Kifungu hiki cha kwanza kinazungumzia umoja wa Mungu. Kinatumia zana zote tulizozieleza katika Utangulizi: ishara na dalili nyingi zilizomo katika aina mbalimbali za viumbe vya Mungu, neema nyingi alizomjalia mwanadamu katika kila hatua ya maisha yake, ujuzi wake kamili wa yaliyofichwa na yaliyo wazi, maisha ya dunia hii na maisha ya akhera.

This first passage speaks about God’s oneness. It makes use of all the tools we outlined in the Prologue: the numerous signs and indicators the great variety of God’s creation exhibit, the countless favours He has bestowed on man in every stage of his life, His perfect knowledge of what is kept secret and what is left public, the life of this world and the life to come.

Hukumu ya Mungu hakika itakuja; basi usitake kuiharakisha. Ametakasika na ametukuka sana juu ya chochote watu wanachomshirikisha nacho. Yeye huteremsha malaika pamoja na Wahyi huu, [uliotolewa] kwa mapenzi yake kwa wale waja wake awapendao: "Waonye watu kwamba hakuna mungu isipokuwa Mimi, basi nicheni." (Aya 1-2)

God’s judgement is bound to come; so do not seek to hurry it on. Limitless is He in His glory and sublimely exalted above anything people may associate with Him. He sends down angels with this divine inspiration, [bestowed] by His will on such of His servants as He pleases: ‘Warn [mankind] that there is no deity other than Me: so fear Me.’ (Verses 1-2)

Washirikina huko Makka walikuwa wakimwomba Mtume ﷺ aharakishe adhabu yao katika maisha haya, au aharakishe adhabu ambayo Mungu amewawekea katika maisha ya Akhera. Muda ulipopita bila adhabu kuletwa, walizidi kumsihi Mtume ﷺ aiharakishe zaidi na zaidi, wakionyesha kwamba hawakujali hata kidogo. Walidhani kwamba Muhammad ﷺ alikuwa anawaonya dhidi ya jambo ambalo halingewahi kutokea kamwe. Lengo lake pekee, kwa mujibu wa dhana yao, lilikuwa kuwafanya waamini alichosema na kukubali imani yake. Hawakuweza kuelewa hekima ya Mungu katika kuwapa muda. Wala hawakuweza kutambua neema Yake. Hawakutafakari juu ya ishara ambazo Yeye ameziweka kila mahali katika ulimwengu unaowazunguka. Wala hawakutafakari juu ya ufunuo Wake katika Qur'ani ambao unazungumza na akili na mioyo ya watu. Hiyo ni, baada ya yote, njia yenye ufanisi zaidi ya kuwasiliana kuliko adhabu na mateso. Ni yenye heshima zaidi kwa binadamu ambaye Mungu amemtukuza alipompa akili, hisia, na mapenzi huru ya kujifunza, kutafakari na kufanya maamuzi ya hiari.

The unbelievers in Makkah used to ask the Prophet to hasten their punishment in this life, or to hasten the punishment God has in store for them in the life to come. As time passed with no punishment being inflicted, they urged the Prophet more and more to hasten it, demonstrating that they could not care less. They thought that Muĥammad was warning them against something that would never happen. His only aim, as they imagined, was to get them to believe what he said and accept his faith. They could not understand God’s wisdom in giving them time. Nor could they appreciate His grace. They would not reflect on the signs He has placed everywhere in the universe around them. Nor would they reflect on His revelations in the Qur’ān which address people’s minds and hearts. That is after all a much more effective address than punishment and suffering. It is more worthy of man whom God has honoured when He gave him a mind, feelings and an independent will to study, reflect and make free choices.

Mwanzo wa sura hii ni wa kuamua kwa uthabiti: "Hukumu ya Mwenyezi Mungu ni lazima ije." Hili linaashiria kwamba amri imeshatolewa, na mapenzi ya Mwenyezi Mungu yameshafanyika. Hili linatosha kwa hukumu hiyo kutimia wakati ulioamuliwa kwake na Mwenyezi Mungu Mwenyewe. "Basi msitake kuiharakisha." Sheria za Mwenyezi Mungu zinafanya kazi kulingana na mapenzi Yake. Haziwezi kuharakishwa, wala haziwezi kucheleweshwa ili kutosheleza matakwa ya watu.

Sūra kisha huanza kueleza vipengele vya uumbaji vinavyosisitiza umoja wa Muumba, pamoja na vipengele vya neema vinavyothibitisha kwamba ni Mungu peke yake anayezitoa zote. Haya yanafunuliwa katika makundi yanayofuatana kwa mpangilio, kuanzia uumbaji wa mbingu na ardhi, kisha kuhamia uumbaji wa mwanadamu: “Ameziumba mbingu na ardhi kwa haki; Yeye ametukuka juu ya yale wanayomshirikisha nayo. Amemuumba mwanadamu kutokana na tone la manii; lakini huyu mwanadamu huyohuyo ni mgomvi wa wazi.” (Aya 3-4)

The sūrah then begins to outline the aspects of creation that emphasize the oneness of the Creator, and the aspects of blessing that confirm that it is God alone who bestows them all. These are revealed in groups that follow one another sequentially, starting with the creation of the heavens and the earth, and moving to the creation of man: “He has created the heavens and the earth in truth; sublimely exalted is He above anything people may associate with Him. He creates man out of a drop of sperm; yet this same man is openly contentious.” (Verses 3-4)

"Ameumba mbingu na ardhi kwa haki." (Aya ya 3) Haki ndiyo kiini cha uumbaji wao na kuwepo kwao. Hakika haki ni kipengele cha msingi katika kusimamia mambo yao na mambo ya viumbe vyote. Hakuna kitu kinachoumbwa bure wala kwa mchezo wa upuuzi. Kila kitu kinapata kuwepo kwake kwa msingi wa haki, na hatimaye kinaelekea kwenye haki. "Ametukuka sana Yeye juu ya yale wanayomshirikisha nayo." (Aya ya 3) Yeye ametukuka juu ya imani zao za kishirikina na juu ya kiumbe chochote wanachomshirikisha naye. Hakika Yeye ndiye aliyeziumba mbingu na ardhi na viumbe vyote vinavyoishi humo. Hakuna kiumbe kinachostahili kuwa mshirika wake. Hakika Yeye hana washirika.

“He has created the heavens and the earth in truth.” (Verse 3) The truth is at the core of their creation and their existence. Indeed the truth is an essential element in managing their affairs and the affairs of all creation. Nothing is created in vain or idle play. Everything derives its existence on the basis of the truth, and leads eventually to the truth. “Sublimely exalted is He above anything people may associate with Him.” (Verse 3) He is exalted above their pagan beliefs and above any creatures they associate with Him. He is indeed the One who has created the heavens and the earth and all beings that live in them. No creature is worthy of being His partner. Indeed He has no partners.

"Aliumba binadamu kutokana na tone la manii; lakini huyu binadamu huyo huyo ni mgomvi wa wazi." (Aya ya 4) Pengo kati ya mwanzo na mwisho ni kubwa sana, kati ya manii isiyo na thamani na binadamu aliye katika ugomvi wa wazi. Anagombana na Mola wake na kumkataa. Anabishana kuhusu kuwepo kwake au umoja wake. Hata hivyo, namna aya inavyoendelea haiachi pengo kati ya mahali pa mwanzo, tone la manii, na binadamu aliyekua anayeshiriki mabishano na ugomvi. Hii inaonyesha kwamba tofauti hiyo ni kamili na pengo ni pana mno. Ufupi kama huu umekusudiwa kwa athari iliyoimarishwa.

Kundi la pili la ishara kubwa katika uumbaji wa Mungu na baraka zake zisizo na kikomo linafuata hapa:

The second group of great signs in God’s creation and His unlimited blessings then follow:

Ndiye ambaye huteremsha maji kutoka mbinguni. Kutokana nayo mnakunywa, na kwa maji hayo hustawi mimea ambayo kwayo mnalisha mifugo yenu. Kwa maji hayo pia hukuotesha mazao, mizeituni, mitende, zabibu, na matunda ya kila aina. Hakika katika haya kuna ishara kwa watu wanaotafakari. (Aya 10-11)

It is He who sends down water from the skies. From it you drink, and with it grow the plants on which you pasture your cattle. And with it He causes crops to grow for you, and olive trees, and date-palms, and grapes, and all other kinds of fruit. Surely in this there is a sign for people who think. (Verses 10-11)

Maji hushuka kutoka mbinguni kwa mujibu wa sheria ambazo Mwenyezi Mungu ameziweka katika maumbile na kuziweka katika utendaji. Ni sheria hizi ndizo zinazosimamia mwenendo wa maji hayo na kuleta matokeo yake kwa mujibu wa mapenzi ya Mwenyezi Mungu. Hakika Yeye ndiye anayeanzisha kila mwendo na kuamua kila matokeo kwa tendo maalum la mapenzi Yake. Maji yametajwa hapa kama sehemu ya neema ya Mwenyezi Mungu. "Kutokana nayo mnakunywa." Kwa hiyo ina sifa ya kufaa kwa kunywa. Sifa yake nyingine inafuata: "Na kwa maji hayo hustawi mimea ambayo kwayo mnawalisha wanyama wenu." (Aya ya 10) Rejeo hili linaendana vizuri na kutajwa kwa wanyama hapo awali. Linaleta upatanifu kati ya malisho na wanyama. Pia kuna rejeo la mimea inayotumika kama chakula cha binadamu, zikiwemo mizeituni, tende na zabibu, pamoja na aina nyingi nyingine za matunda.

Water pours down from the sky in accordance with laws that God has placed in nature and set into operation. It is these laws that control the running of such water and bring about its outcome in accordance with God’s will. Indeed He initiates every movement and determines every result by a special act of will. The water is mentioned here as an aspect of God’s grace. “From it you drink.” So it has the quality of being suitable for drinking. Its other quality follows: “And with it grow the plants on which you pasture your cattle.” (Verse 10) This reference fits in well with the earlier mention of cattle. It provides harmony between the pasture and cattle. A reference is also made to plants which serve as food for man, including olives, dates and grapes, and many other types of fruit.

"Hakika katika hili kuna ishara kwa watu wanaofikiri." (Aya ya 11) Hakika kuna ishara katika jinsi Mwenyezi Mungu alivyoubuni ulimwengu na kuweka sheria zake kwa namna inayolingana na maisha ya binadamu.

“Surely in this there is a sign for people who think.” (Verse 11) There is certainly a sign in the way God has designed the universe and set its laws so that they fit human life.

Sasa kwa kuwa vipengele vya uumbaji, neema na muundo mkuu vimekamilika katika sehemu hii ya kwanza ya sura, kunakuja maelezo ya kusisitiza hoja iliyo mbele, yaani umoja wa Mungu ambaye yuko juu kabisa, mbali na viumbe vyote ambavyo watu huwashirikisha naye.

Now that the aspects of creation, blessings and great design have been completed in this first passage of the sūrah, a comment follows to emphasize the point at issue, namely the oneness of God who is sublimely exalted above all those beings people associate as partners with Him:

Je, yule anayeumba ni kama yule asiyeweza kuumba? Basi je, hamtafikiri? Mkijaribu kuhesabu neema za Mwenyezi Mungu, hamtaweza kuzihesabu kamwe. Hakika Mwenyezi Mungu ni Mwingi wa kusamehe, Mwenye rehema. Mwenyezi Mungu anajua yote mnayoficha na yote mnayoyadhihirisha. Wale wanaowaomba badala ya Mwenyezi Mungu hawawezi kuumba chochote; wao wenyewe wameumbwa. Wao ni wafu, si hai, wala hawajui lini watafufuliwa. (Aya 17-21)

Is He, then, who creates like one that cannot create? Will you not, then, think? Should you try to count God’s blessings, you will never be able to compute them. God is indeed Much Forgiving, Merciful. God knows all that you keep secret and all that you bring into the open. Those beings that some people invoke beside God cannot create anything; they themselves are created. They are dead, not living, and they do not know when they will be raised back to life. (Verses 17-21)

Maoni haya yanakuja wakati unaofaa zaidi. Sote tuko tayari kukubali hoja inayotolewa: "Je, basi, yule anayeumba ni sawa na yule asiyeweza kuumba?" (Aya ya 17) Je, kunaweza kuwa na jibu zaidi ya moja? Hapana! Bila shaka hapana! Wao si sawa. Je, inawezekana binadamu kumlinganisha Mungu, aliyeumba haya yote, na miungu ya uongo isiyoumba chochote? "Basi, hamfikiri?" (Aya ya 17) Hoja hii inahitaji tafakuri kidogo tu, na kesi nzima inakuwa imefungwa.

This comment comes at the most opportune time. We are all ready to accept the point it makes: “Is He, then, who creates like one that cannot create?” (Verse 17) Could there be more than one answer? No! Of course not! They are not alike. Is it possible that a human being can equate God who has created all these with false deities that create nothing? “Will you not, then, think? (Verse 17) The point needs no more than a little reflection and the whole case is set to rest.

Sūra hii inataja aina mbalimbali za baraka za Mungu. Sasa inatoa maoni juu ya hili, ikisema: "Mkijaribu kuhesabu baraka za Mungu, hamtaweza kuzihesabu." (Aya ya 18) Ikiwa watu hawawezi hata kuhesabu baraka za Mungu, basi ni vigumu zaidi kwao kumshukuru Mungu vya kutosha kwazo. Kwa hakika, baraka nyingi hazionekani kwa mwanadamu, kwa sababu ni za kawaida sana kwake. Hivyo hazitambui umuhimu wake. Hutambua umuhimu wa baraka aliyoichukulia kawaida tu pale inapoondolewa. Tukumbuke tu jinsi tusivyotambua umuhimu wa viungo na mifumo mbalimbali ya miili yetu. Tunakumbuka hili tu tunapougua, kwa sababu viungo vyetu havifanyi kazi ipasavyo. Hata hivyo, msamaha wa Mungu huhakikisha kwamba mapungufu ya mwanadamu na ukosefu wake wa shukrani hupuuzwa: "Hakika Mungu ni Mwingi wa Kusamehe, Mwenye Kurehemu." (Aya ya 18)