Sehemu hii, yenye aya tatu tu, inahusu suala la uhai na kifo, ikionyesha kipengele muhimu cha imani ya Kiislamu, kukamilisha kanuni zilizowekwa katika sehemu iliyotangulia, pamoja na uhusiano wa moja kwa moja wazi na Aya ya 255, inayojulikana kama ‘Aya ya Kiti cha Enzi’, au āyat al-kursī, ambayo inaeleza sifa kadhaa za msingi za Mungu.

This passage, composed of only three verses deals with the subject of life and death, presenting an important aspect of Islamic belief, to complement the principles established in the preceding passage, with an obvious direct relationship to Verse 255, known as the ‘Verse of the Throne’, or āyat al-kursī, which outlines a number of fundamental attributes of God.

Aya hizi tatu ni sehemu ya juhudi thabiti na zisizokoma ambazo Qur'ani inazifanya kuweka katika akili, mioyo na fahamu za Waislamu uelewa wa kweli na sahihi wa mtazamo wa Kiislamu kuhusu maisha na ulimwengu. Uelewa huu ni muhimu ili kukabiliana na maisha kwa ujuzi kamili na mtazamo wenye mwanga, uliojengwa juu ya kujiamini na imani isiyoyumba.

These three verses form part of the consistent and relentless drive that the Qur’ān pursues to establish in Muslim minds, hearts and consciousness a true and accurate understanding of the Islamic view of life and the world. This understanding is essential in order to approach life with full knowledge and an enlightened perception, built on confidence and an unshakeable faith.

Vitendo, mienendo na maadili ya kimaadili havitengani na imani za watu, bali kwa hakika vimejengwa kwa uthabiti juu yake. Maisha hayawezi kupangwa vizuri na kwa usalama isipokuwa yamefungamanishwa na imani na mtazamo kamili na wenye mshikamano wa ulimwengu, pamoja na uhusiano ulio nao na Muumba wake aliyeuleta katika kuwepo.

Actions, modes of behaviour and moral values are not divorced from people’s beliefs, but are in fact firmly based upon them. Life cannot be well and securely organized unless it is linked to faith and a comprehensive and cohesive view of the world and the relationship it has with its originator who brought it into existence.

Hii inaeleza sababu ya msisitizo mkubwa wa Qur’ani juu ya misingi ya msingi ya imani ya Kiislamu. Kwa hakika, sehemu yote ya Qur’ani iliyoteremshwa kwa Muhammad ﷺ katika kipindi cha miaka kumi na mitatu huko Makka imejikita katika mada hii. Dhana hizi zinaendelea kupata umakini mkubwa na wa mara kwa mara katika sehemu za Qur’ani zilizoteremshwa Madina, katika kila sheria mpya zinazobainishwa na katika kila maelekezo yanayohusu kipengele chochote cha mambo ya maisha.

This explains the great emphasis in the Qur’ān on the fundamental concepts of Islamic belief. Indeed, the entire part of the Qur’ān revealed to the Prophet Muĥammad over thirteen years in Makkah is devoted to this subject. These concepts continue to receive ample and frequent attention in the parts of the Qur’ān revealed in Madinah, with every new legislation these parts outline and with every directive dealing with any aspect of life affairs.

Aya ya kwanza katika kifungu hiki inasimulia mabishano kati ya Nabii Ibrahim na mfalme wa zama zake aliyepinga imani yake kwa Mwenyezi Mungu. Sura haitaji jina la mfalme huyo, kwa kuwa kulitaja hakungeongeza chochote kwenye funzo la hadithi. Mabishano haya yanahusishwa na Nabii na jumuiya ya Waislamu kwa namna inayozua mshangao kwa mtu huyu anayepinga ukweli wa Mwenyezi Mungu. Tunayasikia kana kwamba mabishano yanafanyika sasa hivi mbele ya macho yetu: "Je, huoni yule aliyebishana na Ibrahim kuhusu Mola wake, kwa sababu tu Mwenyezi Mungu alikuwa amempa ufalme? Ibrahim alisema, 'Mola wangu ndiye anayetoa uhai na kufisha.' Akasema, 'Mimi pia natoa uhai na kufisha.' Ibrahim akasema, 'Basi, Mwenyezi Mungu huchomoza jua upande wa mashariki; basi wewe lichomozeshe upande wa magharibi.' Hapo yule kafiri akahamanika. Mwenyezi Mungu hawaongoi watu madhalimu." (Aya 258)

The first verse in this passage relates an argument between the Prophet Abraham and a contemporary king who disputed his belief in God. The sūrah does not mention the king’s name, because mentioning it will not add to the moral of the story. This argument is related to the Prophet and the Muslim community in a way that invites amazement at this person who disputes the truth of God. We listen as though the argument is taking place now, before our eyes: “Are you not aware of him who argued with Abraham about his Lord simply because God had given him kingship? Abraham said, My Lord gives life and causes death.’ I, too,’ said he, give life and cause death.’ Abraham said, ‘Well, God causes the sun to rise in the east; cause it, then, to rise in the west.’ Thus the unbeliever was dumbfounded. God does not guide the wrongdoers.” (Verse 258)

Tunajifunza kutoka kwenye maandishi kwamba mfalme aliyebishana na Ibrahim hakukana kuwepo kwa Mungu, bali alikana kwamba Yeye ndiye Mungu pekee au kwamba ana mamlaka na udhibiti kamili juu ya mambo ya wanadamu. Imani hii ilienea miongoni mwa Waarabu wakati wa Zama zao za Ujinga, au Jāhiliyyah. Walimpa Mungu miungu midogo kama washirika, na walikana kwamba Mungu ana uhusiano wowote na mamlaka juu ya mambo ya kidunia na ya kila siku ya wanadamu.

We learn from the text that the king who argued with Abraham did not, in fact, deny God’s existence, but he denied that He was the only God or that He had sole sovereignty and control over mankind’s affairs. This belief was prevalent among the Arabs during their Dark Ages, or Jāhiliyyah. They assigned lesser gods as partners to God and denied that God had any concern with, or authority over, worldly and daily human affairs.

Mfalme mwenye kiburi na ukaidi anamkataa Mungu kwa sababu ile ile ambayo angepaswa kumkiri Yeye, kwani ni Mungu aliyemwezesha kuwa mfalme na mtawala kwanza kabisa. Madaraka mikononi mwa wale wasioamini wala kuthamini neema na ukarimu wa Mungu huharibu na kuongoza kwenye udhalimu na ubabe.

Kuendelea na mada ya asili ya ajabu ya uhai na mauti, sura hiyo inasimulia kisa kingine kifupi: "Au, [je, hujui] kuhusu yule aliyepita karibu na mji ambao ulikuwa umeangamia kabisa, akasema: 'Mungu atauhuisha vipi mji huu sasa baada ya kufa kwake?' Basi Mungu akamfanya kufa kwa miaka mia moja, kisha akamfufua, akasema: 'Umekaa hivi kwa muda gani?' Akasema: 'Nimekaa hivi siku moja au sehemu ya siku.' Mungu akasema: 'Hapana. Umekaa hivi kwa miaka mia moja. Tazama chakula chako na kinywaji chako: hakuna chochote kati yake kilichooza. Na tazama punda wako. Tutakufanya ishara kwa wanadamu. Tazama mifupa, jinsi Tunavyoikusanya kisha kuivalisha nyama.' Ilipomdhihirikia yote, akasema: 'Najua sasa kwamba Mungu ana uwezo juu ya kila kitu.'" (Aya ya 259)

Still on the subject of the miraculous nature of life and death, the sūrah relates another brief tale: “Or, [are you not aware) of him who, passing by a township which had fallen into utter ruin, exclaimed: “How can God bring this town back to life now that it is dead?’ Thereupon God caused him to be dead for a hundred years, then brought him back to life, and said, ‘How long have you remained thus?’ He said, ‘I have remained thus a day or part of a day.’ God said, No. You have remained thus for a hundred years. Just look at your food and drink: none of it has rotted. And look at your ass. We will make you a sign for mankind. Look you at the bones, how We put them up and then clothe them with flesh.’ When it had all become clear to him, he said, I know now that God has power over all things.’“ (Verse 259)

Qur'ani haitoi maelezo ya utambulisho wa mtu huyo wala ya mji ulioharibiwa, kwa sababu maelezo kama hayo yanaongeza kidogo sana katika maana na athari ya kisa hicho.

Again, the Qur’ān does not give details of the identity of the man or the ruined township because such details add little to the significance and impact of the story.

Kama vitu hivi vingekuwa vya lazima, visingeachwa katika Qur’ani. Licha ya kukosekana kwa maelezo ya kina, hata hivyo, tukio linajitokeza waziwazi na kuchochea fikra kwa uwazi na nguvu kubwa. Ni tukio la kifo, ukiwa na uharibifu; mji uliopigwa magofu, kuta na nguzo zikiwa zimeanguka hadi kwenye misingi yake, athari ambayo inaonyeshwa kwa ufasaha katika mshangao wa mtu huyo anaposema: “Mungu atawezaje kuufufua mji huu sasa baada ya kufa kwake?” (Aya ya 259)

Were these necessary, they would not have been omitted in the Qur’ān. Despite the absence of detail, however, the scene comes to life and stirs the imagination with great clarity and power. It is a scene of death, desolation and destruction; a town in ruins, with walls and columns caved in on their foundations, the effect of which is eloquently expressed in the man’s incredulity as he exclaims: “How can God bring this town back to life now that it is dead?” (Verse 259)

Kisha linafuata kisa kingine, kinachomhusu Nabii Ibrahimu na jambo la uhai na kifo. {Ibrahimu alipomwambia: "Mola wangu, nionyeshe jinsi unavyowafufua wafu." Akasema: "Je, huamini?" Akasema: "Naam, ninaamini, lakini nataka tu moyo wangu utulie kabisa na upate kutulia kikamilifu." Akasema: "Chukua ndege wanne, wakaribishe kwako, kisha (baada ya kuwakata vipande vipande) weka sehemu ya kila mmoja juu ya kila mlima.}

Then follows another episode, involving the Prophet Abraham and the phenomena of life and death. “When Abraham said, My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead,’ He replied, ‘Have you, then, no faith?’ ‘Indeed, I have’, said Abraham, ‘but I only wish to set my heart fully at rest to be fully reassured.’ God said, ‘Take four birds and draw them close to you, then [having cut them into pieces] place a part of them on each mountain.

Kisha waite warudi, nao watakuja kwako kwa haraka. Jueni kwamba Mwenyezi Mungu ni Mwenye nguvu, Mwenye hekima.

Then call them back and they will come to you in haste. Know that God is Almighty, Wise.’’’ (Verse 260)

Ni hadithi ya kawaida ya udadisi kuhusu siri kubwa ya uhai na uumbaji. Udadisi huu unapoonyeshwa na mtu mcha Mungu na mwenye ibada kama Nabii Ibrahim, unathibitisha kwamba zipo nyakati ambapo hata watumishi walioneemeshwa zaidi na wenye imani kubwa kabisa wa Mungu hupata hamu na tamaa kali ya kugundua siri za uumbaji.

It is the usual tale of curiosity about the great mystery of life and creation. When this curiosity is expressed by a devoted and pious person like the Prophet Abraham, it proves that there are times when even the most favoured and believing of God’s servants experience a passionate urge and ambition to discover the secrets of creation.

Hapa udadisi haumsukumwi na ukosefu wa imani wala na hitaji la ushahidi wa kuthibitisha imani ya mtu, bali una ladha tofauti, unaochochewa na hamu ya kiroho ya kuona na kushiriki moja ya siri zinazovutia zaidi za Mungu. Fadhila hii, hata kwa mtu kama Ibrahimu, ina heshima ya pekee na ladha yake yenyewe, tofauti hata na ile ya imani yenyewe. Ni hamu ya asili na ya moja kwa moja ya kutaka kujua na kujifunza jinsi mapenzi ya kimungu yanavyofanya kazi, si ili kuamini au kupata ushahidi, bali ili kupata utulivu kamili na kujihakikishia.

Here curiosity is not motivated by lack of conviction or the demand for proof to confirm one’s faith, but has a different flavour, excited by a spiritual yearning to see and share one of God’s most fascinating secrets. This privilege, even for someone like Abraham, has a unique honour and a flavour of its own, different even to that of faith itself. It is a natural and spontaneous desire to know and learn how the divine will operates, not in order to believe or obtain proof, but to experience total peace and gain reassurance.