Tumekupa ushindi mkubwa, ili Mungu akusamehe makosa yako yote, ya zamani na ya baadaye, akukamilishie neema zake na akuongoze njia iliyo nyoofu. Mungu atakupa bila shaka nusura yake yenye nguvu.

We have granted you a glorious victory, so that God may forgive you all your faults, past and future, bestow upon you the full measure of His blessings and guide you on a straight way. God will certainly grant you His mighty support. (Verses 1-3)

Sura hii inaanza kwa kauli kuhusu neema kubwa alizopewa Mwenyezi Mungu Mtume wake, ambazo ni ushindi wa utukufu, msamaha kamili, baraka timilifu na uongofu uliohakikishwa. Neema hizi zote zinatolewa kama malipo ya kumtegemea Mungu kikamilifu na bila kutetereka katika ufunuo wake na maagizo yake, pamoja na kujisalimisha kwa hiari kwa mwongozo wake. Mtume ﷺ alionyesha kumtegemea kabisa, bila kuacha nafasi yoyote kwa hukumu yake mwenyewe. Alikuwa na ndoto kisha akachukua hatua kwa kuizingatia. Ngamia wake jike alikataa kusonga, na watu wakapiga kelele kwamba amekataa kwenda mbele. Yeye aliwaambia kwamba kukataa kwake hakuko katika tabia yake. "Amezuiwa kwa sababu ile ile ambayo tembo alizuiwa. Nitakubali kwa wema pendekezo lolote ambalo Quraysh wataniwekea leo, lenye kusaidia kuanzisha mahusiano mema na kuhakikisha heshima kwa maeneo matakatifu ya Mungu." 'Umar alimuuliza: "Kwa nini tukubali udhalilifu katika mambo ya dini yetu?" Jibu lake lilikuwa rahisi, likisisitiza imani yake isiyotetereka katika hekima ya Mungu: "Mimi ni mtumishi wa Mungu na Mtume wake. Sitamwasi, wala yeye hatanitelekeza kamwe." Kinyume chake, uvumi ulipoenea kwamba 'Uthman ameuawa, alionyesha azma na uamuzi kamili: "Hatutaondoka mpaka tupigane na watu hawa." Aliwaita watu waape utii wao. Nao wakampa viapo vyao, ambavyo vilileta manufaa ya kudumu kwa wote waliofanya hivyo.

The surah opens with a statement about the great favours bestowed by God on His Messenger, comprising glorious victory, complete forgiveness, perfect blessing and assured guidance. Together, these favours are granted as a reward for complete, unshakeable trust in God’s inspiration and directive, as well as a willing submission to His guidance. The Prophet demonstrated absolute trust, leaving no room whatsoever for his own judgement. He had a dream and proceeded to take action on its basis. His she-camel refused to move and people cried out that she had refused to go forward. He told them that such a refusal was not in her nature. “She is held back for the same reason as the elephant was held back. I shall respond favourably to any proposal the Quraysh puts to me today that helps establish good relations and guarantees respect to Gods sanctuaries.” ‘Umar asked him: “Why should we accept humiliation in matters of our faith?” His answer was simple, emphasizing his unwavering trust in Gods wisdom: “I am Gods servant and Messenger. I shall not disobey Him and He will never abandon me.” By contrast, when it is rumoured that ‘Uthman was killed, he showed complete resolve and determination: “We shall not depart until we have fought these people.” He called on people to pledge their loyalty. In turn, they gave him their pledges that brought lasting benefits to all who did so.

Aya tatu za kwanza za sura hii zilimhusu moja kwa moja Mtume ﷺ. Sura inaendelea kueleza fadhila kubwa ambazo Mungu aliwapa jamii ya Waislamu alipowapa ushindi kama huo, akiweka utulivu katika nyoyo zao, na kuahidi fadhila zaidi katika maisha ya Akhera.

The first three verses of the surah were specifically addressed to the Prophet. The surah goes on to describe the great favours God bestowed on the Muslim community as He gave them such a victory, adding tranquillity to their hearts, and promising further favours in the life to come:

Yeye ndiye aliyeteremsha utulivu katika nyoyo za waumini, ili waongezeke imani yao. Majeshi yote ya mbingu na ardhi ni ya Mungu; kwa hakika Yeye ni Mjuzi, Mwenye hekima. Atawaingiza waumini, wanaume kwa wanawake, katika mabustani yanayopita chini yake mito, watakaodumu humo milele, na atawasamehe maovu yao. Hilo, mbele ya Mungu, ni ushindi mkubwa. (Aya 4-5)

It is He who sent down tranquillity into the hearts of the believers, so that they may grow more firm in their faith. To God belongs all the forces of the heavens and the earth; He is indeed All-Knowing, Wise. He will admit the believers, both men and women, into gardens through which running waters flow, there to abide, and He will forgive them their bad deeds. That is, in God's sight, a great triumph. (Verses 4-5)

Utulivu, au *sakinah* kwa Kiarabu, ni neno lenye maana nzuri na za kupendeza.

Tranquillity, or sakinah in Arabic, is a word with pleasant connotations.

Wakati moyo unapobarikiwa nayo, huzaa utulivu, kumtegemea Mungu, faraja, heshima, na utayari wa kukubali mapenzi ya Mwenyezi Mungu.

When a heart is blessed with it, it generates reassurance, trust, comfort, dignity and a ready acceptance of Gods will.

Waumini walipata hisia zinazopingana wakati wa tukio hili.

The believers experienced conflicting emotions during this encounter.

Walikuwa wakisubiri kwa hamu kutimia kwa ndoto ya Nabii ya kuingia Msikiti Mtukufu wa Makka, wakijua kwamba ndoto ya nabii daima hutimia. Kisha walipaswa kuvumilia msimamo mkali na Quraysh, ikifuatiwa na kukubali kwa Mtume ﷺ kurudi bila kuutembelea Msikiti Mtukufu mwaka huo, ingawa walikuwa tayari wameingia katika hali ya ihram inayohitajika kwa kuingia msikitini huo, na walikuwa wamewaweka alama wanyama wao wa kuchinjwa baada ya kukamilisha ibada zao katika Msikiti Mtukufu. Yote haya, kwa hiyo, yalikuwa magumu sana kwao kuyakubali. Mbali na yale tuliyokwisha kunukuu katika kueleza matukio ya al-Hudaybiyah, pia inasimuliwa kwamba ‘Umar alimwendea Abu Bakr na kusema kuhusu Mtume ﷺ: “Je, hakutuambia kwamba tutautembelea Msikiti Mtukufu na kufanya twawaf kuuzunguka?” Abu Bakr, ambaye moyo wake ulisikika sawa na mapigo ya moyo ya Mtume ﷺ mwenyewe, akajibu:

Tena sura hii inamhutubu Mtume, ikibainisha wajibu wake na lengo lake. Inawaambia waumini kuhusu wajibu wao kwa Mwenyezi Mungu baada ya kupokea ujumbe Wake. Inawafanya wazi kwamba ahadi walizompa Mtume ﷺ kwa hakika zilikuwa ahadi walizompa Mwenyezi Mungu. Ahadi iliyotolewa kwa Mwenyezi Mungu ni nzito sana. Zaidi ya hayo, hii inaipa ahadi waliyompa Mtume ﷺ heshima kubwa zaidi.

Again the surah addresses the Prophet, pointing out his role and its objective. It tells the believers about their duty towards God after having received His message. It makes clear to them that the pledges they gave to the Prophet were indeed pledges given to God. Solemn indeed is a pledge made to God. Furthermore, this imparts to the pledge given to the Prophet even greater honour:

Tumekutuma wewe [Muhammad] kuwa shahidi, mbashiri na mwonyaji, ili nyinyi [watu] mumwamini Mwenyezi Mungu na Mtume Wake, mumsaidie, mumtukuze na mumtakase Yeye asubuhi na jioni. Wale wanaokuapia utii wewe, kwa hakika wanamwapia utii Mwenyezi Mungu; mkono wa Mwenyezi Mungu uko juu ya mikono yao. Yeyote anayevunja ahadi yake, anajidhuru mwenyewe; lakini kwa yule atakayetimiza ahadi aliyomwahidi Mwenyezi Mungu, Mwenyezi Mungu atamtunuku thawabu kubwa. (Aya 8-10)

We have sent you [Muhammad] as a witness, a bearer of good news and a warner so that you [people] may believe in God and His Messenger, support Him, honour Him and extol His limitless glory morning and evening Those who pledge their allegiance to you are actually pledging their allegiance to God: God's hand is over their hands. He who breaks his pledge does so to his own detriment; but to the one who fulfils his pledge to Him, God will grant a rich reward, (Verses 8-10)

Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu ﷺ ni shahidi atakayeshuhudia kwamba amefikisha ujumbe aliokabidhiwa kwa wanadamu, na atazungumzia mapokezi ambayo watu walimpa. Atasema kwamba baadhi ya watu waliamini na kukubali imani, huku wengine wakiikataa wakikanusha ukweli wake, na wengine bado walikuwa wanafiki. Baadhi walitenda vizuri na wengine walitenda vibaya. Atatoa ushahidi wake kama alivyofikisha ujumbe wake. Yeye anabeba habari njema ya msamaha na kukubaliwa na Mungu, pamoja na thawabu nzuri kutoka Kwake kwa waumini. Pia anaonya dhidi ya hatima mbaya inayowasubiri makafiri, wanafiki na wakosaji, kwa kuwa wote hao wanastahiki ghadhabu ya Mungu.

Gods Messenger, (peace be upon him), is a witness who will testify that he has delivered the message entrusted to him to mankind, and he will speak of the reception people gave him. He will state that some people believed and accepted the faith while others rejected it denying its truth, and others still were hypocrites. Some did well and others did badly. He will give his testimony just as he delivered his message. He bears the good news of forgiveness and acceptance by God, as well as a good reward from Him to the believers. He also warns against the ill fate that awaits the unbelievers, hypocrites and evildoers, as they all incur Gods anger.

Baada ya kuthibitisha asili halisi ya ahadi, na kutaja mawazo ya kuivunja au kuiheshimu, sura sasa inazungumzia Waarabu wa jangwani walioachwa nyuma. Walikataa kuandamana na Mtume (ﷺ) katika msafara huu, wakiwa na mawazo yasiyo mema kuhusu Mwenyezi Mungu, wakitarajia kushindwa kwa Waumini waliokuwa wakienda katika ardhi ya Quraysh yenyewe, ilhali ni Quraysh ndio waliokuwa wameishambulia Madinah mara mbili ndani ya kipindi kifupi.9 Sura inamwambia Mtume (ﷺ) ni visingizio gani Waarabu hao wangetumia watakapomwona akirejea salama pamoja na Maswahaba wake. Wangetambua kwamba mkataba aliouhitimisha na Quraysh ulionyesha kwamba wao wamejishusha. Bila kujali jinsi masharti yake yanavyoonekana kuwa magumu, Quraysh sasa walimtendea Muhammad (ﷺ) na wafuasi wake kama sawa yao, ambao walitafuta amani badala ya makabiliano. Sura pia inaeleza kwa kina sababu za kweli zilizowafanya Waarabu hao wabaki nyuma, ikifichua hali yao halisi kwa Mtume (ﷺ) na Waumini. Inamwambia Mtume (ﷺ) kuhusu faida kubwa za vita ambazo Waislamu wangezipata hivi karibuni, na kwamba Waarabu hao hao wangejaribu kuandamana nao katika kukutana kwao kujao ili wapate sehemu ya faida hizo. Sura inamwambia Mtume (ﷺ) cha kuwaambia watakapotokea hali hiyo. Hapaswi kuwaruhusu kuwa sehemu ya msafara huo, ambao ulikuwa hakika kumalizika kwa manufaa yake. Ni wale tu waliokuwepo Hudaybiyah ndio watakaoruhusiwa kuandamana naye. Pia amwambie Waarabu walioachwa nyuma kwamba wataitwa kujiunga na Waislamu watakapohitajika kupigana na watu wengine wanaojulikana kwa ujasiri mkubwa wa kivita. Iwapo kweli wanataka kujiunga na kambi ya Kiislamu, wajiunge na jeshi la Kiislamu siku hiyo, kwa lolote ambalo Mwenyezi Mungu atawapa. Iwapo watatii, watapata thawabu kubwa. Iwapo watageuka, kama walivyofanya mara ya awali, watapata adhabu chungu.

Having established the true nature of the pledge and referred to thoughts of breaking or honouring it, the surah now speaks of the desert Arabs who were left: behind. They refused to accompany the Prophet on this expedition, entertaining no good thoughts about God, expecting defeat for the believers who were going to the Quraysh’s own land, when it was the Quraysh that had attacked Madlnah twice over a short period of time.9 The surah tells the Prophet of what excuses the desert Arabs would employ when they see him returning safely together with his Companions. They would realize that the treaty he had concluded with the Quraysh signified that the latter had climbed down. No matter how harsh its conditions may appear, the Quraysh now treated Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his followers as its equal, with whom it sought peace rather than confrontation. The surah also details the true reasons why these desert Arabs stayed behind, exposing their reality to the Prophet and the believers. It tells the Prophet of the rich war gains the Muslims would shortly achieve, and that these same Arabs would try to accompany them on their next encounter in order to receive a share of those. The surah tells the Prophet what he should say to them when this takes place. He must not allow them to be part of that expedition, which was certain to end in his favour. Only those present at al-Hudaybiyah would be permitted to accompany him. He was also to tell those Arabs left behind that they would be called upon to join the Muslims when they needed to fight other people known for their great war prowess. If they truly wanted to join the Muslim camp, they should join the Muslim army on that day, whatever outcome God may give them. If they obeyed, they would receive rich reward. If they turned away, as they did once before, they would be made to endure a painful suffering:

Hivi ndivyo watu wanavyolifikiria jamii ya Waislamu. Hata hivyo, ni watu kama wale Waarabu wa jangwani pekee, ambao wamevunja uhusiano wao na Mungu, na mioyo yao ikiwa haina wema, ndio wanaoiona jamii ya Waislamu kuwa iko karibu kuangamizwa, ikiwa imezidiwa kwa wingi na nguvu za uovu na upotovu. Wao huangalia idadi ndogo ya wafuasi wa Uislamu, au silaha zao duni, au nafasi yao ya chini katika jamii, na kuhitimisha kwamba bila shaka watashindwa. Kama Waarabu wa jangwani wa zamani, watu kama hao huepuka kila uhusiano na waumini, wakitafuta usalama wao binafsi tu. Lakini Mungu atahakikisha kwamba mawazo hayo mabaya bila shaka yanaishia katika kushindwa, na atabadilisha nafasi kwa namna Yeye peke yake ajuavyo, ili kuweka mizani ya kweli sawa. Ni Yeye anayeishikilia mizani hii kwa mkono wake wenye nguvu, akiwashusha baadhi ya watu na kuwainua wengine juu yao. Wanafiki wanaowaza mawazo mabaya kuhusu Mungu, katika kila mahali na kila kizazi, hawawezi kamwe kuelewa jinsi hili linavyofanyika.

Such do people think of the Muslim community. However, it is only people like those desert Arabs who have severed their bond with God, their hearts devoid of goodness, who view the Muslim community as being on the verge of eradication, heavily outnumbered by the forces of evil and deviation. They look at the limited numbers of the advocates of Islam, or their poor artillery, or their low position in society and conclude that they will inevitably be defeated. Like the desert Arabs of old, such people avoid every association with the believers, looking only for their own safety. God, however, will ensure that such ill thoughts inevitably end in failure, and will change positions as only He knows how, to set the true balance. It is He who holds this balance in His mighty hand, lowering some people and raising others above them. The hypocrites who harbour evil thoughts about God, throughout all places and generations, can never understand how this is done.

Mizani halisi ni ile ya imani. Kwa hiyo, Waarabu hao wanarejelewa kwake. Sura hii inaeleza kanuni ya jumla ya kuwalipa watu kulingana na mizani hii, ikisisitiza uwezekano wa kupata neema ya Mungu.

The true balance is that of faith. Therefore, those Arabs are referred to it. The surah outlines the general rule of rewarding people in accordance with this balance, highlighting the possibility of receiving God’s grace.

Kwa hiyo wanahimizwa kutumia fursa iliyopo sasa ili wanufaike na msamaha wa Mungu na kufurahia neema Yake: "Kwa wale wasiomwamini Mungu na Mtume Wake, Tumewaandalia Moto unaowaka kwa makafiri. Ufalme wa mbingu na ardhi ni wa Mungu. Humsamehe amtakaye na humwadhibu amtakaye. Mungu ni Mwingi wa msamaha, Mwenye rehema" (Aya 13-14)

They are thus encouraged to take the opportunity available to them now in order to benefit by Gods forgiveness and to enjoy His grace: “As for those who will not believe in God and His Messenger, We have prepared a blazing fire for the unbelievers. To God belongs the dominion over the heavens and the earth. He forgives whoever He will and punishes whoever He will. God is much-forgiving, ever merciful” (Verses 13-14)

Sura hiyo kisha inaonyesha picha ya matarajio ambayo Mungu amewawekea waumini, kinyume na mawazo yote ya wasioamini. Hili linafanywa kwa namna inayoashiria kwamba mambo hayo yote yatatokea hivi karibuni: "Mtakapoanza safari kuelekea nyara za vita, wale waliobaki nyuma hapo awali watasema: 'Na sisi tuje pamoja nanyi.' Hivyo wanataka kubadilisha maneno ya Mungu."

The surah then shows a glimpse of the prospects God has in store for the believers, contrary to all the unbelievers’ thoughts. This is done in such a way that suggests that it is all going to happen soon: “ When you set forth on a course that promises war gains, those who previously stayed behind will say: 'Let us come with you' They thus seek to alter God's words.

Sema: "Hamtaweza kuja nasi. Mungu tayari amesema hivyo." Kisha watasema:

Say:' You shall not come with us. God has already said so. ’ They will then say:

"Mnatuchukia [fungu letu]." Jinsi wasivyojua kidogo!" (Aya ya 15)

'You begrudge us [ourshare].' How little they understand.” (Verse 15)

Wafasiri wengi wa Qur'ani wanaona kwamba aya hii inahusu ushindi wa Khaybar. Hilo huenda likawa kweli, lakini kauli hii pia inatoa picha zilizo wazi ambazo hazihusiani lazima na Khaybar. Inaashiria kwamba Waislamu wangepata ushindi rahisi punde. Wale ambao hapo awali walibaki nyuma wangetambua kwamba hilo lingetokea, na ndiyo maana wanaomba kujiunga na Waislamu. Huenda kilichowafanya wafafanuzi wa Qur'ani kubainisha Khaybar ni kwamba tukio hilo lilitokea muda mfupi baada ya al-Hudaybiyah. Kwa hakika, lilifanyika katika mwezi wa kwanza wa mwaka wa saba, chini ya miezi miwili baada ya kutiwa saini kwa mkataba, na lilileta Waislamu faida nyingi za vita. Khaybar ilikuwa ngome ya mwisho ya Mayahudi katika Peninsula ya Arabia. Ilikuwa hapa ambapo baadhi ya Mayahudi wa al-Nadir na Qurayzah walikuwa wamekimbilia hifadhi baada ya kuamriwa watoke Madinah.

Most commentators on the Qur’an take this verse to refer to the conquest of Khaybar. This may be so, but the statement also gives clear impressions that do not necessarily relate to Khaybar. It suggests that the Muslims would soon achieve an easy victory. Those who previously stayed behind would realize that it would be so and hence they ask to join the Muslims. Perhaps what makes Qur’anic commentators specify Khaybar is that this occurred soon after al-Hudaybiyah. Indeed, it took place in the first month of year 7, less than two months after the signing of the treaty, and it brought the Muslims rich war gains. Khaybar was the last Jewish stronghold in the Arabian Peninsula. It was here that some of the Jews of al-Nadir and Qurayzah had sought refuge after they were ordered out of Madinah.