Sura hii iliteremshwa Makkah muda mfupi baada ya Sura ya 26, Washairi, na inafuata mtindo uleule: utangulizi na hitimisho ambavyo kwa pamoja vinaeleza wazi maudhui yake. Katikati kuna simulizi kadhaa za kihistoria zinazosisitiza mada kuu na kuifafanua zaidi. Simulizi hizi husaidia kulinganisha mitazamo ya makafiri wa Makkah kwa upande mmoja na watangulizi wao miongoni mwa jamii nyingine kwa upande mwingine. Hivyo, sura hii inaonyesha mtindo ambao watetezi wa Uislamu katika kila kizazi wanapaswa kuutafakari.

This sūrah was revealed in Makkah shortly after Sūrah 26, The Poets, and it follows the same pattern: an introduction and conclusion which together spell out the subject matter. In between there are several historical accounts that emphasize the main theme, providing further elucidation of it. Theses histories help to draw parallels between the attitudes of the unbelievers in Makkah on the one hand and their predecessors among other communities on the other. Thus, the sūrah reveals a pattern which advocates of Islam in any generation need to contemplate.

Kama katika sūrah zote za Makka, mada kuu ni imani: kumwamini Mungu na kumwabudu Yeye peke yake, bila washirika, na kuamini ufufuo pamoja na malipo na adhabu katika Akhera. Hili pia linahitaji kuamini wahyi za Mungu, na kwamba mambo yote yaliyo nje ya uwezo wetu wa kuona, yaani ghayb, ni ya Mungu: yanajulikana Kwake Yeye peke yake. Sharti jingine la imani kama hiyo ni kuamini sifa za Mungu.

As in all Makkan sūrahs, the main theme is faith: to believe in God and worship Him alone, without partners, and to believe in the resurrection as well as reward and punishment in the hereafter. This also requires believing in God’s revelations, and that all matters that are beyond our perception, or ghayb, belong to God: they are known only to Him. A further prerequisite of such faith is belief in God’s attributes:

Yeye peke yake ndiye Muumbaji na Mruzuku, na neema zote zinatoka kwake yeye peke yake. Kwa hiyo, shukrani ni haki yake kwa yote anayotupa. Zaidi ya hayo, yeye ni Mwenye Nguvu Zote anayetupa viungo vyetu vyote, uwezo wetu na nguvu zetu.

He alone is the Creator and Provider, and all blessings come from Him alone. Hence, gratitude is due to Him for all that He gives us. Moreover, He is the Almighty who grants us all our faculties, abilities and powers.

Historia zilizomo katika sura hii zinathibitisha masuala haya na zinaonyesha hatima ya wale wanaoyakanusha na mwisho mwema wa wale wanaoyaamini. Mara baada ya utangulizi, kuna simulizi fupi kuhusu Musa inayoeleza jinsi alivyoona moto alipokuwa akisafiri usiku jangwani, jinsi alivyokaribia huo moto, na jinsi alivyoitwa kutoka juu. Simulizi hii pia inaeleza ujumbe ambao Musa alitakiwa kumfikishia Firauni. Kisha sura inaendelea mara moja kusema kwamba Firauni na watu wake waliyakanusha ukweli wa ishara ambazo Mungu aliwatumia, ingawa walikuwa wakijua mioyoni mwao kwamba ishara hizo ni za kweli. Katika muktadha huu tunaambiwa pia hatima ya wale wanaoukataa ukweli kwa makusudi: "Nafsi zao zilikuwa zikijua kuwa ni kweli, lakini wakazikataa kwa dhuluma na kiburi. Basi angalia ni nini kilichowapata waovu mwishowe." (Aya ya 14) Mtazamo wa makafiri wa Makka kuhusu Qur'ani, ambayo walikuwa wakijua kuwa ni wahyi wa kweli kutoka kwa Mungu, kimsingi haukutofautiana na mtazamo wa watenda maovu wa zamani hao.

The sūrah’s historical accounts confirm these issues and portray the fate of those who deny them and the happy end of those who believe in them. Immediately after the opening, we have a short account of Moses which describes his sighting of a fire as he travelled at night in the desert, his approach towards it and how he was addressed from on high. This account also documents the message Moses was required to deliver to Pharaoh. The sūrah then immediately proceeds to state that Pharaoh and his people denied the truth of the signs God sent them, even though they knew in their hearts that these were true. In this context we are also told of the fate of those who knowingly deny the truth: “Within their souls they knew them to be true, yet they, in their wickedness and arrogance, rejected them. Consider, then, what happened in the end to the evildoers.” (Verse 14) The Makkan unbelievers’ attitude towards the Qur’ān, which they knew to be truly God’s revelation was, in essence, no different than these earlier evildoers.

Tunaona pia kutajwa kwa neema alizowapa Mwenyezi Mungu Daudi na Sulemani (amani iwe juu yao wote wawili). Hii inatangulia hadithi ya Sulemani pamoja na chungu, hudhudu na Malkia wa Sheba. Hadithi hii inaonyesha kwamba Daudi na Sulemani walikuwa wenye shukrani kweli kwa fadhila alizowapa Mungu, ambazo zilijumuisha elimu, ufalme na utume. Zaidi ya hayo, Mungu aliwafanya majini na ndege wamtii Sulemani, wakiwa tayari kutekeleza amri zake. Tena hadithi hii inaonyesha misingi ya imani inayohubiriwa na mitume wote wa Mungu. Simulizi hilo linatoa nafasi ya pekee kwa jinsi Malkia wa Sheba na watu wake walivyopokea ujumbe wa Sulemani, na kulinganisha hilo na jinsi Maquraish walivyopokea ujumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu kama ulivyohubiriwa na Mtume Muhammad ﷺ. Kwa kifupi, Maquraish walikataa ujumbe huo na kuuita wa uongo, ilhali wengine waliukubali. Hata hivyo, ni Mwenyezi Mungu aliyempa Sulemani elimu yote, utajiri na nguvu alizokuwa nazo. Ni Mwenyezi Mungu anayejua na kumiliki kila kitu. Ikilinganishwa na vya Mungu, ufalme na elimu ya Sulemani havikuwa zaidi ya tone katika bahari.

We then have a reference to the blessings God bestowed on David and Solomon (peace be upon them both). This precedes Solomon’s story with the ant, the hoopoe and the Queen of Sheba. The story highlights that David and Solomon were truly thankful for the favours God granted them, which included knowledge, a kingdom and prophethood. In addition, He made the jinn and the birds subservient to Solomon, willing to do his bidding. Again the story here highlights the basics of faith preached by all God’s messengers. The account gives special treatment to how the Queen of Sheba and her people received Solomon’s message, contrasting this with the reception the Quraysh gave God’s message as preached by the Prophet Muhammad. Basically, the Quraysh denied the message, describing it as false, while the others accepted it. Yet it was God who gave Solomon all the knowledge, wealth and power he possessed. It is God who knows and owns everything. When compared with those of God, Solomon’s kingdom and knowledge were no more than a drop in the ocean.

Kisha inafuata simulizi kuhusu Nabii Ṣāliḥ na Thamūd. Jambo la umuhimu hasa hapa ni njama ambayo baadhi ya watenda maovu miongoni mwa watu wake walipanga dhidi ya Ṣāliḥ na jamaa yake, wakipanga kumuua. Inaonyesha jinsi Mwenyezi Mungu alivyoivunja njama yao, akamwokoa Ṣāliḥ na waumini, na kuiangamiza kaumu ya Thamūd pamoja na waliopanga njama hiyo: “Basi haya ndiyo makazi yao, yametupwa tupu.” (Aya ya 52) Maquraishi pia walipanga njama dhidi ya Nabii Muhammad ﷺ, wakipanga vivyo hivyo kumuua usiku.

Then follows an account of the Prophet Şāliĥ and the Thamūd. Of particular importance here is the conspiracy some of the evildoers among his people concocted against Şāliĥ and his household, plotting to kill him. It shows how God foiled their plot, saved Şāliĥ and the believers, and destroyed the Thamūd together with the conspirators: “Their dwellings are now empty.” (Verse 52) The Quraysh also plotted against the Prophet Muhammad, similarly conspiring to kill him at night.

Sura hii inaeleza kisa cha mwisho cha kihistoria, kinachohusu Lutu. Inasimulia jinsi watu wake walivyopanga kumfukuza yeye na wale waliomwamini kutoka mjini mwao kwa kisingizio kwamba wao wanajitakasa.' Inatuambia pia mwisho wao baada ya Lutu na kundi lake kuwaacha kwa hatima yao: "Tukawanyeshea mvua ya maangamizi. Ni mvua mbaya kabisa ya wale waliokuwa wameonywa." (Aya 58) Makuraishi pia walifikiria kumfukuza Mtume ﷺ kutoka mji wao, muda mfupi kabla ya kuhamia Madina.

The last historical account in this sūrah concerns Lot. It tells how his people planned to drive him and those who believed in him out of their town under the pretext that they kept themselves pure’. It tells us of their end after Lot and his group left them to their fate: “We rained on the others a rain of destruction. Dire indeed is such rain which fell on those who were forewarned.” (Verse 58) The Quraysh also considered driving the Prophet out of their city, shortly before he migrated to Madinah.

Baada ya mambo haya ya kihistoria kushughulikiwa, sura inaanza maelezo yake kwa aya isemayo: "Sema: Sifa njema zote ni za Mwenyezi Mungu, na amani iwe juu ya waja wake aliowateua. Je, yupi aliye bora: Mwenyezi Mungu au miungu ya uongo wanayomshirikisha naye?" (Aya ya 59). Kisha inatupeleka katika ziara ya maelezo ya matukio makuu ya ulimwengu, pamoja na baadhi ya mambo ya ndani zaidi ya nafsi ya mwanadamu. Kwa njia hii, sura inatuonyesha kazi ya Muumba Mkuu, Mpangaji, Muumbaji na Mlezi, ambaye peke yake anajua yaliyo nje ya uwezo wa ufahamu wa kiumbe chochote, na ambaye sisi sote tutarejea kwake. Kisha inatuambia kuhusu mojawapo ya dalili zinazoashiria kuja kwa Saa, ikiongeza picha za Siku ya Hukumu na hatima inayowangoja wale wanaoikanusha.

Once these historical aspects are dealt with, the sūrah begins its comments with the verse: “Say: All praise be to God, and peace be upon His servants whom He has chosen. Who is more worthy: God or the false [deities] they associate with Him?” (Verse 59) It then takes us on a descriptive round of some great universal scenes, as also some of the deeper aspects of the human soul. In this way, the sūrah shows us the work of the great Maker, Planner, Creator and Sustainer who alone knows what lies beyond the reach of any created being’s perception, and to whom we shall all return. It then tells us about one of the aspects that signal the coming of the Last Hour, adding some images of the Day of Judgement and the fate that awaits those who deny it.

Sūrah hii inamalizika kwa maneno yanayolingana vizuri na mada yake na mazingira yake.

The sūrah concludes on a note that fits well with its subject matter and ambience:

"Nimeamriwa tu nimwabudu Mola wa mji huu ambao ameufanya kuwa mtakatifu. Vitu vyote ni vyake. Na nimeamriwa niwe miongoni mwa wale wanaojisalimisha [kwa Mungu], na kusoma Qur'ani. Basi yeyote anayechagua kufuata njia iliyo sawa, anafanya hivyo kwa faida ya nafsi yake mwenyewe; na yeyote atakayechagua kupotea, sema: Mimi ni mwonyaji tu. Na sema: Sifa zote ni za Mungu. Hakika Yeye atakuonyesha ishara zake, nawe utazitambua. Mola wako hayuko mbali na yale unayoyafanya."

“I am only bidden to worship the Lord of this city who has made it sacred. To Him all things belong. And I am bidden to be one of those who submit themselves [to God], and to recite the Qur’ān. So whoever chooses to follow the right path does so for his own benefit; and if any chooses to go astray, say: I am only a warner. And say: All praise is due to God. He will indeed make you see His signs, and you will recognize them. Your Lord is never heedless of what you do.” (Verses 91-93)

Sūrah-nin boyunca ilim üzerinde özel vurgu yapılmakta, Allah'ın gizli olanı ve açık olanı tamamen bilmesi, özellikle de algılarımızın erişemediği her şeyi bilmesi öne çıkarılmaktadır. Ayrıca Allah'ın bize gösterdiği evrensel belgelerden bazılarından da söz edilmektedir. Davud ve Süleyman'a verilen ilimden, Süleyman'a kuşların dilinin öğretilmesinden ve bu ilmi nasıl alçakgönüllülükle kabul ettiğinden bahsedilmektedir. Bu nedenle sūrah'ın başında Peygamber ﷺ'e şöyle denilmektedir: "Şüphesiz sen Kur'an'ı, Hikmet sahibi, Her şeyi bilen (Allah)'ın katından alıyorsun." (Âyet 6) Tarihî kıssalar üzerine yapılan yorumlarda ise Peygamber ﷺ'e şöyle demesi emredilmektedir: "Göklerde ve yerde olanlardan gizliyi Allah'tan başkası bilmez. Onların ne zaman diriltileceklerini de bilemezler. Gerçekte onların ahiret hakkındaki bilgileri tamamen yetersiz kalmıştır." (Âyet 65-66)

Throughout the sūrah, special emphasis is laid on knowledge, highlighting God’s perfect knowledge of what is concealed and what is left public, particularly His knowledge of everything that lies beyond the reach of our perceptions. It also speaks about some of the universal signs which He reveals to us. It refers to the knowledge God granted David and Solomon, and how Solomon was taught the language of the birds, and how he humbly acknowledged such learning. Hence, at the beginning of the sūrah the Prophet is told: “Most certainly, you receive the Qur’ān out of the grace of One who is Wise, All-Knowing.” (Verse 6) In the comments on the historical accounts the Prophet is instructed to say: “None in the heavens or earth knows what is hidden except God. Nor can they ever perceive when they shall be raised from the dead. Indeed the total sum of their knowledge stops short of comprehending the hereafter.” (Verses 65-66)

Hakika Mola wako anajua yote ambayo nyoyo zao zinayaficha na yote wanayoyadhihirisha.

“Indeed your Lord knows all that their hearts conceal and all that they bring into the open.

"Hakuna kitu kilichofichika mbinguni wala ardhini ambacho hakijaandikwa katika kitabu kilicho wazi." (Aya 74-75) Hatimaye tunaambiwa: "Hakika Yeye atawaonyesha ishara Zake, nanyi mtazitambua." (Aya 93) Hadithi ya Sulaiman inaanza hivi: "Hakika Sisi tulimpa ujuzi Daudi na Sulaiman, nao wakasema: Himdi zote ni za Mwenyezi Mungu, ambaye ametufadhilisha juu ya waja wengi Wake wenye kuamini." (Aya 15) Ujuzi unasisitizwa kwa namna ya pekee katika aya kama hizi, hasa pale Sulaiman anaposema: "Tumefundishwa lugha ya ndege." (Aya 16) Vilevile Hudhud anaposema: "Kwamba wasisujudie Mwenyezi Mungu, ambaye huyatoa yaliyofichika mbinguni na ardhini, na anajua mnayoficha na mnayoyadhihirisha." (Aya 25) Sulaiman alipotaka kiti cha malkia kiletwe kwake, si jini mwenye ustadi aliyekileta kwa kupepesa jicho; aliyefanya hivyo alikuwa mtu "aliyekuwa na elimu kubwa ya Kitabu." (Aya 40)

There is nothing that is hidden in the heavens or the earth but is recorded in a clear book.” (Verses 74-75) In conclusion we are told: “He will indeed make you see His signs, and you will recognize them.” (Verse 93) The story of Solomon begins as follows: “For sure, We granted knowledge to David and Solomon, and both of them said: All praise is due to God who has favoured us above many of His believing servants.” (Verse 15) Knowledge is given special emphasis in such verses, not least where Solomon says: “We have been taught the speech of birds.” (Verse 16) And also as the Hoopoe says: “That they should not prostrate themselves in worship of God who brings forth all that is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what you conceal and what you reveal.” (Verse 25) When Solomon wanted the queen’s throne to be brought to him, it was not the skilful jinn who brought it in the wink of an eye; the one who did was a person “who was deeply versed in the Book.” (Verse 40)

Hivyo basi, elimu ndiyo sifa kuu inayopenya sura yote, kuanzia mwanzo hadi mwisho, ili kuonyesha umuhimu wake wa pekee.

Thus knowledge is the main feature that permeates the entire sūrah, from beginning to end, so as to highlight its special importance.