Sūrah hii inaonyesha tukio halisi kutoka siku za mwanzo za ujumbe wa Kiislamu, lakini tukio hilo hilo linajirudia katika kila mazingira na kila jamii. Linaonyesha mtu mwovu na mdhalilifu ambaye amepewa mali, na anayezitumia kuwadhulumu wengine, hadi anaanza kujihisi kuwa karibu hawezi kuvumilika. Anadhani kwamba mali ndiyo thamani kuu maishani, ambayo mbele yake thamani na viwango vyote vingine huanguka chini. Anahisi kwamba kwa kuwa anamiliki mali, anadhibiti hatima ya watu wengine bila kuwajibishwa kwa matendo yake mwenyewe. Anadhani kwamba fedha zake na utajiri wake ni mungu, mwenye uwezo wa kila kitu bila ubaguzi, hata wa kupinga kifo, akimfanya asife milele, na kuzuia hukumu ya Mungu na malipo Yake.
This sūrah portrays a real scene from the early days of the Islamic message, yet the same scene is repeated in every environment and society. It shows a vile, mean person who is given wealth and who uses it to tyrannize others, until he begins to feel himself almost unbearable. He thinks that wealth is the supreme value in life, before which all other values and standards come toppling down. He feels that since he possesses wealth, he controls other people’s destiny without being accountable for his own deeds. He imagines that his money and his wealth is a god, capable of everything without exception, even of resisting death, making him immortal and stopping God’s judgement and His retribution.
Akidanganywa na nguvu ya mali, anaihesabu na kufurahia kuihesabu tena na tena. Kiburi kiovu kinachochea ndani yake, kinamsukuma kudharau vyeo na heshima za watu wengine, kuwadhihaki na kuwasengenya. Anawakosoa wengine kwa maneno, anawadhihaki kwa ishara zake, ama kwa kuiga miondoko na sauti zao au kwa kuzicheka sura na maumbile yao, kwa maneno na kuiga, kwa kejeli na kusengenya.
Deluded as he is by the power of wealth, he counts it and takes pleasure in counting it again and again. A wicked vanity is let loose within him driving him to mock other people’s positions and dignity, to taunt and slander them. He criticizes others verbally, mocks them with his gestures, either by imitating their movements and voices or by ridiculing their looks and features, by words and mimicry, by taunt and slander.
Ni picha mbaya na ya kudhalilisha ya mtu asiye na maadili ya kibinadamu wala ukarimu, aliyevuliwa imani. Uislamu unamchukia aina hii ya mtu ambaye sifa zake ni kinyume kabisa na viwango vyake vya juu vya maadili. Uislamu unakataza kwa nguvu kumdhihaki na kumdharau watu wengine, pamoja na kutafuta makosa yao kwa makusudi. Lakini katika kesi hii, Qur’ān inaelezea vitendo hivyo kuwa vichafu na vya kuchukiza, na inatoa onyo kali kwa yeyote anayejishughulisha navyo. Hili linaonyesha kwamba sūrah inarejelea tukio halisi la baadhi ya makafiri kumtukana na kumsengenya Mtume na waumini. Jibu la vitendo hivyo linakuja kwa njia ya katazo kali na onyo kubwa. Zipo baadhi ya riwaya zinazotaja watu maalum kuwa ndio wasengenyaji wanaokusudiwa hapa, lakini riwaya hizi si sahihi, kwa hiyo hatutazijadili, bali tutajiridhisha na mambo ya jumla ya kuangalia.
It is a vile and debased picture of someone devoid of human ideals and generosity and stripped of faith. Islam despises this type of person whose characteristics are diametrically opposed to its own high standards of morality. Islam emphatically forbids mockery and ridicule of other people as well as deliberate fault-finding. But in this case the Qur’ān describes these actions as sordid and ugly, delivering a stern warning to anyone who indulges in them. This suggests that the sūrah is referring to an actual case of some unbelievers subjecting the Prophet and the believers to their taunts and slander. The reply to these actions comes in the form of a strong prohibition and awesome warning. There are some reports which name specific individuals as being the slanderers meant here, but these are not authentic, so we will not discuss them, but instead content ourselves with general observations.
Onyo linatolewa kwa namna ya picha ya Akhera inayoonyesha mateso ya kiakili na kimwili yaliyomo humo, na inachora taswira ya Jahannamu ambayo ni ya kuonekana na yenye maana. Inajitahidi kuihusisha dhambi na adhabu inayotolewa, pamoja na athari yake kwa mkosaji. Upande mmoja kuna taswira ya mnyonyaji mwenye kejeli na mzungumzaji wa kusengenya, anayewadhihaki na kuwacheka wengine huku akikusanya mali, akidhani kwamba kwa njia hiyo amehakikishiwa kutokufa. Taswira hii ya mdhalilishaji mwenye dharau anayetafuta madaraka kupitia mali inalinganishwa na mtu aliyedharauliwa na kupuuzwa, anayetupwa ndani ya chombo cha kusagwa kinachoharibu kila kitu kilicho njiani. Muda mfupi tu chombo hicho kinaponda muundo wake na kiburi chake.
The warning comes in the form of a picture of the hereafter portraying the mental and physical suffering there and drawing an image of hell which is both palpable and telling. It takes care to relate the crime to the punishment inflicted and to its effect on the culprit. On the one side there is the image of the taunting, slandering backbiter who mocks and ridicules others while he gathers wealth thinking that he is guaranteed immortality in this way. This image of a cynical calumniator seeking power through wealth is contrasted with the slighted, ignored person flung into a crushing instrument which destroys all that comes in its way. It soon crushes his structure and his pride.
Chombo cha kusagwa ni "moto uliowashwa na Mungu mwenyewe." (Aya ya 6) Kutambuliwa kwake kama moto wa Mungu kunaonyesha kwamba ni aina ya moto ya kipekee, isiyojulikana, iliyojaa hofu.
The crushing instrument is “God’s own kindled fire.” (Verse 6) Its identification as the fire of God suggests that it is an exceptional, unfamiliar sort of fire, full of terror.
Moto huu "hupanda" juu ya mtu anayedhihaki na kuwacheka wengine. Ili kukamilisha picha ya mtu aliyedharauliwa, aliyepuuzwa na kuvunjwa, moto unamfunika kutoka kila upande na kumfungia ndani. Hakuna wa kumwokoa, na hakuna anayeuliza habari zake. Ndani yake amefungwa kwenye nguzo, kama wanyama wanavyofungwa, bila heshima.
This fire ‘rises’ over the person who mocks and ridicules others. To complete the image of the slighted, ignored and crushed person, the fire closes in on him from all directions and locks him in. None can save him and none asks about him. Inside he is tied to a column, as animals are tied, without respect.
Mtindo wa maneno unaotumika katika sura hii ni wenye nguvu sana. 'Anahesabu tena na tena; hasha! Hakika atatupwa katika Al-Hutwamah; anainuka, akitisha.' Kwa maneno kama haya, msisitizo mkali unawasilishwa kwa uwazi: "Hakika atatupwa katika Al-Hutwamah."
The tone of the vocabulary used in this sūrah is very strong ‘Keeps counting it again and again; by no means! He will indeed be flung; rises, towering.’ By such expressions, forcefulness is emphatically conveyed: “He will indeed be flung into the crushing one.
Laiti ungejua ni nini Al-Hutama! Ni moto wa Mwenyezi Mungu uliowashwa.
Would that you know what the crushing one is! It is God’s own kindled fire.” (Verses 4-6)
Kwanza inakuja ujumlishaji na usemi wenye fumbo, kisha mshangao unaoashiria hofu kubwa, kisha jibu lililo wazi — yote haya ni namna za usemi wenye nguvu. Mtindo huu pia hubeba maonyo: ‘Ole wake...; Atatupwa ndani ya...; Yule anayevunja vipande...; Moto wa Mwenyezi Mungu uliowashwa, ambao utapanda juu ya nyoyo za watu, utawazunguka; katika nguzo ndefu zilizonyooka.’ Katika haya yote kuna mshikamano fulani kati ya taswira na hisia, na vitendo vya ‘mwenye kudhihaki, mwenye kusengenya.’ Wakati wa kushuka kwake, Qur’ani ilifuatilia matukio yaliyokabili ujumbe wa Kiislamu huku pia ikiuongoza katika njia yake. Qur’ani ni silaha isiyokosea inayoharibu hila za wanaopanga njama, inayotikisa nyoyo za maadui, na inayowajaza waumini ujasiri na azma ya kuvumilia. Kwa kweli, tunatambua mambo mawili muhimu katika uangalizi wa Mwenyezi Mungu hapa Anapowalaani watu wa aina hii chafu: kwanza, tunaonyeshwa ubaya wa kuporomoka kimaadili na jinsi watu wanavyofanywa kuwa duni namna hii. Pili, tunafahamu kwamba Yeye huwalinda waumini, huihifadhi roho zao dhidi ya matusi ya maadui wao, huwaonyesha kwamba Mwenyezi Mungu anajua na anachukia kile kinachowafanyia, na kwamba Yeye atawaadhibu wakosaji. Hili linatosha kuinua roho zao na kuwafanya wajione wako juu sana, juu ya hila mbaya za wengine.
First comes the generalization and cryptic expression, then the exclamation suggesting great horror, and then the clear answer — all are forms of forceful expression. The style also conveys warnings: ‘Woe to...; He will be flung into...; The crushing one...; God’s kindled fire; which will rise over people’s hearts, it will close in upon them; in towering columns.’ In all this there is a kind of harmony between imagery and feelings and the actions of the ‘taunting, slandering backbiter.’ At the time of its revelation, the Qur’ān followed up the incidents faced by the Islamic message whilst also leading it along its way. The Qur’ān is the infallible weapon which destroys the cunning of conspirators, shakes the hearts of enemies, and fills the believers with courage and determination to persevere. Indeed we recognize two significant facts in God’s care here as He denounces this sordid type of people: firstly, we are shown the ugliness of moral decline and how people are rendered so abject. Secondly, we realize that He defends the believers, preserves their souls against their enemies’ insults, shows them that God knows and hates what is inflicted on them, and that He will punish the wrongdoers. This is enough to elevate their souls and to make them feel their position high above the wicked designs of others.