Baadhi ya watu, basi, walimuuliza Mtume wa Mungu kuhusu Dhu’l-Qarnayn, na Mungu akamfunulia yale ambayo sūrah hii inayo kuhusu historia yake na matendo yake ﷺ. Hatuna chanzo kingine isipokuwa Qur’ān cha kutupa taarifa zaidi. Kwa hiyo, hatutajaribu kupanua wala kufafanua zaidi, kwa kuwa hilo lisingekuwa limejengwa juu ya taarifa sahihi.
Some people, then, asked God’s Messenger about Dhu’l-Qarnayn, and God revealed to him what this sūrah contains about his history and actions. We have no source other than the Qur’ān to give us further information. Hence, we will not try to expand or elaborate, because that would not be based on any accurate information.
Tafsiri za Qur'ani zinatoa simulizi nyingi na taarifa nyingi, lakini hakuna hata moja kati ya hizi lenye msingi wowote wa kuaminika. Kwa hiyo, zinapaswa kushughulikiwa kwa tahadhari kubwa, hasa kwa sababu zina simulizi za Waisraeli na hadithi nyingine za kubuni.
Commentaries on the Qur’ān provide many accounts and plenty of information, but none of these has any reliable basis. Hence, they should be approached very cautiously, particularly because they include Israelite reports and other legends.
Katika historia ya Dhu’l-Qarnayn, Qur’ani inataja safari tatu: moja kuelekea magharibi, moja kuelekea mashariki, na ya tatu kwenda mahali palipoelezwa kuwa ni eneo "kati ya milima miwili". Sasa na tuangalie simulizi hili la Qur’ani.
Of the history of Dhu’l-Qarnayn the Qur’ān mentions three journeys, one to the west, one to the east and the third to a place described as an area ‘between two mountains’. Let us now consider this Qur’ānic account.
Hadithi ya Dhu’l-Qarnayn, kama inavyotolewa katika sura hii, inaanza kwa utangulizi mfupi wa mtu huyo mwenyewe: “Tulimthibitishia mamlaka yake duniani, na tukampa njia za kufanikisha kila jambo.” (Aya ya 84) Kisha Mwenyezi Mungu amemthibitishia mamlaka yake duniani, akimpa mamlaka yasiyopingwa. Pia amempa njia za utawala na ushindi, vifaa vya kujenga ustaarabu, kufurahia baraka ambazo Mungu amewaandalia wanadamu, na kila kitu kinachofanya maisha ya binadamu duniani yawe thabiti na yenye ustawi.
The story of Dhu’l-Qarnayn, as given in this sūrah, begins with a brief introduction of the man himself: “We established his power on earth, and gave him means to achieve anything.” (Verse 84) God then has established his power on earth, giving him uncontested authority. He has also given him the means of government and victory, the facilities to build civilization, enjoy the blessings God has made available to mankind, and all that make human life on earth steady and prosperous.
"Basi alifuata njia fulani." (Aya ya 85) Hivyo, alikwenda katika njia moja ambayo ilifanywa iwe rahisi kwake, akielekea magharibi: "Alipofika mahali jua linapozama, alionekana kuwa linazama katika maji meusi yenye matope; na karibu naye akakuta watu fulani. Ee Dhu’l-Qarnayn," tulisema, "unaweza ama kuwaadhibu au kuwatendea kwa wema."
So he followed a certain way.” (Verse 85) Thus, he went along one way which was made easy for him, aiming westwards: “When he came to the setting of the sun, it appeared to him that it was setting in dark, turbid waters; and nearby he found a certain people. Dhu’l-Qarnayn,’ We said, you may either punish them or treat them with kindness.
Akajibu: "Yule atakayedhulumu, sisi tutamwadhibu. Kisha atarejeshwa kwa Mola wake, naye atamwadhibu kwa adhabu kali. Lakini yule aliyeamini na akatenda mema, atapata malipo mazuri, nasi tutamwekea kazi iliyo nyepesi kutekelezwa."" (Aya 86-88)
‘He replied: ‘The one who does wrong we shall punish. Then he will return to his Lord and be sternly punished by Him. But the one who believes and does righteous deeds shall have a goodly reward, and we shall assign to him a task that is easy to fulfil.’ (Verses 86-88)
Kufikia mahali pa kuzama kwa jua maana yake ni mahali ambapo mtu anahisi kwamba jua linazama nyuma ya upeo wa macho. Hili hutofautiana kulingana na eneo la kijiografia. Katika baadhi ya maeneo tunaweza kuhisi kwamba jua linazama nyuma ya mlima, huku katika mengine tunahisi kwamba linaingia majini, kama inavyokuwa tunapotazama bahari au bahari kuu. Katika maeneo mengine bado, jua linaonekana kuzama mchangani, kama tunapokuwa jangwani bila vilima wala milima karibu nasi.
Reaching the setting of the sun means the place where a person feels that the sun sets beyond the horizon. This varies according to geographic location. In some places we may feel that the sun sets beyond a mountain, while in others we feel that it goes down into the water, as is the case when we look at the sea or ocean. In other places still, the sun seems to set in the sand, as when we are in a desert with no hills or mountains around.
Inaonekana kutoka katika maandishi kwamba Dhul-Qarnayn alisafiri kuelekea magharibi hadi alipofika mahali pa pwani ya Atlantiki ambapo watu waliamini kuwa ndiko mwisho wa nchi kavu. Alimwona jua likizama baharini. Ina uwezekano mkubwa zaidi kwamba hilo lilikuwa katika mdomo wa mto, ambako kungekuwa na magugu mengi na ardhi yenye matope. Maziwa madogo huundwa katika hali kama hizo na yanaweza kuonekana kama chemchemi za maji. Alimwona jua likizama hapo, likizama katika chemchemi ya maji yenye matope. Lakini haiwezekani kwetu kubainisha eneo hilo, kwa sababu sura haitupi dalili yoyote. Hatuna chanzo kingine cha kuaminika. Kwa hiyo, kila maoni mengine isipokuwa haya hayawezi kuchukuliwa kuwa sahihi kwa sababu hayana msingi wa kuaminika.
It appears from the text that Dhu’l-Qarnayn went westwards until he reached a point on the Atlantic coast which people believed to be at the end of dry land. He saw the sun setting in the sea. It is even more likely that this was at a river mouth, where there would be plenty of weeds and the area muddy. Little lakes form in such situations and may look like water springs. He saw the sun setting there, going down in a spring of murky water. But it is impossible for us to define the area, because the sūrah does not give us any clue. We have no other reliable source. Hence, every view other than this cannot be considered accurate because it has no reliable basis.
Katika ziwa hili lenye maji machafu na yenye tope, Dhu'l-Qarnayn alikuta watu wa jamii fulani, naye Mungu akampa uchaguzi: "Ewe Dhu'l-Qarnayn, Tulisema: Wewe waweza ama kuwaadhibu au kuwatendea kwa wema." (Aya ya 86) Sasa, Mungu alimwambia Dhu'l-Qarnayn hivi kwa namna gani? Je, ilikuwa ufunuo, au ilikuwa ni kauli tu inayoeleza hali ilivyo, kutokana na ukweli kwamba Mungu alikuwa amempa mamlaka juu ya watu hao, hivyo akaweza kuamua chochote alichotaka kuwafanyia? Katika hali hii, ingekuwa kama vile imesemwa kwake: Hapa wako chini ya amri yako: waweza kuchagua kuwaadhibu au kufuata njia ya huruma. Yote mawili yanawezekana. Hakuna kinachotuzuia kuelewa maandiko kwa namna yoyote kati ya hizo mbili. Jambo muhimu kulitambua ni kwamba Dhu'l-Qarnayn alitangaza sera yake katika maeneo yaliyokuwa chini ya utawala wake, na wakazi wake wakawa chini ya mamlaka yake.
At this lake of turbid and murky waters, Dhu’I-Qarnayn found a community and God gave him a choice: “Dhu’l-Qarnayn, We said, you may either punish them or treat them with kindness.” (Verse 86) Now, how did God say this to Dhu’l-Qarnayn? Was it revelation, or a mere statement of the situation, resulting from the fact that God had given him power over those people, so that he could determine whatever he wished to do with them. In this case, it would be just as if it was said to him: Here they are at your command: you may choose to punish them or to follow a lenient course of action. Both are possible. There is nothing to stop us understanding the text in either way. What is important to realize is that Dhu’l-Qarnayn declared his policy in the areas that came under his rule and their population became subject to his authority.
Akasema: "Yule aliyedhulumu, tutamuadhibu. Kisha atarejea kwa Mola wake naye atamuadhibu adhabu kali."
Lakini yule aliyeamini na kutenda mema, atapata malipo mazuri, nasi tutamwekea amri rahisi kuitekeleza.(Aya 87-88)
He replied: ‘The one who does wrong we shall punish. Then he will return to his Lord and be sternly punished by Him. But the one who believes and does righteous deeds shall have a goodly reward, and we shall assign to him a task that is easy to fulfil.’(Verses 87-88)
Hii ni tamko kwamba wale wanaovuka mipaka ya haki watapata adhabu yao wenyewe katika maisha haya. Kisha watarejea kwa Mola wao, ambaye hakika atawaadhibu adhabu kali isiyo na mfano wowote katika yale yanayojulikana katika maisha ya kibinadamu. Kwa upande mwingine, wacha Mungu na waumini wa kweli watapata matendo mema, malipo makubwa, heshima na msaada katika mambo yao yote.
This is a declaration that those who transgress the bounds of justice will be subject to their own punishment in this life. Then they will return to their Lord who is certain to inflict on them severe punishment that has no parallel in what is known in human life. On the other hand, pious and true believers will receive kindly treatment, generous reward, honour and help in all their affairs.
Hizi ndizo kanuni za serikali ya haki na wema. Muumini wa kweli anapaswa kupokea kutoka kwa watawala every aina ya matibabu ya huruma na zawadi kubwa, wakati wakosaji wanaowadhulumu wenzao wa kibinadamu wanapaswa kuadhibiwa vikali. Watu wanaofanya vizuri katika jamii, wakifuata mwenendo wa haki katika shughuli zao zote, wanapopokea zawadi nzuri kwa matendo yao, na dhalimu na wakandamizaji wanapopata adhabu ya haki na kudhalilishwa, basi jamii nzima inahamasishwa kufuata njia ya wema. Lakini mambo yanapoharibika, na wadhalimu, wakandamizaji na watu waovu ndio wanaofurahia upendeleo wa mtawala, wakati wale walio wema na wa haki wanateswa, basi madaraka ya mtawala hayabaki zaidi ya chombo cha ufisadi na taabu kwa jamii nzima. Hakuna kitu kinachobaki cha haki.
These are the outlines of just and good government. A true believer should receive from rulers every sort of kindly treatment and generous reward, while transgressors who are unjust to their fellow human beings should be punished severely. When those who do well in the community, pursuing a fair line of action in all their pursuits, receive a good reward for their actions, and when the unjust and oppressors receive a fair punishment and humiliation, then the whole community is motivated to follow the line of goodness. But when matters go wrong, and the unjust, oppressor and corrupt people are the ones who enjoy favour with the ruler, while those who are good and fair are persecuted, then the ruler’s power becomes no more than a tool of corruption and misery for the whole community. Nothing remains fair.
Jamii nzima inazama katika machafuko.
The whole society sinks into chaos.
Baada ya Dhu’l-Qarnayn kurudi kutoka safari yake ya magharibi, alielekea mashariki. Tena tunatambua kwamba mamlaka yake yalikuwa imara, na kwamba njia zote zilipatikana kwake:
After Dhu’l-Qarnayn’s return from his westward journey he took his way eastward. Again we realize that his authority was well established, and that all means were made available to him:
Kisha akafuata njia nyingine na [akasafiri kuelekea mashariki] mpaka, alipofika mahali pa kuchomoza jua, akakuta kwamba linachomoza juu ya watu ambao Sisi hatukuwapa kinga yoyote dhidi yake. Hivyo ndivyo alivyofanya; na Sisi tulikuwa na ujuzi kamili wa kila kilichokuwa mikononi mwake.
Then he followed another way and [marched eastwards] till, when he came to the rising of the sun, he found that it was rising on a people for whom We had provided no coverings against it. So he did; and We had All knowledge of all the means available to him. (Verses 89-91)
Kile tulichosema kuhusu kuzama kwa jua pia ni kweli kwa mahali pake pa kuchomoza. Hapa kinachokusudiwa ni sehemu ambapo jua huchomoza upande wa mashariki tunapotazama juu zaidi ya upeo wa macho.
What we said about the setting of the sun is also true of its rising place. What is meant here is the point where it rises in the east as we look up beyond the horizon.
Tena Qur’ani haibainishi mahali hapo. Inaieleza tu mahali hapo na hali ya watu ambao Dhu’l-Qarnayn alikuta huko: "Alipofika mahali pa kuchomoza jua, alikuta kuwa linachomoza juu ya watu ambao tulikuwa hatujawapa kinga yoyote dhidi yake." (Aya ya 90)
Again the Qur’ān does not define the place. It simply describes it and the situation of the people Dhu’l-Qarnayn found there: “When he came to the rising of the sun, he found that it was rising on a people for whom We had provided no coverings against it.” (Verse 90)
Hii inaonyesha kwamba ardhi ilikuwa wazi, bila kufunikwa na milima wala miti kuzuia jua.
This suggests that the land was open, unscreened from the sun by any hills or trees.
Hivyo jua lilipochomoza, watu walikuwa wakiwakabili moja kwa moja. Maelezo haya yanatumika kwa jangwa na nyanda kubwa tambarare. Hayabainishi mahali maalum. Tunachosema tu ni kwamba huenda mahali hapa palikuwa mashariki ya mbali, ambako jua lilichomoza juu ya ardhi yake tambarare iliyo wazi. Huenda pia palikuwa pwani ya mashariki ya Afrika.
Thus when the sun rose, the people were directly exposed to it. This description applies to deserts and vast plateaus. It does not specify a particular location. All that we say is that it is likely that this place was in the far east, where the sun rose over its open, flat land. It might have also been on the east coast of Africa.
Uwezekano mwingine ni kwamba maelezo, ‘ambao Tulikuwa Hatujawapa kifuniko chochote dhidi yake,’ yanamaanisha kwamba watu hao daima walikuwa uchi na hawakutumia nguo. Kwa hiyo, hawakuwa wamekingwa dhidi ya jua.
Another probability is that the description, ‘for whom We had provided no covering against it,’ means that those people were always in the nude and did not employ clothing. Hence, they were not screened from the sun.
Tangu Dhu’l-Qarnayn alipotangaza sera yake ya utawala, sura hairudii hapa. Wala hakuna tendo lingine linalotajwa, kwa sababu Mwenyezi Mungu anajua kikamilifu nia yake na mwenendo wake.
Since Dhu’l-Qarnayn had announced his policy of government, the sūrah does not repeat it here. Nor is any further action mentioned because God is fully aware of his intention and behaviour.
Hata hivyo, ni muhimu kutafakari kwa ufupi hapa juu ya mguso wa kisanii katika picha iliyotolewa. Tukio linaloonyeshwa kwetu ni wazi na dhahiri: jua linalowaka sana, ambalo kwa namna yoyote halifichwi kutoka kwa watu.
It is important, however, to reflect very briefly here on an artistic touch in the image provided. The scene portrayed for us is open and clear: a blazing sun which is in no way screened from the people.
Vivyo hivyo, dhamiri na nia za Dhu’l-Qarnayn ziko wazi, zinajulikana kikamilifu kwa Mwenyezi Mungu. Hili linaleta maelewano kati ya mandhari ya kimaumbile na dhamiri ya mwanadamu, katika mtindo usioweza kuigwa wa Qur’ani.
Similarly, Dhu’l-Qarnayn’s conscience and intentions are open, known ‘ fully to God Almighty. This provides harmony between the natural scene and man’s conscience in the inimitable style of the Qur’ān.