Sura hii inaanza kwa maelezo ya juhudi za wanafiki za kuficha ukweli wa ukafiri wao. Wao hujitangaza kuwa ni Waislamu na hushuhudia kuwa Mtume ni Mjumbe wa Mungu ﷺ. Huapa kwa Mungu ili kuwashawishi Waislamu, ilhali wao wenyewe wanajua kuwa wanasema uongo. Viapo vyao ni kama ngao tu ambayo nyuma yake wanatumaini kuficha hali yao halisi na kuwadanganya Waislamu:

The surah begins with a description of the hypocrites’ attempt to disguise the truth of their unbelief. They declare themselves Muslim and testify that the Prophet is God’s Messenger. They swear by God so as to convince the Muslims, while they themselves know that they are lying. Their oaths are merely a shield behind which they hope to hide their true reality and deceive the Muslims:

Wanafiki wanapokujia, husema: "Tunashuhudia kwamba wewe ni Mjumbe wa Mungu." Mungu anajua kwamba wewe ni Mjumbe wake kweli, na Yeye anashuhudia kwamba wanafiki ni waongo kweli. Wanatumia viapo vyao kama kinga [kwa uongo wao], na wanawageuza watu mbali na njia ya Mungu. Hakika ni uovu walioufanya. (Aya 1-2)

When the hypocrites come to you, they say, 'We bear witness that you are indeed God's Messenger.9 God knows that you are truly His Messenger and He bears witness that the hypocrites are indeed liars. They use their oaths as a cover [for their falseness], and they turn people away from the path of God. Evil indeed is what they do. (Verses 1-2)

Wangemwendea Mtume na kusema kwamba wanashuhudia kwamba yeye ni Mjumbe wa Mungu, lakini ushahidi wao ulikuwa wa maneno tu, usio na imani yoyote ndani yake. Walikuwa wakifanya udanganyifu tu, wakitumaini kuficha ukweli wao mbele ya jamii ya Waislamu na hivyo kujilinda.

They would go to the Prophet and state that they bore witness that he was God’s Messenger, but theirs was only a verbal testimony lacking all conviction. They were merely engaging in deception, hoping to hide their truth from the Muslim community and so protect themselves.

Kwa hiyo, Mwenyezi Mungu anaeleza kwamba wao walikuwa wakisema uongo, huku akithibitisha wazi ukweli wa ujumbe Wake kwa Mtume Muhammad ﷺ: "Mwenyezi Mungu anajua kwamba wewe ni Mtume Wake kweli, na Yeye anashuhudia kwamba wanafiki ni waongo kweli" (Aya 1)

Therefore, God states that they were lying while making clear the truth of His message to the Prophet Muhammad: "God knows that you are truly His Messenger and He bears witness that the hypocrites are indeed liars” (Verse 1)

Maneno haya yametumika kwa usahihi na tahadhari. Tunabaini kwamba aya inaanza kwa kuthibitisha ukweli wa ujumbe wa Nabii ﷺ kabla ya kusema kwamba viapo vya wanafiki ni vya uongo. Bila kuchukua tahadhari hiyo katika maneno yake, aya ingeweza kupendekeza kwamba kuwaita wanafiki waongo kunahusu maudhui ya kauli yao, yaani ujumbe wa Nabii ﷺ. Aya haikusudii jambo hilo hata kidogo. Lengo lake ni kusema ukweli, likionyesha wazi kwamba wao hawakuamini kwa kweli kwamba ujumbe wa Nabii ﷺ ni wa kweli. Kwa maneno mengine, hawakuwa wakweli katika kauli yao.

Sura inaendelea kueleza vitendo vyao, ikifichua chuki iliyo mioyoni mwao. Inaonyesha jinsi walivyopanga njama dhidi ya Mtume ﷺ, lakini walikuwa wepesi wa kusema uongo walipofichuliwa. Hizi ndizo sifa zao zilizojulikana:

The surah continues to describe their actions, revealing the rancour in their hearts. It shows how they schemed against the Prophet, yet were quick with their lies when exposed. These were their known qualities:

Wanapoambiwa, 'Njoni, ili Mtume wa Mungu awaombee msamaha,' hugeuza vichwa vyao. Unawaona wakijiondoa kwa kiburi. Kwao ni sawa, iwe utawaombea msamaha au usiwaombee; Mungu hatawasamehe, kwani Mungu hamwongoi mtu yeyote wa watu wanaovuka mipaka hii. Wao ndio wanaosema [wao kwa wao]: 'Msiwape chochote wale walio pamoja na Mtume wa Mungu, ili wamwache.' Hazina za mbingu na ardhi ni za Mungu, lakini wanafiki hawafahamu. Wanasema, 'Tukirudi Madina, hakika mwenye heshima atawatoa nje wale walio duni.' Heshima yote ni ya Mungu, Mtume Wake na waumini, lakini wanafiki hawajui. (Aya 5-8)

When they are told, 'Come, so that God's Messenger may ask forgiveness for you, ’ they turn their heads away. You see them drawing back in arrogance. As for them, it is all the same whether you pray for their forgiveness or you do not pray. God will not forgive them; for God does not bestow His guidance on such transgressor folk. They are the ones who say [to one another]: 'Do not give anything to those who are with God's Messenger, so that they may abandon him.' To God belong the treasures of the heavens and the earth, but the hypocrites cannot understand. They say, 'When we return to Madinah, the more honourable will surely drive out those who are contemptible. 'All honour belongs to God, His Messenger and the believers, but the hypocrites do not know. (Verses 5-8)

Wanachuoni kadhaa wa mwanzo wanathibitisha kwamba aya hizi zinahusiana na tukio ambalo ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy alishiriki kwa kiasi kikubwa. Ibn Ishaq ametoa simulizi ya kina kuhusu tukio hilo katika taarifa yake juu ya msafara wa kuzuia shambulio lililopangwa na kabila la Banu al-Mustaliq.

Several early scholars confirm that these verses relate to an incident in which ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy featured prominently. Ibn Ishaq gives a detailed account of it in his report on the expedition to forestall a planned attack by the al-Mustalaq tribe:

Waislamu bado walikuwa wamepiga kambi karibu na chemchemi iliyokuwa jukwaa la vita vyao. Watumishi walikuwa wakiwapeleka farasi majini ili wanywe. Miongoni mwao alikuwepo Jahjah, mtumishi wa ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab.

The Muslims were still encamping at the spring which provided the stage for their battle. Servants were taking horses to the water to drink. Among them was Jahjah, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattabs servant.

Tunapozingatia matukio na kuwaangalia watu waliohusika, pamoja na maelezo ya Qur'ani, tunaona mbinu ya kimungu ya kuilea jumuiya ya kwanza ya Waislamu, na tunastaajabu jinsi Mungu anavyoendesha mambo na matukio.

When we consider the events and look at the people involved, as also the Quranic comments, we see the divine method of cultivating the first Muslim community and we marvel at how God conducts matters and events.

Hivyo, tunaona jamii ya kwanza ya Waislamu ikiingiliwa na wanafiki ambao waliishi ndani ya safu zake kwa karibu miaka kumi, wakati wa uhai wa Mtume ﷺ, naye hakuwafukuza. Kwa kweli, Mungu hakumfahamisha majina wala watu wao hadi muda mfupi kabla ya kufa kwake mwenyewe ﷺ.

Thus, we see the first Muslim community infiltrated by hypocrites who live within its ranks for almost ten years, during the Prophets lifetime, and he does not expel them. In fact, God does not make them known to him by name or person until shortly before his own death.

Angeweza kumtambua mtu wa namna hiyo kwa sauti ya usemi wake tu, jinsi alivyopotosha maneno na kujaribu kuficha mambo. Pia aliwatambua kwa miitikio yao kwa mambo na matukio. Mwenyezi Mungu alilipanga hili ili watu wasiruhusiwe kuhukumu nia na mioyo ya wengine. Hukumu juu ya hayo ni ya Mwenyezi Mungu peke yake. Yeye peke yake ndiye anayejua yale watu wanayoficha mioyoni mwao, na yeye peke yake ndiye anayewataka watu kuyatolea hesabu. Sisi, kwa upande wetu, tunawahukumu watu kwa yale tunayoyaona mbele ya macho yetu. Hivyo basi, hakuna mtu anayehukumiwa kwa msingi wa shaka. Hata pale Mwenyezi Mungu alipomtambulisha Mtume wake ﷺ wale waliobaki wanafiki hadi muda mfupi kabla ya kifo chake, Mtume ﷺ hakuwafukuza kutoka jamii ya Waislamu walipoendelea kujionyesha kuwa ni Waislamu na kutekeleza wajibu wa Kiislamu.

He would know such a one only by the tone of his speech, the way he twisted words and tried to hide things. He also knew them by their reactions to things and events. God had willed this so that people were not allowed to judge others’ intentions and hearts. Judgement on these is for God alone. He alone knows what people harbour in their hearts and He alone requires people to account for them. As for us, we judge people by what we see before our eyes. Thus, no one is judged on the basis of suspicion. Even when God identified for His Messenger those who remained hypocrites until shortly before his death, the Prophet did not expel them from the Muslim community when they continued to put up a show that they were Muslims and fulfilled Islamic obligations.

Badala yake, alihifadhi ujuzi huo kwake mwenyewe, akimjulisha mmoja tu wa Maswahaba wake, Hudhayfah bin al-Yaman, utambulisho wao. Hakuna hata mmoja wao aliyeeneza habari hiyo. Kwa kweli, ‘Umar bin al-Khattab alitaka kuwa na uhakika hata kuhusu nafsi yake mwenyewe. Hivyo alikwenda kwa Hudhayfah kumuuliza kama Mtume ﷺ alikuwa amemtaja kuwa miongoni mwa wanafiki.

Tutajadili sasa aya za Qur'ani zinazorejelea matukio hayo:

We will now discuss the Qur’anic verses that refer to those events:

"Wanapoambiwa, 'Njoni, ili Mtume wa Mungu awaombee msamaha,' hugeuza vichwa vyao, nawe unawaona wakirudi nyuma kwa kiburi." (Aya ya 5) Hufanya matendo yao, husema lolote wanalosema, kisha wakitambua kwamba Mtume ﷺ amesikia tabia yao, hukimbilia njia za woga. Hula kiapo ili kujilinda. Iwapo, wanapohisi wako salama kwamba hawalazimiki kukabiliana na Mtume ﷺ, mtu akiwaambia, 'Njoni, ili Mtume wa Mungu awaombee msamaha,' hugeuka kwa kiburi. Sifa zote mbili za woga na kiburi huenda pamoja miongoni mwa wanafiki.

“ When they are told, 'Come, so that God's Messenger may ask forgiveness for you, 'they turn their heads away. You see them drawing back in arrogance.” (Verse 5) They perform their actions, say whatever they may say, and then if they realize that the Prophet heard of their behaviour they resort to cowardly ways. They swear an oath in an attempt to protect themselves. If, when feeling secure that they do not have to face the Prophet, someone says to them, 'Come, so that God's Messenger may ask forgiveness for you,' they turn away in arrogance. Both characteristics of cowardice and arrogance go hand in hand among hypocrites.

Hata hivyo, tabia kama hii kwa kawaida ni ya wale wenye cheo na ushawishi miongoni mwa watu, lakini wanajiona dhaifu mno kukabiliana uso kwa uso. Wao hujificha nyuma ya kiburi mradi tu hawalazimiki kukabiliana na ukweli. Lakini wanapokabiliwa nao, woga na viapo vya uongo ndiyo alama yao.

However, such behaviour normally belongs to those who hold position and influence among people, yet feel themselves too weak for direct confrontation. They resort to arrogant behaviour as long as they do not have to confront the truth. Yet when they are confronted with it, cowardice and false oaths are their mark.

Kwa hiyo, sura inamwelekea Mtume, ikimwambia yale ambayo Mwenyezi Mungu ameyaamua kuhusu hali ya wanafiki, na kwa kuwa hukumu ya Mwenyezi Mungu imeshatolewa, hakuna tena faida yoyote katika kuwaombea msamaha: "Kwao wao ni sawa, iwe umewaombea msamaha au hukuwaombea msamaha. Mwenyezi Mungu hatawasamehe kamwe; kwani Mwenyezi Mungu hawaongoi watu hao mafasiki." 6)

Therefore, the surah addresses the Prophet, telling him what God has determined in the hypocrites case, and since Gods judgement has been passed, there is no longer any use in praying for their forgiveness: “As for them, it is all the same whether you pray for their forgiveness or you do not pray. God will notforgive them; for God does not bestow His guidance on such transgressor folk." 6)

Anwani ya mwisho katika sura hii inawaelekea waumini ambao Mungu, pamoja na Mtume wake, aliwaweka katika cheo chake mwenyewe, akiwafanya washiriki heshima na utukufu wake. Anataka wapande kileleni hiki kirefu, wajiondoe kila tabia inayofanana na tabia za wanafiki. Wanapaswa kupendelea daraja hilo la juu kuliko kila kitu kingine, ikiwa ni pamoja na mali zao na watoto wao. Hakuna kinachopaswa kuruhusiwa kuvuruga fikira zao kutoka katika kutamani kufikia viwango hivyo vya juu:

The last address in the surah is made to the believers whom God placed, together with His Messenger, in His own rank, making them share in His honour and dignity. He wants them to climb to this high summit, ridding themselves of any characteristic that is akin to those of the hypocrites. They should prefer such superior elevation to everything else, including their property and offspring. Nothing must be allowed to divert their attention from aspiring to such lofty heights:

Enyi mlioamini! Mali zenu wala watoto wenu wasiwafanye mkasahau kumkumbuka Mwenyezi Mungu. Wale wanaofanya hivyo ndio hakika watakaokuwa wenye khasara.

Believers! Do not let your riches or your children make you oblivious of the remembrance of God. Those who do so will surely be the losers.

Basi toeni katika yale Tuliyokupeni, kabla mauti hayajamjia mmoja wenu, kisha aseme: "Mola wangu Mlezi, lau Ungenicheleweshea kwa muda mfupi, ningetoa sadaka na kuwa miongoni mwa wema."9

Give, then, out of what We have provided for you, before death comes to any of you, and then he says, l My Lord, if You would grant me a delay for a short while, I would give in charity and be one of the righteous.9

Mungu hatoi muhula kwa nafsi yoyote itakapofika wakati wake. Mungu anajua kikamilifu yote mnayoyatenda. (Aya 9-11)

God does not grant a delay to any soul when its term has come. God is fully aware of all that you do. (Verses 9-11)

Mali na watoto vinaweza kumshughulisha mtu kiasi cha kumfanya asijali chochote kingine, isipokuwa moyo wake umtahadharishe kuhusu lengo la kuwepo kwake, na kumfanya ajisikie kwamba ana lengo la juu zaidi. Lengo hili lazima liwe lile linalostahili kiumbe ambaye ndani yake Mungu alipuliza Roho Yake mwenyewe, akimpa hamu ya kufikia baadhi ya sifa za kiungu, ingawa ndani ya mipaka yake ya kibinadamu. Mungu amempa utajiri na watoto ili atimize jukumu lake la kujenga maisha ya kibinadamu duniani, lakini si ili ashughulike nao kabisa hadi wamkengeushe kumkumbuka Mungu na kuwa katika mawasiliano na chanzo cha ubinadamu wake. Wale wanaokengeushwa namna hii “hakika watakuwa ndio wenye hasara?” (Aya ya 9). Kitu cha kwanza wanachokipoteza ni utambulisho wao wa kibinadamu, ambao unategemea kudumisha uhusiano na chanzo cha ubinadamu wa mwanadamu. Yeyote anayejipoteza amepoteza kila kitu, bila kujali ukubwa wa utajiri wake wala idadi ya watoto wake.