Sūra hii fupi inaeleza misingi muhimu ya imani na msingi wa itikadi kama mambo ya umuhimu mkubwa. Inamulika kwa nuru yenye nguvu na ya kina misingi hii ili kufunua yaliyo nje ya ukweli wa msingi uliotajwa katika maandishi. Kila aya, na wakati mwingine kila neno, katika sūra hii kwa hakika hufungua dirisha linaloangalia ulimwengu usio na mipaka wa ukweli.

This short sūrah outlines the essentials of faith and the basics of belief as matters of great importance. It sheds a powerful and searching light over these essentials in order to reveal what lies beyond the elementary facts expressed in the text. Every verse, and sometimes every word, in this sūrah virtually opens a window overlooking a limitless world of truth.

Mada kuu ya sura hii ni tukio la shimo la moto, wakati jumuiya ya waumini waliokuwepo kabla ya kuja kwa Uislamu, inayosemekana kuwa Wakristo wa imani ya Upekee wa Mungu, walipokabiliwa na maadui wakatili na madhalimu waliotaka kuwalazimisha kuiacha imani yao. Waumini walikataa. Kisha madhalimu hao wakawasha moto mkubwa katika shimo walilolichimba, na kuwatupa ndani yake. Hivyo waumini waliteketezwa hadi kufa mbele ya umati mkubwa wa watu uliokusanyika kushuhudia kitendo hicho cha kutisha cha kuangamiza. Madhalimu hao waliketi pembeni wakifurahia mateso ya waumini: "Hawakuwalipiza kisasi isipokuwa kwa sababu walimwamini Mungu, Mwenye Nguvu, Mwenye kustahiki kusifiwa." (Aya ya 8)

The immediate theme of the sūrah is the pit incident, when a community of believers who lived before the advent of Islam, said to be unitarian Christians, were faced by ruthless and tyrannical enemies who sought to force them away from their faith. The believers refused. The tyrants then lit a great fire in a pit they had dug, and threw them into it. The believers were thus burnt to death in front of large crowds that had gathered to witness this ghastly act of extermination. The tyrants sat by, amused by the believers’ sufferings: “They took vengeance on them for no reason other than that they believed in God, the Almighty, to whom all praise is due.” (Verse 8)

Sura hii inaanza kwa kiapo: "Naapa kwa mbingu zenye nyota, kwa siku iliyoahidiwa, kwa shahidi na kile kinachoshuhudiwa, wameuawa wenye shimo." (Aya 1-4)

The sūrah starts with an oath: “By the heaven with its constellations, by the promised day, by the witness and that which is witnessed, slain be the people of the pit.” (Verses 1-4)

Kwa njia hii sura inaunganisha mbingu pamoja na nyota zake kubwa, Siku ya Hukumu iliyoahidiwa pamoja na matukio yake makubwa, makundi ya watu yatakayoshuhudia siku hiyo pamoja na yale wanayoyashuhudia, na tukio la shimo pamoja na ghadhabu ya Mungu dhidi ya wale waliohusika na tukio hilo wenye uonevu. Kisha sura inaendelea kuonyesha tukio la kusikitisha kwa mianga michache ya haraka, ambayo inaonyesha hofu hiyo bila kuingia kwenye maelezo marefu.

“Naapa mbingu yenye nyota,* naapa siku iliyoahidiwa, naapa shahidi na yule ashuhudiwaye.” (Aya 1-3) Kabla ya kutaja tukio la shimo, sura inaanza kwa kiapo cha mbingu iliyojaa nyota. Neno la Kiarabu, burūj, linalotumika kumaanisha ‘nyota’ laweza kuchukuliwa kuwa ni wingi mkubwa wa sayari zinazofanana na minara au majumba makubwa yaliyojengwa angani. Kwa maana hii aya hiyo inaweza kuhusianishwa na aya nyingine mbili: “Tumeijenga mbingu kwa nguvu zetu, na Sisi ni wenye kuipanua.” (51: 47) na, “Je, nyinyi ndio mlio imara zaidi kwa umbile, au ni mbingu aliyoijenga Yeye?” (79: 27) Neno hilo la Kiarabu pia linaweza kufasiriwa kumaanisha nafasi ambazo sayari hizi husogea kati yake zinapozunguka katika mizunguko yao. Hizi ndizo duara ambamo sayari hubaki zinapotembea. Hata hivyo, kutajwa kwa nyota kunatoa taswira ya uumbaji mkubwa sana. Hii ndiyo maana iliyokusudiwa tangu mwanzo.

“By the heaven with its constellations, by the promised day, by the witness and that which is witnessed.” (Verses 1-3) Before making any reference to the pit event, the sūrah opens with an oath by a heaven full of constellations. The Arabic term, burūj, used for ‘constellations’ may be taken to mean the huge mass of planets which resemble great towers or palaces built in the sky. In this sense the verse can be related to two other verses: “We built heaven with Our might, and gave it a wide expanse.” (51: 47) and, “Which is stronger in constitution: you or the heaven He has built?” (79: 27) The Arabic term may, alternatively, be interpreted as meaning the positions between which these planets move as they go round in orbit. These constitute the spheres within which the planets remain as they move. This reference to the constellations however, gives an impression of a huge creation. This is, indeed, the connotation intended at the outset.

“Kwa siku iliyoahidiwa.” (Aya ya 2) Hiyo ni siku ambayo hukumu itatolewa juu ya matukio yote ya maisha haya, na hesabu za dunia hii zitamalizwa. Ni siku ambayo Mwenyezi Mungu ameahidi kwamba itakuja, na ni siku kuu inayongojewa na viumbe vyote. “Kwa shahidi na kile kinachoshuhudiwa.” (Aya ya 3) Siku hiyo matendo yote na viumbe vyote vitafichuliwa na kushuhudiwa. Kila mtu atakuwa shahidi. Kila kitu kitajulikana kwa kuwa hakuna kifuniko cha kuficha chochote mbele ya macho yanayoona.

“By the promised day.” (Verse 2) That is the day when judgement is passed on all the events of this life and when the accounts of this world are settled. It is a day God has promised will come, and is a great day awaited by all creation. “By the witness and that which is witnessed.” (Verse 3) On that day all deeds and creatures are exposed and witnessed. Everybody becomes a witness. Everything becomes known as there is no cover to hide anything from beholding eyes.

"Hakika wale wanaowatesa waumini, wanaume kwa wanawake, kisha wasitubu, watapata adhabu ya Jahannamu, na watapata adhabu ya kuteketezwa. Lakini wale walioamini na kutenda mema watakuwa na mabustani yanayopita mito chini yake; huo ndio ushindi mkubwa kabisa." (Aya 10-11) Yanayotokea duniani katika maisha haya ya kwanza si mwisho wa habari. Bado kuna sehemu isiyoepukika itakayofuata baadaye. Bado kuna ugawaji wa thawabu, ambao utarejesha mizani ya haki na kutoa suluhisho la mwisho la yaliyotokea kati ya waumini na madhalimu.

“Those who persecute the believers, men and women, and do not repent shall suffer the punishment of hell, and suffer the punishment of burning. But those who believe and do righteous deeds shall have gardens through which running waters flow; that is the supreme triumph.” (Verses 10-11) What happens on earth in this first life is not the end of the story. There remains an inevitable part which will follow later. There remains the allocation of awards, which will restore the balance of justice and provide the final settlement of what took place between the believers and the tyrants.

Ni hakika kwamba itakuja, na Mwenyezi Mungu ameithibitisha: "Wale wanaowatesa waumini, wanaume kwa wanawake," na kuendelea na njia zao mbaya, bila kujali, pasipo kutubu, "wasipotubu, watapata adhabu ya Jahannamu, na watapata adhabu ya kuungua." Kuungua kumetajwa wazi ingawa pia kunadokezwa kwa kutajwa kwa Jahannamu yenyewe.

That it will come is certain and confirmed by God: “Those who persecute the believers, men and women” and persist with their evil ways, careless, unrepentant, “and do not repent shall suffer the punishment of hell, and suffer the punishment of burning.” Burning is specified although it is also implied by the very mention of hell.

Inastahili kutajwa kwa namna hii mahsusi ili kuwa sawa na kuungua katika shimo. Ingawa neno lile lile linalodhihirisha tendo linatumika, aina hizi mbili za kuungua hazifanani kwa ukali wala kwa muda. Kuungua hapa ni kwa moto unaowashwa na binadamu, wakati kuungua huko Akhera ni kwa moto unaowashwa na Muumba. Katika dunia hii ya sasa, kuungua huisha ndani ya dakika chache, wakati huko Akhera kunaendelea kwa karne nyingi zisizojulikana isipokuwa kwa Mwenyezi Mungu. Waumini wanaoteseka kwa kuungua hapa wanapata kwa hilo radhi za Mwenyezi Mungu, na wanahakikisha ushindi wa dhana hiyo tukufu ya kibinadamu iliyotajwa awali. Huko Akhera, kuungua huko kunaambatana na ghadhabu ya Mwenyezi Mungu na udhalilifu mkubwa wa mwanadamu.

It earns its specific mention in order to serve as a counterpart to the burning in the pit. Although the same word signifying the action is used, the two types of burning are dissimilar in intensity and duration. The burning here is by fire lit by human beings while the burning in the hereafter is by fire lit by the Creator. In this present world, the burning is over in a few minutes while in the hereafter it goes on for ages unknown except to God. The believers who suffer the burning here earn with it God’s pleasure, and ensure the triumph of that noble human concept referred to earlier. In the hereafter the burning is attended by God’s anger and man’s abject degradation.

Maoni zaidi yanafuata: "Hakika adhabu ya Mola wako Mlezi ni kali mno." (Aya ya 12) Maoni haya yanalinganisha vyema adhabu ya Mwenyezi Mungu na kisasi kidogo na cha kipuuzi kinachotolewa na madhalimu, ambacho wao na watu kwa ujumla wanakiona kuwa chenye nguvu kubwa. Nguvu halisi ni ile inayotolewa na Mwenyezi, Ambaye mbingu na ardhi ni Vyake, si ile inayotolewa na watu wadogo wanaotawala kipande kidogo cha ardhi kwa muda mdogo.

Further comments follow: “Stern indeed is your Lord’s vengeance.” (Verse 12) This comment suitably contrasts God’s punishment with the petty and trifling vengeance exacted by tyrants, and thought by them and by people generally to be very powerful. The real power is that levelled by the Almighty, to whom belongs the heavens and the earth, not that levelled by insignificant people who impose their rule over a limited piece of land for a limited period of time.

Taarifa hii pia inasisitiza uhusiano kati ya mpokeaji, yaani Mjumbe wa Mungu ﷺ, na msemaji, ambaye ni Mungu Mwenyezi. Anamwambia, "Hakika adhabu ya Mola wako ni kali mno." Yeye ndiye Mola wako, ambaye unamwamini Uungu wake, na ambaye unamtegemea kwa msaada wake. Uhusiano huu ni muhimu sana katika hali ambazo waumini wanapoteswa na madhalimu.

The statement also emphasizes the relationship between the addressee, namely, God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and the speaker, who is God Almighty. He says to him, “stern indeed is your Lord’s vengeance.” He is your Lord, in whose Godhead you believe, and on whose assistance you rely. This relationship is very significant in situations where believers are afflicted by tyrants.

"Ndiye Yeye anayeanzisha uumbaji, kisha anaurudisha tena uhai." (Aya 13) Katika maana zake pana, kuanzisha na kurudisha hurejelea hatua ya kwanza na ya pili ya kuleta uhai. Hata hivyo, maneno haya mawili yanaashiria matukio mawili yanayotokea kila wakati. Katika kila sekunde kuna kuanzishwa, pamoja na kurudishwa kwa kile kilichokufa na kuoza. Ulimwengu mzima uko katika hali ya kufanywa upya bila kukoma, na kuoza bila kukoma. Ndani ya muktadha huu wa mzunguko unaorudiwa kila mara wa kuanzishwa na kuanzishwa upya, jambo zima la shimo na matokeo yake yanayoonekana linaonekana, kwa kweli, si zaidi ya mwanzo wa kile kinachoweza kuumbwa upya, au uumbaji upya wa kile ambacho tayari kimeanzishwa. Ni sehemu ya mchakato endelevu.

“It is He who brings into being, and then restores to life.” (Verse 13) In their wider connotations, origination and restoration refer to the first and second processes of bringing into life. The two terms, however, signify two events which constantly take place. In every moment there is origination as well as restoration of what has died and decayed. The whole universe is in a state of continuous renovation, and constant decay. Within the context of this ever-repeated cycle of origination and re-origination the whole affair of the pit and its apparent results seem to be, in reality, no more than a beginning of what can be created anew, or a re-creation of what has already been originated. It is part of a continuous process.