Ushbu sura Makkada, 26-sura, "Shoirlar" surasidan ko'p o'tmay nozil bo'lgan va u xuddi shunga o'xshash tuzilishga ega: uning kirish va xulosa qismlari birgalikda mavzuning mohiyatini ochib beradi. Ular orasida mavzu asosiy g'oyasini yanada yoritadigan bir necha tarixiy hikoyalar keltirilgan. Bu hikoyalar Makkadagi kofirlarning munosabatini boshqa ummatlardagi o'tmishdoshlarining munosabati bilan solishtirishga yordam beradi. Shunday qilib, sura har bir davrdagi Islam da'vatchilari mulohaza qilishi lozim bo'lgan bir qonuniyatni ochib beradi.

This sūrah was revealed in Makkah shortly after Sūrah 26, The Poets, and it follows the same pattern: an introduction and conclusion which together spell out the subject matter. In between there are several historical accounts that emphasize the main theme, providing further elucidation of it. Theses histories help to draw parallels between the attitudes of the unbelievers in Makkah on the one hand and their predecessors among other communities on the other. Thus, the sūrah reveals a pattern which advocates of Islam in any generation need to contemplate.

Barcha Makkiy suralarda bo‘lgani kabi, ularning asosiy mavzui iymondir: Yagona Xudoga ishonish va Unga sherik keltirmasdan faqat Unga ibodat qilish, qiyomatga, oxiratdagi mukofot va jazoga ishonish. Bu ishonch Xudoning vahiylariga iymon keltirishni ham taqozo qiladi, shuningdek, idrokimiz yetmaydigan barcha narsalar, ya’ni g‘ayb Xudoga tegishli ekanini, faqat Unga ma’lum ekanini tan olishni talab qiladi. Bunday iymonning yana bir shartı Xudoning sifatlariga ishonishdir:

As in all Makkan sūrahs, the main theme is faith: to believe in God and worship Him alone, without partners, and to believe in the resurrection as well as reward and punishment in the hereafter. This also requires believing in God’s revelations, and that all matters that are beyond our perception, or ghayb, belong to God: they are known only to Him. A further prerequisite of such faith is belief in God’s attributes:

Faqat U Yagona Yaratuvchi va Rizq beruvchidir, barcha ne'matlar esa faqat Undan keladi. Shu sababli, Bizga berganlari uchun shukr qilish faqat Unga lozimdir. Bundan tashqari, U bizga barcha qobiliyatlarimizni, iqtidorlarimizni va kuchimizni ato etgan Qudratli Zotdir.

He alone is the Creator and Provider, and all blessings come from Him alone. Hence, gratitude is due to Him for all that He gives us. Moreover, He is the Almighty who grants us all our faculties, abilities and powers.

Surahning tarixiy hikoyalari bu masalalarni tasdiqlaydi hamda ularni rad etganlarning taqdirini va ularga ishonganlarning baxtli oqibatini tasvirlaydi. Boshlanishdan so‘ng darhol Muso haqida qisqa hikoya keladi: u kechasi cho‘lda sayohat qilayotganda olov ko‘rishi, unga yaqinlashishi va yuqoridan unga qanday murojaat qilinganini tasvirlaydi. Bu hikoyada, shuningdek, Muso Firavunga yetkazishi lozim bo‘lgan xabar ham bayon etiladi. So‘ngra surah darhol Firavun va uning qavmi Alloh ularga yuborgan belgilarning haqligini inkor etganini, holbuki ular ichki qalblarida bu belgilar haqiqat ekanini bilganini ta’kidlaydi. Mana shu o‘rinda haqiqatni bilib turib inkor etganlarning taqdiri haqida ham xabar beriladi: “Ular (ya’ni, mo‘‘jizalar) haqiqat ekaniga ichlarida yaqin bo‘lsalar ham, zulm va takabburlik qilib, ularni inkor etdilar. Endi buzg‘unchilarning oqibati qanday bo‘lganiga qarang”. (14-oyat) Makkalik kofirlarning Qur’onga munosabati ham, u Allohning vahiysi ekanini bilishlariga qaramay, mohiyatan ana shu avvalgi zolimlarnikidan farq qilmas edi.

The sūrah’s historical accounts confirm these issues and portray the fate of those who deny them and the happy end of those who believe in them. Immediately after the opening, we have a short account of Moses which describes his sighting of a fire as he travelled at night in the desert, his approach towards it and how he was addressed from on high. This account also documents the message Moses was required to deliver to Pharaoh. The sūrah then immediately proceeds to state that Pharaoh and his people denied the truth of the signs God sent them, even though they knew in their hearts that these were true. In this context we are also told of the fate of those who knowingly deny the truth: “Within their souls they knew them to be true, yet they, in their wickedness and arrogance, rejected them. Consider, then, what happened in the end to the evildoers.” (Verse 14) The Makkan unbelievers’ attitude towards the Qur’ān, which they knew to be truly God’s revelation was, in essence, no different than these earlier evildoers.

Bizga Dovud va Sulaymon (alayhimus-salom) ga Alloh tomonidan ato etilgan ne'matlar haqida ham xabar beriladi. Bu xabar chumoli, hudhud va Sabo malikasi haqidagi Sulaymon qissasidan oldin keladi. Qissa Dovud va Sulaymonning Alloh ularga bergan ne'matlar, jumladan ilm, shohlik va payg'ambarlik uchun chin dildan shukr qilganini ta'kidlaydi. Shuningdek, Alloh Sulaymonga jinnlar va qushlarni bo'ysundirgan, ular uning amriga itoat etgan. Bu qissa ham barcha Allohning elchilari targ'ib qilgan imonning asoslarini yana bir bor ko'rsatadi. Qissa Sabo malikasi va uning qavmi Sulaymonning xabarini qanday qabul qilgani alohida ta'kidlanadi va bu Quraysh qavmining Muhammad ﷺ tomonidan targ'ib qilingan Allohning xabariga bergan munosabati bilan qiyoslanadi. Qisqasi, Quraysh bu xabarni inkor etib, uni yolg'on deb atagan, boshqalar esa uni qabul qilgan. Lekin Sulaymonga butun ilm, boylik va qudratni bergan Allohdir. Hamma narsani biluvchi va hamma narsaga egalik qiluvchi ham Allohdir. Alloh bilan qiyoslaganda, Sulaymonning shohligi va ilmi dengizdan olingan bir tomchi suvdan ortiq emas edi.

We then have a reference to the blessings God bestowed on David and Solomon (peace be upon them both). This precedes Solomon’s story with the ant, the hoopoe and the Queen of Sheba. The story highlights that David and Solomon were truly thankful for the favours God granted them, which included knowledge, a kingdom and prophethood. In addition, He made the jinn and the birds subservient to Solomon, willing to do his bidding. Again the story here highlights the basics of faith preached by all God’s messengers. The account gives special treatment to how the Queen of Sheba and her people received Solomon’s message, contrasting this with the reception the Quraysh gave God’s message as preached by the Prophet Muhammad. Basically, the Quraysh denied the message, describing it as false, while the others accepted it. Yet it was God who gave Solomon all the knowledge, wealth and power he possessed. It is God who knows and owns everything. When compared with those of God, Solomon’s kingdom and knowledge were no more than a drop in the ocean.

Shundan keyin Şāliĥ payg'ambar va Samud qavmi haqida hikoya keladi. Bu yerda ayniqsa muhim bo'lgan narsa — uning qavmidagi ba'zi yovuz kishilarning Şāliĥ va uning ahli-ayoliga qarshi uyushtirgan fitnasi, ya'ni uni o'ldirishni rejalashtirganlari. Unda Alloh qanday qilib ularning rejasini barbod qilgani, Şāliĥni va imonlilarni qutqargani, Samud qavmini esa fitnachilar bilan birga halok qilgani ko'rsatiladi: "Mana, ularning uylari bo'sh qolgan." (52-oyat) Quraysh ham Muhammad ﷺ ga qarshi fitna uyushtirgan, xuddi shunday uni tunda o'ldirishni rejalashtirgan.

Then follows an account of the Prophet Şāliĥ and the Thamūd. Of particular importance here is the conspiracy some of the evildoers among his people concocted against Şāliĥ and his household, plotting to kill him. It shows how God foiled their plot, saved Şāliĥ and the believers, and destroyed the Thamūd together with the conspirators: “Their dwellings are now empty.” (Verse 52) The Quraysh also plotted against the Prophet Muhammad, similarly conspiring to kill him at night.

Ushbu surada keltirilgan so'nggi tarixiy hikoya Lut (a.s.) haqida. U qanday qilib uning qavmi Lutni va unga iymon keltirganlarni "o'zlarini pok tutadilar" bahonasi bilan shaharlaridan haydab chiqarishni rejalashtirganini bayon qiladi. Lut va uning jamoasi ularni o'z taqdiriga tashlab ketganidan keyin ularning oqibatini ham aytadi: "Biz ularning ustiga halokat yomg'irini yog'dirdik. Ogohlantirilgan kishilarning ustiga yog'ilgan bu yomg'ir qanchalik dahshatli edi!" (58-oyat). Quraysh ham Payg'ambar ﷺ Madinaga hijrat qilishlaridan biroz oldin uni o'z shahridan haydab chiqarishni o'ylagan edi.

The last historical account in this sūrah concerns Lot. It tells how his people planned to drive him and those who believed in him out of their town under the pretext that they kept themselves pure’. It tells us of their end after Lot and his group left them to their fate: “We rained on the others a rain of destruction. Dire indeed is such rain which fell on those who were forewarned.” (Verse 58) The Quraysh also considered driving the Prophet out of their city, shortly before he migrated to Madinah.

Ushbu tarixiy masalalar ko'rib chiqilgach, sura izohlarini quyidagi oyat bilan boshlaydi: "Ayting: Hamd Allohga xosdir, va Uning tanlagan bandalariga salom bo'lsin. Ular Unga sherik qilayotgan (soxta xudolar)dan Kim yaxshiroqdir: Alloh yoki ular?" (59-oyat). So'ngra u bizni buyuk koinot manzaralari hamda inson qalbining ba'zi chuqur jihatlari bo'ylab tasviriy sayohatga olib boradi. Shu tariqa sura bizga buyuk Yaratuvchi, Rejalashtiruvchi, Yaratgan va Ta'minlovchi Zotning ishlarini ko'rsatadi; faqat U yaratilgan hech bir mavjudot idrokidan tashqarida bo'lgan narsalarni biladi va barchamiz Unga qaytamiz. Keyin u Qiyomat soatining yaqinlashishini bildiruvchi belgilardan birini aytib beradi va Qiyomat kuni hamda uni inkor qilganlarni kutayotgan taqdir haqida tasvirlar keltiradi.

Once these historical aspects are dealt with, the sūrah begins its comments with the verse: “Say: All praise be to God, and peace be upon His servants whom He has chosen. Who is more worthy: God or the false [deities] they associate with Him?” (Verse 59) It then takes us on a descriptive round of some great universal scenes, as also some of the deeper aspects of the human soul. In this way, the sūrah shows us the work of the great Maker, Planner, Creator and Sustainer who alone knows what lies beyond the reach of any created being’s perception, and to whom we shall all return. It then tells us about one of the aspects that signal the coming of the Last Hour, adding some images of the Day of Judgement and the fate that awaits those who deny it.

Bu surah o'zining mavzusi va muhitiga juda mos keladigan ohang bilan yakunlanadi:

The sūrah concludes on a note that fits well with its subject matter and ambience:

“Menga faqat bu shaharning Rabbisiga ibodat qilish buyurilgan. U shaharni muqaddas qilgan. Hamma narsa Unga tegishli. Menga Unga bo‘ysunuvchilardan bo‘lish va Qur’on tilovat qilish buyurilgan. Kim to‘g‘ri yo‘lni tanlasa, o‘z foydasi uchun tanlaydi. Kim adashsa, de: Men faqat ogohlantiruvchiman. De: Hamd Allohga xosdir. U sizlarga O‘z oyatlarini ko‘rsatadi, siz ularni tanib olasiz. Rabbingiz qilayotgan ishlaringizdan hech qachon g‘ofil emas.”

“I am only bidden to worship the Lord of this city who has made it sacred. To Him all things belong. And I am bidden to be one of those who submit themselves [to God], and to recite the Qur’ān. So whoever chooses to follow the right path does so for his own benefit; and if any chooses to go astray, say: I am only a warner. And say: All praise is due to God. He will indeed make you see His signs, and you will recognize them. Your Lord is never heedless of what you do.” (Verses 91-93)

Butun sura davomida ilmga alohida e'tibor qaratilgan: Allohning yashirin va oshkora narsalarni to'liq bilishi, ayniqsa idrokimiz doirasidan tashqarida bo'lgan barcha narsalarni bilishi ta'kidlanadi. Shuningdek, u Xudo bizga ko'rsatadigan ba'zi koinot belgilari haqida gapiradi. U Dovud va Sulaymonga Xudo bergan bilim haqida, Sulaymonga qushlar tilining o'rgatilgani va u shunday ilmni qanday kamtarlik bilan tan olgani haqida so'zlaydi. Shu sababli sura boshida Payg'ambarga shunday deyiladi: {Albatta, sen Qur'onni Hikmat egasi, Bilguvchi Zotning inoyati bilan qabul qilasan.} (6-oyat). Tarixiy voqealar haqidagi sharhlarda esa Payg'ambarga shunday deyish buyuriladi: {Osmonlarda va yerda kim bo'lsa, yashirin narsani Allohdan boshqa hech kim bilmaydi. Ular qachon tirilishlarini ham bilmaydilar. Darhaqiqat, ularning bilimi oxiratni to'liq anglashga yetmaydi.} (65-66-oyatlar)

Throughout the sūrah, special emphasis is laid on knowledge, highlighting God’s perfect knowledge of what is concealed and what is left public, particularly His knowledge of everything that lies beyond the reach of our perceptions. It also speaks about some of the universal signs which He reveals to us. It refers to the knowledge God granted David and Solomon, and how Solomon was taught the language of the birds, and how he humbly acknowledged such learning. Hence, at the beginning of the sūrah the Prophet is told: “Most certainly, you receive the Qur’ān out of the grace of One who is Wise, All-Knowing.” (Verse 6) In the comments on the historical accounts the Prophet is instructed to say: “None in the heavens or earth knows what is hidden except God. Nor can they ever perceive when they shall be raised from the dead. Indeed the total sum of their knowledge stops short of comprehending the hereafter.” (Verses 65-66)

Albatta, Rabbingiz ularning ko‘ngillarida yashirgan narsalarni ham, oshkor qilgan narsalarini ham biladi.

“Indeed your Lord knows all that their hearts conceal and all that they bring into the open.

"Hech narsa osmonlarda va yerda yashirin emaski, u aniq kitobda yozilgan bo'lmasin." (74-75-oyatlar) Surani xulosalab, shunday deyiladi: "U sizlarga Oʻz oyatlarini, albatta, koʻrsatadi, siz ularni tanib olasiz." (93-oyat) Sulaymon haqidagi hikoya quyidagicha boshlanadi: "Darhaqiqat, Biz Dovud va Sulaymonga ilm berdik. Ular: "Bizni koʻplab mo'min bandalaridan afzal qilgan Alloh taologa hamd boʻlsin", dedilar." (15-oyat) Bunday oyatlarda ilmga alohida e'tibor berilgan, ayniqsa Sulaymonning quyidagi so'zlarida: "Bizga qushlar tilini oʻrgatilgan." (16-oyat) Hudhud esa shunday deydi: "Osmonlarda va yerdagi barcha yashirinni chiqarib beradigan, sizlar yashirgan va oshkor qilgan narsalarni biladigan Alloh taologa sajda qilmasliklari uchun." (25-oyat) Sulaymon malikaning taxtini oldiga keltirishni istaganida, uni kўz ochib yumguncha olib kelgan mohir jinn emas edi, balki "Kitob ilmini chuqur bilgan" kishi edi. (40-oyat)

There is nothing that is hidden in the heavens or the earth but is recorded in a clear book.” (Verses 74-75) In conclusion we are told: “He will indeed make you see His signs, and you will recognize them.” (Verse 93) The story of Solomon begins as follows: “For sure, We granted knowledge to David and Solomon, and both of them said: All praise is due to God who has favoured us above many of His believing servants.” (Verse 15) Knowledge is given special emphasis in such verses, not least where Solomon says: “We have been taught the speech of birds.” (Verse 16) And also as the Hoopoe says: “That they should not prostrate themselves in worship of God who brings forth all that is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what you conceal and what you reveal.” (Verse 25) When Solomon wanted the queen’s throne to be brought to him, it was not the skilful jinn who brought it in the wink of an eye; the one who did was a person “who was deeply versed in the Book.” (Verse 40)

Shunday qilib, bilim butun sura davomida, boshidan oxirigacha o'tib boradigan asosiy xususiyatdir, bu esa uning alohida ahamiyatini ta'kidlash uchun xizmat qiladi.

Thus knowledge is the main feature that permeates the entire sūrah, from beginning to end, so as to highlight its special importance.