Sura sasa inaangalia hali ya wale makafiri wanaoendelea kupinga dini ya Mungu. Hawa hawakuelewa asili ya kile ambacho Mtume ﷺ alikuwa akikilingania. Kwa hiyo, walijaribu kufikia maelewano naye, wakitumaini kwamba angeacha, au angalau angeacha sehemu ile iliyowakasirisha zaidi. Sehemu ya mwisho ya sura inashughulikia hali hii kwa kuzingatia jinsi walivyotafuta maelewano na Mtume ﷺ, kuwatesa wafuasi wake, kuwageuza watu mbali na ujumbe wa Mungu, na kukataa njia ya wema inayohakikisha thawabu peponi.
The surah now looks at the situation of the unbelievers who persist in their opposition to the divine faith. These did not understand the nature of what the Prophet advocated. Therefore, they tried to compromise with him, hoping that he would stop, or at least forgo the part of it that most offended them. The last section of the surah deals with this situation against the backdrop of their seeking a compromise with the Prophet, persecuting his followers, turning people away from God’s message and rejecting the way of goodness that ensures reward in heaven:
Ni Sisi ambao tumekuteremshia Qur'ani kwa kukuteremshia hatua kwa hatua.
It is We who have bestowed the Quran upon you by gradual revelation.
Basi subiri hukumu ya Mola wako kwa subira yote, wala usijali lolote kati ya hawa wenye dhambi na makafiri. Mkumbuke jina la Mola wako asubuhi na jioni. Usiku usujudie Yeye, na umtukuze kwa utukufu usio na kikomo katika usiku mrefu. (Aya 23-26)
Await, then, your Lord's judgement in all patience, and pay no heed to any of these sinners and unbelievers. Remember your Lord's name morning and evening. At night prostrate yourself before Him, and extol His limitless glory throughout the long night. (Verses 23-26)
Aya hizi nne zinafupisha kanuni muhimu ya imani ya Kiislamu, ambayo wanaoitetea wanapaswa kuielewa kikamilifu na kuithamini. Wanapaswa pia kusoma athari zake ndani ya nafsi ya mwanadamu na katika maisha ya kila siku.
These four verses sum up an important principle of the Islamic faith, one which its advocates should fully understand and appreciate. They should study its effects within the human soul and in practical life.
Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu alikabiliana moja kwa moja na wasioamini, akiwaita waamini Umoja wa Mungu. Katika kueneza ujumbe wake, Mtume ﷺ hakukabiliana tu na imani tofauti. Kama ingekuwa hivyo, kazi ingekuwa rahisi zaidi. Imani za kishirikina za wasioamini zilikuwa dhaifu na hazikuwa na msingi imara wa kuwawezesha kukataa imani ya Kiislamu iliyo wazi, rahisi na yenye mantiki. Badala yake, kilichosababisha upinzani wao mkali na wa kuamua, kama inavyoripotiwa katika historia na kama inavyorekodiwa katika Qur'ani, ni mkusanyiko wa mazingira na mambo mbalimbali. Hadhi ya kijamii pamoja na kujivunia maadili yaliyokuwepo, na kile ambacho yangeweza kuleta katika maslahi ya kimali, ndivyo vilivyokuwa kichocheo cha kwanza kwa watu hao kushikilia imani zao dhaifu na za uongo, wakipinga zile ambazo wazi zilikuwa za kweli. Vilevile, maisha chini ya mfumo wa Jahiliyyah yaliruhusu kujiingiza katika kila aina ya starehe na kutimiza kila tamaa. Kwa hiyo, watu waliokuwa na hamu ya kujiingiza katika hayo walitarajiwa kupinga imani inayochukua mbinu ya kina kuhusu maadili na maadili ya juu, inayokomesha kila tabia ya uovu na ya kimwili. Mambo haya yote yalisimama kupinga ujumbe wa Kiislamu wakati ulipoanza kuhubiriwa. Yanaendelea kusimama kupinga katika kila jamii na kila kizazi. Yanawakilisha nguvu kuu katika vita vya imani, na kuifanya kuwa vita vya kupiganwa kwa bidii, vinavyowataka wanaopigania imani kusimama imara mbele ya matatizo yote hayo, wakiwa tayari kutoa dhabihu kubwa. Kwa hiyo, wanaolingania Uislamu, popote pale na wakati wowote, wanapaswa kuelewa kikamilifu ukweli uliojumuishwa katika aya hizi nne na kujifunza mazingira yaliyopelekea kuteremshwa kwake, ili yawahusu nao pia.
God’s Messenger faced the unbelievers directly, calling on them to believe in God’s oneness. In advocating his message, the Prophet was not merely facing different beliefs. Had it been so, the case would have been much easier. The unbelievers’ polytheistic beliefs were too flimsy and groundless to give them any solid ground to reject the clear, simple and logical Islamic faith. Instead, what led to their fierce and determined opposition, reported in history and recorded in the Qur’an, was a host of circumstances and considerations. Social position as well as pride in prevailing values and what they might entail of material interest constituted the first factor motivating such people to hold tight to their flimsy and false beliefs, resisting those that were evidently true. Similarly, life under a system of jdhiliyyah allowed indulgence in every type of pleasure and gratification of every desire. Hence, people who were keen to indulge in these were expected to resist a faith that adopted a serious approach to morality and high values, stamping out all immoral and carnal practices. All these factors stood up against the Islamic message when it was first advocated. They continue to stand up against it in every community and every generation. They represent the essential forces in the battle of faith, making it a hard-fought battle, requiring those fighting for faith to stand firm in the face of all such difficulties, willing to make great sacrifices. Therefore, advocates of Islam, regardless of place or time, must fully understand the truth summed up in these four verses and learn the circumstances leading to their revelations so that they apply to them too.
Nabii ﷺ alipokea maagizo kutoka kwa Mola wake yakimtaka awaonye watu wake. Alipoanza kutekeleza maagizo hayo, alikabiliwa na mambo na hali zilizowageuza watu mbali na ujumbe wake, na zilizowasukuma kushikilia imani zao wenyewe, huku wakijua jinsi zilivyo dhaifu na zisizoweza kuthibitishwa. Walikuwa wakaidi sana, na walipigania kwa nguvu kuhifadhi imani zao, mpangilio wao wa kijamii, maslahi yao binafsi, na desturi na starehe walizozizoea. Walitambua kwamba dini mpya ilitishia haya yote. Ulinzi wao wa mfumo wao na njia zao za zamani ulijidhihirisha kwa namna kadhaa, kuanzia kuwatesa wachache waliojibu wito wa dini mpya, na kujaribu kuwarudisha kwenye njia ya zamani kwa nguvu na kwa mateso ya kimwili. Pia walijaribu kuipa dini mpya sura mbaya, wakitoa tuhuma za uongo na kueneza uvumi wa uongo kuhusu dini hiyo na Mjumbe ﷺ aliyeihubiri. Walitumaini kwamba kwa njia hii wangeweza kuwazuia watu kuingia katika dini hiyo. Walidhani kwamba kuwazuia watu wasijiunge na dini mpya kungekuwa rahisi zaidi kuliko kujaribu kuwarudisha kutoka humo baada ya kuukubali na kuhisi ukweli wake.
The Prophet received instructions from his Lord requiring him to warn his people. When he began carrying out his instructions, he was faced with those factors and circumstances that turned people away from his message and motivated them to persist with their own beliefs, knowing how flimsy and insupportable these were. They were very stubborn, and fought hard to preserve their beliefs, social order, personal interests and familiar practices and indulgences. They realized that the new faith threatened all these. Their defence of their system and old ways took several manifestations, starting with persecuting the few believers who responded to the new faith and trying to turn them back to the old way by force and physical torture. They also tried to give the new faith a bad image, making false accusations and spreading false rumours about it and the Messenger preaching it. They hoped that in this way they could prevent people from joining it. They thought that stopping people joining the new faith would be much easier than trying to turn them back from it after they had embraced and felt its truth.
Wakati huo huo, wasioamini pia walijaribu njia mbalimbali za majaribu, pamoja na shinikizo na vitisho vya kawaida, ili kumshawishi Mtume ﷺ akubali kukutana nao nusu njia. Walitaka aache mashambulizi yake dhidi ya imani, mila na desturi zao, na atafute maelewano fulani, yatakayokubalika kwa pande zote mbili. Watu kwa kawaida hujaribu kufikia aina fulani ya makubaliano ya kuishi pamoja pale wanapokuwa na maslahi na madai yanayogongana. Mbinu hizi hizi, au zinazofanana sana nazo, mara nyingi hukabiliwa pia na wanaolingania Uislamu.
At the same time, the unbelievers also tried different aspects of temptation, alongside the usual pressures and threats, to persuade the Prophet to meet them halfway. They wanted him to stop his onslaught against their beliefs, traditions and practices, and to work out some compromise, which would be acceptable to both parties. People normally try to work out a sort of modus vivendi when they have conflicting interests and claims. These same methods, or very similar ones, are often faced by the advocates of Islam.
Ni kweli kwamba, kama Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu, Mtume ﷺ alipata ulinzi na msaada wa Mwenyezi Mungu, lakini alikuwa binadamu anayekabiliwa na shinikizo kubwa, na alisaidiwa tu na kundi dogo la waumini ambao walikuwa dhaifu sana kuliko wapinzani wao. Mwenyezi Mungu alijua yote haya. Kwa hiyo, Hakumwacha peke yake akikabiliana na haya yote bila msaada, wala bila kuweka wazi njia ya kufuata mbele yake. Aya hizi nne basi zinatoa kiini cha msaada huu unaohitajika sana.
It is true that, as a Messenger of God, the Prophet enjoyed God’s protection and help, yet he was a human being facing difficult pressures and supported only by a small band of believers who were far weaker than their opponents. God was aware of all this. Therefore, He did not abandon him, leaving him to face all this without support, or without marking the road ahead for him to follow. These four verses thus provide the essence of this much-needed support.
"Ni Sisi ambao tumekuteremshia Qur'ani kwa kuiteremsha hatua kwa hatua." (Aya ya 23) Hii ndiyo hoja ya kwanza, inayoeleza mahali ujumbe huu unatoka na aliyeweka jukumu la kuufikisha. Unatoka kwa Mungu, na hauna chanzo kingine isipokuwa Yeye. Ni ujumbe ambao Qur'ani inaueleza. Hauwezi kuchanganywa na chochote kisichotoka katika chanzo chake safi. Hautaingiza kitu chochote kinachotoka mahali pengine isipokuwa chanzo chake. Hautakopa kitu chochote kigeni kwa asili yake.
“It is We who have bestowed the Quran upon you by gradual revelation.” (Verse 23) This is the first point, stating where this message comes from and who has assigned the duty of its advocacy. It comes from God, having no source other than Him. It is the message the Quran outlines. It cannot be mixed up with anything that does not come from its pure source. It will incorporate nothing that comes from anywhere other than its own source. It will borrow nothing alien to its nature.
Zaidi ya hayo, Mwenyezi Mungu, aliyeiteremsha Qur'ani na kuikabidhi risala kwa mlinganizi wake, hatamwacha wala kumwachia mambo yake yeye mwenyewe, kwa kuwa ndiye aliyempa Qur'ani.
Moreover, God, who revealed the Qur’an and entrusted the message to its advocate, will not abandon him or leave him to his own devices when it is He who gave him the Qur’an.
Lakini batili hufanya kwa kiburi, na uovu hujisifu wenyewe. Waumini wanapatwa na dhiki, na wanakabiliwa na mateso. Maadui wa dini ya Mungu wanazo njia za kuwageuza watu wasiifuate, nao hutumia mbinu mbalimbali ili kufikia lengo lao. Wao huonekana wakiwa wakaidi katika kushikilia imani zao, kuhifadhi mila zao, na kufuata njia zao potofu na za kifisadi.
Yet falsehood behaves with insolence, and evil blows its own trumpet. Hardship is inflicted on the believers and they are subjected to persecution. The enemies of the divine faith possess the means to turn people away from it, and they use different tactics to achieve their purpose. They appear adamant about maintaining their beliefs, preserving their traditions and following their erring and corrupt ways.
Kisha, ghafla, wanatoa fursa ya upatanisho na kuweka mbele uwezekano wa maelewano. Katika hali kama hii, pendekezo la namna hii ni gumu sana kulikataa.
Then, suddenly, they offer the opportunity for reconciliation and hold out the prospect of compromise. In such circumstances, such an offer is hard to resist.
Hatua ya pili, inayoweka wazi maelekezo: "Basi subiri hukumu ya Mola wako kwa subira, wala usiwatii wa miongoni mwao wenye dhambi au wenye kukufuru." (Aya ya 24)
Mambo yote yapo chini ya mapenzi ya Mungu. Yeye anaweza kuwaacha uovu na upotovu wapate siku zao, na anaweza kuruhusu mtihani wa Waumini uendelee kwa muda mrefu. Yote haya yatakuwa na kusudi linalohakikisha mapenzi Yake yanatekelezwa: "Basi subiri hukumu ya Mola wako kwa subira" hadi itakapokuja kwa wakati wake uliowekwa. Amri aliyopewa Mtume ﷺ inamtaka kuvumilia licha ya madhara yoyote anayoweza kukabiliana nayo, na mitihani yoyote anayoweza kupitia. Anapaswa kubaki na subira hata anapoona upotovu ukipata ushindi, na uovu ukijifanya kiburi. Zaidi ya hayo, anapaswa kuendelea kushikamana na ukweli ulioainishwa katika Qur'an. Asisikilize pendekezo lolote la maelewano au kukutana katikati ikiwa hilo litakuwa kwa gharama ya ujumbe anaoulingania: "Wala usiwatii wa miongoni mwao wenye dhambi au wenye kukufuru." Wao hawatoi chochote chema wala chenye manufaa.
Here comes the second point, stating a clear directive: “Await, then, your Lord's judgement in all patience, and pay no heed to any of these sinners and unbelievers.” (Verse 24) All matters are subject to God’s will. He may allow evil and falsehood to have their day, and He may allow the believers’ trial to last long. All this will be for a purpose that sees His will being done: “Await, then, your Lord's judgement in all patience” until it comes at its appointed time. The instruction given to the Prophet requires him to persevere despite all the harm to which he may be exposed, and all the trials he may be put through. He is to remain patient even when he sees falsehood achieving victory, and evil taking airs. Moreover, he is to persevere in holding to the truth the Qur’an lays down. He is not to listen to any offer of compromise or a meeting halfway if this is at the expense of the message he is advocating: “Pay no heed to any of these sinners and unbelievers.” They do not offer anything good or beneficial.
Je, watawezaje, na hali wao ni wenye dhambi na makafiri? Kila wanalokupa, wanapojaribu kuafikiana, si chochote zaidi ya sehemu yao ya dhambi na ukafiri. Wanakupa kile wanachofikiri kitakufurahisha na kukuvutia. Walimpa yeye kile ambacho kwa hakika kilikuwa cha kuvutia: madaraka, mali na wanawake. Walikuwa tayari kumfanya kiongozi wao na kumfanya awe tajiri zaidi kuliko wote miongoni mwao.
How can they, when they are sinners and unbelievers? All that they offer you, when they try to compromise, is a share of sin and disbelief. They offer what they think will please and tempt you. They offered him what was indeed tempting: power, wealth and women. They were willing to make him their leader and to make him the richest among them.
Walimpa pia wanawake warembo. ‘Utbah ibn Rabi(ah akamwambia:
They also offered him pretty women. ‘Utbah ibn Rabi(ah said to him:
"Acha jambo hili unalolitetea nami nitakupa binti yangu awe mke wako. Ninao binti wazuri zaidi miongoni mwa Quraysh." Wale wanaotetea uongo daima hutoa ofa za kuvutia kama hizi kwa wanaotetea ukweli, wakitaka kunyamazisha ujumbe wao.
“Abandon this matter you are advocating and I will give you my daughter as your wife. I have the prettiest daughters among the Quraysh.” Those advocating falsehood always make such tempting offers to advocates of the truth, seeking to silence their message.
"Basi subiri hukumu ya Mola wako kwa uvumilivu kamili, wala usitii yeyote miongoni mwa hawa wenye dhambi na makafiri" (Aya ya 24). Hakuna sehemu ya kukutana kati yako na wao. Hakuna daraja linaloweza kujengwa juu ya pengo kubwa linalotenganisha mbinu yako na yao, ukweli wako na upotovu wao, nuru yako na giza lao, imani yako na ukafiri wao, na ujumbe wako wa ukweli na jahiliyya yao.
“Await, then, your Lord's judgement in all patience, and pay no heed to any of these sinners and unbelievers” (Verse 24) There is no meeting point between you and them. No bridge can be built over the wide gulf separating your method from theirs, your truth from their falsehood, your light from their darkness, your faith from their disbelief, your message of truth from their jahiliyyah.
Nabii ﷺ anaambiwa avumilie subira, hata kama mateso yanaweza kuendelea bila kukoma, mtihani ukawa mgumu, na jaribu likawa lenye nguvu. Lakini subira si jambo rahisi kupatikana. Msaada na uungwaji mkono daima vinahitajika.
The Prophet is told to remain patient, even though the adversity may be continuous, the trial hard, and the temptation powerful. Yet patience does not come easy. Help and support are always needed.
Hivyo: "Mtaje jina la Mola wako asubuhi na jioni. Usiku msujudie, na umtukuze kwa muda mrefu wa usiku" (Aya 25-26)
Hili, kwa ufupi, ndilo msaada na usaidizi wote unaohitajika: kulitaja jina la Mungu mwanzoni na mwishoni mwa siku, kumsujudia usiku, na kumtukuza kwa muda mrefu. Nabii anaambiwa kwamba hizi ndizo njia za kudumisha uhusiano na Mungu aliyemteremshia Qur'ani na aliyemkabidhi ujumbe wake. Yeye ndiye chanzo cha nguvu zote. Njia iliyo mbele yake ni ndefu, mzigo anaobeba ni mzito, na anahitaji msaada mkubwa. Sasa, msaada huo umetajwa kuwa ni kudumisha mawasiliano na Mungu kwa kumtukuza usiku wote mrefu.
Hence: “Remember your Lord's name morning and evening. At night prostrate yourself before Him, and extol His limitless glory throughout the long night” (Verses 25-26) This, in a nutshell, is all the help and support that is needed: remembering God’s name at the beginning and end of the day, prostrating before Him at night, and glorifying Him at length. The Prophet is told that these are the means to maintain the bond with God who gave him the Qur’an and who entrusted him with His message. He is the source of all power. The way ahead is long, the burden he carries is heavy, and he needs much support. Now, the support is identified as maintaining contact with God by glorifying Him through the long night.
Hivyo, mja wa Mungu hukutana peke yake na Bwana wake, akizungumza naye moja kwa moja, akitazamia kwake upendeleo na msaada, akihisi huruma Yake inayoondoa kila taabu na kupunguza uchovu. Nguvu Yake itageuza udhaifu wa watumishi Wake na uchache wao wa idadi. Wanapoondoa mizigo ya dunia hii na kuangalia kazi kubwa waliyokabidhiwa, wataona kuwa ni ndogo mateso yote wanayopitia, na azma yao ya kuendelea na kazi iliyo mbele yao itaimarika zaidi.
Thus, the servant meets his Master alone, speaking to Him directly, looking up to Him for favour and support, feeling His compassion that removes all trouble and relieves exhaustion. His power will transform His servants’ weaknesses and lack of numbers. When they shed their earthly burdens and look at the great task entrusted to them, they will think little of all the hardships they are going through and their resolve to get on with the task ahead will be that much strengthened.
Mwenyezi Mungu ni Mwingi wa rehema daima. Alimkabidhi mja Wake, Mtume ﷺ, ujumbe Wake, na akamteremshia Qur-ani. Anajua ugumu atakaokutana nao njiani mwake. Kwa hiyo, hakumwacha bila msaada. Kinyume chake, alimpa msaada na usaidizi ambao Yeye alijua kuwa wenye manufaa zaidi na wenye ufanisi zaidi katika safari yake ngumu. Msaada huu bado ndio unaohitajiwa na wote wanaolingania ujumbe wa kiungu, bila kujali wakati, hali au mahali. Ni ujumbe uleule, wenye hali zilezile, unaokabiliwa na upinzani mkaidi wa batili ileile, na kwa sababu zilezile. Batili hutumia zana na njia zilezile dhidi yake. Basi, na njia ambazo haki inazitumia ziwe zile ambazo Mwenyezi Mungu anazijua kuwa zenye ufanisi zaidi.
God is ever merciful. He entrusted His servant, the Prophet, with His message and revealed the Qur’an to him. He is aware of the hardship he would meet along his way. Therefore, He did not leave him without support. On the contrary, He gave him the support and help He knew to be most useful and effective along his difficult journey. This remains the support needed by all advocates of the divine message, regardless of time, circumstance or place. It is the same message, with the same circumstances, facing the same intransigent opposition by falsehood, and for the same reasons. Falsehood employs the same tools and means against it. Let, then, the means the truth employs be the ones God knows to be the most effective.
Ukweli ambao wahubiri wa ujumbe wa kimungu wanapaswa kuukumbuka daima ni ule ambao Mungu aliuweka moyoni mwa mhubiri wa kwanza wa ujumbe huu, Mtume Muhammad ﷺ. Wajibu wa kuhubiri ujumbe umepangwa na Mungu, nao bado ni ujumbe Wake. Ukweli unaoueleza hauwezi kamwe kuchanganywa na uongo unaohubiriwa na wenye dhambi na makafiri.
The truth advocates of the divine message should always bear in mind is the one God impressed on the first advocate of this message, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The duty to advocate the message is assigned by God, and it remains His message. The truth it outlines can never be mixed with the falsehood advocated by sinners and unbelievers.
Kwa hiyo, hakuwezi kuwa na sehemu ya kukutana wala upatanisho kati ya haki na batili. Wala hakuwezi kuwa na kukutana katikati kati ya wale wanaonadi haki na wale wanaonadi batili. Wanafuata njia mbili ambazo hazikutani kamwe. Iwapo batili wakati fulani itakuwa na nguvu sana na kuweza kuwashinda waumini, ambao wanaweza kuwa dhaifu na wachache kwa idadi, itakuwa hivyo kwa sababu Mungu, katika hekima yake isiyo na mipaka, anaruhusu hili. Katika hali kama hiyo, njia pekee ni kubaki na subira na kusubiri hukumu ya Mungu.
Hence, there can be no meeting point or reconciliation between the truth and falsehood. Nor can there be any halfway meeting between those advocating the truth and those advocating falsehood. They follow two ways that never meet. Should falsehood at times be very powerful and able to subdue the believers, who may be weak and small in number, it will be so because God, in His infinite wisdom, allows this. In such a situation, the only way is to remain patient and await God’s judgement.
Wakati huo huo, msaada unapaswa kutafutwa kupitia ibada ya usiku na kumtukuza Yeye. Hii ndiyo msaada pekee unaohakikishwa kufanya kazi.
In the meantime, support should be sought through night worship and glorification of Him. This is the only help that is guaranteed to work.
Hii ni kweli ya msingi ambayo lazima ieleweke kikamilifu na wale wanaotaka kufuata nyayo za Mtume ﷺ na kutembea katika njia yake.
This is an essential truth that must be fully understood by those who want to follow the Prophet’s footsteps and tread along his way.