Watu mara hujiuliza kama gharika kubwa iliifunika dunia nzima au ilikuwa eneo tu ambalo Nuhu na watu wake waliishi. Mipaka ya eneo hilo ilikuwa ipi katika ulimwengu wa kale au katika ule wa sasa? Hakuna jibu la uhakika kwa maswali haya yoyote. Lakini umuhimu wa hadithi hii hauathiriwi kwa namna yoyote na kutokuwa kwetu na ujuzi juu ya jambo hili.
Ukisomwa kwa maana yake ya wazi, maandiko ya Qur'ani yanaashiria kuwa watu wa Nuhu walikuwa ndio wanadamu wote wakati ule. Ardhi yao ndiyo ilikuwa eneo pekee lenye watu duniani. Pili, mafuriko lazima yalipita katika eneo lote hilo, yakiwazamisha viumbe hai vyote isipokuwa vile vilivyookolewa katika safina.
People often wonder whether the great flood engulfed the whole earth or just the area where Noah and his people lived. What were the boundaries of that area in the ancient world or in the new one? We simply have no definite answer for any of these questions. But then the significance of the story is in no way affected by our lack of knowledge on this point. Taken at face value, the Qur’ānic text suggests that the people of Noah constituted all mankind at that particular time. Their land was the only inhabited area of the earth. Secondly, the floods must have swept through this whole area, drowning all living creatures, except those saved in the ark.
Hii inatosha kutufanya tuelewe tukio hilo kubwa ambalo bila shaka lilitokea, kwa kuwa hakuna chanzo kikubwa zaidi ya Qur’ani kinachotueleza kuhusu lilo hilo. Vitabu vyetu vya historia, kwa upande mwingine, havirekodi chochote kuhusu kipindi hicho cha kale. Uandishi wa historia ni sanaa ya kisasa kiasi, ambayo imerekodi sehemu ndogo tu ya matukio ambayo binadamu ameyashuhudia. Zaidi ya hayo, chochote kilichorekodiwa na historia kinaweza kukosewa, kughushiwa au kupotoshwa. Kwa hiyo, hatuhitaji kutafuta uthibitisho wa historia kwa jambo lolote ambalo tunalo hakika kwamba limetokea, kwa kuwa Mungu aliyeteremsha Qur’ani ndiye aliyetuambia kuhusu jambo hilo.
This is sufficient for us to understand that great event which undoubtedly happened, since no lesser source than the Qur’ān tells us about it. Our history books, on the other hand, record nothing about that ancient period. The writing of history is a relatively modern art that has recorded only a fraction of the events witnessed by mankind. Besides, whatever is recorded by history is subject to error, falsification and distortion. Hence, we need not seek history’s confirmation for anything which we are certain has happened, since we are told about it by God who revealed the Qur’ān.
Hadithi za jamii mbalimbali mara nyingi husimulia gharika kubwa iliyotokea zamani sana katika historia yao, iliyosababishwa na mwenendo potovu wa mababu zao. Hadithi zilizoelezwa katika Agano la Kale pia zinataja gharika iliyowazamisha watu wa Nuhu. Hata hivyo, mambo haya yote hayapaswi kujadiliwa pamoja na simulizi la Qur'ani kuhusu gharika, kwa sababu hilo lingechanganya simulizi sahihi na la kweli la Qur'ani na hadithi za kizushi zisizojulikana asili yake, na zenye uhakiki dhaifu. Walakini, kuwepo kwa hadithi hizi na kusimuliwa kwake katika jamii mbalimbali kunaashiria kwamba gharika hizo ziliyafunika maeneo ya jamii hizi, au kwamba kumbukumbu yake ilisafiri pamoja na wazao wa wale walionusurika.
The legends of different communities often speak of a flood far back in their history, one caused by the erring ways of their ancestors. The stories related in the Old Testament also mention the flood that overwhelmed Noah’s people. None of this, however, should be discussed in conjunction with the Qur’ānic account of the flood, because that would mix the true and accurate account of the Qur’ān with myths of unknown origin and poor authenticity. However, the fact that such myths exist and are told in different communities suggests that the floods covered the lands of these communities, or that its memory travelled with the offspring of those who were saved.
Tunapaswa pia kukumbuka kwamba Agano la Kale, ambalo linajumuisha Maandiko ya Kiyahudi, wala Agano Jipya pamoja na Maandiko ya Kikristo, si maandishi yaliyoteremshwa na Mungu. Nakala zote za Taurati ambayo Mungu aliteremshia Musa ziliteketezwa na Wababeli walipowatia utumwani Wayahudi. Ilinakiliwa upya karne kadhaa baadaye na Ezra, ambaye pengine ndiye aliyetajwa katika Sura ya 9 kama Uzayr, takriban karne tano kabla ya kuzaliwa kwa Yesu Kristo. Alirekodi yale yaliyobaki ya Taurati ya awali, lakini mengine ni ya uandishi wa binadamu. Injili, kwa upande mwingine, zinajumuisha tu yale ambayo wanafunzi wa Kristo na wanafunzi wao waliweza kukumbuka karne moja baada ya maisha ya Kristo duniani kumalizika. Hadithi nyingi na visa vya kubuniwa baadaye viliongezwa ndani yake. Kwa hiyo, hatuwezi kutegemea Maandiko haya kuthibitisha jambo lolote kwa uhakika.
We should also remember that neither the Old Testament, which includes Jewish Scriptures, nor the New Testament with its Christian Scriptures is the text revealed by God. All copies of the Torah that God revealed to Moses were burnt by the Babylonians when they enslaved the Jews. It was rewritten several centuries later by Ezra — who is probably the one mentioned in Sūrah 9 as Uzayr — about five centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ. He recorded what remained of the original Torah, but the rest is of human authorship. The Gospels, on the other hand, include only what Christ’s disciples and their students could remember one century after Christ’s life on earth had ended. Numerous stories and legends were subsequently added to them. Hence, we cannot rely on these Scriptures to establish certainty on any matter.
Hili ni jambo la pembeni tu. Tunachohitaji kufanya ni kujaribu kuelewa funzo la tukio hili kubwa. Hakika, hadithi hii inasisitiza mafunzo kadhaa, ambayo sasa tutayajadili kwa ufupi.
This is anyway a side issue. What we need to do is try to understand the moral of this great event. Indeed, the story drives home several lessons which we will now briefly discuss.
Kama tulivyoona, watu wa Nuhu walizama katika jāhiliyyah. Wakiwa wamekaza mioyo katika njia zao mbaya, walikataa kwa ukaidi ujumbe wake uliotegemea umoja wa Mungu na ulazima wa watu wote kujisalimisha kwa Yeye peke yake. Watu wa Nuhu walikuwa uzao wa Adamu, na tunajua kutokana na historia ya Adamu iliyoelezwa katika Sura ya 7 na ya 2, Al-A'raf (Sehemu za Juu) na Al-Baqarah (Ng'ombe), kwamba kuanguka kwake kulikuwa ni utangulizi wa yeye na uzao wake kupewa jukumu la kuujenga ulimwengu. Hili ndilo lililokuwa kusudi la uumbaji wake. Mungu alimpa sifa na uwezo unaohitajika kutekeleza jukumu hili baada ya kumwambia jinsi ya kutubu na kuomba msamaha kwa kosa lake. Adamu alipokea amri fulani kutoka kwa Mola wake, na Mungu akamsamehe dhambi yake. Kisha yeye, pamoja na mke wake na uzao wake, waliahidi kwa Mungu kwamba daima watafuata mwongozo wa Mungu na kamwe hawatasikiliza Shetani, adui yao wa milele.
As we have seen, Noah’s people were immersed in jāhiliyyah. Hardened in their evil ways, they stubbornly rejected his message based on God’s oneness and the need for all people to submit themselves to Him only. Noah’s people were Adam’s progeny, and we know from Adam’s history related in Sūrahs 7 and 2, The Heights and The Cow, that his fall was the prelude for him and his offspring to be charged with the task of building the earth. This was the purpose behind his creation. God gave him the qualities and abilities necessary to perform this task after He had told him how to repent and seek forgiveness for his error. Adam received certain commandments from his Lord and God forgave him his sin. He then pledged to God, along with his wife and offspring, that they would always follow God’s guidance and never listen to Satan, their eternal enemy.
Adamu, basi, alishuka duniani akiwa na imani sahihi: kujisalimisha kwa Mwenyezi Mungu, akifuata mwongozo Wake. Bila shaka, alawafundisha watoto wake maana ya Uislamu, yaani kujisalimisha kwa Mwenyezi Mungu. Kwa hiyo, kujisalimisha huku, au Uislamu kwa maana pana ya neno hili, ndiyo imani ya kwanza kabisa kujulikana na binadamu duniani. Hakukuwepo imani nyingine iliyokuwa pamoja nayo. Kwa hiyo, ikiwa watu wa Nuhu, kizazi cha baadaye, walikuwa wamezama sana katika aina ya ujinga, au jāhiliyyah, iliyoelezwa katika sura hii, tunaweza kusema kwa uhakika kamili kwamba jāhiliyyah hiyo, pamoja na yote yaliyoambatana nayo ya ushirikina, hadithi za kubuni, sanamu, dhana potofu na mila, ni kitu cha karibuni zaidi kuliko imani safi ya Uislamu ambayo maisha ya binadamu duniani yalianza nayo. Kupotoka kwa binadamu kutoka kwenye imani ya Umoja wa Mungu inayotegemea kujisalimisha kwa Mwenyezi Mungu, yaani Uislamu, kwa maana yake pana, kulitokea kutokana na hila za Shetani. Kama adui wa Mwenyezi Mungu na wa binadamu, Shetani daima huzitumia udhaifu wa watu wakati wowote wanapolegea katika kutekeleza amri za Mwenyezi Mungu na kupotoka kutoka mwongozo Wake. Mwenyezi Mungu amemuumba binadamu na kumpa kiasi cha hiari ya kuchagua, ambacho kwacho anajaribiwa. Kwa kiasi hicho anaweza kuchagua kushikamana kwa nguvu na mwongozo wa Mwenyezi Mungu, akijiimarisha dhidi ya adui yake. Au anaweza kupotoka kutoka mwongozo wa Mwenyezi Mungu na kufuata njia nyingine yoyote. Anapopotoka, hata kidogo tu, Shetani humshinda hatimaye, na kumsukuma kwenye hali hiyo ya ujinga aliyoipitia watoto wa Adamu. Hata hivyo, Adamu alikuwa nabii aliyefundisha imani inayotegemea kujisalimisha kwa Mwenyezi Mungu.
Adam, then, descended to earth with the right faith: submitting himself to God, following His guidance. He did, no doubt, teach his children the meaning of Islam, i.e. submission to God. Hence, this submission, or Islam in the general sense of the word, was the first faith ever known to man on earth. There was no other faith alongside it. Hence, if Noah’s people, a later generation, were so immersed in the type of ignorance, or jāhiliyyah, described in this sūrah we can state, in all certainty, that such jāhiliyyah, with all that it entailed of paganism, legends, idols, false concepts and traditions, is something more recent than the pure faith of Islam with which human life on earth started. Man’s deviation from the monotheistic faith based on submission to God, i.e. Islam, in its broader sense, took place as a result of Satan’s machinations. As the enemy of both God and man, Satan always exploits people’s weaknesses whenever they become lax in their observance of God’s commandments and deviate from His guidance. God has created man and granted him a measure of free choice, by which he is tested. With this measure he can choose to hold fast to God’s guidance, fortifying himself against his enemy. Or he can deviate from God’s guidance and follow any other way. When he deviates, even slightly, Satan overpowers him, eventually, pushing him to that state of ignorance experienced by Adam’s offspring. Yet Adam was a prophet who taught the faith based on submission to God.
Ukweli kwamba dini ya kwanza kujulikana duniani ilikuwa Uislamu, yaani kujisalimisha kwa Mungu peke yake, unatulazimisha kuzikataa kama dhana zisizo na msingi zile nadharia zinazotolewa na wataalamu wa Elimu Linganishi ya Dini (Comparative Religion) na wengine wanaofuata nadharia ya mageuzi. Hao wanadai kwamba imani ya Mungu mmoja ni maendeleo ya hivi karibuni katika dini ya binadamu, na kwamba ilitanguliwa na hatua kadhaa na aina mbalimbali za ushirikina na uwili, ibada ya nguvu za maumbile, roho, sayari, n.k.
The fact that the first faith ever known on earth was Islam, or submission to God alone, makes it imperative for us to reject as conjecture the theses advanced by the masters of Comparative Religion and other evolutionists. These claim that monotheism is a recent development in human religion, preceded by several stages and forms of polytheism and dualism, worship of natural forces, spirits, planets, etc.
Utafiti wowote unaofanywa katika suala hili hufuata mbinu fulani iliyopangwa kabla kwa kuzingatia mambo ya kihistoria, kisaikolojia na kisiasa. Mbinu hii huharibu msingi wa dini za kimungu, pamoja na dhana yenyewe ya wahyi na ujumbe wa kimungu, ili kuthibitisha kwamba dini zote ni bidhaa ya binadamu. Mara hili likishathibitishwa, inakuwa rahisi kudai kwamba dini zilikua kadiri fikra za binadamu zilivyoendelea.
Whatever research is made in this connection follows a particular methodology predetermined by historical, psychological and political factors. This methodology destroys the basis of divine religions, and the very concept of revelation and divine messages, in order to establish that all religions are a human product. Once this is established it can easily be claimed that religions developed as human thought advanced.
Baadhi ya wale wanaoandika kulitetea Dini ya Kiislamu hukosea, bila kujua wakikubali nadharia za wataalamu wa historia ya dini wanaofanya utafiti wao kwa mujibu wa mistari iliyopangwa kabla. Wakiitetea Uislamu kwa shauku kubwa, bila kujua wanaharibu msingi wa imani ya Kiislamu kama ulivyoelezwa katika Qur’ān kwa uwazi kabisa. Qur’ān inasema kwamba Adam (amani iwe juu yake) alishuka duniani akiwa na imani ya Uislamu. Pia inasema kwamba Nūh (amani iwe juu yake) alikabiliana na kizazi cha baadaye ambacho kilikuwa kimeweka ujinga mahali pa Uislamu. Yeye alihubiri imani ile ile ya msingi, iliyojengwa juu ya upweke kamili wa Mungu; yaani imani ya Kiislamu kwa maana yake pana. Mzunguko uleule ulijirudia baada ya Nūh, watu wakiliacha Uislamu na kuchukua mafundisho mbalimbali ya jāhiliyyah. Manabii wote walitumwa na ujumbe uleule wa upweke wa Mungu, wakiwaita watu wajisalimishe kwa Mungu peke yake. Kamwe hakukuwa na maendeleo yoyote katika dini ya Mungu kwa kadiri inavyohusu misingi ya imani.
Some of those who write in defence of Islam err, unwittingly endorsing the theories of specialists in the history of religion who conduct their research along such predetermined lines. While defending Islam so enthusiastically they unwittingly destroy the basis of the Islamic faith as stated in the Qur’ān with absolute clarity. The Qur’ān states that Adam (peace be upon him) descended on earth with the faith of Islam. It also states that Noah (peace be upon him) faced a later generation that had installed ignorance in place of Islam. He advocated basically the same faith based on the absolute oneness of God; i.e. the Islamic faith in its broader sense. The same cycle repeated itself after Noah with mankind abandoning Islam to adopt different jāhiliyyah doctrines. All prophets were sent with the same message of God’s oneness, calling on mankind to submit themselves to God alone. At no point was there any development in the divine faith in as much as it relates to the basics of faith.
Mabadiliko, upanuzi na maendeleo vilihusu tu sheria zilizoambatana na imani hiyo hiyo. Uchunguzi wa kielimu wa maendeleo ya mafundisho ya jāhiliyyah hauongozi kwenye hitimisho kwamba watu walifikia imani ya tauhidi. Badala yake, unaonyesha kwamba imani ya tauhidi, iliyohubiriwa na manabii na mitume mfululizo, iliacha athari nyingi zaidi katika vizazi vilivyofuata, hata baada ya watu kupotoka kutoka imani ya kweli, kiasi kwamba mafundisho yao yalikaribia zaidi asili ya tauhidi. Imani katika umoja wa Mungu ilianza muda mrefu zaidi kuliko dini zote za kipagani. Imani hii ilikamilika tangu mwanzo kabisa, kwa sababu haikuwa matokeo ya fikra za binadamu wala ya ongezeko la maarifa ya binadamu. Ilitolewa kwa binadamu na Mungu, na kwa hiyo ilikuwa ya kweli na kamili tangu mwanzo.
Evolution, expansion and advancement addressed only the laws that accompanied the same faith. An enlightened study of the development of jāhiliyyah doctrines does not lead to the conclusion that people progressed to monotheism. It rather shows that the monotheistic faith, preached by successive prophets and messengers, left more traces in succeeding generations, even after they had deviated from true faith, to make their doctrines nearer to the monotheistic origins. Belief in God’s oneness dates back much further than all pagan religions. This faith was complete right from the start, because it was not the result of human thinking or increased human knowledge. It was given to man by God, and as such it was true and complete from the outset.
Hili limethibitishwa wazi katika Qur'ani. Si haki kwa mwanachuoni yeyote wa Kiislamu kuacha kile ambacho Qur'ani imeeleza kwa uwazi kama hivyo, wala kufuata maprofesa wa Elimu Linganishi ya Dini wanapojaribu kubuni nadharia yenye mantiki.
This is clearly established in the Qur’ān. It is not for any Muslim scholar either to depart from what is stated so clearly in the Qur’ān or to follow professors of Comparative Religion as they grope for a coherent theory.
Akiandika sura ya asili ya imani katika kitabu chake, Allah, au Mungu, `Abbās Maĥmood al-`Aqqād anaandika:
Devoting a chapter to the origins of faith in his book, Allah, or God, `Abbās Maĥmood al-`Aqqād, writes:
Imani za binadamu zilikua sambamba na maendeleo ya binadamu katika maarifa ya kisayansi na ujuzi mwingine. Kwa hiyo, imani za mwanzo zililingana na viwango vya maisha ya binadamu wa mwanzo, kama ilivyokuwa maarifa ya kisayansi na ujuzi wa binadamu. Hii inamaanisha kwamba maarifa hayo ya awali katika uwanja wa sayansi hayakuwa ya juu zaidi kuliko imani na ibada za mwanzo. Hakuna uwanja kati ya hizo mbili unaoonyesha ufahamu wa wazi zaidi wa ukweli.
Human beliefs developed in parallel to human development in scientific knowledge and other skills. Thus, early beliefs fit with the standards of early human life, as did human scientific knowledge and skills. This means that such early knowledge in the scientific field was no more advanced than early beliefs and worship. Neither field reflects a clearer grasp of the truth.
Zaidi ya hayo, juhudi za kibinadamu za kubuni dhana ya kweli ya dini lazima zimekuwa ngumu zaidi na za muda mrefu zaidi kuliko zile zinazohusiana na sayansi na viwanda. Ukweli mkubwa zaidi katika ulimwengu lazima uwe mgumu zaidi kuufikia kuliko ukweli wa maeneo mbalimbali yanayoshughulikiwa wakati mwingine na sayansi na wakati mwingine na viwanda.
Moreover, human efforts to formulate a true concept of religion must have been harder and longer lasting than those related to science and industry. The greatest truth in the universe must be harder to achieve than the truth of different areas addressed at times by science and at others by industry.
Watu walibaki hawajui jinsi jua linavyofanya kazi, ingawa ndilo jambo lililo wazi zaidi ambalo macho yetu huliona na miili yetu huhisi. Kwa muda mrefu, imani iliyokuwa ikienea ilikuwa kwamba jua ndilo lililokuwa likizunguka dunia. Walieleza mwendo wake na mambo mengine kwa namna ile ile waliyotumia kujaribu kueleza siri na kutafsiri ndoto. Ujinga wa watu kuhusu hali halisi ya jua, ambao huenda bado upo hadi leo, haukuwahi kuwasukuma mtu yeyote kukataa kuwepo kwake.
People remained ignorant of how the sun functions, although it is the clearest thing our eyes see and our bodies feel. For a long time, the common belief was that it was the sun that orbited the earth. They explained its movement and other aspects in much the same way as they sought to explain mysteries and interpret dreams. People’s ignorance of the nature of the sun, which may be true even today, never prompted anyone to deny its existence.
Hii inamaanisha kwamba marejeo yetu kuhusu asili ya dini katika vipindi vya mwanzo vya jāhiliyyah hayaonyeshi kwamba dini ilikuwa ya uongo, wala kwamba ilikuwa ni utafutaji wa jambo lisilowezekana. Yote inayoonyesha ni kwamba ukweli mkuu ni mzito mno kiasi kwamba hauwezi kueleweka kikamilifu katika kizazi kimoja. Watu wanapaswa kuukusanya hatua kwa hatua, kizazi baada ya kizazi, kama wanavyofanya na ukweli mdogo zaidi ambao hisia zao zinaufahamu vizuri zaidi. Hata hivyo, ukweli mkuu unawahitaji kutia juhudi na bidii zaidi katika mchakato huo.
This means that our reference to the origins of religion in the early periods of jāhiliyyah does not indicate that religiosity was false, or that it meant a search for the impossible. All that it shows is that the greatest truth is too momentous to be comprehended in full in one generation. People must gather it in stages, one generation after another, in the same way as they do with smaller truths of which their senses are more cognizant. However, the greatest truth requires them to put more toil and effort into the process.
Masomo katika Dini Linganishi yamefichua myth na ushirikina mwingi ambao binadamu wa zamani aliuamini. Athari zake bado zinaonekana miongoni mwa jamii za kiasili au mataifa ya ustaarabu wa kale. Haikuwahi kudhaniwa kuwa tafiti kama hizi zingeweza kugundua jambo jingine lolote, au kwamba imani za awali zingeweza kuwa kitu kingine zaidi ya myth hizo. Kwa kweli, hii ndiyo hitimisho la kimantiki ambalo wasomi walilitarajia. Hawakutarajia kugundua chochote kingeweza kuwa msingi wa mtazamo mpya kabisa juu ya asili ya imani. Msomi anayefikiria kwamba utafiti wake katika imani za kiasili unaweza kumwongoza kuhitimisha kwamba binadamu wa mwanzo alitambua ukweli wa msingi wa ulimwengu, kamili na safi, anafuatilia tu udanganyifu.20
Studies in Comparative Religion have unravelled a multitude of myths and superstitions in which early humanity believed. Traces of these continue to be found among primitive communities or nations of ancient civilization. It was never presumed that such studies could make any different discoveries, or that early beliefs could be anything other than such myths. Indeed, this is the logical conclusion which scholars expected. They did not expect to unearth anything that could be the basis of a completely new outlook on the essence of belief. A scholar who imagines that his research in primitive faiths could lead him to conclude that the early humans recognized the fundamental universal truth, complete and pure, is only pursuing a mirage.20
Katika sura nyingine, yenye kichwa "Hatua za Imani kwa Mungu", al-`Aqqād anaandika:
In another chapter, on the ‘Stages of Belief in God’, al-`Aqqād writes:
Wanazuoni wa Elimu Linganishi ya Dini wanatambua hatua tatu kuu za imani katika jamii za kale: ushirikina wa miungu mingi (polytheism), uhenotheism, na utauhid (monotheism).
Scholars of Comparative Religion identify three main stages of belief in primitive communities: polytheism, henotheism and monotheism.
Katika zama za ushirikina, makabila ya mwanzo yaliabudu miungu kadhaa, na wakati mwingine hata mamia. Katika zama hizi, mara nyingi familia kubwa ilikuwa na mungu wake mwenyewe ambaye wanafamilia wake waliabudu. Vinginevyo, walikuwa na hirizi au alama iliyosimama badala ya mungu katika kupokea dua na sadaka.
In the polytheistic era, early tribes worshipped scores or even hundreds of deities. In this era, it was often the case that a large family would have its own deity which members of the family worshipped. Alternatively, they may have a charm or a symbol which deputized for the deity in accepting prayers and offerings.
Katika hatua ya pili, miungu iliendelea kuabudiwa kwa mamia.
In the second stage, deities continued to be worshipped in their hundreds.
Hata hivyo, mmoja wao huanza kupata umaarufu mkubwa zaidi, ama kwa sababu ni mungu wa kabila kubwa zaidi linalopata utii wa makabila mengine, au kwa sababu ana mamlaka ya juu zaidi, kama vile mungu wa mvua katika nchi inayotegemea mvua kwa umwagiliaji, au mungu anayesimamia upepo katika eneo linalokumbwa mara kwa mara na vimbunga.
However, one of them begins to acquire greater prominence, either because it is the deity of the largest tribe commanding the allegiance of other tribes, or because it commanded higher authority, such as the god of rain in a land that depends on rain for irrigation, or the deity commanding wind in an area often hit by hurricanes.
Hatua ya tatu inashuhudia kuinuka kwa mataifa. Kila taifa hukusanyika karibu na ibada ile ile, ingawa miungu tofauti hutawala mikoa tofauti. Inaweza kutokea katika hatua hii kwamba taifa moja likalazimisha ibada yake ya kidini juu ya taifa jingine, kwa njia ile ile inavyolazimisha mamlaka yake ya kisiasa. Pia linaweza kukubali kwamba mungu wa taifa lililoshindwa autii mamlaka ya juu zaidi ya mungu wa taifa mshindi, lakini mungu huyo wa zamani aliendelea kuabudiwa na wafuasi wake walioshindwa.
The third stage witnesses the rise of nations. Each nation congregates around the same worship although different deities dominate different provinces. It could happen in this stage that one nation imposes its own religious worship on another, in the same way as it imposes its political authority. It may also accept that the deity of the defeated nation should submit to the higher authority of the deity of the victor nation, yet the former continued to be worshipped by its defeated adherents.
Taifa hufikia hatua hii ya tauhidi yenye upungufu tu baada ya kupitia hatua mbalimbali za kupanuka kwa maarifa ya binadamu, ambayo hufanya hadithi za kale na khurafa zisikubalike tena. Kwa hiyo, Mungu hufafanuliwa kwa sifa zilizo karibu zaidi na ukamilifu na utakatifu kuliko zile zilizopewa miungu ya kale iliyoabudiwa katika hatua ya ushirikina. Ibada huhusishwa na tafakari na kutafakari, pamoja na mapenzi ya Mungu na hekima yake ya juu. Mungu mkuu mara nyingi hufikiriwa kuwa Bwana pekee wa kweli, huku miungu mingine ikishushwa hadhi sawa na ile ya malaika au miungu iliyoyaudhi ya miungu mkuu.21
A nation attains this stage of deficient monotheism only after going through different stages of expanding human knowledge that makes old legends and superstitions no longer acceptable. Thus, God is described in terms that are closer to perfection and holiness than were given to old deities worshipped during the polytheistic stage. Worship becomes associated with contemplation and reflection, and with God’s will and superior wisdom. The main deity is often thought of as the only true Lord, while other deities are reduced to a rank similar to that of angels or gods that incurred the displeasure of the superior deity.21
Ni wazi kutokana na maoni ya al-`Aqqād na yale anayonasibisha kwa wengine wenye mamlaka katika Elimu Linganishi ya Dini kwamba chimbuko la imani ya kidini liko kwa wanadamu. Hivyo, inaakisi maendeleo yao ya kiakili, kisayansi, kisiasa na kistaarabu. Maendeleo yalifuata mstari wake thabiti, yakianza na ushirikina, kisha kuhamia uwili, na kumalizikia katika Utauhidi. Kwa hakika, hili liko wazi katika sentensi ya kwanza ambayo mwandishi anaandika katika Utangulizi wake: “Kitabu hiki kinajadili kuibuka kwa imani kwa Mungu, tangu wakati mwanadamu alipomwabudu mungu hadi alipomtambua Mungu Mmoja na kuitakasa imani yake katika umoja wa Mungu.”
Bila shaka, Mungu anasema katika Kitabu chake tukufu, Qur’ani, kwa uwazi na kwa uamuzi kabisa, jambo linalopingana na alichokiandika al-`Aqqād, aliyeathiriwa na wanazuoni wa Elimu Linganishi ya Dini. Anachosema Mungu waziwazi ni kwamba Adamu, mwanadamu wa kwanza duniani, alikuwa na ufahamu kamili wa ukweli wa umoja wa Mungu. Alijua kuwa ni safi, pasipo kuchanganyika na chembe yoyote ya ushirikina au uwili, na alijua maana ya kunyenyekea kwa Mungu peke yake na udhihirisho wake wa kivitendo katika kufuata sheria za Mungu pekee. Pia alipeleka imani hii kwa watoto wake, hali iliyopelekea kuwepo kwa vizazi kadhaa katika kipindi cha mwanzo kabisa cha historia ya mwanadamu ambavyo havikujua imani nyingine zaidi ya umoja wa Mungu wala dini nyingine zaidi ya kunyenyekea kwa Mungu, yaani Uislamu. Kadiri muda ulivyopita, na vizazi vya watoto wa Adamu vilipofuatana, upotofu uliingia, labda kuelekea uwili na labda kuelekea ushirikina. Hata hivyo watu walianza kunyenyekea kwa miungu mingi ya uongo. Kisha Nabii Nūh akarudisha imani ya kiungu ya Utauhidi. Gharika iliwazamisha wote waliodumu katika imani zao potofu. Ni wale tu waliomwamini Mungu Mmoja ndio waliookolewa. Hao ndio waliokataa aina zote za ushirikina na kumshirikisha Mungu. Tunaweza kusema bila shaka yoyote kwamba vizazi kadhaa baada ya Nuhu viliendelea kuishi chini ya dini ya Mungu, Uislamu, iliyojengwa juu ya tauhidi safi. Lakini kadiri muda ulivyopita, upotovu uliingia na watu wakaanza kuiacha dini ya kweli. Hali hii ilikuwa hivyo kwa kila mmoja wa wajumbe wa Mungu: "Kabla yako hatukumtuma Mtume yeyote ila tulimfunulia kwamba hakuna mungu isipokuwa Mimi, basi niabuduni Mimi peke yangu." (21: 25)
It is clear from al-`Aqqād’s views and what he attributes to other authorities in Comparative Religion that the origin of religious belief lies with human beings. Thus, it reflects their rational, scientific, political and civilizational development. Progress followed its consistent line, starting with polytheism, then moving to dualism and finishing with monotheism. Indeed this is clear in the first sentence the author writes in his Introduction: “This book discusses the rise of the belief in God, from the time man worshipped a deity until he recognized the One God and purified his belief in God’s oneness.” Without a doubt, God states in His glorious book, the Qur’ān, most clearly and decisively, something that is at variance with what al-`Aqqād has written, influenced as he is by scholars of Comparative Religion. What God clearly states is that Adam, the first man on earth, was fully aware of the truth of God’s oneness. He knew it to be pure, unmixed with any trace of polytheism or dualism, and he knew the meaning of submission to God alone and its practical manifestation in following only God’s legislation. He also communicated this faith to his children, leading to the existence of several generations in the earliest period of human history who knew no belief other than God’s oneness and no faith other than submission to God, or Islam. As time went by, and generations of Adam’s progeny succeeded one another, deviation crept in, perhaps towards dualism and perhaps towards polytheism. Nonetheless people began to submit to a multitude of false deities. Then the Prophet Noah brought back the divine faith of monotheism. The flood drowned all those who persisted with their erroneous beliefs. Only those who believed in God’s oneness were saved. They were the ones who rejected all forms of polytheism and the association of partners with God. We may say without fear of contradiction that several generations after Noah continued to live under the divine faith, Islam, based on pure monotheism. But then again, with the passage of time, deviation crept in and people started to move away from the true faith. This was the case with every one of God’s messengers: “Before your time We never sent a messenger without having revealed to him that there is no deity other than Me. Therefore, you shall worship Me alone.” (21: 25)
Hili hakiani na kile ambacho wataalamu wa Dini Linganishi na al-`Aqqād wanachohitimisha. Mbinu mbili hizi zinapingana kabisa katika mbinu na hitimisho. Tukumbuke kwamba maoni ya wasomi na waandishi ni nadharia ambazo zinaweza kupingana, jambo linalomaanisha kwamba hakuna hata moja linalotoa hukumu ya mwisho na iliyothibitishwa, hata kwa vipimo vya kibinadamu.
This is certainly at variance with what specialists in Comparative Religion and al- `Aqqād conclude. The two approaches are diametrically opposed in methodology and conclusion. We should remember that the views of academics and writers are theories that may contradict one another, which means that none provides a final and confirmed judgement, even by human standards.
Bila shaka yoyote, pale Mungu anapotaja jambo kwa uwazi usio na shaka, kauli inayofuata ni ya Mungu. Hili linatumika hasa kwa wale wanaoandika kwa kutetea Uislamu, wakilenga kufafanua dhana potofu kuhusu Uislamu na asili ya imani. Kwa maana hakuna huduma kwa Uislamu kwa kudhoofisha ukweli kwamba ulitujia kwa njia ya wahyi ulioteremshwa na Mungu. Hakuna binadamu aliyeuvumbua. Uliihubiri kweli ya msingi ya umoja wa Mungu tangu siku ya kwanza, na haukuwahi kukumbatia wazo au dhana yoyote inayopingana na kweli ya umoja wa Mungu. Wala haukuhubiri dhana nyingine yoyote isipokuwa ile ya umoja wa Mungu katika jumbe zozote za kimungu.
Needless to say, when God unequivocally states something that is contradicted by others, the statement to follow is God’s. This applies particularly to those who write in defence of Islam, aiming to clarify misconceptions about Islam and the origin of faith. For there is no service to Islam by undermining the fact that it came to us in the form of revelations bestowed by God. No human being has invented it. It preached the basic truth of God’s oneness from the very first day, and never entertained any idea or concept that is at variance with the truth of God’s oneness. Nor did it preach any concept other than that of God’s oneness in any of the divine messages.
Maelezo haya mafupi yanaonyesha hatari kubwa tunayojiweka nayo iwapo tutakopa dhana zetu za msingi kutoka vyanzo visivyo vya Kiislamu. Pia yanaonyesha jinsi fikra za Kimagharibi zinavyowaathiri sana watu wanaofuata mbinu zake, hata wanapojaribu kuutetea Uislamu na kukanusha tuhuma zinazoelekezwa kwake na maadui.
These brief remarks demonstrate the grave danger we expose ourselves to if we borrow our basic concepts from un-Islamic sources. They also show how deeply Western thought influences people who follow its methodologies, even when they try to defend Islam and refute accusations levelled at it by those who are hostile.
"Hakika Qur'ani hii inaongoza kwenye lililo sawa zaidi." (17: 9)
“Surely this Qur’ān shows the way to that which is most upright.” (17: 9)