Sina haja ya kuapa kwa Siku ya Kiyama! Na sina haja ya kuapa kwa nafsi ya kujilaumu! Je, mtu anadhani kwamba Sisi hatutakusanya mifupa yake tena? Naam, hakika! Tunaweza hata kuunda ncha za vidole vyake kwa ukamilifu! Lakini mtu anataka kukanusha yale yaliyo mbele yake.

I need not swear by the Day of Resurrection and I need not swear by the self reproaching soul! Does man think that We will not put his bones together again! Yes, indeed! We are able to put in perfect order his very fingertips! Yet man wants to deny what lies ahead of him.

Anauuliza: "Siku ya Kiyama itakuwa lini!" Macho yatakapopofuka, na mwezi ukakosa nuru, na jua na mwezi vitakapokusanywa pamoja, siku hiyo mtu atasema: "Wapi pa kukimbilia!" Lakini hapana! Hakuna pa kukimbilia. Siku hiyo, kwa Mola wako ndiko kurudi kwa wote. Siku hiyo mtu ataambiwa yote aliyoyatanguliza na yote aliyoyaacha nyuma. Mtu atakuwa shahidi juu ya nafsi yake mwenyewe, hata akitoa udhuru wake.

He asks: 'When will this Day of Resurrection be!' When the sight is dazzled and the moon eclipsed, when the sun and the moon are brought together, on that day man will say: 'Where to flee!'But no! There is no refuge. On that day, to your Lord all shall return. Man will be told on that day all that he put forward and all that he put back. Man will be a witness against himself, even though he may put up his excuses.

(Aya 1-15)

(Verses 1-15)

Sura hii inaanza kwa kutaja kiapo, lakini kisha inaamua kutokiapa. Jambo hili lina athari ya kina zaidi kuliko kiapo cha moja kwa moja, na hilo ndilo lililokusudiwa. Kwa kweli, tafsiri iliyo karibu zaidi na maneno ya asili ni: 'Sina kiapo kwa...' Baada ya kusemwa haya, ukweli wa ufufuo na nafsi inayojilaumu unaonekana wazi.

The surah starts with a reference to making an oath, but then decides not to make it. This has a deeper effect than a straightforward oath, and this is what is intended. Indeed, a more literal rendering would be: ‘I do not swear by...’ When this has been stated, the truths of the resurrection and self-reproaching soul appear in view.

Kuna majadiliano mengi kuhusu ufufuo katika sura hiyo. Kuhusu nafsi ya kujilaumu, riwaya mbalimbali zinaieleza. Al-Hasan al-Basri anasema:

There is much discussion of resurrection in the surah. As for the self reproaching soul, various reports explain this. Al-Hasan al-Basri says:

"Utamkuta mwamini akijihoji nafsi yake: 'Nilimaanisha nini kwa neno hili? Nilikula chakula hiki kwa ajili gani? Nina maana gani kujisemesha hivi?' Lakini mkosaji ataendelea kamwe kutojilaumu nafsi yake." Al-Hasan anasema: "Kila nafsi moja mbinguni na ardhini itajilaumu siku ya Hukumu." Ikrima anasema: "Ni nafsi inayojilaumu kwa mambo mema na mabaya, ikisema: laiti ningalifanya hivi au vile." Sa'id ibn Jubayr alisema vivyo hivyo. Ibn 'Abbas anasema: "Ni daima inayolaumu." Pia anasema: "Ni mara nyingi inayolaumu, inayokosolewa sana." Mujahid anasema: "Inajuta yaliyopita na kuyalaumu." Qatadah anasema: "Ni ile inayoelekea uovu." Jarir anasema: "Maelezo haya yote yanafanana karibu kabisa. Hata hivyo, lililo karibu zaidi na maana ya wazi ya kauli ya Qur'ani ni kusema kwamba ni nafsi inayomlaumu mtu kwa lolote analofanya, jema au baya, na kujuta yaliyopita." Kwa upande wa nafsi yetu, tunapendelea maelezo ya kwanza aliyotoa al-Hasan al-Basri.

Kisha huja aya nne zinazompa Mtume ﷺ maagizo maalum kuhusu jinsi alivyopokea wahyi wa Qur'ani:

Then come the four verses giving the Prophet special instruction as regards the way he received Qur’anic revelations:

Usiusogeze ulimi wako kulisoma kwa haraka. Hakika ni juu yetu kulikusanya na kulisomesha. {Usiusogeze ulimi wako kulisoma kwa haraka. Hakika ni juu yetu kulikusanya na kulisomesha. Na tunapolisoma, basi fuata usomaji wake.}

Do not move your tongue repeating its words in haste. We shall see to its collection and recitation. When We recite it, follow its recitation.

Kisha ni juu Yetu kuufafanua maana yake. (Aya 16-19)

Then it will be for Us to make its meaning clear. (Verses 16-19)

Mbali ya yale tuliyoyasema tayari kuhusu aya hizi nne katika Utangulizi, tunabainisha kwamba Mwenyezi Mungu anachukua jukumu kamili la Qur'ani:

In addition to what we have already said about these four verses in the Prologue, we note that God takes all responsibility for the Qur’an:

Ufunuo wake, uhifadhi wake, ukusanywa kwake na ufafanuzi wake, yote haya yanafanywa na Mwenyezi Mungu Mtukufu peke yake. Wajibu wa Mtume ﷺ ni kupokea tu na kuwafikishia watu. Hapa pia tunatambua jinsi Mtume ﷺ alivyokuwa na shauku kubwa na hamu ya kuelewa kikamilifu kile kilichokuwa kikiteremshwa kwake, akikichukulia kwa uzito mkubwa, akiogopa kusahau kifungu au neno lolote.

its revelation, preservation, collection and explanation. All this is undertaken by none other than God Almighty. The Prophet’s role is no more than to receive and deliver it. We also note here how the Prophet was so eager and keen to fully understand what was being revealed to him, taking it most seriously, fearing to forget a phrase or a word.

Ndiyo maana alirudia maneno baada ya Malaika Gabriel kumsomea, ili kuhakikisha kwamba hakuacha chochote kati yake. Ukweli kwamba jambo hili limeandikwa katika Qur'ani yenyewe unasisitiza zaidi yale tuliyoyasema tu.

Hence why he repeated the words after the Angel Gabriel recited them to him, to make sure that he had not omitted any of it. The fact that this is recorded in the Qur’an itself further emphasizes what we have just said.

Sura hii sasa inawakumbusha makafiri kuhusu mapenzi yao kwa dunia hii ya sasa, ambayo ndiyo jambo lao kuu, na kupuuza kwao Akhera.

The surah now reminds the unbelievers of their love of this present world, which is their main concern, and their disregard of the hereafter.

Inaonyesha hali watakayokuwa nayo katika maisha ya Akhera kwa taswira yenye kuvutia sana:

It shows them the state in which they will end up in the life to come in a highly inspiring image:

Lakini mnaipenda dunia hii inayopita, na hamuwazii maisha ya Akhera.

Yet you love this fleeting life, and give no thought to the life to come.

Baadhi ya nyuso siku hiyo zitakuwa zenye mng'ao kwa furaha, zikimtazama Mola wao Mlezi; na baadhi ya nyuso siku hiyo zitakuwa zimefunikwa na huzuni na kukata tamaa, zikitambua kwamba msiba mkubwa unakaribia kuwapata. (Aya 20-25)

Some faces will on that day be radiant with happiness, looking towards their Lord; and some faces will on that day be overcast with despair, re alizing that a great calamity is about to befall them. (Verses 20-25)

Jambo la kwanza tunalolitambua, ambalo linaongeza upatanifu wa mtindo, ni kwamba maisha haya yanaelezwa hapa kuwa ni ya "kupita upesi". Hili halisisitizi tu urefu mfupi wa maisha haya ya sasa, ambao ndio maana iliyokusudiwa, bali pia linaleta upatanifu kati ya maana hizi na zile za aya zilizotangulia zinazomzungumzia Mtume ﷺ alipokuwa akirudia maneno ya Qur'ani. Katika zote mbili, haraka ni sifa ya pamoja. Pia inaonekana kuwa ni sifa ya wanadamu katika dunia hii ya sasa.

The first thing we notice, which adds to the harmony of style, is that this life is described at this point as ‘fleeting. This not only stresses the short duration of this present life, which is the intended meaning, but also provides an element of harmony between these connotations and those of the preceding verses speaking of the Prophet as he repeated the words of the Qur’an. In both, haste is a common feature. It also appears to be a feature of mankind in this present world.

Nyuso hizo, siku hiyo, zitang'aa kwa furaha, zikimtazama Mola wao Mlezi. (Aya 22-23) Hii ni rejeo fupi kwa hali ambayo maneno hayawezi kuielezea, na mawazo hayawezi kuifahamu kikamilifu. Watu hao wameahidiwa aina ya furaha isiyofanana na nyingine yoyote. Kwa kweli, pepo na furaha yote iliyomo ndani yake huonekana kuwa ndogo ikilinganishwa na hiyo. Nyuso hizi zinang'aa kwa furaha kiasi hicho kwa sababu zinamtazama Mola wao! Zinamtazama Mungu! Ni jambo tukufu kiasi gani! Ni furaha safi, kamilifu na isiyo na kifani! Wakati mwingine nafsi ya mwanadamu hutazama kwa muda mfupi upande fulani wa uzuri ambao Mungu ameuweka katika ulimwengu au ndani ya mwanadamu. Inaweza kuona uzuri huu katika mwezi mzima, usiku tulivu, alfajiri inapochomoza, kivuli kinachonyooka, bahari inayochafuka, jangwa lisilo na mwisho, bustani inayochanua, uso wenye furaha, moyo mtukufu, imani isiyotikisika, subira isiyoyumba, au udhihirisho mwingine mwingi wa uzuri duniani. Akiutazama uzuri kama huo, mwanadamu hujawa na furaha kuu, hujaa shangwe, na kupaa hadi katika ulimwengu wa nuru na usafi.

Matukio yaliyochorwa hadi sasa kuhusu Siku ya Kiyama, misukosuko yake mikubwa na hatima tofauti za watu, yanapata nguvu yake kutokana na ukweli yanaouwakilisha na mtindo wenye nguvu wa Qur’ani wenyewe, ukiyafanya yawe hai mbele yetu. Sura sasa inakaribia zaidi na zaidi ili kuwasilisha tukio la jambo linalotokea kila wakati. Kwa kweli, watu huliona jambo hili waziwazi zaidi kila sekunde ya maisha yao. Ni tukio la kifo kinachomfikia kila nafsi iliyo hai. Hakuna awezaye kukikwepa au kukiepuka kifo, ambacho hutenganisha mtu na wapendwa wake. Kifo kinaendelea na mkondo wake, bila kusimamishwa na chochote. Hakijibu rufaa ya kusisimua, kilio cha huzuni, hamu kali wala mshtuko wa hofu. Huwachukua majitu yenye nguvu zaidi kwa urahisi kama vile huwachukua vibwengo dhaifu zaidi, na huwashinda madhalimu kwa namna ileile kama inavyowashinda wanyonge. Binadamu hawana njia yoyote ya kuzuia kifo, lakini hawafikirii juu ya nguvu kuu inayokitoa:

The scenes painted so far of the Day of Judgement and its great upheavals and divergent fates derive their effect from the truth they represent and the Qur’an’s own powerful style, bringing them alive before us. The surah now comes closer and closer so as to present a scene of something that occurs all the time. Indeed, people encounter this most clearly at every moment in their lives. It is the scene of death that overtakes every living soul. No one can evade or escape death, which separates a person from his loved ones. Death moves along its course, uninterrupted by anything. It does not respond to an impassioned appeal, an outcry of grief, a fervent desire or a seizure of panic. It takes the most powerful giants as easily as it takes the weakest dwarfs, and overcomes tyrants in the same way as it overcomes the oppressed. Mankind have no way to prevent death, yet they do not consider the great power that deals it:

Lakini roho inayoondoka inapofika kooni, na itasemwa: "Je, yuko mganga yeyote (wa kumponya)?" Atajua kuwa hiyo ni kuagana kwa mwisho, na mguu mmoja utaungana na mwingine. Siku hiyo, kwa Mola wako ndiko atakapopelekwa.

Yet when the departing soul comes up to the throat, when it is said, 'Can any charmer [do something now]?’ When he knows it is the final parting, and one leg will be joined with another, to your Lord he will on that day be driven. (Verses 26—30)

Huu ndio mandhari ya kukaribia kifo, ambayo Qur'an inawawasilishia watu kana kwamba inatokea sasa hivi. Inajitokeza kutoka ndani ya maneno, kama vile picha inavyojitokeza kutoka kwenye brashi ya mchoraji.

This is the scene of approaching death, presented to people by the Qur’an as if it is happening now. It comes out from within the words, just like a picture comes out of a painter’s brush.

Lakini wakati roho inayoondoka inapofika kooni (Aya ya 26), katika hatua hii mtu anayekufa yuko katika mateso yake ya mwisho, huku dhiki ikimzunguka pande zote.

Kwa upande mwingine, tunaona picha ya wale wanaoikataa haki kwa makusudi.

By contrast, we have an image of those bent on denying the truth.

Hawaandaai kwa ajili ya mwisho usioepukika kwa kufanya jambo la utii kwa Mungu. Badala yake, wao kwa kiburi hujiingiza katika uasi na dhambi:

They do not prepare for the inevitable end by doing something in obedience of God. Rather, they arrogantly indulge in disobedience and sin:

Hakuamini wala hakuswali, bali alikadhibisha ukweli na kugeuka mbali, kisha akarejea kwa watu wake akiwa amejaa kiburi, (Aya 31-33)

He neither believed nor prayed, but denied the truth and turned away, then he went back to his people full of arrogance, (Verses 31-33)

Inaripotiwa kwamba aya hizi zinamhusu mtu fulani, Abu Jahl ‘Amr ibn Hisham, aliyekuwa akimtembelea Mtume ﷺ wakati mwingine na kusikiliza Qur’an. Kisha angeondoka, akikataa kuamini. Kwa kweli, hakuwa mwenye adabu wala mcha Mungu. Aliendelea kumuumiza Mtume ﷺ kwa maneno yake, na alijaribu kuwageuza watu wasiingie katika Uislamu. Pia alijivunia matendo kama hayo, akiyachukulia maovu yake kuwa jambo la kujivunia. Qur’an inadharau mwenendo wake. Katika maelezo ya mienendo yake ya kiburi, inawaalika wasikilizaji kumdharau.

It is reported that these verses refer to a particular person, Abu Jahl ‘Amr ibn Hisham, who used to visit the Prophet sometimes and listen to the Qur’an. He would then go away, refusing to believe. In fact, he was neither polite nor fearful of God. He would continue to hurt the Prophet by what he said, and would try to turn people away from Islam. He would also take pride in such actions, treating his evil deeds as something to be proud of. The Qur’an derides his attitude. In its description of his arrogant movements, it invites the listeners’ scorn.

Lakini wapo wengi kama Abu Jahl ambao ujumbe wa Uislamu unakabiliana nao.

Yet there are many like Abu Jahl whom the message of Islam faces.

Wanasikiliza lakini wanageuka mbali. Wanabuni njia za kupinga neno la haki, wakiwamwagia madhara wale wanaolisimamia, wakipanga mipango maovu na kujivunia matendo yao maovu pamoja na ufisadi wanaoueneza duniani. Kwa sababu hiyo, Qur'ani inawatolea watu kama hao onyo dhahiri:

They listen but turn away. They are inventive in their opposition to the word of truth, pouring harm on its advocates, working out evil schemes and feeling proud of their evil deeds and of the corruption they spread on earth. Hence, the Qur’an issues a clear threat to such people:

Kadiri sura inavyokaribia kumalizika, inawasilisha ukweli mwingine kutoka ulimwenguni unaobeba ishara wazi kuhusu mpango wa Mungu wa maisha ya binadamu pamoja na maisha ya akhera.

As the surah draws to its conclusion, it presents another truth from this world that carries a clear pointer to God’s design of human life as also to the life to come:

Je, mwanadamu anadhani kwamba ataachwa bila kusudi? Je, hakuwa tone tu la manii lililomwagwa? Kisha likawa donge la damu linaloshikamana, kisha Mungu akaliumba na kulipa umbo, akalifanyiza kuwa jinsia mbili, mume na mke. Je, Yeye si Mwenye uwezo wa kuwafufua wafu?

Does man think that he will be left without purpose? Was he not a mere drop of emitted sperm? It then became a clinging cell mass, and then God created and shaped it, fashioning out of it the two sexes, male and female. Is He not, then, able to bring the dead back to life?

(Aya 36-40)

(Verses 36-40)

Sehemu hii ya mwisho inagusa mambo yenye nguvu na inaelekeza kwenye ukweli mkubwa ambao wale waliokuwa wakiambiwa Qur'an wakati wa kuteremshwa kwake wasingeweza kuufikiria. La kwanza kati ya haya linahusu mpango na usanifu wa makusudi katika maisha ya mwanadamu: "Je, mwanadamu anadhani ataachwa bila kazi?" (Aya ya 36). Watu wale walikuwa wakidhani kwamba maisha ni mchakato tu unaotokea, usio na sababu wala lengo.

This last section strikes powerful notes and points to great truths, which those who were addressed by the Qur’an at the time of its revelations could never imagine. The first of these refers to the deliberate design and planning in mans life: “Does man think that he will be left without purpose?” (Verse 36) Those people used to think that life was merely a process that takes place, having neither cause nor goal.

Wanawake hushika mimba na kuzaa, na makaburi huwachukua wafu! Kati ya hayo, hakuna chochote isipokuwa mchezo usio na maana, kujipamba kwa mapambo, kushindania mambo mazuri, na starehe isiyotofautiana sana na ya wanyama. Kufikiria kwamba yote haya yanafuata sheria iliyopangwa kwa uangalifu, yenye lengo na madhumuni maalum; kwamba kuja kwa mwanadamu katika maisha haya kunafuata mapenzi ya makusudi na mpango uliowekwa; kwamba yote yanamalizikia kwa uwajibikaji na malipo, na kwamba safari ya maisha ni mtihani kabla ya malipo ya mwisho, kulikuwa mbali sana na mawazo ya watu. Ni wachache walioweza kutambua katika haya yote hekima ya Mungu, kwamba Yeye hufanya kila kitu kwa kusudi wazi na kuelekea mwisho uliokusudiwa kabla.

Women get pregnant and give birth, and graves take the dead away! In between, there is nothing other than idle play, putting on some adornments, competing for good things, and enjoyment that is not much different from animals. To think that it all goes according to an elaborate law, serving a definite goal and purpose; that man’s arrival in this life is according to a deliberate will and a set plan; that it all ends with accountability and requital, and that the journey of life is a test before the final requital was far beyond people’s thoughts. Few could recognize in all this the wisdom of God, that He does everything for a clear purpose and towards a pre-willed end.