Men ko‘pincha Qur’on matnlari haqida fikr bildirishga ikkilanaman, chunki uslubim va imkoniyatlarim yetarli emasligini bilaman. Xuddi 6-sura, Al-An’om haqida bo‘lgani kabi, hozirgi surani ham izohlashga o‘zimni tayyorlanmagan his qilaman. Lekin nima qilishim kerak, axir bizning avlodimiz Qur’onni uning tabiati, usuli, mavzusi va maqsadlari haqida batafsil tushuntirish bilan qabul qilishi zarurligini anglayman? Afsuski, odamlar Qur’on nozil bo‘lgan muhitdan va uning maqsad hamda vazifalaridan juda uzoqlashib ketishdi. Ular uning ahamiyati va qamrovini kam tushunadilar. Hatto uning atamalari ham ularga haqiqiy ma’nosini yetkazmaydi. Bugungi odamlar Qur’on nozil bo‘lgan davrdagi holatga o‘xshash holatda yashaydilar, lekin ular bu johiliyatga qarshi kurashda Qur’ondan dastlabki musulmonlar kabi foydalanmaydilar. Bunday amaliy harakatsiz odamlar Qur’onni va uning sirlarini to‘g‘ri tushunishni boshlay olmaydilar, chunki bunday sirlar Qur’on hidoyatiga ko‘ra harakat qilishni istamay, bekor o‘tirgan har bir kishi uchun yopiq kitob bo‘lib qoladi.

I often feel reluctant to comment on Qur’ānic texts, knowing that my style and resources are inadequate. As with Sūrah 6, Cattle, I find myself ill-equipped to explain the present sūrah. But what am I to do, realizing as I do that our generation needs to receive the Qur’ān with a detailed explanation of its nature, method, subject matter and aims? Unfortunately people have moved too far from the environment in which the Qur’ān was revealed, and from its purpose and goals. They are little aware of its import and dimensions. Even its terminology does not carry to them its true meanings. People today live in a state similar to that the Qur’ān faced at the time of its revelation, but they do not use the Qur’ān to confront this jāhiliyyah as the early Muslims did. Without such action, people cannot begin to formulate a proper understanding of the Qur’ān and its secrets, because such secrets remain a closed book for anyone who sits idle, unwilling to act according to Qur’ānic guidance.

Shunga qaramay, Qur'on ustida fikr bildirmoqchi bo'lganimda o'zimni har safar bosilib qolgandek his qilaman.

Nevertheless, I am overwhelmed whenever I attempt to comment on the Qur’ān.

Qur’ondan tinglaganimda yoki uning matni ustida fikr yuritganimda qalbimda nimalar kechayotganini so‘zlar va jumlalar bilan ifodalashning iloji yo‘q. Shu sababli men bilaman, Qur’on mening ichimda uyg‘otadigan his-tuyg‘ular bilan o‘quvchilarimga taqdim etayotganim o‘rtasida qanchalik katta tafovut borligini.

It is impossible for me to put in words and sentences what I feel when I listen to the Qur’ān or reflect on its text. Hence, I know how wide the gulf is between the feelings the Qur’ān generates within me and what I present to my readers.

Men ham o‘z avlodimiz bilan Qur’on bevosita nozil bo‘lgan avlod o‘rtasidagi katta masofani chuqur his qilaman. Qur’on ularga bevosita murojaat qilgan: ular uning ohangini his qilar, uning tasvirlarini ko‘z oldilariga keltirar, uning ilhomini qadrlar va uning ishoralarini tan olar edilar, u bilan o‘zaro munosabatda bo‘lib, o‘z javoblarini aniq bildirar edilar. Ular uning xabarini hayotlarida amalga oshirishni, uning dushmanlariga qarshi turishda namoyon etishni maqsad qilgan edilar. Shu sababli ular qisqa muddat ichida barcha mezonlarga ko‘ra mo‘jiza bo‘lgan ishni amalga oshira oldilar. Ular his-tuyg‘ulari, tushunchalari va umuman hayotlarida to‘liq burilish yasadilar, o‘z jamiyatlarining hayotida, umuman insoniyat hayotida va insoniyat tarixining qiyomatgacha bo‘ladigan yo‘nalishida ham xuddi shunday to‘liq o‘zgarishni yuzaga keltirdilar.

I am also profoundly aware of the great gulf that separates our generation from that which directly received the Qur’ān. The Qur’ān addressed them directly, and they felt its rhythm, viewed its images, appreciated its inspiration and recognized its hints, interacting with it and making their response clear. They aimed to fulfil its message in their approach to life and their confrontation with its opponents. Hence, they were able to accomplish what was, by all standards, miraculous in a short time- span. They achieved a total about-turn in their feelings, concepts and life generally, and produced a similar and complete change in the life of their community, in human life generally and in the line human history would take to the end of time.

Ular Qur’on bulog‘idan to‘yib ichdilar, ular bilan Qur’on o‘rtasida hech qanday vositachiga yo‘l qo‘yilmadi. Qur’on birinchi bor nozil bo‘lganda uning ohangini quloqlari bilan his qildilar va uning iliqligini hamda ilhomini qadrladilar. Shuning uchun ular hayotlarini va fikrlarini uning tamoyillari, qadriyatlari va bayon etgan haqiqatlariga muvofiq shakllantirishga darhol kirishdilar. Bunga qarama-qarshi ravishda, bizning hozirgi avlodimiz hayot tarzini ayni yoki boshqa bir falsafiy yondashuvga ko‘ra shakllantirmoqda, ular bunday yondashuvlarning muxoliflari ham xuddi o‘zlari kabi oddiy odamlar ekanini, har xil xatolarga yo‘l qo‘yishi mumkinligini kam anglaydilar.

They drank at the Qur’ānic spring, allowing no intermediary between them and the Qur’ān. Their ears felt its music as it was first spoken, and they appreciated its warmth and inspiration. Hence, they took immediate action to mould their lives and thoughts in accordance with its principles, values and the facts it presented. By contrast, our present generation shapes its life pattern in accordance with this or that philosophical approach, little realizing that the opponents of such approaches are only mortals too, liable to all manner of error.

Bundan tashqari, o'sha dastlabki musulmonlar o'zlarida va atrofdagi hayotda erishgan yutuqlarni, ular har qanday mezon bo'yicha mo''jizaviy edi, biz o'z mantiqimiz asosida tushuntirishga harakat qilamiz, bu mantiq esa ularnikidan tubdan farq qiladigan mezonlar va qadriyatlarga asoslangan. Shu sababli, ularning maqsad va niyatlarini aniqlashda hamda ular erishgan natijalarni baholashda xato qilamiz. Biz esa unutamiz: ularni Qur'on boshqa bir yaratilishga aylantirgan edi.

Furthermore, when we consider what those early Muslims achieved within themselves and in the life around them, which was miraculous by any standard, we try to explain such achievements by reference to our own logic based on standards and values that are fundamentally different from theirs. Hence, we err in identifying their motives and goals and in appreciating the results they achieved. We forget that they were made a different creation by the Qur’ān.

Men o‘quvchilarimga murojaat qilaman: mening kitobimni tushunishni o‘z maqsadiga aylantirmasinlar. Uni Qur’onga yaqinlashish uchun o‘qisinlar, so‘ngra kitobni chetga qo‘yib, Qur’onni o‘z holicha, uning asl matni sifatida qabul qilsinlar. Buni faqat o‘z hayotlarida uning qadriyatlari va tamoyillarini amalga oshirishga va ularni ro‘yobga chiqarishga bag‘ishlagandagina uddalay oladilar, uning bayrog‘i ostida esa ularga qarshi turgan kuchlar bilan kurashadilar.

I appeal to my readers not to make the understanding of my book their aim. They should read it to draw nearer to the Qur’ān, then put the book aside and approach the Qur’ān as it is. They cannot do so unless they dedicate themselves to the implementation and fulfilment of its values and principles in their lives, fighting opposition forces under its banner.

Bu sura ustida, go‘yo uni birinchi marta o‘qiyotgandek, ishlay boshlaganimda shunday o‘yladim, garchi uni necha marta o‘qigan va eshitgan bo‘lsam ham. Ammo Qur’on sen unga berganingdek senga beradi. Har safar u senga yangi nur, ilhom va ohang bilan ochiladi, sen qabul qilishga tayyor bo‘lganingdek ko‘p berib. U har safar xuddi siz uni hech qachon o‘qimagan, eshitmagan va bilmagandek yangi yangradi.

This was my first thought as I began to look at this sūrah, as if I was reading it for the first time, although I had read and heard it countless times. The Qur’ān, however, gives you as much as you give to it. Each time, it opens up to you with new light, inspiration and rhythm, giving as much as you are prepared to receive. It sounds fresh every time, as though you had never read, heard or dealt with it before.

Ushbu sura ajoyib bo‘lib, boshidan oxirigacha bir xil ohang va bir xil ruhiyatni saqlab turadi. Shunga qaramay, u bizga xayolimizni to‘ldiradigan, qalb va ruhimizga har tomonlama murojaat qiladigan ko‘plab tasvirlar, his-tuyg‘ular va fikrlarni taqdim etadi. O‘zining yorqin nuri va cheksiz ma’nolari bilan u qalblarimizni kengroq olamlar, zamonlar va ufqlarga olib boradi, ko‘rgan va eshitganimizning barchasini tushunib, to‘liq anglab turishimizga yordam beradi.

The present sūrah is a remarkable one, maintaining the same rhythm and giving the same ambience from start to finish. 2 Nevertheless, it presents us with a multitude of images, feelings and thoughts that fill our imagination and address our hearts and souls in every possible way. With its brilliant light and endless meanings, it travels with our hearts to wider worlds, times and horizons, keeping us fully aware, understanding everything we see and hear.

Bu yerda so‘z va jumlalar emas, balki butun sura bo‘ylab o‘tadigan kuchli, zarbali ohang bor; bu ohang suraning tasvirlari, ma’nolari va nozik jilolariga singib ketgan.

What we have here is not words and sentences; rather, a strong, hammering rhythm pervades the entire sūrah, permeating its images, meanings, and finer touches.

Sūrahning asosiy mavzusi, xuddi barcha Makka vahiylari kabi, imon va unga bog‘liq asosiy masalalardir: Allohning yagonaligi va Rububiyati, Unga bu dunyoda va oxirat hayotida bo‘ysunish, vahiy, qayta tirilish va ularga tegishli masalalar. Ammo imonning bu yagona masalasi, o‘zining ko‘p qirralari bilan, Makkada yoki Madinada nozil bo‘lgan hech ikki sūrada bir xil tarzda bayon etilmaydi. Har safar biz uni yangi usulda va yangi nurda bayon etilganini ko‘ramiz, va har safar boshqacha ta’sir va ilhom uyg‘otadi.

The main theme of the sūrah, like all Makkan revelations,3 is faith and the main issues which surround it: God’s oneness and Lordship, submission to Him in this world and in the life to come, revelation, resurrection and its correlatives. Yet this single issue with its multiple strands is never presented in the same way in any two sūrahs, whether revealed in Makkah or Madinah. Every time we find it presented in a new way and new light, generating a different impact and inspiration.

Bu masalalar akademik bahs shaklida, sovuq mantiq asosida taqdim etilmagan. Aksincha, ular koinot va uning ajoyib hodisalari doirasida bayon etilgan bo'lib, ochiq fikrli insonlar tomonidan qadrlanishi lozim bo'lgan dalillar vazifasini o'taydi.

These issues are not presented in the form of an academic argument, based on cold logic. Instead they are presented within a framework, which is the universe and its remarkable phenomena which serve as proofs to be appreciated by open minds.

Bu ajoyib hodisalar cheksizdir. Haqiqatan ham, ular har kuni yangidek ko'rinadi, chunki ular o'z sirlarini qayta-qayta ochib berishda davom etadi. Hatto ilgari ochilganlari ham yangi kashfiyot nuri ostida boshqacha ma'no kasb etgandek ko'rinadi. Shu sababli, surah ko'tarib chiqqan masalalar hamon tirik bo'lib qolmoqda.

These marvellous phenomena are unending. Indeed, they look new every day, as they continue to reveal their secrets time after time. Even what was revealed earlier seems to acquire a new perspective in the light of new discovery. Hence, the issues the sūrah tackles remain alive.

Sura inson qalbini ulkan sayohatga olib chiqadi va unga koinotni turli-tuman hayratlanarli tasvirlarda ko'rsatadi: ustunsiz ko'tarilgan osmonlar; belgilangan muddat davomida o'z yo'lida harakatlanayotgan quyosh va oy; kunduz bilan qoplangan tun; mustahkam tog'lar va oqib turgan daryolar bilan yoyilgan yer; shakli, mazasi va rangi turlicha bo'lsa-da, bir-biriga yaqin yerlarda bir xil suv bilan sug'orilib o'sayotgan bog'lar, o'simliklar va xurmo daraxtlari; qo'rquv va umid uyg'otuvchi chaqmoq; Allohni poklab, hamd aytayotgan momaqaldiroq; hayratda turgan farishtalar; Alloh xohlagan kishiga tushiradigan chaqmoq; daryo o'zanlariga yomg'ir yog'diradigan, og'ir yuk bilan to'lgan bulutlar; va foydali bo'lgan narsaning qolishi uchun yo'qlikka g'oyib bo'ladigan ko'pik.

The sūrah takes the human heart on a grand tour, showing it the universe in a variety of spectacular images: the heavens raised without support; the sun and the moon pursuing their courses for a definite time; the night covered by day; the spread of the earth with its firm mountains and running rivers; gardens, plants and date trees with different shapes, tastes and colours yet growing in adjacent land irrigated with the same water; the lightning generating fear and hope; the thunder glorifying and praising God; the angels standing in awe; the thunderbolt God hurls against whomever He wishes; the clouds heavy with rain that pours over riverbeds; and the foam that disappears into nothing to allow what is of benefit to stay.

Sura insonning yuragi qayerga yugurmasin, uni ta'qib qiladi. Bu ta'qib Xudoning mutlaq ilmiga asoslangan, bu ilm har bir mayda tafsilotni, jumladan yashirin yoki ochiq kunduzi harakat qilayotgan narsalarni ham o'z ichiga oladi. Bu shunday ilmki, u tirik mavjudotning ongiga kelgan har bir o'tkinchi fikrni qayd etadi. Shu bilan birga, inson idrokining yetmaydigan narsalarining hammasi ham Xudoning ilmi ostidadir, jumladan, har bir ayolning homilador bo'lgan narsasi va homiladorlik davrida kamayadigan yoki ko'payadigan narsalar ham.

The sūrah pursues the human heart wherever it tries to go. This pursuit is based on God’s absolute knowledge which encompasses every little detail, including what is concealed or moving openly in broad daylight. It is the knowledge that records every fleeting thought occurring to any living thing. At the same time, whatever happens to be beyond the reach of human perception is encompassed by God’s knowledge, including what every female conceives and whatever falls short or increases in gestation.

Sura bizga Xudoning qudratining tabiati haqida taassurot beradi, bu qudrat butun koinotni qamrab oladi: yashirin va oshkor, katta va kichik, yaqin va uzoq narsalarni.

The sūrah gives an impression of the nature of God’s power that encompasses the entire universe: the hidden and the apparent, large and small, present and removed.

Insonning idroki yetadigan koinot qismi haqiqatan ham ulkan va hayratlanarlidir.

The part of the universe that human faculties can imagine is great and awesome indeed.

Bundan tashqari, surada jonli va ta'sirli manzaralar hamda tasvirlarda berilgan ba'zi misollar bor. Unda, shuningdek, Qiyomat kuni manzarasi ham keltirilgan: ayrimlar uchun baxt, boshqalar uchun azob va ularning bularga bo'lgan munosabatlari. Shuningdek, avvalgi avlodlarning taqdiri, ularning xulq-atvori hamda Allohning qonuni va uning amalga oshishiga qanday duchor bo'lganliklari haqida qisqacha ma'lumotlar berilgan.

In addition, the sūrah includes some parables that are presented in vivid, moving scenes and images. It also adds a scene of the Day of Judgement, with its happiness for some and suffering for others, and people’s reactions to both. There are also brief references to the fate of earlier generations and how they conducted themselves, and were subjected to God’s law and its operation.

Bular, qisqacha aytganda, surada ko‘tarilgan asosiy mavzular va masalalardir. Sura ushbu masalalarni taqdim etishdagi san’ati bilan ham ajralib turadi. Bu masalalar taqdim etilgan umumiy doira koinot bo‘lib, uning ajoyib hodisalari va ulkan obrazlari bilan. Lekin bu doiraga tabiiy manzaralar va hodisalarning qarama-qarshiligi tufayli alohida ruhiy muhit baxsh etiladi: osmon va yer; quyosh va oy; kecha va kunduz; mavjudotlar va soyalar; qo‘zg‘almas tog‘lar va oqib turgan daryolar; foydasiz ko‘pik va yer yuziga singib boradigan suv; bir-biriga yaqin, lekin turlicha yer maydonlari; to‘planib o‘sgan va alohida o‘sgan xurmo daraxtlari va boshqalar.

These are, in brief, the main themes and issues tackled in the sūrah. The sūrah is also remarkable for its artistry in presenting these issues. The general framework within which these issues are presented is the universe, with its remarkable phenomena and spectacular imagery. But the framework here has a special ambience provided by contrasting natural scenes and phenomena: heaven and earth; sun and moon; night and day; entities and shadows; firm mountains and running rivers; useless scum and penetrating water; adjacent but different pieces of land; clustered and non-clustered date trees, etc.

Shu tariqa, bu qarama-qarshilik ma'noning, harakatlarning va taqdirlarning barchasini qamrab olish uchun yanada kengaytiriladi. Shunday qilib, abstrakt qarama-qarshilik umumiy muhitni mukammallashtirish uchun jismoniy qarama-qarshilikni aks ettiradi. Xuddi shuningdek, biz Xudoning oliy qudratida aniq qarama-qarshilikni ko'ramiz: U taxtga o'rnashib, quyoshni va oyni Unga bo'ysundiradi; bachadondagi homilalar homiladorlik muddatini to'liq o'tay olmay, boshqalari esa ko'payadi; pichirlab gapiruvchi va baland ovozda gapiruvchi; tunda yashirincha harakat qiluvchi va tushda ochiq yurgan; chaqmoq orqali qo'rquv va umid yangilanadi; momaqaldiroq hamd bilan, farishtalar esa qo'rquv bilan Xudoning ulug'ligini ta'riflaydi.

This element of contrast is carried further so as to include all meanings, actions and fates. Thus, the abstract contrast echoes the physical one to perfect its general atmosphere. Thus we see the clear contrast within God’s supreme power as He establishes Himself on the throne making both the sun and the moon subservient; embryos in the womb fall short in gestation with others increasing; the one who speaks in whispers and the one who speaks aloud; the one who moves stealthily in the night and the one who walks in broad daylight; fear and hope regenerated by lightning; the glorification of God in praise by the thunder and in fear by the angels.

Haqiqiy ibodat Xudoga qaratilgan ibodat bo‘lib, u soxta xudolarga qaratilgan soxta ibodat bilan qarama-qarshi qo‘yiladi. Xuddi shunday, biluvchilar bilan ko‘r kishilar o‘rtasidagi farq ham ko‘rinadi; avvalgi vahiylarga ega bo‘lgan xalq, Qur’ondan quvonadigan kishilar va uning ba’zi qismlarini inkor etadiganlar o‘rtasidagi farq ham shunday; Xudoning yozuvlaridagi bekor qilish va tasdiqlash o‘rtasidagi farq ham shunday.

The true prayer addressed to God is contrasted with the false one addressed to false deities. Similarly we see the contrast between those who know and those who are blind; the people of earlier revelations who are delighted by the Qur’ān and those who deny some parts of it; the annulment and the confirmation in God’s records.

Surada keltirilgan barcha ma'nolar, yo'nalishlar va harakatlar qarama-qarshilik unsuridan to'liq foydalanadi.

Everything in the sūrah: its meanings, directions and movements utilize the element of contrast to the full.

Uslubning ajoyib uyg'unligining yana bir jihati shundaki, surah osmon va yer, quyosh va oy, momaqaldiroq va chaqmoq, chaqmoq urishi va yomg'ir kabi tabiiy manzaralarni fon sifatida keltirar ekan, hayvonlarning qorinlarida nima ko'tarilishiga ham ishora qiladi, hamda "qorinlar [homiladorlikda] qancha kamayishi va qancha ko'payishi mumkinligi" haqidagi so'zlar bilan bog'laydi. Bu ikki jihat daryo o'zanlarida oqayotgan suv va o'simliklarning o'sishi bilan uyg'un keladi.

Another aspect of the remarkable harmony of style is seen in the fact that because the sūrah raises a background of natural scenes, referring to heaven and earth, sun and moon, thunder and lightning, thunderbolts and rain, it also mentions what is carried in animal wombs, coupled with a reference to “by how much the wombs may fall short [in gestation], and by how much they may increase.” These two aspects are in harmony with the water running in riverbeds and the growth of vegetation.

Qur'on uslubining izchil jihatlaridan biri — uyg'unlikdir.

Harmony is a consistent aspect of the Qur’ānic style.

Shu bilan men o‘zimning yetarli emasligim va nomukammal uslubim bilan Qur’on suralarini tarjima qilishga qanchalik ikkilanib, tortinib turganimni tushuntirib beradi. Ammo bu ehtiyoj yana bir bor zarurdir, chunki bizning avlodimiz Qur’on bilan birga yashamaydi. Shuning uchun men bu vazifada Allohdan yordam va ko‘mak so‘rayman.

All this provides some explanation as to why I feel inadequate and reluctant to tackle Qur’ānic sūrahs with my inadequate style. But once more the need is compelling, because people in our generation do not live with the Qur’ān. I therefore seek God’s help and support in this task.