Saba (Sheba)

Saba (Sheba) - Katika Kivuli cha Qur'ani | Quran Course

Katika mojawapo ya matukio anayoyaeleza kuhusu Siku ya Hukumu, sura hiyo inataja ibada yao kwa malaika na majini: “Siku atakapowakusanya wote, atasema kwa malaika: ‘Je, ndio hawa mliokuwa wakiwaabudu?’ Watasema: ‘Utakasifu ni Wako! Wewe ndiye mlinzi wetu, si wao. Bali walikuwa wakiwaabudu majini, na wengi wao walikuwa wakiwaamini.’” (Aya 40-41) Inakanusha dhana zao za kuombewa shafaa na malaika kwa niaba yao: “Hakuna shafaa mbele Yake isipokuwa kwa yule ambaye Yeye amemruhusu. Mioyo yao itakapoondolewa hofu, wataulizana: ‘Mola wenu amesema nini?’ Watasema: ‘Haki. Naye ndiye Aliye Juu, Mkubwa.’” (Aya 23) Kuhusiana na ibada yao kwa majini, inatajwa Sulemani na jinsi majini walivyowekwa katika huduma yake. Inasisitiza ukweli kwamba hawakuweza kutambua kwamba alikuwa amekufa: “Tulipoamua mauti yake, hakuna kitu kilichowaonyesha kuwa amekufa isipokuwa mdudu wa ardhini aliyekuwa akiikatakata fimbo yake. Alipoanguka chini, majini wakaona wazi kwamba, lau wangalijua yaliyofichika, wasingalibaki katika utumwa wa kudhalilika.” (Aya 14)

In one of the scenes it portrays of the Day of Judgement, the sūrah refers to their worship of angels and jinn: “On the day He gathers them all together, He will say to the angels: ‘Was it you that these people worshipped?’ They will answer: ‘Limitless are You in Your glory! You alone are our patron, not they. In fact they worshipped the jinn and most of them believed in them.” (Verses 40-41) It refutes their ideas about intercession by the angels on their behalf: “Before Him, intercession is of no avail, except by one to whom He may have granted permission. When the terror is lifted from their hearts, they will ask [one another]: ‘What has your Lord ordained?’ They will answer: ‘The truth. He is the Most High, the Supreme.” (Verse 23) In connection with their worship of the jinn mention is made of Solomon and how the jinn were placed in his service. It highlights the fact that they were unable to realize that he was dead: “When We decreed his death, nothing showed them that he was dead except an earthworm that gnawed away at his staff And when he fell to the ground, the jinn saw clearly that, had they understood the reality which was beyond [their] perception, they would not have remained in humiliating servitude.” (Verse 14)

“Kila mara tulipomtuma mwonyaji katika mji wowote, wale waliokuwa wakistarehe kwa anasa miongoni mwao walisema: ‘Sisi hatuiamini ujumbe ambao mmetumwa nao.’ Pia husema: ‘Sisi tuna mali nyingi zaidi kuliko nyinyi, na tuna watoto wengi zaidi. Hakika hatutaadhibiwa.’ Sema: ‘Mola wangu Mlezi humkunjulia riziki amtakaye, au humbana amtakaye; lakini watu wengi hawafahamu.’ Si mali zenu wala watoto wenu wanaoweza kuwakaribisha kwetu; isipokuwa yule aliyeamini na kutenda mema [ndiye anayekaribishwa kwetu]. Hao watapata malipo mara mbili kwa yale waliyoyatenda. Nao watakaa kwa amani katika majumba ya peponi; ilhali wale wote wanaopigana na Ishara zetu, wakitaka kuzishinda, watatupwa katika adhabu.” (Aya 34-38) Sura hii inatoa mifano ya kihistoria, ikimtaja Daudi na watu wa nyumbani mwake waliodhihirisha shukrani zao kwa neema za Mungu, na kuilinganisha hali hiyo na watu wa Sheba waliokuwa wasio shukuru kabisa. Yaliyowapata jamii hizi mbili yalijulikana sana, yakithibitisha ahadi na maonyo ya Mungu.

“Whenever We sent a warner to any community, those of them who lived in luxury said: ‘We do not believe in the message with which you have been sent.’ They also say: ‘Richer than you are we in wealth, and we have more children. We certainly are not going to be made to suffer.’ Say: My Lord gives in abundance, or gives in scant measure, to whomever He wills; but most people do not understand’ It is neither your riches nor your children that can bring you nearer to Us: only he who believes and does what is right [comes near to Us]. To these multiple reward will be given for all that they have done. They will dwell in safety in the mansions of paradise; whereas all who strive against Our revelations, seeking to defeat their purpose, shall be given over to suffering.” (Verses 34-38) The sūrah gives some historical examples, citing David and his household who demonstrated their gratitude for God’s favours and contrasting this with the people of Sheba who were totally ungrateful. What happened to both communities was well known, confirming God’s promises and warnings.

Sūrah zote za Makkah zinashughulikia mada hizi, lakini katika kila sūrah zinaelezwa dhidi ya mandhari maalum ya kikosmiki. Kwa hakika, mada hii inaambatana na athari mbalimbali ambazo kila mara tunazihisi kuwa mpya. Mandhari ya sūrah hii ya sasa ni upana wa mbingu na ardhi, ulimwengu mkubwa usioweza kupimika, usiofikiwa na ufahamu wetu, uwanda usio na mipaka ambapo kukusanyika kutafanyika Siku ya Hukumu, kina cha ndani cha nafsi ya binadamu, pamoja na matukio kadhaa ya ajabu ya kihistoria. Kila kimoja kina ujumbe wake wazi kwa nyoyo zetu, kikihakikisha tunabaki macho. Mwanzoni kabisa mwa sūrah tunatambulishwa kwa upana huu wa ulimwengu na elimu isiyo na kikomo ya Mwenyezi Mungu: "Anajua yale yanayoingia ardhini na yale yanayotoka humo; yale yanayoshuka kutoka mbinguni na yale yanayopanda kwenda huko... Wale wasiomwamini husema: 'Saa haitatufikia kamwe!' Sema: 'Naam, kwa Mola wangu Mlezi, hakika itakufikieni kabisa. Yeye ndiye anayejua yale yote yasiyofikiwa na ufahamu wa binadamu. Hakuna hata uzito wa chembe moja mbinguni wala ardhini usiomfichika; wala hakuna kitu kidogo zaidi wala kikubwa zaidi ila kimeandikwa katika kitabu chenye kubainisha." (Aya 2-3)

All Makkan sūrahs tackle these topics, but in each sūrah they are portrayed against a special cosmic background. Indeed, this theme is accompanied by diverse influences that we feel to be new each time. The background in the present sūrah is the wide space of the heaven and earth, the awesome, unfathomable realm that lies beyond the reach of our perception, the limitless plateau where the gathering takes place on the Day of Judgement, the inner depths of the human soul, and a number of amazing historical scenes. Each has its clear message for our hearts, ensuring we remain alert. At the very beginning of the sūrah we are introduced to this broad universal expanse and God’s limitless knowledge: “He knows all that goes into the earth and all that comes out of it; all that descends from the skies and all that ascends to them... The unbelievers say: Never shall the Last Hour come upon us!’ Say: ‘Yes, by my Lord, it shall most certainly come to you. It is He who knows all that lies beyond the reach of human perception. Not an atom’s weight in the heavens or the earth escapes Him; nor is there anything smaller or larger but is recorded in a clear book.” (Verses 2-3)

Sifa za Mwenyezi Mungu huanza sura hii, zikitaja baadhi ya sifa zake, kama vile kuwa na mamlaka mbinguni na duniani, kupokea sifa katika Akhera, hekima na ujuzi kamili wa kila kinachotokea katika ulimwengu. Pia inataja kukataa kwa wasioamini Siku ya Mwisho, na jibu la msisitizo la Mungu kwamba hakika itakuja. Tena sura inasema kwamba hakuna hata uzito wa chembe moja katika ulimwengu mzima unaoepuka ujuzi wa Mungu, jambo litakalohakikisha kwamba malipo ya Mungu kwa wote, waumini na wasioamini, yatakuwa juu ya ujuzi sahihi na kamili wa hali zote na mazingira yote. Katika sehemu hii ya mwanzo, sura inasema kwamba wale waliopewa hekima wanathibitisha kwamba kile alichofunuliwa Mungu kwa Mtume wake ni haki. Inasema kwamba wasioamini wanaona wazo la kufufuliwa kuwa geni, ikikanusha hoja zao na kuwaambia kwamba wanateseka kutokana na kuwa mbali sana na upotovu. Inawaonya kwamba wanaweza kumezwa na ardhi au kwamba mbingu zinaweza kuanguka juu yao. Kwa hatua hii, sehemu ya kwanza ya sura inamalizika.

Praise of God forms the beginning of the sūrah, identifying some of His attributes, such as having dominion in the heavens and earth, receiving praise in the hereafter, wisdom and full knowledge of all that takes place in the universe. It also mentions the unbelievers’ denial of the Last Hour and God’s emphatic reply that it will certainly come. Again the sūrah states that not an atom’s weight in the whole universe escapes God’s knowledge, which will ensure that God’s requital o all, believers and unbelievers, will be based on accurate and full knowledge of all situations and circumstances. In this early part, the sūrah states that those who are endowed with wisdom confirm that what God has revealed to His Messenger is the truth. It states that the unbelievers find the idea of resurrection strange, refuting their arguments and telling them that they suffer as a result of being far in error. It warns them that they could be swallowed up by the earth or that the skies could fall apart on them. On this note, the first part of the sūrah ends.

Pamoja, sehemu ya nne na ya tano zinashughulikia swali la kufunuliwa kwa ujumbe wa Mungu na mtazamo wa makafiri kuelekea ujumbe huo. Zinaeleza jinsi matajiri wanavyoliangalia kila mwito wa imani, na jinsi wanavyoonyesha kiburi kwa mali zao na watoto wao. Sehemu hizi mbili zinathibitisha kwamba imani na matendo mema ndiyo vigezo vya msingi vya thawabu. Hapa kuna picha kadhaa za hatima tofauti za waumini na makafiri, ambamo tunawaona viongozi wakiwakana wafuasi wao, na malaika wakijitenga na wale waliowaabudu. Katikati ya picha hizi, sūrah inawataka makafiri wairejee fitra yao wenyewe, wakitafuta majibu yake mbali na kelele zote wanazozusha kuhusu Mjumbe wa Mungu ﷺ. Inawakumbusha kwamba hawana ushahidi wowote wa tuhuma wanazomtupia, ilhali yeye hawaombi malipo yoyote na hasemi uongo. Kila moja ya sehemu hizi mbili inahitimishwa kwa picha kutoka Siku ya Kiyama. Hatimaye, sūrah inamalizia kwa mfululizo wa aya fupi zenye mdundo wenye nguvu na wa haraka: "Sema: Mola wangu hurusha haki kwa nguvu."

Together the fourth and fifth parts tackle the question of the revelation of God’s message and the unbelievers’ attitude towards it. They speak about how the affluent view every call to faith, and how they show pride in their wealth and children. These two parts establish the fact that faith and good actions are the basic criteria for reward. Several scenes are shown here of the different fates of the believers and unbelievers, in which we see the leaders disowning their followers and the angels disassociating themselves from those who worshipped them. In between these scenes, the sūrah calls on the unbelievers to resort to their own nature, seeking its answers free from all the fuss they create about God’s Messenger. It reminds them that they have no evidence for the accusations they level at him, when he asks them for no reward and tells them no lie. Each of these two parts is concluded with a scene from the Day of Resurrection. Then, finally, the sūrah ends with a run of short verses that are characterized by a powerful, fast rhythm: “Say: My Lord hurls forth the truth.

Saba (Sheba)

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