Sehemu hii ndefu imejikita katika vipengele vya historia ya Mitume waliotangulia, ili Mtume Muhammad ﷺ akumbuke hadithi zao na kupuuza kukataliwa, mashtaka, mshangao na uzushi wote ambao makafiri walimtupia. Yote haya yalikuwa hakika yatamlemea sana mtu yeyote, lakini Mtume ameagizwa kuvumilia yote haya na kubaki na subira katika shida.

This long passage is devoted to aspects of the histories of earlier messengers so that the Prophet Muĥammad (peace be upon him) would remember them and disregard all the rejections, accusations, amazement and fabrications the unbelievers levelled at him. All this was certain to weigh hard on anyone, but the Prophet is told to bear it all and remain patient in adversity.

Wakati huo huo, hadithi hizi zinaonyesha athari za neema ya Mungu kama alivyowapa wajumbe waliotangulia. Zinaonyesha jinsi Mungu alivyowapa fadhila za aina mbalimbali, zikiwemo mamlaka, enzi, ulinzi na baraka. Hii inatofautiana na mshangao uliooneshwa na Maquraishi kwa Mungu kumpendelea Mtume ﷺ kwa ujumbe Wake. Yeye hakuwa wa pekee miongoni mwa wajumbe wa Mungu. Kwa baadhi yao, Mungu alitoa ufalme pamoja na kuwa wajumbe Wake. Miongoni mwao alikuwepo mmoja aliyepewa fadhila ya milima na ndege kuitikia kumtakasa Mungu na kumsifu, na kwa mwingine upepo na majini viliwekwa chini ya amri yake. Hao ni Daudi na Sulemani. Basi, kuna ajabu gani Mungu kumchagua, miongoni mwa Maquraishi wote, Muhammad ﷺ, mtu wa ukweli, ili amteremshie wahyi Wake?

At the same time, the stories present the effects of God’s grace as it was bestowed on earlier messengers. It shows how God granted them favours of all sorts, including power, authority, care and blessings. This contrasts with the amazement expressed by the Quraysh at God’s favouring the Prophet (peace be upon him) with His message. He was not a unique case among God’s messengers. To some of them God granted a kingdom, in addition to their being His messengers. Among them one was favoured with the mountains and birds echoing his glorification and praise of God, and to another the wind and jinn were made subservient. Such were David and Solomon. What is strange, then, for God to have chosen from among all the Quraysh, Muĥammad, the man of truth, upon whom to bestow His revelations?

Hadithi hizi zinaeleza jinsi Mungu alivyowatunza daima wajumbe Wake na jinsi alivyowafundisha ili wastahili utume wao. Kama Muhammad ﷺ, walikuwa binadamu wa kawaida, wakipitia udhaifu ambao watu wote hupitia. Mungu aliwatunza ili udhaifu wao usiwashinde. Aliwaeleza mambo na kuwapa maagizo. Pia aliwajaribu ili awasamehe makosa yao na kuwapa neema. Hili lilipaswa kumhakikishia Nabii ﷺ kwamba Mungu atamtunza katika kila hatua.

These stories describe the care God always took of His messengers and how He instructed them so that they became worthy of their mission. Like Muĥammad, they were ordinary human beings, experiencing the weaknesses all people do. God took care of them so that their weaknesses did not get the better of them. He explained things to them and gave them directives. He also tested them so that He would forgive them their errors and grant them favours. This was bound to reassure the Prophet that God would take care of him at every step.

Vumilia kwa subira chochote wanachosema, na kumbuka mtumishi wetu Daudi aliyepewa nguvu. Yeye daima alikuwa akimgeukia Mwenyezi Mungu. Tulizifanya milima imsifu pamoja naye, kumtakasa Mwenyezi Mungu jioni na alfajiri, na vivyo hivyo ndege waliokusanyika kwa makundi; wote walikuwa wakiitikia sifa zake. Tuliufanya ufalme wake kuwa imara; tulimpa hekima na hukumu ya haki iliyo wazi. (Aya 17-20)

Bear with patience whatever they say, and remember Our servant David who was endowed with strength. He always turned to Us. We caused the mountains to join him in extolling Our limitless glory in the evening and at sunrise, and likewise the birds in flocks: they all would echo his praise. We strengthened his kingdom; We endowed him with wisdom and decisive judgement. (Verses 17-20)

"Vumilia kwa subira..." Hii ni rejea ya njia aliyoipitia kila mjumbe wa Mungu.

‘Bear with patience...’ This is a reference to the road taken by all God’s messengers.

Inawajumuisha pamoja. Kila mmoja wao alipitia hilo: kila mmoja aliteseka, alijaribiwa na kubaki na subira katika shida; kila mmoja akiwa kwenye hatua yake katika ngazi tukufu ya unabii. Maisha ya kila mmoja wao yalikuwa mfululizo wa majaribu, kila moja likibeba maumivu mengi. Hata pale mambo yalipokuwa mazuri na ya starehe, hilo lilikuwa aina nyingine ya jaribu, ili kuhakikisha kwamba walibaki na subira wakati maisha yalipokuwa rahisi, kama walivyokuwa na subira walipokuwa katika shida. Hali zote mbili zinahitaji uvumilivu. Tunapotafakari maisha ya wajumbe wote wa Mwenyezi Mungu, kama yanavyosimuliwa kwetu katika Qur'ani, tunatambua kwamba subira ndiyo kipengele kilichojitokeza zaidi. Kwa msingi, maisha yao yalikuwa mfululizo mrefu wa mitihani na majaribu.

It groups them together. Everyone of them took it: everyone suffered, was tested and remained patient in adversity; each at his own step in the lofty ladder of prophethood. The life of each one of them was a series of tests, each bearing much pain. Even when things were pleasant and comfortable, this represented a different form of test so as to ensure that they remained patient when life was easy in the same way as they were patient in adversity. Both situations require endurance. When we contemplate the lives of all God’s messengers, as told to us in the Qur’ān, we realize that patience was the most prominent element. In essence, their lives were a long series of trials and tests.

Maisha ya mitume wa Mungu kwa kweli yalikuwa kitabu wazi ambacho binadamu wote wangeweza kukisoma, kila ukurasa wake ukizungumzia mitihani, mateso na subira. Kumbukumbu zinaonyesha jinsi nafsi ya mwanadamu inavyoshinda maumivu na mahitaji. Jinsi inavyojiinua juu ya yale ambayo dunia ya sasa inayapa thamani, na jinsi inavyotupilia mbali matamanio na majaribu, ili kufikia kujitoa kamili kwa Mungu, na kwa kufanya hivyo kupita mtihani aliouweka. Inaonyesha maana ya kumchagua Yeye juu ya kila kitu kingine, ili kuwaambia wanadamu:

Baada ya kueleza kanuni kuu katika kutekeleza nafasi ya khalifa duniani na katika kuamua mizozo ya watu, sasa inabainishwa muktadha wa ukweli ambao mfumo mzima unaoudumisha ulimwengu umejengwa juu yake. Ukweli huu wa msingi ni mpana kuliko ulimwengu wote wa binadamu na nafasi yake, kwani unahusu kuwepo kwa ulimwengu wenyewe na maisha ya akhera. Zaidi ya hayo, ujumbe wa mwisho wa Mwenyezi Mungu kwa wanadamu umejengwa juu ya ukweli huu. Hakika, Qur'ani ndiyo kitabu kinachofafanua ukweli huu mkuu:

Having stated the main principle in conducting the position of vicegerent on earth and in judging people’s disputes, the context of the truth on which the whole system that sustains the universe is based is then stated. Broader as it is than man’s whole world and role, this basic truth deals with the very existence of the universe and with the life to come. Furthermore, the last divine message to mankind is based on this truth. Indeed, the Qur’ān is the book that explains this great truth:

Hatukuumba mbingu na ardhi na vyote vilivyo baina yake bila sababu.

We have not created heaven and earth and all that is between them without a purpose.

Hivyo ndivyo wanavyodhani wale waliokufuru. Ole wao wasiomini watakapotupwa motoni. Je, tuwafanye sawa wale walioamini na kutenda mema na wale wanaoeneza ufisadi katika ardhi? Je, tuwafanye sawa wamchao Mungu na waovu?

That is what the unbelievers assume. Woe betide the unbelievers when they are cast in the fire. Are We to equate those who believe and do righteous deeds with those who spread corruption in the land? Are We to equate the God-fearing with the wicked?

Huu ni Kitabu chenye baraka tulicho kuteremshia, ili watu wapate kuzingatia aya zake, na wenye akili wapate kuzikumbuka. (Aya 27-29)

This is a blessed book which We have revealed to you so that people may ponder over its message, and that those endowed with insight may take it to heart. (Verses 27-29)

Aya hizi tatu zinaweka ukweli mkuu, ulio wa kina na sahihi. Hakika, kuumbwa kwa mbingu na ardhi na yote yaliyo baina yake hakukuwa bila kusudi. Uumbaji wao umejengwa juu ya haki na kwa lengo lililo wazi. Kutokana na ukweli huu mkuu ndipo yanapotokea mambo mengine yote, iwe ni uwakilishi wa binadamu duniani, haki ya kuhukumu baina ya watu, au kuelekeza hisia na matendo katika njia iliyo sahihi, ili wanaotenda mema wasilinganishwe na wanaoeneza ufisadi duniani, na ili wacha Mungu wasiwekwe pamoja na waovu. Ukweli uliomo katika kitabu kilichobarikiwa cha Mungu unatolewa kwa watu wenye busara na ufahamu, ili waweze kuzichunguza aya zake na kutafakari mambo ya msingi ya kuwepo. Ukweli na mambo kama hayo hayawezi hata kufikiriwa na makafiri, kwa sababu hayahusiani na ukweli mkuu ambao ulimwengu umejengwa juu yake. Kwa hiyo, wao huwa na mawazo mabaya kuhusu Mola wao, na hawatafahamu ukweli: "Hivyo ndivyo wanavyodhani makafiri. Ole wao makafiri watakapotupwa motoni." (Aya ya 27)

Sura hii inaendelea na hadithi ili kutuonyesha neema ambayo Mungu alimjalia Daudi alipomtunuku Sulemani awe mwanawe. Pia inazungumzia neema kubwa alizompa Sulemani, mtihani aliopitishwa nao, uangalizi wa Mungu juu yake, na baraka zilizomiminwa juu yake baada ya mtihani kumalizika:

The sūrah picks up the thread of the story to show us the favour God granted David as He gave him Solomon for a son. It also speaks of the great favours He bestowed on Solomon, the test he was subjected to, the care God took of him and the blessings showered on him when the test was over:

Kwa Daudi Tulimpa Sulemani: mja mwema kabisa wa Kwetu; alikuwa daima akimrudia Mwenyezi Mungu. Ilipofika jioni, farasi wenye asili nzuri na wepesi wa miguu walipoletwa mbele yake, alisema mara kwa mara: "Kupenda kwangu vitu vizuri ni sehemu ya kumkumbuka Mola wangu Mlezi!" Hadi wakatoweka machoni pake. "Nirudisheni hawa!" Kisha akaanza kuwapapasa miguu na shingo zao. Tulimjaribu Sulemani, tukaweka mwili juu ya kiti chake cha enzi. Kisha akamrudia Mwenyezi Mungu na kuomba: "Mola wangu Mlezi! Nisamehe dhambi zangu, na unipe mamlaka ambayo hayatakuwa ya mtu yeyote baada yangu. Hakika wewe ndiye Mtoaji mkarimu kabisa." Tulimtiishia upepo, ukavuma kwa upole kwa amri yake popote alipotaka, na majini, wakiwemo kila aina ya wajenzi na wapiga mbizi, na wengine waliofungwa pamoja kwa minyororo.

To David We gave Solomon: how excellent a servant of Ours; he would always turn to Us. When, one evening, nobly-bred, swift- footed steeds were brought before him, he kept saying: My love of good things is part of my remembering my Lord!’ until they disappeared from sight. ‘Bring them back to me!’ He then stroked their legs and their necks. We had tried Solomon, and placed a body on his throne. He then turned to Us, and prayed: My Lord! Forgive me my sins, and bestow upon me such power as shall belong to no one after me. You are indeed the bountiful giver’ We made the wind subservient to him, so that it gently sped at his command wherever he wished, and the jinn, including every kind of builder and diver, and others bound together in fetters.

Hii ni zawadi Yetu; basi toa au zuia upendavyo, bila hesabu. Katika Maisha ya Akhera atakuwa karibu Nasi na atapokelewa vizuri. (Aya 30-40)

This is Our gift; so give or withhold as you please, without account. In the life to come he is to he close to Us and will be well received. (Verses 30-40)

Maelezo kuhusu farasi wenye asili nzuri na mwili uliowekwa juu ya kiti chake yamefasiriwa kwa namna mbalimbali. Hata hivyo, sijisikii raha na tafsiri yoyote kati ya hizo, kwa kuwa ninaziona kuwa either ni simulizi zisizo na msingi zinazotokana na vyanzo vya Waisraeli, au hazina ushahidi wowote unaoziunga mkono. Siwezi kuzipiga picha kwa namna inayoridhisha ili niweze kuzifafanua kwa msomaji wangu. Wala sijapata simulizi yoyote halisi ya kuitegemea katika kuzifasiri. Hadithi pekee halisi niliyoipata huenda inahusiana na tukio hilo, au isihusiane nalo. Hadithi hii, aliyoipokea al-Bukhari kwa mamlaka ya Abu Hurayrah, inasema: "Sulemani alisema: 'Nitalala usiku wa leo na wanawake 70, ili kila mmoja wao azae mpiganaji anayepigana kwa ajili ya dini ya Mungu,' lakini hakuongeza maneno, 'Mungu akipenda.' Alilala nao, lakini mmoja tu wao alipata mimba, kisha akazaa nusu ya mtu. Naapa kwa Yule ambaye nafsi yangu iko mikononi mwake, lau angesema, 'Mungu akipenda,' wangezaa wapiganaji wanaopigana kwa ajili ya dini ya Mungu." Inawezekana kwamba hiki ndicho kipimo ambacho Sulemani alipitia, na ambacho aya hizi zinakirejelea. Pia inawezekana kwamba mwili uliowekwa juu ya kiti chake ulikuwa huyo nusu mtu. Hata hivyo, hii ni uwezekano tu. Kuhusu simulizi ya farasi, inasemekana kwamba Sulemani alikagua baadhi ya farasi wake mwishoni mwa mchana. Jambo hilo lilimfanya akose sala ya jioni ambayo alikuwa akiisali kabla ya jua kuzama.

Tunapewa kisa zaidi cha mitihani, subira katika shida, kisha neema zinazoshushwa kutoka juu. Wakati huu, nabii anayejaribiwa ni Ayubu:

We are then given more of the story of tests, patience in adversity, followed by favours bestowed from on high. This time, the prophet who is tested is Job:

Kumbukeni mja Wetu Ayubu aliyemwomba Mola wake: "Shetani amenitesa kwa uchovu na mateso!" {"Piga kwa mguu wako ardhi; hapa kuna maji baridi ya kujioshea na kunywa."} Tulimrudishia familia yake, na tukaongeza idadi yao kwa rehema kutoka Kwetu, na kama ukumbusho kwa wale wenye akili. {"Chukua mkononi mwako fungu la majani na upige nalo, wala hutavunja kiapo chako."} Tulimkuta mvumilivu katika dhiki; ni mja mwema kiasi gani wa Kwetu; daima alikuwa akimgeukia Sisi.

Remember Our servant Job who cried out to his Lord: ‘Satan has afflicted me with weariness and suffering!’ ‘Strike [the ground! with your foot! Here is cool water for you to wash with and to drink.’ We restored his family to him, and doubled their number as an act of grace from Us, and as a reminder to those who are endowed with insight. ‘Take in your hand a bunch of grass and strike with it, and you will not then break your oath.’ We found him patient in adversity. How excellent a servant of Ours; he would always turn to Us. (Verses 41-44)

Hadithi ya Ayubu na subira yake mbele ya mtihani mkali inajulikana sana, na mara nyingi hutajwa kama mfano wa subira wakati wa shida. Hata hivyo, imechanganyika pia na upotoshaji wa Waisraeli. Sehemu inayoonekana kuwa sahihi katika hadithi ni kwamba Ayubu alikuwa mja mwema wa Mungu aliyekuwa daima akimrejea Yeye kwa unyenyekevu na utii. Mungu alimjaribu naye akabaki na subira. Inaonekana mtihani aliopitia ulihusisha kupoteza mali yake, familia yake na afya yake. Hata hivyo, alidumisha uhusiano wake na Mungu, akimtegemea Yeye, na akaridhika na alichopewa na Mungu.

The story of Job and his steadfastness in face of a severe test is well known, and often cited as an example of patience in adversity. However, it is also coloured with Israelite distortions. The part that sounds correct in the story is that Job was God’s good servant who always turned to Him in humility and submission. God tested him and he remained patient. It seems that the test he endured entailed the loss of his wealth, family and health. Nevertheless, he maintained his bond with God, trusting to Him, and was satisfied with what God had given him.

Alikuwa na marafiki wachache waliobaki waaminifu kwake, akiwemo mkewe, lakini Shetani alijaribu kuwashawishi hawa kwamba kama Mungu angempenda Ayubu, asingemtia katika hali ngumu kiasi hicho. Waliporudia kumwambia hivi, ilimuwia ngumu zaidi kuliko mtihani wenyewe. Mkewe alizungumza naye akirudia baadhi ya minong'ono hiyo, na Ayubu alikasirika sana. Aliapa kwamba, endapo Mungu atamrudishia afya yake, atampiga, akitaja idadi ya mara atakazompiga, ambayo inasemekana ni mara mia moja.

Baada ya kusimulia hadithi hizi tatu kwa undani, ili kumkumbusha Mtume kwamba naye pia anapaswa kubaki imara mbele ya upinzani, sūrah inatoa kumbukumbu fupi sana kuhusu manabii wengine. Nao pia walistahimili majaribu na kuvumilia; pia walipata fadhili za Mwenyezi Mungu kwa sababu ya subira yao. Baadhi yao waliishi kabla ya Daudi, Sulemani na Ayubu, na tunajua vipindi walivyoishi, ilhali hatujui wakati wa maisha ya wengine, kwa kuwa Qur'ani na vyanzo vingine vilivyopo kwetu havijabainisha hilo.

Having related these three stories in some detail, to remind the Prophet that he too should remain steadfast in the face of opposition, the sūrah makes a very brief reference to other prophets. They too endured tests and remained patient; they also received God’s favours as a result. Some of these lived earlier than David, Solomon and Job, and we know the periods they lived in, while we do not know the others’ time of life, because the Qur’ān and other sources available to us have not specified it.

Kumbukeni waja wetu Ibrahimu, Is'haka na Ya'kubu: wote walikuwa watu wenye nguvu na maono.

Remember Our servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: all men of strength and vision.

Tulimpa sifa mahususi ya pekee: kumkumbuka Akhera. Kwetu Sisi, bila shaka walikuwa miongoni mwa waliochaguliwa, waliokuwa wema kweli. Na kumbuka Ismaili, Al-Yasa’ na Dhu’l-Kifl: kila mmoja wao alikuwa miongoni mwa wema kweli. (Aya 45-48)

We gave them a specially distinctive quality: the remembrance of the life to come. In Our sight, they were indeed among the elect, the truly good. And remember Ishmael, Elisha and Dhu’l-Kifl: each belonged to the truly good. (Verses 45-48)

Ibrahimu, Ishaka, na Yakobo, pamoja na Ismaili, hakika waliishi kabla ya Daudi na Sulemani, lakini hatujui uhusiano wao wa kimuda na Ayubu ulikuwaje. Elisha na Dhu’l-Kifl wametajwa kwa ufupi sana katika Qur’ani. Jina la Kiarabu alilopewa wa kwanza kati ya hao wawili ni Alyasa`, ambalo linakaribiana zaidi na toleo la Kiebrania la Elisha. Pengine wanarejea mtu mmoja. Kuhusu Dhu’l-Kifl, hatujui chochote juu yake isipokuwa jinsi anavyoelezwa hapa: alikuwa ‘miongoni mwa wema kweli.’ Mwenyezi Mungu, Yeye ametakasika kwa utukufu wake, anawaelezea Ibrahimu, Ishaka na Yakobo kuwa ni ‘watu wenye nguvu na maono,’ jambo linalorejea matendo yao mema, yawe ya kimwili, yaliyofanywa kwa mkono, au ya kiakili, yanayotegemea maono yaliyo sahihi na busara njema. Hii inamaanisha kwamba mtu asiyetenda mema hana mkono, na yule asiyefikiri vizuri hana akili wala maono.

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, as well as Ishmael, undoubtedly lived earlier than David and Solomon, but we do not know in what time relation they were to Job. Elisha and Dhu’l-Kifl are mentioned only very briefly in the Qur’ān. The Arabic name given to the first of these two is Alyasa`, which is closer to the Hebrew version of Elisha. Most probably they refer to the same person. As for Dhu’l-Kifl, we know nothing of him apart from how he is described here: he ‘belonged to the truly good.’ God, limitless is He in His glory, describes Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as ‘men of strength and vision’, which refers to their good actions, whether physical, done by hand, or mental, relying on sound vision and good judgement. This implies that a person who does not do good deeds is without a hand, and the one who does nor think well is without a mind or a vision.