Kulingana na nakala zetu za Qur’ān na kwa mujibu wa riwaya nyingi zaidi, sūrah hii ni ufunuo wa Madina. Hata hivyo, zipo riwaya fulani zinazoiainisha kuwa ya Makka. Ingawa kuainishwa kwake kama ufunuo wa Madina kuna uzito zaidi kutokana na riwaya hizi, pamoja na mtindo wake wa kujieleza na usemi wake, bado uwezekano wa kuwa ya Makka hauwezi kukataliwa kabisa. Ukweli kwamba inataja zakāt, yaani sadaka ya lazima, pamoja na watu wa wahyi zilizotangulia, si hoja thabiti dhidi ya uwezekano wa kuwa ya Makka. Baadhi ya sūrah ambazo hazina shaka yoyote kuwa za Makka pia zinataja watu wa wahyi zilizotangulia. Zaidi ya hayo, kulikuwa na Waarabu wachache wa Makka waliofuata dini za kimungu zilizotangulia. Baadhi yao waliukubali Uislamu, na wengine hawakuukubali. Aidha, Wakristo kutoka Najran walimjia Mtume ﷺ alipokuwa bado Makka, nao wakakubali imani ya Kiislamu, kama inavyojulikana sana.

As stated in our copies of the Qur’ān and according to the greater number of reports, this sūrah is a Madinan revelation. There are, however, some reports which classify it as Makkan. Although its classification as a Madinan revelation carries more weight in view of these reports and its mode of expression and style, yet the possibility of its being Makkan cannot be ruled out. The fact that it mentions zakāt, i.e. the obligatory charity, and the people of earlier revelations is not a clear-cut argument against the Makkan possibility. Some sūrahs which are indisputably Makkan mention the people of earlier revelations. Furthermore, there were some Makkans, a few, who followed earlier divine religions. Some of these adopted Islam but others did not. Moreover the Christians from Najran came to the Prophet when he was still in Makkah, and they accepted the Islamic faith, as it is well-known.

Zaidi ya hayo, zakāt imetajwa katika baadhi ya sūrah ambazo bila shaka ziliteremshwa Makkah.

Moreover, zakāt is mentioned in some sūrahs that were indisputably revealed in Makkah.

Sūrah hii inashughulikia kwa namna chanya mambo kadhaa yanayohusiana na historia na imani. Jambo la kwanza ni kwamba kutumwa kwa Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu, Muhammad ﷺ, kulikuwa muhimu katika kuwabadilisha watu wa wahyi wa awali na washirikina, ambao walikuwa wameingia katika ukafiri. Hawangeweza kuacha njia zao potofu bila utume wa Mtume ﷺ: "Haiwezekani kwamba wale waliokufuru miongoni mwa watu wa wahyi wa awali na washirikina wangeweza kubadili mwenendo wao mpaka wawajie ushahidi wa wazi wa ukweli: Mjumbe kutoka kwa Mungu anayesoma wahyi uliotakaswa, ndani yake mna hukumu sahihi zenye thamani kubwa." (Aya 1-3)

This sūrah deals in a positive manner with a number of facts relating to history and faith. The first fact is that the sending of God’s Messenger, Muĥammad (peace be upon him), was essential to the transformation of people of earlier revelations and idolaters, who had found their way into disbelief. They could not leave their erring ways behind without the Prophet’s mission: “It is inconceivable that the unbelievers among the people of the earlier revelations and the idolaters could have ever changed their ways until there had come to them the clear evidence of the truth: a Messenger from God reciting revelations blest with purity, wherein are sound decrees of high value.” (Verses 1-3)

Haiwezekani kabisa kwamba makafiri miongoni mwa watu wa Vitabu vilivyotangulia na washirikina wangeacha njia zao mpaka wawajie ushahidiulio wazi: Mtume kutoka kwa Mwenyezi Mungu anayesoma kurasa zilizo safi zilizotakaswa, ndani yake zikiwemo hukumu sahihi zenye thamani kubwa. (Aya 1-3)

It is inconceivable that the unbelievers among the people of the earlier revelations and the idolaters could have ever changed their ways until there had come to them the clear evidence of the truth: a Messenger from God reciting revelations blest with purity, wherein are sound decrees of high value. (Verses 1-3)

Dunia ilikuwa ikihitaji sana ujumbe mpya. Ufisadi ulikuwa umeenea kiasi kwamba mageuzi hayangeweza kutokea isipokuwa kwa njia ya ujumbe mpya, mbinu mpya ya uongozi na harakati mpya. Kukataa kuamini kulikuwa kumekuwa sifa ya wafuasi wa dini na mafundisho yote, iwe ya kipagani au ufunuo wa kimungu wa zamani [yaani Mayahudi na Wakristo]. Wangeweza kuacha kukataa kuamini tu kwa njia ya ujumbe huu mpya na mikononi mwa mjumbe ambaye mwenyewe angekuwa ushahidi, wa wazi, usio na shaka na mahsusi. "Mjumbe kutoka kwa Mwenyezi Mungu anayesoma kurasa zilizo takatifu zilizo safi;" yaani, zilizotakaswa na ushirikina wote na kukataa kuamini, "ndani yake mna hukumu sahihi zenye thamani kubwa." Neno la Kiarabu kutub, ambalo katika matumizi ya kisasa linamaanisha 'vitabu', limetafsiriwa katika tafsiri yetu kama 'hukumu sahihi'. Zamani, lilitumiwa kwa kawaida kurejelea somo lililojadiliwa na maagizo au wajibu wake.

The world was desperately in need of a new message. Corruption was so widespread that reform could not come about except by means of a new message, a new method of orientation and a new movement. Disbelief had become the characteristic of the followers of all creeds and doctrines, whether pagan or earlier divine revelations [i.e. the Jews and the Christians]. They could only turn away from disbelief by means of this new message and at the hands of a messenger who would himself be the proof, clear, unmistakable and specific. “A Messenger from God reciting revelations blest with purity;” that is, purified of all idolatry and disbelief, “wherein are sound decrees of high value.” The Arabic term kutub, which in modern usage means ‘books’, is given in our translation as ‘sound decrees’. In the past, it was normally used in reference to the subject under discussion and its instructions or obligations.

Hakika ufunuo huu safi ni Qur'ani, ambayo ina maagizo ya thamani na muhimu.

These pure revelations are indeed the Qur’ān which contains valuable and important directives.

Kwa hiyo, ujumbe uliotolewa na Mtume ulikuja wakati unaofaa zaidi. Ufunuo mpya, pamoja na yote yaliyomo ya mada na amri, uliteremshwa ili kuleta mageuzi makubwa katika ulimwengu huu. Kuhusu jinsi ulimwengu ulivyohitaji sana ujumbe huu, turidhike na maneno yenye kutia moyo kutoka kwa Sayyid Abū’l Ĥasan `Alī Nadwī:

Baada ya kuweka wazi jambo hili mwanzoni, sūrah inaendelea kueleza kwamba watu waliopewa wahyi zilizopita hasa hawakupata mgawanyiko na migongano ya kidini kwa sababu ya ujinga wao, wala kwa sababu ya mkanganyiko au ugumu katika dini yao. Badala yake, mgawanyiko wao ulitokea baada ya elimu ya kweli na dalili zilizo wazi kufikishwa kwao kupitia wajumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu: "Wala watu waliopewa Kitabu hawakugawanyika ila baada ya kuwafikia dalili zilizo wazi." (Aya ya 4)

Having made this fact clear at the outset, the sūrah goes on to state that the people of earlier revelations in particular did not experience religious conflict and division as a result of ignorance, on their part, or confusion or complication on the part of their religion. Instead, their divisions occurred after true knowledge and clear signs were delivered to them through God’s messengers: “Nor did the people given revelations in the past break up their unity until after such clear evidence of the truth had been given to them.” (Verse 4)

Mgawanyiko wa kwanza ulitokea miongoni mwa Mayahudi, ambao waligawanyika katika madhehebu na makundi kabla ya kuja kwa Nabii Isa. Ingawa nabii wao alikuwa Musa na Taurati ilikuwa kitabu chao, waligawanyika katika madhehebu makuu matano, yaani, Masadukayo, Mafarisayo, Waasia, Wakali, na Wasamaria. Kila moja lilikuwa na sifa zake na njia zake. Baadaye kulitokea mgawanyiko kati ya Mayahudi na Wakristo, licha ya ukweli kwamba Isa alikuwa nabii wa mwisho aliyetumwa kwa Wana wa Israeli. Alikuja kuthibitisha Taurati na kuihakiki. Hata hivyo, mzozo kati ya Mayahudi na Wakristo ulifikia kiwango cha juu cha uadui wa kikatili na chuki. Historia inatuambia kuhusu mauaji ya kutisha yaliyotokea kati ya pande hizo mbili.

The first division occurred among the Jews who split into sects and groups before the advent of the Prophet Jesus. Although their prophet was Moses and the Torah was their book, they divided into five main sects, namely, the Sadducees, the Pharisees, the Asians, the Extremists and the Samaritans. Each had their own characteristics and their own ways. Later on a division between the Jews and Christians took place in spite of the fact that Jesus was the last prophet sent to the Children of Israel. He came to endorse the Torah and confirm it. Nevertheless, the quarrel between the Jews and Christians reached a high level of violent enmity and hatred. History tells us about the horrifying massacres that took place between the two parties.

Chuki na wivu wa pande zote kati ya Wakristo na Wayahudi, ambao haukuwaruhusu kukosa nafasi yoyote ya kulipiza kisasi cha zamani, ulifikia kilele chake karibu na mwisho wa karne ya sita. Mnamo mwaka 610 B.K., Wayahudi wa Antiokia waliasi dhidi ya Wakristo, na Mfalme Foka alimtuma jenerali wake maarufu, Bonosus, kuzima uasi huo. Ni yeye aliyeanza kazi yake kwa shauku kubwa hadi idadi yote ya Wayahudi ikaangamizwa. Maelfu ya Wayahudi waliuawa kwa upanga, huku mamia wengine wakizama majini, kuchomwa moto wakiwa hai, au kutupwa kwa wanyama wakali.

Lakini dini iko wazi katika asili yake, na imani ni rahisi katika kiini chake: "Lakini waliamriwa jambo moja tu: kumwabudu Mungu, Yeye peke yake, kwa kujitolea kwa dhati na usafi wa imani, kusimamisha sala zao na kutoa zaka zao. Huo ndio dini iliyo sawa, safi na thabiti." (Aya ya 5)

Yet religion is clear in its original form and the faith is simple in its essence: “Yet they were ordered to do nothing more than to serve God, to worship Him alone with sincere dedication and purity of faith, to attend to their prayers and to pay their zakāt. That is surely the right religion, pure and straight.” (Verse 5)

Huu ndio msingi wa dini ya Mwenyezi Mungu katika historia yote na katika namna zake zote. Ni kumwabudu Mungu peke yake. Ni kujisalimisha kwake kwa dhati na kwa usafi, na kujitenga na ushirikina katika maumbo na namna zake zote, kusimamisha ibada kwa utaratibu, na kutoa zaka ya lazima kwa utaratibu: "Hiyo ndiyo dini iliyo sawa, safi na iliyonyooka." (Aya ya 5) Ni imani safi na ya dhati iliyoimarika moyoni, ibada ya Mungu peke yake ambayo ni udhihirisho wa imani hiyo, na kutoa mali katika njia ya Mungu kama alivyoamuru. Yeyote anayetekeleza maagizo haya amekidhi mahitaji ya imani, kama watu wa wahyi wa awali waliamrishwa kufanya, na kama mahitaji haya yanavyoelezwa katika aina zote za imani ya kimungu. Ni dini moja, imani ile ile katika jumbe zote zilizofuatana, kama alivyohubiri Mitume wa Mungu. Ni dini isiyo na utata wala ugumu wowote; imani isiyotoa sababu ya mgawanyiko wala mabishano. Ni wazi sana na rahisi sana.

This is the basis of divine religion throughout history and in all its forms. It is simply the worship of God alone. A sincere and pure submission to Him, a detachment from polytheism in all its shapes and forms, the establishment of regular worship and the payment of the regular obligatory charity, or zakāt: “That is surely the right religion, pure and straight.” (Verse 5) It is a pure and sincere faith that is firmly established in the heart, the worship of God alone which is a translation of this faith, and spending money for God’s cause as He has stated. He who fulfils these injunctions has met the requirements of faith, as the people of earlier revelations were commanded to do, and as these requirements are outlined in all forms of divine faith. It is one religion, the same faith in all the successive messages, as preached by the messengers of God. It is a religion free from all ambiguity and complication; a faith which gives no reason for division and dispute. It is very clear and very simple.

Jinsi dini hii ilivyo tofauti kabisa na dhana hizo tata na za kuchanganya, na na mijadala hiyo mirefu ya kibishi!

How completely different this religion is from those complicated and confusing concepts and from those lengthy polemics.