Haiwezekani kabisa kubainisha tarehe ya kuteremshwa kwa sura hii, na hili linatumika kwa mwanzo wake pamoja na sura nzima kwa ujumla. Wala haiwezekani kusema kwa uhakika kwamba mwanzo wake uliteremshwa kwanza na sehemu nyingine baadaye baada ya kupita muda fulani. Hatuwezi hata kusema kwamba hili lina uwezekano mkubwa zaidi, kwa sababu mwanzo na mwisho wa sura vinashughulikia jambo moja, yaani, madai ya kiburi ya wasiomwamini kuhusu Mtume ﷺ, wakimtuhumu kuwa mwendawazimu.

It is practically impossible to date the revelation of this surah, and this applies to its opening as well as to the surah as a whole. Nor is it possible to say for certain that its opening was revealed first and the rest after the lapse of some time. We cannot even say that this was more probable, because the opening and the ending of the surah tackle the same point, namely, the unbelievers’ rude claims about the Prophet, denouncing him as a madman.

Kuna ripoti nyingi zinazoonyesha kwamba sura hii ilikuwa ya pili kufunuliwa baada ya Sura ya 96. Pale ambapo matoleo tofauti ya Qur'ani yanataja mpangilio wa kufunuliwa, yote yanapendekeza kwamba hii ni sura ya pili. Hata hivyo, mtindo wa sura, namna inavyoshughulikia mada yake, na mwelekeo wake unaashiria jambo jingine. Kwa hakika, vipengele hivi karibu vinathibitisha kwamba ilifunuliwa baadaye, baada ya wito wa Uislamu kutangazwa hadharani. Inajulikana vyema kwamba kwa miaka mitatu Mtume ﷺ alitoa ujumbe wake kwa watu kwa faragha, mmoja mmoja. Kwa maneno mengine, sura hii huenda ilifunuliwa wakati huo, wakati Quraysh walipokuwa wamedhamiria kupinga ujumbe mpya wa Uislamu, wakitumia kila njia kuuzuia, ikiwa ni pamoja na kumtupia Mtume ﷺ tuhuma za kumchafua.

There are many reports that suggest that this was the second surah to be revealed after Surah 96. Where different editions of the Qur’an mention an order of revelation, they all suggest that this is the second surah. Yet the style of the surah, the way it tackles its subject matter and its drift point to something else. In fact, these aspects almost confirm that it was revealed sometime after the call to Islam went public. It is well known that for three years the Prophet addressed his message to people privately, on an individual basis. In other words, this surah was most probably revealed during that time, when the Quraysh was determinedly opposed to the new message of Islam, resorting to all means to prevent it, including levelling defamatory allegations against the Prophet.

Kwa kujibu, Qur'ani ilianza kukemea mbinu hizo, kukanusha tuhuma zisizo na msingi, na kutoa vitisho na maonyo ya aina ambayo sura hii inayajumuisha.

Byway of response, the Qur’an began to denounce such tactics, repelling unfounded allegations and issuing threats and warnings of the type this surah includes.

Kama tulivyosema, imependekezwa kwamba ni mwanzo wa sura tu ndio uliteremshwa mapema, muda mfupi baada ya ufunuo wa kwanza wa Sura ya 96.

As we have said, it has been suggested that only the opening of the surah was revealed early on, soon after the first revelation of Surah 96.

Inadaiwa pia kwamba kukanushwa kwa wazimu wowote unaohusishwa na Mtume ﷺ, ambao unajitokeza mwanzoni, "wewe si, kwa neema ya Mola wako, mwendawazimu?", kulikuwa ili kutuliza hofu yake mwenyewe kuhusu iwapo ufunuo kama huo ulikuwa ishara ya wazimu. Hili nalo haliwezekani, kwa sababu riwaya zinazotaja hofu yoyote ambayo Mtume ﷺ huenda alikuwa nayo hazina uthibitisho wa kutosha. Zaidi ya hayo, jinsi sura hii ilivyojengwa kama kitu kimoja kizima inaonyesha wazi kwamba kukanusha huku kunakusudiwa kupinga tuhuma iliyotajwa mwishoni mwake: "Wale waliokufuru karibu wakukwaze kwa macho yao watakaposikia ukumbusho huu. Wanasema, 'Hakika yeye ni mwendawazimu?' (Aya 51)" Ni tuhuma hii ambayo inakanushwa mwanzoni kabisa mwa sura. Hili linaeleweka wazi tunaposoma sura yote na kuthamini jinsi inavyounganishwa kwa karibu kuanzia mwanzo hadi mwisho.

It is further suggested that the negation of any madness attributed to the Prophet, which occurs in the opening, “you are not, by your Lord's grace, a madman? was in order to calm his own fears about whether such revelations were signs of madness. This is again unlikely, because the reports mentioning any such fears the Prophet may have had are exceedingly lacking in authenticity. Moreover, the way the surah is built as a single whole makes it clear that this negation is meant to refute the allegation mentioned at its conclusion: “ The unbelievers well-nigh trip you up with their eyes when they hear this reminder. They say, 'He is surely mad?' (Verse 51) It is this allegation that is negated at the surah's very outset. This is clearly understood when we read all the surah and appreciate how closely interlinked it is throughout.

Baadhi ya riwaya pia zinadokeza kwamba aya fulani, hasa aya ya 17-23 na ya 42-52, zilishushwa Madina. Aya ya kwanza inataja mtihani uliowapata wenye bustani, na ya pili inamtaja Nabii Yunus. Tena, sisi tunaamini kwamba hilo si sahihi.

Some reports also suggest that certain passages, specifically verses 17-23 and 42-52, were revealed in MadTnah. The first of these passages mentions the test endured by the owners of the garden, and the second refers to the Prophet Jonah. Again, we believe this not to be the case.

Badala yake, tunapendekeza kwamba surah yote ilishushiwa Makkah, kwa sababu mtindo wake unafanana sana na wa surah za Makkah. Kwa kweli, hili lina uwezekano mkubwa zaidi, likizingatiwa mtindo wake, sifa zake na umoja wa jumla wa surah hii.

Instead, we suggest that the whole surah was revealed in Makkah, because its style is very much Makkan. Indeed, this is more likely, considering the style, the features and the overall unity of the surah.

Msimamo wetu, kwa hiyo, ni kwamba sura hii haikuwa ya pili kushuka, bali ufunuo wake ulitokea baada ya kupita muda mrefu tangu kuanza kwa utume wa Mtume ﷺ. Hakika ulikuja baada ya amri ya Mwenyezi Mungu kumpa Mtume ﷺ kwamba "Waonye jamaa zako walio karibu" (26:214), na baada ya kushuka sehemu kubwa ya Qur'ani inayozungumzia jamii zilizotangulia. Simulizi kama hizo zimeelezwa na baadhi ya makafiri kuwa ni "hadithi za watu wa kale".

Our own stance, therefore, is that the surah was not the second to be revealed, but rather that its revelation took place after the lapse of some considerable time after the start of the Prophets mission. It was certainly after the divine instruction was given to the Prophet to “warn your nearest kindred? (26: 214), and after the revelation of a substantial portion of the Qur’an speaking about earlier communities. Such reports have been described by some unbelievers as ‘fables of the ancients’.

Ilifunuliwa wazi wakati ambapo kabila la Quraysh lilikuwa tayari limeitwa kuukubali Uislamu, na hapo ndipo upinzani wake dhidi ya mwito huo ulipoanzia. Hakika, upinzani wao ulikuwa umekuwa mkali kiasi kwamba walisita hata kidogo kutoa tuhuma za uongo dhidi ya Mtume ﷺ na dhamira yake. Ni upinzani huo ulioifanya sura hii itoe kauli kali sana ya kuwalaani wasioamini, pamoja na maonyo makali yaliyotolewa mwanzoni mwake na mwishoni mwake. Muda huu wa kuteremshwa kwake pia unathibitishwa na picha ya mwisho inayoonyeshwa nayo: “Wale wasioamini karibu wakukwaze kwa macho yao wanaposikia ukumbusho huu. Husema: 'Hakika yeye ni mwendawazimu'” (Aya ya 51). Hii ni picha ya hotuba ya hadharani inayowataka makundi makubwa ya watu waukubali ujumbe huo. Mikusanyiko ya namna hiyo haikufanyika kabisa katika miaka ya mwanzo ya ujumbe wa Kiislamu. Hakika, hotuba ya kwanza ya hadharani kama hiyo ilitolewa miaka mitatu tu baada ya Mtume ﷺ kuanza kupokea wahyi wa Qur'ani.

It was clearly revealed then at a time when the Quraysh had already been called upon to accept Islam and whence it started its resistance to the call. Indeed, so determined had it become in its opposition at this point that it did not hesitate to level false allegations against the Prophet and his mission. It is such opposition that necessitated the very strong denunciation the surah makes of the unbelievers and the strong warnings it issues both early on and towards its end. Such timing of its revelation is also confirmed by the last image it portrays: “ The unbelievers well-nigh trip you up with their eyes when they hear this reminder. They say 'He is surely mad'" (Verse 51) This is an image of a public address calling on large groups of people to accept the message. Such gatherings most certainly did not take place during the early years of the Islamic message. Indeed, the first such public address was only made three years after the Prophet began to receive Quranic revelations.

Sura hiyo inataja baadhi ya matoleo ambayo makafiri walimpa Mtume, yakipendekeza maelewano katika suala kuu lililokuwa mzozo, yaani suala la imani. Inasema: "Wangependa wewe ufanye maelewano nao, nao pia wafanye maelewano." (Aya ya 9) Bila shaka, pendekezo kama hilo lisingetolewa wakati ujumbe ulipokuwa ukihubiriwa kwa faragha tu, ukiwasilishwa kwa watu wachache. Katika hali hiyo, haingeonekana kuwa tishio lolote. Ni uwezekano mkubwa kwamba matoleo kama hayo yangetolewa baadaye, wakati ujumbe ulipokuwa ukihubiriwa hadharani na makafiri walipotambua maana yake pana.

The surah refers to some of the offers the unbelievers made to the Prophet, suggesting a compromise over the central issue in dispute, namely that of faith. It says: "They would love that you compromise with them, so that they will also compromise." (Verse 9) Needless to say, such an offer would not have been made at a time when the message was only advocated in private, presented to a few individuals. In such circumstances, it would not have been felt to represent any danger. It is more likely that such offers would only have been made later, when the message advocated itself in public and when the unbelievers realized its far-reaching significance.

Tunaona jinsi dalili kadhaa zinavyothibitisha kwamba sura hii haikuteremshwa katika siku za mwanzo kabisa za ujumbe wa Kiislamu, na kwamba angalau miaka mitatu ilikuwa imepita kabla ya kuteremshwa kwake. Haiwezekani kabisa kwamba hakuna mafunuo ya Qur'ani yaliyoteremshwa katika miaka hii mitatu. Badala yake, kuna uwezekano mkubwa zaidi kwamba sura nyingi na aya nyingi ziliteremshwa katika kipindi hicho, zikiwasilisha imani ya Kiislamu bila kuwalaani kwa nguvu wasioamini kama tunavyoona katika sura hii. Hata hivyo, baada ya kusema haya yote, bado haiwezekani kusema kwamba sura hii, pamoja na sura ya 73 na ya 74,ziliteremshwa kwa kuchelewa katika kipindi cha Kiislamu.

We see how several indications confirm that the surah was not revealed in the very early days of the Islamic message, and that at least three years had passed before its revelation. It is highly unlikely that no Qur’anic revelations were made during these three years. On the contrary, it is much more likely that many surahs and passages were revealed in the intervening period, presenting the Islamic faith without strongly denouncing the unbelievers in the way we find in this surah. Having said all this, however, one can still not say that this surah, as well as Surahs 73 and 74, were revealed late into the Islamic period.

Mti wa imani ya Kiislamu, katika umbo lake halisi, safi na takatifu, ulikuwa ukipandwa duniani. Ulikuwa mgeni kabisa kwa hali iliyokuwa imeenea ya ujinga, yaani jahiliyyah, si tu katika Rasi ya Arabia bali duniani kote. Kwa hakika kulikuwa na pengo kubwa kati yake na umbo lililopotoka na lisilo na uhai la imani ya Ibrahim, lililochanganyika na ushirikina wa kienyeji, ambao makafiri wa Kiarabu waliushikilia. Alichokuwa akikitetea Muhammad ﷺ ni imani iliyo wazi, nyoofu, rahisi, lakini pia pana na yenye kina, iliyopatana kikamilifu na imani safi ya awali aliyoihubiri Ibrahim, lakini kwa kiwango cha ukamilifu kinachoendana na kuwa ujumbe wa mwisho kwa wanadamu, ukiwashughulikia katika hatua yao ya ukomavu na ukibaki bila kubadilika hadi mwisho wa zama. Chukua kwa mfano wazo la miungu mingi inayowapa Mungu washirika: katika jambo hili, Waarabu walikuwa wakiabudu malaika, sanamu, majini na roho. Imani zao zilikuwa mchanganyiko wa dhana potofu na tupu. Linganisha haya na picha tukufu ambayo Qur'ani inamchora Mungu na uwezo Wake mkuu unaomtunza kila kiumbe. Pengo kati ya hayo mawili ni kubwa mno.

The tree of the Islamic faith, in its real, clean and pure form, was being planted on earth. It was totally unfamiliar to the prevailing state of ignorance, or jahiliyyah, not only in the Arabian Peninsula but throughout the globe. Indeed there was a great gulf between it and the deviant and colourless form of the Abrahamic faith, mixed with local superstitions, which the Arab idolaters upheld. What Muhammad (peace be upon him) advocated was a clear, straightforward, simple, yet comprehensive and profound faith that was fully in line with the original pure faith preached by Abraham, but to a standard of perfection that fits its being the last message to mankind, addressing them in their stage of maturity and remaining intact to the end of time. Take, for example, the notion of multiple deities that assigns partners to God: in this respect, the Arabs worshipped angels, statues, the jinn and spirits. Their beliefs were a medley of corrupt and hollow notions. Compare these with the noble picture the Qur’an paints of God and His majestic power that takes care of every creature. The gulf between the two is immense.

Pengo sawa pana umbali kati ya mfumo wa matabaka uliotawala Arabia, asili ya kikasisi ya dini yao, na ukiritimba wa mapendeleo, kama vile kuwa na uangalizi wa Al-Ka'bah, kwa upande mmoja, na usawa wa watu wote unaohubiriwa na Uislamu pamoja na uhusiano wa moja kwa moja wa kila mtu na Mungu kama ulivyofafanuliwa katika Qur'ani, kwa upande mwingine. Vivyo hivyo, maadili aliyoyanadi Mtume Muhammad ﷺ yalikuwa tofauti kabisa na maadili yaliyotawala katika jamii ya kijahiliya ya Arabia.

Similarly wide is the gulf between the class system that prevailed in Arabia, the clerical nature of its religion and the monopoly of privileges, such as custodianship of the Ka(bah, on the one hand and the equality of all people preached by Islam and every individual’s direct relation with God as explained in the Qur’an on the other. Likewise, the morality advocated by the Prophet Muhammad was a world apart from the values that prevailed in Arabia’s jahiliyyah society.