Sura hii sasa inaeleza baadhi ya ushirikina wa ujinga wa Waarabu na hadithi za kubuni walizozieneza kuhusu Mwenyezi Mungu kujichukulia mabinti, yaani malaika, pamoja na ibada yao kwa Shetani, malaika na sanamu zao. Inaeleza baadhi ya desturi zao, kama vile kukata masikio ya baadhi ya ng'ombe kama sadaka kwa miungu yao, pamoja na kuharibu uumbaji wa Mwenyezi Mungu, na imani yao katika miungu mingine mbali na Mwenyezi Mungu. Yote haya yako kinyume na maumbile safi aliyomwekea mwanadamu Mwenyezi Mungu.
The sūrah now describes some of the superstitions of Arabian ignorance and the legends that the Arabs spread about God taking to Himself daughters, i.e. the angels, and the Arabs’ worship of Satan, the angels and their idols. It describes some of their rituals, such as slitting the ears of some cattle as offerings to their deities, as well as their corrupting of God’s creation, and their belief in other deities beside God. All this is contrary to the upright nature God has placed in man:
Badala yake, wao huomba tu vitu visivyo na uhai — hivyo basi wanamwomba si mwingine ila shetani mwasi, ambaye Mungu amemkataa, kwani alisema: “Kwa hakika nitajichukulia sehemu yangu ya miongoni mwa waja Wako, nami bila shaka nitawapotosha, nitawajaza matamanio ya bure; nami nitawaamuru — nao watakata masikio ya wanyama [katika kafara za kishirki]; nami nitawaamuru — nao watauharibu uumbaji wa Mungu.” Lakini wote wanaomchukua shetani badala ya Mungu kuwa bwana wao hakika hupata hasara iliyo wazi. Yeye [yaani]
In His stead, they invoke only lifeless symbols — thus invoking none but a rebellious Satan, whom God has rejected, for he had said: “Of Your servants I shall indeed take my due share, and shall certainly lead them astray, and fill them with vain desires; and I shall command them — and they will slit the ears of cattle [in idolatrous sacrifice]; and I shall command them — and they will corrupt God’s creation. But all who take Satan rather than God for their master do incur a manifest loss. He [i.e.
Shetani] huwapa ahadi na kuwajaza matamanio batili, lakini kila ahadi ya Shetani ni ya kuwadanganya tu.” (Aya 117-20)
Satan] holds out promises to them, and fills them with vain desires, but whatever Satan promises is meant only to deceive them.” (Verses 117-20)
Katika siku zao za ujinga, Waarabu walidai kwamba Malaika walikuwa binti za Mwenyezi Mungu.
In their days of ignorance, the Arabs alleged that the angels were God’s daughters.
Walifanya sanamu zinazowakilisha malaika hawa na kuwapa majina ya kike, kama Al-Lāt, Al-`Uzza, Manāt, n.k. Kisha, waliabudu sanamu au vinyago hivi, ambavyo inadaiwa viliwakilisha binti za Mungu, ili wakaribie kwa Mungu. Hali hii ilikuwa hivyo mwanzoni, lakini baadaye walisahau hadithi ya asili na kuanza kuabudu sanamu zenyewe. Kwa kweli baadhi yao waliabudu jiwe lenyewe ambalo sanamu zilitengenezwa. Baadhi yao pia waliabudu Shetani mwenyewe. Al-Kalbī anataja kwamba kabila la Mulaiĥ, ambalo lilikuwa la kabila la Khuzā`ah, liliabudu majini.
They made statues representing these angels and gave them feminine names, such as Al-Lāt, Al-`Uzza, Manāt, etc. Then, they worshipped these statues or idols, allegedly representing God’s daughters, in order to be closer to God. This was the case at least in the beginning, but then they forgot the original legend and worshipped the statues themselves. Indeed some of them worshipped the very stone from which the statues were made. Some of them also worshipped Satan himself. Al-Kalbī mentions that the clan of Mulaiĥ, which belonged to the Khuzā`ah tribe, worshipped the jinn.
Taarifa hii ina maana pana zaidi. Ukweli kwamba walimshirikisha Mungu na washirika unamaanisha kwamba kwa kweli walimwomba Shetani na kuchukua imani zao kutoka kwake.
The statement here is of wider implication. The fact that they associated partners with God means that they actually invoked Satan and derived their beliefs from him.
Ni Shetani huyo huyo aliyetajwa katika hadithi ya baba yao wa kwanza, Adamu, na ambaye Mwenyezi Mungu alimkataa kwa kuasi kwake na kwa uadui wake kwa wanadamu. Shetani alipolaaniwa namna hiyo, alijenga chuki isiyokoma dhidi ya wanadamu, iliyomsukuma kuomba ruhusa ya kuwapoteza kila binadamu asiyekimbilia kwa Mwenyezi Mungu.
It is the same Satan who figures in the story of their original father, Adam, and whom God rejected for his disobedience and for his hostility to mankind. When he was so accursed, Satan nurtured an unabating hatred towards mankind which motivated him to seek permission to lead astray any human who does not seek refuge with God.
Badala yake, wanaomba vitu visivyo na uhai tu, na hivyo hawaombi chochote isipokuwa Shetani mwasi, ambaye Mungu amemkataa, kwani alisema: "Hakika nitajichukulia sehemu yangu miongoni mwa waja wako, na bila shaka nitawapoteza, na nitawajaza matamanio yasiyo na maana; nami nitawaamuru nao watapasua masikio ya wanyama [katika dhabihu za kishirikina]; nami nitawaamuru nao watauharibu uumbaji wa Mungu." (Aya 117-119)
In His stead, they invoke only lifeless symbols — thus invoking none but a rebellious Satan, whom God has rejected, for he had said: “Of Your servants I shall indeed take my due share, and shall certainly lead them astray, and fill them with vain desires; and I shall command them — and they will slit the ears of cattle [in idolatrous sacrifice]; and I shall command them — and they will corrupt God’s creation. (Verses 117-19)
Wanamwomba adui yao wa zamani, Shetani, na kutoka kwake wanapokea kila kitu kinachowaongoza kwenye upotofu ulio wazi. Yeye tayari ametangaza nia yake ya kuwapotosha sehemu ya wanadamu wasiongozwe na mwongozo wa Mwenyezi Mungu, akiwawekea matumaini ya kutimiza matamanio yao ya bure, iwe ni starehe ya muda mfupi, furaha ya uongo, au kukwepa adhabu ya mwisho. Pia ametangaza kwamba atawashawishi watende matendo maovu na kufanya ibada za kipumbavu na za kihadithi, kama vile kukata masikio ya ng'ombe ili wawe haramu kupanda au kula, ingawa Mwenyezi Mungu hakuzikataza. Pia atawashawishi kubadilisha au kuharibu uumbaji wa Mwenyezi Mungu kwa kukata au kubadilisha baadhi ya viungo vya miili ya binadamu au wanyama, kama vile kuwahasi watumwa au kumchora mtu tattoo, na kubadilisha uumbaji wa Mwenyezi Mungu kwa namna kama hiyo. Yote haya Mwenyezi Mungu ameyakataza kwa msisitizo mkubwa.
They invoke their old enemy, Satan, and receive from him all that leads them into manifest error. He has already declared his intention to divert a section of mankind away from Divine guidance, holding for them the prospect of satisfying their vain desires, whether it be some fleeting pleasure, false happiness, or of escaping ultimate punishment. He has also declared that he will persuade them to commit evil actions and perform stupid and legendary rituals, such as the slitting of the ears of cattle so that they become forbidden to ride or eat, although God has not prohibited them. He will also persuade them to change or corrupt God’s creation by cutting off or altering some parts of the body of humans or animals, such as castrating slaves or tattooing a person and similarly altering God’s creation. All this God has strictly forbidden.
Wakati mwanadamu anapohisi kwamba Shetani, adui yake wa zamani, ndiye hasa anayehimiza desturi na matendo kama haya ya kishirki, huwa lazima ajihadhari asije akadanganywa na adui yake. Uislamu unaifanya vita kati ya mwanadamu na Shetani kuwa vita kuu, na unaelekeza rasilimali zote za muumini katika kupambana na Shetani na uovu anaoueneza duniani. Hivyo, muumini hujiunga na upande wa Mungu na kupigana chini ya bendera ya Mungu dhidi ya Shetani na wafuasi wake. Hii ni vita inayoendelea kila wakati; haitakoma kamwe. Hii ni kwa sababu Shetani hataacha kuiendeleza. Muumini, kwa upande wake, hatapuuza wala kujiondoa nayo. Anajua kwamba chaguo zilizo mbele yake ni kujiunga na upande wa Mungu au kujiunga na kundi la Shetani. Hakuna msimamo wa kati unaoweza kushikwa. Katika vita hii, Shetani anawakilishwa na tamaa zote za ubatili anazozichochea, na na wafuasi wake, ambao ni pamoja na wasioamini wote na wote wanaotetea uovu. Muislamu hupigana na Shetani mwenyewe na wafuasi wake katika vita ndefu inayodumu maadamu uhai unaendelea.
When a human being feels that Satan, his old enemy, is actually the one who advocates such pagan rituals and practices, he is bound to feel that he must be cautious lest he should be tricked by his enemy. Islam makes the battle between man and Satan the main battle, and directs all the resources of a believer into combating Satan and the evil he spreads on earth. Thus, a believer joins God’s party and fights under God’s banner against Satan and his cronies. This is an ever-raging battle; it will never end. This because Satan will not stop waging it. A believer, on the other hand, will not ignore or withdraw from it. He knows that the choices available to him are either to join God’s party or Satan’s lot. There is no middle ground to hold. In this battle Satan is represented by all the vain desires he arouses, and by his followers who include all non-believers and all advocates of evil. A Muslim fights Satan himself and his followers in a long battle which lasts as long as life itself continues.
Yeyote anayemchukua Mungu kuwa mlinzi wake atapata mafanikio, na yeyote anayemchukua Shetani kuwa mlinzi wake ataishia kwenye maangamizi: "Lakini wote wanaomchukua Shetani badala ya Mungu kuwa bwana wao hakika wanapata hasara iliyo dhahiri." (Aya ya 119) Qur'ani inaeleza anachofanya Shetani kwa wale wanaotekeleza amri zake katika kufuatilia matamanio yao ya kiburi: "Yeye [yaani Shetani] huwaahidi na huwajaza matamanio ya bure, lakini kile ambacho Shetani anachoahidi ni kwa ajili ya kuwadanganya tu." (Aya ya 120)
Whoever takes God for his patron will achieve success, and whoever takes Satan for his patron will end up in ruin: “But all who take Satan rather than God for their master do incur a manifest loss.” (Verse 119) The Qur’ān describes what Satan does with those who do his bidding in pursuing their vain desires: “He [i.e. Satan] holds out promises to them, and fills them with vain desires, but whatever Satan promises is meant only to deceive them.” (Verse 120)
Huu ni mfano wa kuweka mbele matarajio ya kutimiza matamanio yanayoipotosha tabia ya kibinadamu kutoka kwenye imani na kuingia kwenye kufuru na kumshirikisha Mungu. Lauisingekuwa jaribu hili, tabia ya kibinadamu ingebaki safi na kuitikia uongofu wa imani. Ni jaribu la Shetani linalopamba matendo maovu ya binadamu ili amwone kuwa ni mazuri. Yeye humwahidi mwanadamu faida nyingi na furaha kamili anapofuata njia ya kumwasi Mungu. Hivyo, mwanadamu hujiunga naye katika njia hiyo. Kisha Shetani humwahidi mwanadamu kwamba atakwepa adhabu ya Akhera, lakini hili linaishia tu katika kuangamia kwa mwanadamu bila shaka: "Lakini chochote Shetani anachowaahidi ni kuwadanganya tu." (Aya ya 120)
This is an example of raising the prospect of fulfilling desires which divert human nature away from faith into disbelief and associating partners with God. Had it not been for this temptation, human nature would have remained pure and responded to the guidance of faith. It is Satan’s temptation which adorns the had deeds of a human being so that he sees them as fair. He promises man much gain and complete happiness when he follows the path of disobeying God. Thus, man joins him along that road. Satan then promises man that he will escape punishment in the hereafter, but this leads only to man’s inevitable ruin: “but whatever Satan promises is meant only to deceive them.” (Verse 120)
Wakati tukio zima linapoonyeshwa kwa namna hii, huku adui wa zamani akiweka mitego na kuwajaribu waathiriwa wake, ni wale tu wasiotaka kuona ndio wanaoendelea kutojua kinachopangwa kwao. Hawajaribu hata kuona mwisho ambao wanasukumwa kuelekea, wala ni shimo gani wanalosukumwa kuangukia.
When the whole scene is portrayed in this form, with the old enemy setting the traps and tempting his victims, only those who are unwilling to see continue to remain oblivious to what is being plotted for them. They do not even try to see the destination to which they are being driven, and into what precipice they are being pushed.
Maelezo haya ya kugusa moyo sana yanawatahadharisha watu, yanaonyesha vita hiyo katika sura yake halisi, kisha yanafuatiwa na kauli inayoonyesha matokeo ya mwisho ya wale wanaokubali kushawishiwa na Shetani. Hao ndio ambao kwao anatimiza nia yake mbaya aliyoitangaza. Pia inaonyesha mwisho wa wale wanaojiepusha na mipango yake ya uovu kwa sababu wanamwamini kweli Mungu. Waumini wa kweli wamelindwa dhidi ya mipango mibaya ya Shetani kwa sababu, alipoomba ruhusa ya kujaribu kuwapotosha wanadamu, hakupewa ruhusa ya kuwakaribia waumini wa kweli. Kwa kuwa wao wanashikilia kwa nguvu mwongozo wa Mungu, Shetani anaonekana kuwa dhaifu sana kwa kulinganisha: "Huwapa ahadi, na kuwajaza matamanio ya bure; lakini anachowaahidi Shetani si chochote ila udanganyifu. Hao makazi yao ni Jahannamu, wala hawatapata pa kukimbilia. Na wale walioamini na kutenda mema, tutawaingiza katika bustani zipitazo mito chini yake, watadumu humo milele. Hii ni ahadi ya kweli ya Mungu. Na ni nani aliye mkweli wa kauli kuliko Mungu?" (Aya 120-122)
This most touching of descriptions puts people on the alert, paints the battle in its true colours, and then follows the comment which shows the end result of those who succumb to Satan’s temptation. They are the ones with whom he accomplishes his declared evil intentions. It also shows the end of those who escape from his wicked schemes because they truly believe in God. True believers are immune from Satan’s wicked designs because, when he sought permission to try to seduce mankind, he received no permission to come near true believers. As they hold tight to God’s guidance, Satan is shown to be very weak by comparison: “He [i.e. Satan] holds out promises to them, and fills them with vain desires, but whatever Satan promises is meant only to deceive them. Such as these shall have Hell as their dwelling place. They shall find no way to escape from it. Yet those who believe and do righteous deeds We shall bring into gardens through which running waters flow, wherein they will abide beyond the count of time. This is, in truth, God’s promise. Whose word could be truer than Gods?” (Verses 120-2)
Hivyo basi, maeneo mawili yaliyo mbali kabisa ya kila mmoja ni jahannamu kuwa makazi yasiyoepukika kwa wale wanaomfanya Shetani kuwa rafiki na mlinzi wao, na peponi milele kwa wale waumini wa kweli.
The two far apart destinations, then, are hell as an inevitable dwelling place for those who patronise Satan and paradise, for ever, for those who are true believers.
Hiyo ni ahadi ya Mwenyezi Mungu, na "ni nani aliye mkweli wa kauli kuliko Mwenyezi Mungu?" (Aya ya 122)
That is God’s promise, and “whose word could be truer than God’s?” (Verse 122)
Ukweli kamili wa neno la Mungu unaonekana kwa tofauti kubwa na udanganyifu wote wa Shetani na vishawishi vyake vya uongo. Pengo ni kubwa mno kati ya anayeamini ahadi ya Mungu na yule aliyedanganywa na Shetani.
The absolute truth of God’s word is shown in marked contrast to all of Satan’s deceptions and false temptations. The gulf is great indeed between one who believes in God’s promise and one who is deluded by Satan.