人们会问你关于末日的事。你说:“它的知识只在真主那里。”然而,你怎么知道,末日或许就近了呢?(第63节)
Note: the original says "God," and per the rules, I should write the Chinese word for God rather than "Allah." Correcting my translation:
人们会问你关于末日的事。你说:“它的知识只在真主那里。”然而,你怎么知道,末日或许就近了呢?(第63节)
People ask you about the Last Hour. Say: ‘Knowledge of it rests with God alone.’ Yet for all you know the Last Hour may well be near. (Verse 63)
那些人仍不断向先知ﷺ询问末日,而先知ﷺ早已多次警告他们不要如此。《古兰经》对末日的某些景象作了生动的描述,使他们仿佛几乎亲眼所见。他们询问末日的确切时间,并要求它早日来临。这种询问暗含着怀疑、拒绝或嘲讽的意味,其程度则取决于提问者本人的情况,以及他们与信仰之间距离的远近。
Those people continued to ask the Prophet about the Last Hour, which he has long warned them against, while the Qur’ān gave vivid descriptions of some of its scenes, which they could almost see before their eyes. They ask the Prophet about its timing, and demand that it should he hastened. This implied doubt, rejection or ridicule of the whole question, according to the nature of the person asking and how close or far removed they were from faith.
末日是属于我们感知之外的事物的一部分。唯有真主知晓它的一切。这是他的旨意:他的受造物中无人知道它的确切时间,即便是他的使者和蒙宠的天使也不例外。一段总结伊斯兰信仰的圣训由欧麦尔·本·哈塔卜传述,他说:
The Last Hour is part of what lies beyond our perception. God is the only one who knows all about it. It is His will that no one among His creatures should know its timing, not even His messengers and favoured angels. A ĥadīth summing up Islamic faith is reported by `Umar ibn al-Khaţţāb, who reports:
有一天,我们正与神的使者ﷺ同坐时,忽然有一个人出现在我们面前,他的衣服极其洁白,头发极其乌黑;他身上看不出有旅途的痕迹,但我们都不认识他。他走到先知ﷺ面前,在他身旁坐了下来。
One day as we were sitting with God’s Messenger (peace be upon him), there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no sign of travelling was o be seen on him but none of us knew him. He walked up to the Prophet and sat down by him.
他把膝盖靠在先知的膝盖上,双手放在自己的大腿上,说道:"穆罕默德,请告诉我伊斯兰是什么。"先知ﷺ说:"伊斯兰就是作证:除真主外别无应受崇拜者,穆罕默德ﷺ是真主的使者;谨守拜功,缴纳天课,斋戒莱麦丹月,如果有能力,就朝觐天房。"那人说:
Resting his knees against the Prophet’s knees and placing his hands on his thighs, he said: ‘Muĥammad, tell me about Islam.’ The Prophet said: ‘Islam is to testify that there is no deity other than God and Muĥammad is God’s Messenger, to attend regularly to prayer, to pay zakāt, to fast in Ramađān and o make the pilgrimage to the House if you are able to do so.’ The man said:
“你说得对。”我们对他提问后又确认答案正确感到惊讶。
‘You have spoken rightly.’ We were amazed at him asking the question and then confirming that the answer was right.
他接着说:"请告诉我信仰,即伊玛目。"先知说:"信仰是信奉真主、祂的天使、祂的经典、祂的使者和末日,并信奉前定,无论其善与恶的表现。"他说:
Note: I translated "īmān" as 伊玛目 by mistake; the correct term is 伊玛尼 (īmān = faith). Corrected version:
他接着说:"请告诉我信仰,即伊玛尼。"先知说:"信仰是信奉真主、祂的天使、祂的经典、祂的使者和末日,并信奉前定,无论其善与恶的表现。"他说:
He then said: ‘Tell me about faith, or īmān.’: The Prophet said: ‘Faith is to believe in God, His angels, His books, His messengers and the Last Day, and to believe in divine destiny, both its good and evil manifestations. He said:
“你说得对。那么请告诉我关于臻于完美,即伊赫桑(iĥsān)的事。”先知回答说:“就是敬拜真主,仿佛你看见祂一样;虽然你看不见祂,但祂看得见你。”他又说:“那么请告诉我关于末日的事。”先知说:“被问及此事的人,并不比提问的人知道更多。”……先知随后告诉我们:“那人是哲卜拉伊勒,他来此是为了教你们你们的宗教。”[由穆斯林、艾布·达伍德、提尔米兹和奈萨仪所传述。] 正如先知所说:被问及末日的人,即……
‘You have spoken rightly. Then tell me about attaining to perfection, or iĥsān.’ The Prophet answered: ‘It is to worship God as though you are seeing Him, knowing that while you cannot see Him, yet He sees you.’ He said: ‘Then tell me about the Last Hour.’ The Prophet said: ‘The one questioned about it knows no better than the questioner.’ ... The Prophet then told us: ‘The man was Gabriel who came here to teach you your religion.’ [Related by Muslim, Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī and al-Nasā’ī.] It is exactly as the Prophet said: the one questioned about the Last The Hour, i.e.
先知本人,以及发问者,即天使吉卜利勒,都不知道此事。因为“关于它的知识唯独属于真主”,祂不将这种知识传授给任何受造物。
Note: the rules say to write "God" as 真主 is the Chinese word for God in Islamic texts; the Prophet's mention is followed by ﷺ.
Corrected translation with the required marks:
先知ﷺ本人,以及发问者,即天使吉卜利勒,都不知道此事。因为“关于它的知识唯独属于真主”,祂不将这种知识传授给任何受造物。
the Prophet himself, and the questioner, i.e. the Angel Gabriel, have no knowledge of it. This is because ‘Knowledge of it rests with God alone,’ and He imparts that knowledge to none of His creatures.
真主有意如此安排,其中有一部分智慧是我们能够看到的:人们被提醒,应当随时准备迎接它,它可能突然降临,因此人应当时刻做好接受它的准备。
God has willed this for a purpose, of which we can see a part: people are warned that they should expect it at any time, ready to receive it as it comes all of a sudden.
这正是敬畏真主的信士所持的态度。与之相反,那些忘记末日、不期待末日随时到来的人,是在欺骗自己,也没有保护自己免受真主的惩罚。
This is the attitude of the believers who remain God-fearing. By contrast, those who are oblivious of the Last Hour, and do not expect its arrival at any time, are the ones who deceive themselves and do not protect themselves against God’s punishment.
真主已经警告过他们,把末日作为一个秘密,它可能在夜间或白昼的任何时刻降临到他们身上:"你们怎知末日或许就在眼前呢?"(第33节)
God has warned them, making the Last Hour a secret that could come upon them at any moment of the night or day: ‘Yet for all you know the Last Hour may well be near.’ (Verse 63)
真主确已弃绝不信道者,并为他们预备了烈火,他们将永居其中。他们找不到任何保护者或援助者。在他们的脸在火中翻转的那日,他们将说:“但愿我们曾服从真主,服从使者!”他们又说:“我们的主啊!我们曾听从我们的首领和长者,是他们使我们迷失了正路。”
God has certainly rejected the unbelievers and prepared for them a blazing fire, where they will permanently abide. They will find none to protect or support them. On the day when their faces shall be tossed about in the fire, they will say: ‘Would that we had obeyed God and obeyed His Messenger.’ And they shall say: ‘Our Lord! We have paid heed to our masters and our leaders, but they have led us astray from the right path.
“我们的主啊!求你给他们加倍的刑罚,并以极大的诅咒诅咒他们。”(第64-68节)
Our Lord/ Give them double suffering, and banish them utterly from Your grace.’ (Verses 64-68)
当人们向先知询问末日时,他们被告知末日的一幅场景:"真主确已弃绝不信道者,并为他们预备了烈火。"(经文64)他们被弃绝,被逐出祂的恩慈之外。祂为他们预备了熊熊烈火,随时等候着他们:"他们将永居其中。"(经文65)他们在其中停留很长一段时间,其长度只有真主知道。其终点也只有祂知道,并取决于祂的意志。
As they are questioning the Prophet about the Last Hour, they are given a scene from it: “God has certainly rejected the unbelievers and prepared for them a blazing fire.” (Verse 64) He has rejected them, expelling They abide there for an extended term, the length of which is known only to God. Its end is known only to Him and is dependent on His them from His grace. And He has prepared for them a raging fire which is kept ready for them: “where they will permanently abide.” (Verse 65)
他们被剥夺了一切帮助与支持。他们无望逃脱:“他们找不到任何保护者或援助者。”(第65节)
They are deprived of all help and support. They cannot hope to escape: “They will find none to protect or support them.” (Verse 65)
在这些苦难之中,他们显得极其悲惨:"在他们的脸被翻转于火中的那日。"火从四面八方包围着他们。这里的描述意在夸张其翻动之状,使人感到火焰触及他们脸上的每一处。"他们将说:但愿我们服从真主,服从使者!"(第66节)这是一个毫无用处的愿望,绝不会被接受。此时一切都已太迟,他们只能表达悔恨,并感到懊悔。
In the midst of all this suffering, they appear very miserable: “On the day when their faces shall be tossed about in the fire.” The fire surrounds them from every corner. Yet the description here is intended to exaggerate the movement so as to feel that the fire touches every spot on their faces. “They will say: Would that we had obeyed God and obeyed His Messenger.” (Verse 66) It is a useless wish that can in no way be accepted. It is now too late for anything. They can only express regret and feel remorse.
在这一时刻,他们对那些使他们走入歧途的主人和领袖,表达了毫不掩饰的愤怒:"他们将说:'我们的主啊!我们曾服从我们的主子和首领,他们使我们迷失了正路。我们的主啊!求你使他们遭受双倍的刑罚,并永远弃绝他们,远离你的恩惠。'"(第67-68节)
末日便是如此:何必再去询问它的时间?在那日获得拯救的唯一途径,就是努力争取真主的喜悦。
At this point, they express unreserved anger with their masters and leaders who led them astray: “And they shall say: ‘Our- Lord! We have paid heed to our masters and our leaders, but they have led us astray from the right path. Our Lord! Give double suffering, and banish them utterly from Your grace.’“ (Verses 67-68) Such is the Last Hour: what need is there to ask about its timing? The only way to ensure salvation on that day is o work hard in earning God’s pleasure.