Katika sehemu hii, sura inazungumzia tabia ya mwanadamu pale anapobaki kwenye njia iliyo sahihi na pale anapopotoka, na mwisho anaofikia katika hali zote mbili. Sura inaanza kwa kumhimiza mwanadamu awe mtiifu na mwenye wema kwa wazazi wake. Maagizo haya mara nyingi huja katika Qur’ani baada ya kuzungumzia imani, au pamoja na mijadala ya aina hiyo. Sababu yake ni kwamba uhusiano kati ya watoto na wazazi ni wenye nguvu zaidi na wa muhimu zaidi baada ya uhusiano wa imani. Ni uhusiano unaostahili kuheshimiwa.

In this part the surah speaks of human nature when it sticks to the right track and when it deviates, and at what end it arrives in either case. It begins by urging man to remain dutiful to his parents. This instruction often comes in the Qur’an after it speaks about faith or in conjunction with such discourses. The reason for this is that the bond between children and parents is the strongest and most important after the bond of faith. It is the one that deserves to be honoured.

Zaidi ya hayo, kuviunganisha vifungo viwili pamoja kwa namna hii katika Qur'ani kunaonyesha wazi kwamba kifungo cha imani ndicho kinachotangulia katika maisha ya binadamu. Baada yake kinafuata kifungo cha kifamilia katika umbo lake la karibu zaidi.

Furthermore, grouping the two bonds together in this way in the Qur’an makes it clear that the bond of faith takes precedence in human life. It is followed though by the family bond in its closest form.

Sehemu hii ya sura inatupa picha inayoonyesha aina mbili za tabia ya binadamu. Katika ya kwanza, vifungo viwili vya imani na kile cha uhusiano kati ya mzazi na mtoto vinafanya kazi pamoja katika mwelekeo mmoja, vikitafuta radhi za Mungu. Katika ya pili, vifungo viwili hivyo vinatengana na havina sehemu ya kukutana. Katika kesi ya kwanza, watoto wanaohusika wanapewa habari njema ya kuingizwa peponi, huku katika ya pili, wamekusudiwa kuteseka motoni. Inatolewa picha ya adhabu inayotolewa motoni, ikielezea mwisho unaoteswa na wenye kiburi ambao wana hatia ya kuvuka mipaka.

This part of the surah gives us a scene portraying two types of human nature. In the first, the two bonds of faith and the one between parent and offspring work together in the same direction, seeking God’s acceptance. In the second, the two bonds separate and have no meeting point. In the first case, the children concerned are given the good news of being admitted into heaven, while in the second, they are destined to suffer in hell. An image of the punishment meted out in hell is given, describing the end suffered by the arrogant who are guilty of transgression.

"Tumemuusia mwanadamu awafanyie wema wazazi wake." (Aya ya 15) Hii ni amri inayotolewa kwa wanadamu wote, kwa msingi wa kuwa wao ni binadamu tu, bila haja ya sifa yoyote ya ziada. Wote wameamriwa kuonyesha wema kwa maana yake kamili, isiyo na mipaka.

“ We have enjoined upon man to show kindness to his parents.” (Verse 15) This is an order given to all mankind, based on the very fact of their being human with no need for any further qualification. They are all enjoined to show kindness in its absolute, unrestricted sense.

Wajibu wa wazazi pekee unahitaji wema wa hali ya juu. Amri hii inatoka kwa Muumba wa binadamu, na inaonekana kuhusu jamii ya binadamu hasa. Haijulikani kwa ndege, wanyama au wadudu kwamba vijana huwatunza wazee. Kinachoonekana wazi kwa viumbe hawa ni kwamba kwa asili wazee huwatunza vijana. Hata hivyo, hili linahusu baadhi tu ya spishi. Kwa hiyo, amri ya Kiungu inaonekana kuhusu binadamu peke yake.

Mere parenthood requires such absolute kindness. This order comes from the Creator of man, and it appears to apply to the human race in particular. It is unknown among birds, animals or insects for the young to take care of the old. What is clearly observed among these creatures is that by nature the old take care of the young. Nevertheless, this applies only to some species. Hence, the Divine order seems to apply only to man.

Agizo hili la kuwafanyia wema wazazi limerudiwa mara kadhaa katika Qur'an na katika kauli za Mtume ﷺ. Kinyume chake, wema wa wazazi kwa watoto hutajwa mara chache tu, na hushughulikia hali fulani mahususi. Maumbile ya binadamu yenyewe yanahakikisha kwamba wazazi huwatunza watoto wao vizuri, bila haja ya kichocheo kingine chochote. Mara nyingi wazazi huonyesha utayari wa ajabu wa kutoa kila walichonacho kwa ajili ya watoto wao, hadi kufikia hatua ya kuwa tayari kufa kwa ajili yao. Wao hufanya haya yote bila kusita, hawatafuti malipo, hawadai fadhila wala hawatarajii shukrani. Kizazi kipya, hata hivyo, mara chache hurejea kumtunza kizazi kilichotangulia kilichotoa dhabihu kubwa namna hiyo.

This instruction to be kind to one’s parents is repeated several times in the Qur’an and in the Prophet’s pronouncements. By contrast, kindness by parents to children occurs only rarely, addressing particular situations. Human nature itself ensures that parents take good care of their children, without the need for any other motivation. Parents often show a remarkable readiness to sacrifice whatever they have for their children, to the point of being willing to die for them. They show no hesitation in all this, seek no recompense, press no favour and expect no thanks. The new generation, however, rarely turns back to take care of the older one who had made such great sacrifices.

Kinyume cha haya yote ni upotevu na uvunjaji wa mipaka.

The converse of all this is error and transgression:

Lakini yupo mmoja anayewaambia wazazi wake: Uff kwenu nyinyi wawili! Je, mnaniahidi kwamba nitafufuliwa, na hali vizazi vingi vimekwisha pita kabla yangu? Nao wawili wanamwomba Mwenyezi Mungu msaada, na kusema: Ole wako! Amini! Ahadi ya Mungu daima hutimia. Lakini yeye hujibu: Haya yote si chochote ila hadithi za kale. Hao ndio watu ambao hukumu imethibitishwa juu yao, pamoja na umma nyingine za majini na binadamu waliopita kabla yao. Hakika watakuwa wamepotea kabisa.

But there is one who says to his parents: Tie on you both! Do you promise me that I shall be resurrected, when generations have passed away before me? And while they both implore God for help, [and say to him]: Alas for you! Believe! God's promise always comes true,' he answers: All this is nothing but fables of ancient times. 'Such are the ones upon whom the verdict is passed, together with other communities of jinn and humans that have passed away before their time. They will be utterly lost. (Verses 17-18)

Wazazi ni waumini, lakini mtoto ni mkaidi. Sifa yake ya kwanza ni kutowatii wazazi wake, akiwasemesha kwa kiburi na dharau, akiwaumiza hisia zao: "Aibu juu yenu nyote wawili." Kisha anakataa ufufuo, akitoa hoja isiyo na msingi kwamba hakuna mtu wa vizazi vilivyotangulia aliyewahi kurudi uhai: "Je, mnaniahidi kwamba nitafufuliwa, ilhali vizazi vingi vimepita kabla yangu?" (Aya ya 17) Wakati wa ufufuo umewekwa na Mwenyezi Mungu, ambapo viumbe wote watafufuliwa kwa wakati mmoja baada ya dunia hii kukamilisha muda wake. Hakuna aliyewahi kusema kwamba ufufuo utatokea kwa awamu, kizazi kimoja kikifufuliwa wakati wa maisha ya kizazi kingine cha baadaye. Jambo hili si mchezo; bali ni kuwasilishwa kwa hesabu ya mwisho baada ya safari kufikia kituo chake cha mwisho.

The parents are believers, but the child is disobedient. His first characteristic is that of being undutiful to them, addressing them with arrogance and insolence, hurting their feelings: “Fie on you both." He then denies the resurrection, citing the hollow argument that no one from past generations has ever come back to life: “Do you promise me that I shall be resurrected, when generations have passed away before (Verse 17) The time of resurrection is determined by God, when all will be resurrected at the same time after this present world has completed its term. No one has ever said that resurrection will take place in instalments, with one generation resurrected during the lifetime of a later one. It is not a game; rather, it is a submitting of final accounts once the journey has come to its final destination.

Wazazi wameshtushwa na maneno ya mwana wao yanayomtambulisha wazi kuwa ni kafiri. Wanaogopa matokeo ya anayoyasema kwa Mungu na kwao. Kwa hiyo, wanamsihi na kumwomba Mungu msaada:

Surah kisha inawaweka mbele ya makafiri hatima yao wenyewe watakapokabiliana na hesabu ya Siku ya Kiyama, siku ambayo walikuwa wakiikanusha.

The surah then puts before the unbelievers their own fate as they face the reckoning on the Day of Resurrection which they were wont to deny:

Siku ambayo makafiri watapelekwa mbele ya Moto, wataambiwa: "Mlimaliza sehemu yenu ya mambo mazuri katika maisha yenu ya duniani, na mkajitosheleza kwa starehe. Basi leo mtalipwa adhabu ya kufedheheshwa kwa kuwa mlikuwa na kiburi duniani bila haki, na kwa sababu ya uasi wenu wote."] (Aya ya 20)

On the Day when the unbelievers will be brought before the fire, they will be told: 'You have exhausted your share of good things in your worldly life and took your fill of pleasure. So, today you shall be requited with the suffering of humiliation for having been arrogant on earth without any right, and for all your transgression] (Verse 20)

Hii ni sehemu ya kusisimua yenye athari kubwa na ya kuelezea. Tukio linawaleta mbele ya moto, lakini kabla hawajasukumwa ndani yake, wanaambiwa sababu zilizoamua hatima yao kwa namna hii:

This is a fast moving scene, yet it has a profound, telling effect. The scene brings them before the fire, but just before they are driven into it, they are told the reasons which determined their fate in this way:

“ Umeshamaliza sehemu yako ya mambo mema katika maisha yako ya duniani, na umefurahia starehe zake kikamilifu.” Walikuwa na sehemu yao ya mambo mema, lakini waliyatumia yote katika maisha ya dunia hii, wasiweke chochote kwa ajili ya maisha yao ya baadaye. Kwa kweli, hawakudhani hata kama kungekuwa na maisha ya baadaye. Kwa hiyo, walifurahia mambo haya mema kikamilifu, bila kuonyesha shukrani kwa ajili yake, wala kutoa shukrani kwa Mungu kwa kuwapa. Hawakujizuia kutenda yaliyokatazwa ili wapate kufurahia starehe kama hizo. Kwa hiyo, walipata sehemu yao kamili ya mambo mema katika dunia hii, wakijiachia wenyewe chochote katika maisha ya akhera. Waliibadilisha maisha yasiyo na mwisho ya akhera kwa muda mfupi wa maisha duniani. Basi, mtalipwa adhabu ya udhalilifu kwa kuwa mlijivuna duniani bila haki, na kwa sababu ya uasi wenu wote” (Aya ya 20). Kila anayejivuna duniani hufanya hivyo bila haki yoyote. Kiburi chote ni cha Mungu peke yake; hakimiliki kiumbe chochote, bila kujali cheo alichonacho. Kwa hiyo, kupata udhalilifu ni malipo ya haki kwa kujivuna na kupotoka kutoka katika njia aliyoiweka Mungu.

“ You have exhausted your share of good things in your worldly life and took your fill of pleasure.” They had their fair share of good things, but they used them all up in the life of this world, keeping nothing back for their future life. In fact, they did not reckon that there would even be a future life. Therefore, they enjoyed these good things to the full, showing no gratitude for them and expressing no thanks to God for granting them. They did not refrain from committing what is forbidden in order to enjoy such pleasures. Therefore, they had their full share of good things in this world, leaving themselves nothing in the life to come. They exchanged the endless life of the hereafter for the short span of life on earth. Therefore, shall be requited with the suffering of humiliation for having been arrogant on earth without any right, and for all your transgression” (Verse 20) Everyone who behaves with arrogance on earth does so without any right. All pride belongs to God; none belongs to any creature, no matter what position he holds. To suffer humiliation is, therefore, a just reward for arrogance and deviation from the path God has charted.