Ḥa. Mim. Kitobga qasam, u aniq bayon qiluvchidir! Biz uni mubarak bir kecada nozil qildik, chunki Biz doimo ogohlantiruvchi bo‘lganmiz. Ana shu kechada har bir hikmatli ish Bizning amrimiz bilan aniq qilib belgilanadi, chunki Biz doimo Rabbingizdan rahmat sifatida elchilar yuborganmiz. U — hammasini eshituvchi va hammasini biluvchi Zotdir; osmonlarning va yerning hamda ular orasidagi barcha narsaning Rabbi, agar siz qat’iy imonli bo‘lsangiz. Undan boshqa ilоh yo‘q; U tiriltiradi va o‘ldiradi. U sizning Rabbingiz va sizdan avvalgi ota-bobolaringizning Rabbidir. (1–8-oyatlar)

Ha. Mim. By the book that makes things clear! We have bestowed it from on high on a blessed night; for, indeed, We have always sent warnings. On that night every matter of wisdom is made clear by Our command; for, indeed, We have always sent messages [of guidance] as a mercy from your Lord. He alone is the One who hears all and knows all; the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, if only you were firm believers. There is no deity other than Him; He gives life and deals death. He is your Lord and the Lord of your earliest ancestors. (Verses 1-8)

Sura shu ikki alohida harf, Ha Mim, bilan boshlanadi va ular bilan hamda ularga o‘xshash harflardan tuzilgan kitob bilan qasam ichiladi, bu kitob aniq bayon qiluvchi kitobdir. Qur’ondagi bir qator suralarning boshida kelgan bu alohida harflar haqida boshqa joyda gapirganmiz. Bu yerda qo‘shimcha qilish kerakki, ularni qasamning mavzusi qilish kitob ustiga qasam ichish kabidir. Har bir harf, ya’ni bir tovushni ifodalovchi har bir harf haqiqiy mo‘’jizadir, ya’ni insonning yaratilishida namoyon bo‘lgan Allohning belgilaridan biridir, u insonga gapirish qobiliyatini beradi. Ular, shuningdek, harflar tovush yo‘lida, ya’ni ovoz yo‘lida qaysi tartibda chiqishini, harfni va uning tovushini ifodalovchi belgini, shuningdek, inson ulardan orqali axborot to‘plash qobiliyatini ham belgilaydi. Bularning barchasi, biz ularni jiddiy mulohaza qilganimizda ongimizda o‘sib boradigan muhim haqiqatlardir.

The surah begins with the two separate letters, Ha Mim, making an oath by them and by the book composed of letters like them, making things clear. We have spoken elsewhere about these separate letters occurring at the beginning of a number of surahs in the Qur’an. The point to add here is that making them the subject of an oath is just like taking an oath on the book. Every single letter, representing a sound, is a true miracle, or one of God’s signs manifested in man’s make-up, giving him the ability to speak. They also identify the order in which alphabetical sounds occur along the vocal tract, the symbol representing the letter and its sound, as also man’s ability to gather information through them. All these are significant facts that grow in our minds when we seriously reflect on them.

Bu o‘rinda surah kofirlarning o‘z ahvoliga ishora qiladi, bu esa ularning Xudoning vahiylariga jiddiy munosabatda bo‘lish kerak bo‘lgan holatiga zid edi.

At this point, the surah refers to the unbelievers’ own situation, which was the opposite of the seriousness with which they should have dealt with God’s revelations:

Ammo ular shubha ichida o‘ynab yurибdilar. Bas, osmon ochiq ko‘rinadigan tutun keltiradigan Kunni kut. U odamlarni o‘rab oladi. Bu og‘ir azobdir! [Ular shunday deydilar]: «Rabbimiz! Bizdan bu azobni ketkaz, albatta, biz mo‘minlarmiz». Ularga bu eslatma qanday foyda beradi? Ular oldiga oldinroq aniq bayon qiluvchi bir Payg‘ambar kelgan edi, ammo ular undan yuz o‘girib: «U boshqalar tomonidan o‘rgatilgan, devona!» dedilar. Biz bu azobni bir muddat ketkazamiz, lekin siz yana eski holingizga qaytishingiz tayin. O‘sha Kuni Biz katta hujum qilamiz; albatta, Biz qasos olamiz.

Yet they remain in doubt, playing about. Wait, then, for the Day when the skies shall bring forth a kind of smoke which will make things clear. It will envelope the people. Grievous is this suffering! [They will cry]: 'Our Lord! Relieve us from this suffering; for, indeed, we are believers.’ How will this remembrance benefit them? A messenger who clearly explained things had previously come to them; but they turned their backs on him and said: 'He is taught by others, a madman!" We shall remove this suffering for a while; but you are bound to revert [to your old ways]. On that Day We shall deliver a mighty onslaught; We will indeed exact retribution. (Verses 9-16)

Sura unda Payg'ambarga aytiladiki, vaziyat jiddiylikni talab qilganda ular o'ynab-kulib yuribdilar va Xudoning tasdiqlangan vahiylari haqida shubhada davom etmoqdalar. Shu sababli unga ularni katta mashaqqatli kun bilan yuzlashguncha tark etish buyuriladi: "Osmon ochiq bir tutun keltirgan kunni kutgin. U odamlarni o'rab oladi. Bu – og'ir azob" (10-11-oyatlar).

The surah tells the Prophet that they are playing about when the situation requires seriousness, and that they continue to be in doubt about God’s confirmed revelations. He is, therefore, instructed to leave them until they face a day of great hardship: “Wait then, for the Day when the skies shall bring forth a kind of smoke which will make things clear. It will envelope the people. Grievous is this suffering” (Verses 10-11)

Islom dastlabki davrida olimlar bu oyatda zikr etilgan tutunning ma'nosi haqida turlicha fikr bildirganlar. Ulardan ba'zilari u Qiyomat kunida yuz berishini ta'kidlaganlar; shunda bu yerdagi ogohlantirish Qur'ondagi o'sha kun haqidagi boshqa ogohlantirishlarga o'xshab qoladi.

Scholars during the early period of Islam differed in their views about what the smoke mentioned in this verse means. Some of them maintained that it will occur on the Day of Judgement, which makes the warning implied here similar to other warnings in the Qur’an about that day.

Shundan so'ng Muso va Fir'avn tarixining juda qisqa bayoni keltiriladi. U mazkur dunyodagi qattiq jazo bilan yakunlanadi, bu jazo osmonlar tutun chiqaradigan kunda ularni uradigan dahshatli azobga muvofiqdir.

A very brief account of the history of Moses and Pharaoh is then added. It concludes with a mighty strike in this present life, corresponding to the mighty onslaught that will strike them on the day when the skies will bring forth their smoke:

Biz ulardan oldin ham Fir'avn qavmini sinovdan o'tkazgan edik: ularga ulug' bir Elchi keldi va dedi: "Menga bo'ysuninglar, ey Allohning bandalari! Darhaqiqat, men sizlarga yuborilgan, ishonchli Elchiman! Allohga qarshi kibr qilmanglar, chunki men sizlarga aniq dalil bilan kelganman. Rabbim va Rabbingiz nomi bilan panoh tilayman, toki meni toshbo'ron qilmoqchi bo'lmanglar. Agar menga ishonmasangiz, mendan chetda turinglar." So'ng u Rabbiga yolvorib dedi: "Bu qavm gunohga botgan jamoadir." [Alloh aytdi]: "Mening bandalarim bilan tunda yo'lga chiqing, chunki sizlar albatta ta'qib qilinasizlar. Dengizni sokin holda qoldiring, chunki ularning qo'shini cho'kib ketishi taqdir qilingan." Ular qanchadan-qancha bog'lar, buloqlar, ekinzorlar, go'zal turar joylar va bahra olib yurgan ne'matlarni ortda qoldirdilar! Shunday bo'ldi. Biz bularning barchasiga boshqa qavmni voris qildik. Ularga na osmon, na yer yig'lamadi va ularga mo'hlat ham berilmadi. Biz Bani Isroilni, kibrli va haddan oshgan Fir'avndan keladigan xo'rlovchi azobdan qutqardik. Ularni ilm bilan butun olamdan ustun qilib tanladik. Ularga aniq sinov bo'lgan oyatlarni ham berdik.

We did, before their time, try Pharaoh's people: there came to them a noble messenger, who said to them: 'Give in to me, you servants of God! For, I am indeed a messenger sent to you, worthy of trust! Do not exalt yourselves against God; for, indeed, I come to you with manifest authority. I seek refuge with my Lord and your Lord lest you hurl stones at me. If you do not believe me, stand away from me.' He then called out to his Lord, saying: 'These people are lost in sin. 'And [God said]: 'Set forth with My servants by night, for you will surely be pursued; and leave the sea calm behind you; for their host are destined to be drowned.9 How many gardens did they leave behind, and how many fountains, and fields of grain, and noble dwellings, and good things in which they used to delight! Thus it was. And We made other people inherit it all. Neither heaven nor earth shed tears over them, nor were they allowed a respite. We saved the Children of Israel from humiliating suffering, from Pharaoh, who was arrogant and a transgressor. We chose them knowingly above all other people. And We gave them signs in which there was a clear test. (Verses 17-33)

Ushbu bosqichda, Alloh tomonidan biror jamoaga payg‘ambar yuborilishi ularning uchun alohida sinov bo‘lishi mumkinligi haqida kuchli ogohlantirish bilan boshlanadi. Xuddi shunday, payg‘ambarga qarshi chiqib, uning xabarini rad etganlarga ma’lum muddat berilib, ular kibrlarida davom etishi, payg‘ambarni va unga iymon keltirganlarni ta’qib qilishlari ham alohida turdagi sinov bo‘lishi mumkin. Biror jamoa Xudoning payg‘ambarining sabrini tugatib, uni ularning Ilohiy xabarga ijobiy munosabatda bo‘lishlaridan ümidsiz qoldirganda, ularning harakati qattiq jazoga sabab bo‘lishi mumkin: "Ulardan oldin Fir’avn qavmini sinovdan o‘tkazdik." (17-oyat) Biz ularni farovonlik va hokimiyat bilan, shuningdek, barcha boylik va qudrat vositalari bilan sinadik. "Ularga juda ulug‘ bir payg‘ambar keldi." (17-oyat) Bu ularning sinovining bir qismi edi, ular o‘zlariga hech narsa so‘ramagan Xudoning payg‘ambariga qanday munosabatda bo‘lishlarini ko‘rsatardi. U faqat ulardan Xudoga iymon keltirishni va qurbonlik qilishda hamma narsani Unga berishga tayyor ekanliklarini namoyon etishni talab qilardi, o‘zlari uchun hech narsa qoldirmasdan. Shunday qilib, payg‘ambar ularga dedi: "Menga itoat qilinglar, ey Xudoning bandalari! Darhaqiqat, men sizlarga yuborilgan, ishonchli elchiman! Xudoga qarshi o‘zingizni ulug‘lamanglar; chunki men sizlarga aniq dalil bilan kelganman. Men Rabbim va Rabbingiz huzurida panoh so‘rayman, sizlar meni toshbo‘ron qilmasligingiz uchun. Agar menga ishonmasangiz, mendan uzoqlashing."(18–21-oyatlar)

Yana bir bor, bu sura kofirlarning shubhalari va qayta tirilish hamda hisob-kitobni inkor etishlarini o‘z ichiga oladi. Bu yerda ham qayta tirilish koinot tuzilishi haqiqat va jiddiylik asosiga qurilganligi bilan bog‘lanadi. Bu asos esa qayta tirilishdan keyin hisob-kitob va jazo-mukofotni talab qiladi.

Once more the surah takes up the unbelievers’ doubts and denial of resurrection and accountability. Here, too, resurrection is linked to the fact that the structure of the universe is raised on a foundation of truth and seriousness that requires accountability and requital after resurrection:

Ular aytadilar: «Biz faqat bir marta o‘lamiz, va biz qayta tiriltirilmaymiz. Agar rostgo‘y bo‘lsangiz, ota-bobolarimizni qaytarib keltiring!» Ular Tubba' qavmidanmi yoki ulardan oldingilarnimi? Biz ularni gunohga botgan bo‘lganliklari uchun halok qildik. Biz osmonlarni, yerni va ular orasidagini behuda o‘yin uchun yaratmadik. Biz ularni faqat haqiqiy maqsad bilan yaratdik, lekin ko‘pchilik buni bilmaydi. Hukm kuni ularning hammasi uchun belgilangan vaqtdir. O‘sha kun shunday kunki, unda hech bir do‘st do‘stiga hech narsa bilan foyda bera olmaydi va ularga yordam berilmaydi, faqat God rahm-shafqat ko‘rsatgan kishilar bundan mustasno. Albatta, U — Qudratli, Rahmli Zotdir.

Now these people assert: ‘We shall die but one death, and we shall not be raised to life again. Bring back our forefathers, if what you claim be true. ’ Are they better than the people of Tubba( and those before them, whom We destroyed because they were lost in sin? We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in mere idle play. We created them all for nothing other than a true purpose, but most of them do not understand. The Day of Decision is the time appointed for all of them. It is a day when no friend shall be of the least avail to his friend, and when none shall receive support except those upon whom God will have bestowed His grace and mercy. He alone is the Almighty, the Ever- Merciful. (Verses 34-42)

Arab mushriklari odamlar faqat bir marta o‘ladi, shundan keyin hammasi tugaydi, deb aytardilar: qayta tirilish ham, boshqa hayot ham yo‘q. Ular bu holatni “birinchi o‘lim” deb atashardi, ya’ni u tirilishdan keyingi ikkinchi hayot haqida va’da qilinganidan oldin keladigan o‘lim degan ma’noni anglatardi. Ularning bu da’volariga dalil sifatida, o‘lib ketgan ota-bobolarining hech biri qaytib kelmaganligi, hech biri tirilmaganligi ko‘rsatilardi. Agar tirilish haqiqatan bor bo‘lsa, ota-bobolarini ko‘z oldilarida qaytarib tiriltirib berishni talab qilardilar. Shu tariqa ular tirilishning maqsadini bilmasliklarini o‘zlari fosh qilib qo‘yardilar.

The Arab idolaters used to say that people die once only and that is the end; no resurrection and no further life. They called this the first death, meaning that it precedes what they were promised of a second life after resurrection. To them, the proof of this assertion was contained in the fact that none of their forefathers who died had ever returned; none had been resurrected. They demanded that their forefathers should be brought back to life before their eyes if resurrection were indeed true. They thus betrayed their ignorance of the purpose of resurrection.

Surahning oxirgi sahnasi imonlilar va kofirlarning ikki xil oqibatini tasvirlaydi. Bu yerda ham sahna va uning tasvirlari, surahning umumiy ruhiga mos ravishda, dahshatli va shiddatlidir.

The final scene in the surah depicts the two different ends of the believers and the unbelievers. Again, the scene and its images are violent, in keeping with the surah's general ambiance:

Zaqqum daraxtining mevasi gunohkorlarning taomi bo'ladi; qorin ichida erigan qo'rg'oshindek qaynaydi, xuddi qaynoq suvning qaynashidek.

The fruit of the Zaqqum tree will be the food of the sinful; like molten lead will it boil in the belly, like the boiling of scalding water.

"Uni ushlab, olovli dўzax o'rtasiga sudrab olib boringlar; so'ng uning boshiga qaynoq suvning azobini quyinglar! Tatib ko'r, sen kuchli va izzatli odam! Bu aynan sen shubha qilgan narsadir."

'Take him, and drag him into the midst of the blazing fire; then pour over his head the suffering of scalding water! Taste this, you power full and honourable man! This is the very thing you surely doubted.

Albatta, taqvodor kishilar xavfsiz joyda bo‘ladilar: bog‘lar va buloqlar orasida, ipak va brokatdan kiyimlar kiyib, bir-birlariga yuzma-yuz o‘tirurlar. Shunday bo‘ladi. Biz ularni go‘zal ko‘zli, pok juftlar bilan birlashtiramiz. U yerda ular har xil mevalarni so‘rashlari mumkin, tinchlik va xavfsizlikdan bahramand bo‘lib. Ular u yerda o‘limni totmaydilar, chunki ular birinchi o‘limlarini allaqachon o‘tkazganlar. Parvardigoringizning inoyati bilan U ularni alangali olov azobidan asrab qoladi.

The God fearing will certainly be in a safe position, amid gardens and fountains, wearing garments of silk and brocade, facing one another. Thus shall it be. And We shall pair them with pure companions with most beautiful eyes. There they can call for every kind of fruit, enjoying peace and security. They shall not taste death there, having had their one death. He will have preserved them from suffering through the blazing fire, an act of your Lord's favour.

Bu eng buyuk najot-zafardir. (43-57-oyatlar)

That is the supreme triumph. (Verses 43-57)

Sahna Zaqqum daraxtining tasviri bilan boshlanadi, u gunohkorlarning taomi ekani aytiladi. Bu kuchli tasvir tinglovchilarning yuragida qo'rquv va vahima uyg'otadi. Biz bu taomga eng yaqin narsa sifatida cho'kindini bilamiz, ya'ni moy uzoq qaynatilgandan keyin qolgan qoldiqni. Bu cho'kindi ularning qorinlarida erigan qo'rg'oshindek qaynashda davom etadi.

The scene begins with an image of the Zaqqum tree, which is stated to provide the food of sinners. It is a powerful image that strikes fear and panic in the audience’s hearts. The closest thing we know to this food is the lees, the sediment that remains when oil has been long boiled. This lees continues to boil in their bellies like molten lead.