarajia.
As I witnessed all this, I used to remember this Qur’ānic verse, expecting God’s law to come into operation. Indeed, I could see it coming to catch people unaware:
"Hata walipokuwa wakifurahia yale waliyopewa, Tuliwashika ghafla; nao wakakata tamaa kabisa. Hivyo ndivyo mabaki ya watu waliodhulumu yalivyofutiliwa mbali. Sifa njema zote ni za Mwenyezi Mungu, Mola wa viumbe vyote."
“Until just when they were rejoicing in what they had been granted, We suddenly took them to task; and they were plunged into utter despair. Thus the last remnant of the wrongdoing people was wiped out. All praise is due to God, the Lord of all-worlds.” (Verses 44-5)
Baada ya utume wa Nabii Muhammad ﷺ, Mungu aliondoa adhabu ya maangamizi kamili. Hata hivyo, aina nyingine za adhabu bado zinaendelea. Wanadamu wa leo, hasa mataifa yanayofurahia wingi wa mali, wanapata aina mbalimbali za adhabu, licha ya utajiri wao.
After the Prophet Muĥammad’s mission, God suspended the punishment of total destruction. However, other types of punishment remain in force. Mankind today, particularly those nations enjoying abundance, experience different types of punishment, in spite of their affluence.
Matatizo ya kisaikolojia, ombwe la kiroho, upotovu wa kingono na uasherati ambao jamii hizi zinakabiliwa nao leo karibu yanafuta athari za tija kubwa na utajiri walio nao. Mambo haya yanaziingizia jamii hizi hali ya wasiwasi, msongo wa mawazo na huzuni kubwa. Zaidi ya hayo, mara kwa mara tunasikia kuhusu kashfa za kisiasa ambapo siri za serikali zinauzwa kwa ajili ya kufurahia starehe au kujiingiza katika upotovu. Haya ni mambo tu yanayotangulia adhabu isiyoepukika.
The psychological problems, spiritual vacuum, sexual perversion and immorality suffered by these communities today almost negate the effects of the great productivity and affluence they enjoy. They impart to the lives of these communities an air of worry, stress and total misery. In addition, we hear every now and then about political scandals when state secrets are sold in return for enjoying pleasures or indulging in perversion. These are simply the forerunners that herald unfailing punishment.
Huu ni mwanzo tu. Nabii kwa hakika husema ukweli anapotamka: "Unapoona kwamba Mungu amempa mtu wingi wa anachokipenda katika dunia hii, licha ya matendo yake ya dhambi, jua kwamba hiyo ni mtihani tu na jaribio." Kisha akanukuu aya ya Qur'ani: {Basi walipozisahau yale waliyokumbushwa, tukawafungulia milango ya kila kitu kizuri, hadi pale walipokuwa wakifurahia yale waliyopewa, tuliwashika ghafla, na wakawa wamekata tamaa kabisa.} (Imepokewa na Ibn Jarīr na Ibn Abī Ĥātim.)
This is only the beginning. The Prophet certainly tells the truth as he says: “When you see that God has given a person plenty of what he likes in this world, despite his sinful practices, know that it is only a temptation and a test.” He then quoted the Qur’ānic verse: “Then, when they had clean forgotten what they had been reminded of We threw open to them the gates of all good things, until just when they were rejoicing in what they had been granted, We suddenly took them to task; and they were plunged into utter despair.” (Related by Ibn Jarīr and Ibn Abī Ĥātim.)
Ni muhimu kuonyesha kwamba sheria ya Mungu ya kuangamiza batili na uovu inahitaji kwamba haki iimarishwe duniani katika umbo la jamii. Jambo hili likitokea, Mungu huifanya haki kuzidi batili na hivyo batili huangamizwa kabisa. Wafuasi wa haki hawapaswi kamwe kukaa bila kufanya kitu, wakingojea sheria ya Mungu ifanye kazi bila wao kuweka juhudi yoyote. Wakifanya hivyo, wanajiondolea sifa ya kuwa wafuasi wa haki. Haki inaweza kuwakilishwa tu na jamii inayotumia juhudi zake zote kutekeleza sheria ya Mungu na kuwashinda wale wanaojidai wenyewe sifa na mamlaka za Mungu. Hili ndilo jambo la msingi kabisa la haki.
It is necessary to point out that God’s law of destroying falsehood and evil requires that the truth be established on earth in the shape of a community. When this happens, God causes the truth to overwhelm falsehood and it is, thus, totally destroyed. The advocates of the truth must never sit idle, waiting for God’s law to operate, without putting in any effort. If they do this, then they disqualify themselves as advocates of the truth. The truth can only be represented by a community that exerts all its efforts to implement God’s law and overpower those who claim for themselves God’s attributes and authority. This is the most basic element of the truth.
"Lau si kwamba Mungu huwazuia watu wa kundi moja kwa kundi jingine, basi dunia ingeharibika kabisa." (2: 251)
“Had it not been for the fact that God repels one group of people by another, the earth would have been utterly corrupted.” (2: 251)