Qur'onimizning nusxalarida va ko'pchilik rivoyatlarga ko'ra, bu sura Madinada nozil bo'lgan. Biroq ba'zi rivoyatlar uni Makkada nozil bo'lgan deb hisoblaydi. Bu rivoyatlar, shuningdek, uning bayon uslubi va ifoda tarzi hisobga olinganda, uni Madinada nozil bo'lgan deb tasniflash ustunroq bo'lsa-da, uning Makkada nozil bo'lgan bo'lishi ehtimolini inkor etib bo'lmaydi. Unda zakot, ya'ni farz qilingan sadaqa, hamda avvalgi vahiylarning egalari (ahli kitob) zikr qilinishi Makkada nozil bo'lish ehtimoliga qarshi aniq dalil emas. Hech shubhasiz Makkada nozil bo'lgan ba'zi suralarda ham avvalgi vahiylar egalari zikr etilgan. Bundan tashqari, Makkada avvalgi ilohiy dinlarga ergashgan bir necha kishi bo'lgan; ulardan ba'zilari Islomni qabul qilgan, ba'zilari esa qabul qilmagan. Shuningdek, ma'lum bo'lganidek, Najronlik nasroniylar Payg'ambar ﷺ hali Makkada bo'lganlarida ularning huzurlariga kelib, Islom diniga kirganlar.

As stated in our copies of the Qur’ān and according to the greater number of reports, this sūrah is a Madinan revelation. There are, however, some reports which classify it as Makkan. Although its classification as a Madinan revelation carries more weight in view of these reports and its mode of expression and style, yet the possibility of its being Makkan cannot be ruled out. The fact that it mentions zakāt, i.e. the obligatory charity, and the people of earlier revelations is not a clear-cut argument against the Makkan possibility. Some sūrahs which are indisputably Makkan mention the people of earlier revelations. Furthermore, there were some Makkans, a few, who followed earlier divine religions. Some of these adopted Islam but others did not. Moreover the Christians from Najran came to the Prophet when he was still in Makkah, and they accepted the Islamic faith, as it is well-known.

Bundan tashqari, zakot ba'zi suralarda eslatilgan, ular shubhasiz Makkada nozil bo'lgan.

Moreover, zakāt is mentioned in some sūrahs that were indisputably revealed in Makkah.

Ushbu sura tarix va imonga oid bir qator haqiqatlarni ijobiy ruhda bayon etadi. Birinchi haqiqat shuki, Allohning Elchisi Muhammad ﷺ yuborilishi oldingi kitob egalari va mushriklardan kufrga yo‘l topganlarning o‘zgarishi uchun zarur edi. Payg‘ambarning da’vatisiz ular adashgan yo‘llarini tark eta olmas edilar: “Ahli kitobdan va mushriklardan kofir bo‘lganlar, to ularga aniq dalil kelmaguncha, (o‘z hollaridan) qaytmas edilar: Allohdan pok sahifalarni tilovat qiluvchi, ichida to‘g‘ri hukmlar bo‘lgan bir Elchi (keldi).” (1-3-oyatlar)

This sūrah deals in a positive manner with a number of facts relating to history and faith. The first fact is that the sending of God’s Messenger, Muĥammad (peace be upon him), was essential to the transformation of people of earlier revelations and idolaters, who had found their way into disbelief. They could not leave their erring ways behind without the Prophet’s mission: “It is inconceivable that the unbelievers among the people of the earlier revelations and the idolaters could have ever changed their ways until there had come to them the clear evidence of the truth: a Messenger from God reciting revelations blest with purity, wherein are sound decrees of high value.” (Verses 1-3)

Ahli kitobdan kofir bo'lganlar va mushriklar, ularga aniq dalil — tozalangan sahifalarni o'qiydigan, Allohdan kelgan Payg'ambar kelmaguncha, o'z yo'llaridan qaytmas edilar: undagi to'g'ri hukmlar qadrli bo'lgan, pok sahifalar.

It is inconceivable that the unbelievers among the people of the earlier revelations and the idolaters could have ever changed their ways until there had come to them the clear evidence of the truth: a Messenger from God reciting revelations blest with purity, wherein are sound decrees of high value. (Verses 1-3)

Дунё жуда ҳам янги хабарга муҳтож эди. Бузуқлик шу даражада кенг тарқалган эдики, ислоҳот фақат янги хабар, янги йўналиш усули ва янги ҳаракат орқали амалга ошиши мумкин эди. Куфр барча эътиқод ва таълимотлар, мушрик бўладими ёки илгариги илоҳий ваҳийлар (яъни яҳудийлар ва насронийлар) бўладими, ҳамма ишонувчиларнинг белгисига айланган эди. Улар куфрдан фақат ана шу янги хабар ва ўзи далил бўлган, аниқ, шубҳасиз ва равшан бир Элчи қўли билан қайтиши мумкин эди. «Пок саҳифаларни ўқиб берувчи, ичида тўғри ва қиммати юқори ҳукмлар бор, Худодан келган Элчи». Яъни у барча мушриклик ва куфрдан покланган. Арабча «кутуб» сўзи замонавий истеъмолда «китоблар» маъносини беради, бизнинг таржимамизда у «тўғри ҳукмлар» деб берилган. Ўтмишда бу сўз одатда муҳокама қилинаётган мавзуга, унинг кўрсатмаларига ва бурчларига нисбатан ишлатилган.

The world was desperately in need of a new message. Corruption was so widespread that reform could not come about except by means of a new message, a new method of orientation and a new movement. Disbelief had become the characteristic of the followers of all creeds and doctrines, whether pagan or earlier divine revelations [i.e. the Jews and the Christians]. They could only turn away from disbelief by means of this new message and at the hands of a messenger who would himself be the proof, clear, unmistakable and specific. “A Messenger from God reciting revelations blest with purity;” that is, purified of all idolatry and disbelief, “wherein are sound decrees of high value.” The Arabic term kutub, which in modern usage means ‘books’, is given in our translation as ‘sound decrees’. In the past, it was normally used in reference to the subject under discussion and its instructions or obligations.

Ushbu sof vahiylar haqiqatan ham qimmatli va muhim ko‘rsatmalarni o‘z ichiga olgan Qur’ondir.

These pure revelations are indeed the Qur’ān which contains valuable and important directives.

Shuning uchun Payg'ambar ﷺ tomonidan yetkazilgan xabar eng mos paytda keldi. Yangi vahiylar, ularda mavzular va hukmlar bilan birga, bu dunyoda keng ko'lamli islohot qilish uchun nozil qilindi. Dunyoning bu xabarga qanchalik muhtoj bo'lganini esa Sayyid Abul HasanAli Nadaviyning ilhomlantiruvchi so'zlari bilan tasdiqlaymiz:

Ushbu haqiqatni boshidayoq ochiq bayon qilgach, sura davom etib, shuni ta'kidlaydiki, aynan avvalgi vahiylar ahli diniy nizo va parokandalikka ilmsizlik tufayli, yoki ularning dinida chalkashlik va murakkablik bo'lgani uchun duch kelmagan. Aksincha, ularning ixtiloflari ularga Allohning elchilari orqali haqiqiy ilm va aniq dalillar yetkazilganidan keyin yuz bergan: "Oldin kitob berilganlar ham, ularga aniq dalil kelganidan keyingina ajralib ketishdi." (4-oyat)

Having made this fact clear at the outset, the sūrah goes on to state that the people of earlier revelations in particular did not experience religious conflict and division as a result of ignorance, on their part, or confusion or complication on the part of their religion. Instead, their divisions occurred after true knowledge and clear signs were delivered to them through God’s messengers: “Nor did the people given revelations in the past break up their unity until after such clear evidence of the truth had been given to them.” (Verse 4)

Birinchi bo'linish yahudiylar orasida Iso payg'ambar kelishidan oldin, ular mazhab va guruhlarga bo'linib ketganda yuz berdi. Ularning payg'ambari Muso edi va kitobi Tavrot edi, ammo ular besh asosiy mazhabga bo'linib ketdilar, ya'ni: saduqiylar, farisiylar, osiyoliklar, haddan oshuvchilar va samariyaliklar. Har birining o'ziga xos xususiyatlari va o'z yo'llari bor edi. Keyinchalik, Iso Isroil o'g'illariga yuborilgan so'nggi payg'ambar bo'lishiga qaramay, yahudiylar va xristianlar o'rtasida bo'linish yuz berdi. U Tavrotni tasdiqlash va uning haqiqatini tasdiqlash uchun kelgan edi. Shunga qaramay, yahudiylar va xristianlar o'rtasidagi nizo shiddatli adovat va nafratning yuqori darajasiga yetdi. Tarix ikki tomon o'rtasida sodir bo'lgan dahshatli qirg'inlar haqida hikoya qiladi.

The first division occurred among the Jews who split into sects and groups before the advent of the Prophet Jesus. Although their prophet was Moses and the Torah was their book, they divided into five main sects, namely, the Sadducees, the Pharisees, the Asians, the Extremists and the Samaritans. Each had their own characteristics and their own ways. Later on a division between the Jews and Christians took place in spite of the fact that Jesus was the last prophet sent to the Children of Israel. He came to endorse the Torah and confirm it. Nevertheless, the quarrel between the Jews and Christians reached a high level of violent enmity and hatred. History tells us about the horrifying massacres that took place between the two parties.

Christianlar va yahudiylar o'rtasidagi o'zaro hasad va nafrat, ular eski hisob-kitobni hal qilish imkoniyatidan voz kechishga yo'l qo'ymas edi, oltinchi asrning oxiriga kelib o'z cho'qqisiga yetdi. Miloddan avvalgi 610 yilda emas, balki milodiy 610 yilda Antioxiya yahudiylari xristianlarga qarshi isyon ko'tardilar va imperator Foka o'zining mashhur sarkardasi Bonosusni qo'zg'olonni bostirish uchun yubordi. Aynan u o'z vazifasini shunchalik g'ayrat bilan bajardiki, yahudiylarning butun aholisi qirib tashlandi. Minglab yahudiylar qilichdan halok bo'ldi, yana yuzlablari esa cho'kib o'ldirildi, tirik yoqildi yoki yirtqich hayvonlarga tashlandi.

Ammo din o'zining asl shaklida ravshan, iymon esa mohiyatiga ko'ra soddadir: "Holbuki ularga faqat Xudoga ibodat qilish, Unga ixlos bilan, dinni Unga xolis qilgan holda sig'inish, namozni to'kis ado etish va zakotni berish buyurilgan edi. Mana shu – to'g'ri din, sof va rost dindir." (5-oyat)

Yet religion is clear in its original form and the faith is simple in its essence: “Yet they were ordered to do nothing more than to serve God, to worship Him alone with sincere dedication and purity of faith, to attend to their prayers and to pay their zakāt. That is surely the right religion, pure and straight.” (Verse 5)

Bu butun ilohiy dinlarning tarix davomida va ularning barcha shakllarida asosidir. U shunchaki faqat Allohga, ya'ni yolg'iz Xudoga ibodat qilishdir. Unga sidqidildan va sof holda bo'ysunish, shirkning barcha shakl va ko'rinishlaridan voz kechish, namozni to'kis ado etish va majburiy xayriya, ya'ni zakotni berishdir: "Albatta, bu to'g'ri va sobit dindir." (5-oyat). Bu qalbda mustahkam o'rnashgan sof va samimiy iymon, shu iymonning amaliy ifodasi bo'lgan yolg'iz Xudoga ibodat va Uning amri bilan Uning yo'lida mol sarflashdir. Ushbu talablarni bajargan kishi, avvalgi vahiy egalariga buyurilganidek va barcha ilohiy iymon shakllarida bayon etilgan talablarga ko'ra, iymon shartlarini ado etgan bo'ladi. Bu Xudoning elchilari tomonidan targ'ib qilingan, ketma-ket kelgan barcha xabarlarda bir xil iymon bo'lgan yagona dindir. Bu har qanday noaniqlik va murakkablikdan xoli, bo'linish va nizolarga sabab bo'lmaydigan din; juda aniq va juda sodda dindir.

This is the basis of divine religion throughout history and in all its forms. It is simply the worship of God alone. A sincere and pure submission to Him, a detachment from polytheism in all its shapes and forms, the establishment of regular worship and the payment of the regular obligatory charity, or zakāt: “That is surely the right religion, pure and straight.” (Verse 5) It is a pure and sincere faith that is firmly established in the heart, the worship of God alone which is a translation of this faith, and spending money for God’s cause as He has stated. He who fulfils these injunctions has met the requirements of faith, as the people of earlier revelations were commanded to do, and as these requirements are outlined in all forms of divine faith. It is one religion, the same faith in all the successive messages, as preached by the messengers of God. It is a religion free from all ambiguity and complication; a faith which gives no reason for division and dispute. It is very clear and very simple.

Bu dinning boshqa diniy ta'limotlar va uzun-uzun bahs-munozaralardagi murakkab va chalkash tushunchalardan naqadar farq qilishi!

How completely different this religion is from those complicated and confusing concepts and from those lengthy polemics.