这一章开头的几段经文，犹如一波接一波相继涌来的浪潮。第三波高高涌起，带着深沉而神秘的韵律，它紧接在一段讨论之后。那段讨论谈到否认伊斯兰真理、背离它，并以嘲弄和讥讽对待其倡导者。前一段经文包含非常严厉的警告，并提醒人们前代民族曾以类似的态度对待真主的启示，终遭覆辙。第一段经文代表第一波，论述了神性的真理，它体现在广阔宇宙和极其精妙的人类被造之中。这一新的波浪同样论述神性的真理，但它包含了不同的方面，运用了不同的韵律，并带来一种全新的灵感。

The early passages in this sūrah sound like waves following one another in quick succession. Rising high and with a deep, mysterious rhythm, this third wave comes after a discussion about denying the truth of Islam, turning away from it, meeting its advocates with derision and ridicule. The discussion in the earlier passage included very strong threats and a reminder of the fate of earlier nations that took a similar attitude to God’s messages. The first passage, representing the first wave, discussed the truth of Godhead as reflected in the creation of the wide universe and highly complex human beings. This new wave also discusses the same truth of Godhead but it includes different aspects, employing different rhythms and a new inspiration.

因此，关于否认真理的讨论插在开篇与当前段落之间，这更增添了它令人不快的现实。

Thus, the discussion on denying the truth comes in between the opening and the present passages, and this adds to its unpleasant reality.

在开篇段落中，神性体现在天地的创造、黑暗与光明、用泥土创造人类、人的最初生命期限，以及为复活所设定的另一段期限之中。它表明，整个宇宙都顺服于真主，而祂对人类的认知涵盖每个人在公开与私下所做的一切。本章并不以理论、哲学或神学的方式来阐述这些属性。相反，其方法旨在阐明这些属性对人类生活的意义：对唯独真主怀有完全而彻底的信仰，对祂毫无任何疑虑，并接受祂的神性涵盖宇宙与人类生活的一切方面。因此，人类顺服真主对一切事务的主权，便成为自然而合乎逻辑的选择，正如宇宙顺服同一主权一样。

In the opening passage, Godhead is reflected in the creation of the heavens and earth, darkness and light, the creation of man out of clay, his first term of life, and the setting of another term for resurrection. It made clear that the whole universe submits itself to God, whose knowledge of mankind includes what everyone does both in public and in private. None of these qualities is approached in the sūrah in a theoretical, philosophical or theological way. Rather, the approach aims to establish what they mean to human life: complete and total faith in God alone, entertaining no doubts about Him whatsoever, and acceptance that His Godhead comprises all aspects of the universe and human life. Thus, human submission to God’s sovereignty in all affairs becomes the natural and logical option in the same way as the universe submits to the same sovereignty.

在这一新的浪潮中，神性的实在通过多种面向得以显现：

In this new wave, the reality of Godhead is shown in a variety of aspects:

所有权、直接行动、供给给养、照料、压倒性的力量、带来益处与造成伤害。同样，这里我们看到的不是理论性、哲学性或神学性的探讨。其目的在于界定这些方面在人类生活中的意义：即，效忠与崇拜的统一，作为顺服之统一的实际体现。因此，当真主的使者被命令斥责任何以他人为主的念头时，这种斥责首先基于这样一个事实：提供给养的是真主，而祂无需任何供养。它也基于另一个事实：承认真主之外有主宰，与真主命令他唯独顺服祂的指示相违背。

ownership, direct action, the provision of sustenance, care, overwhelming power, bringing benefit and causing harm. Again, we do not see a theoretical, philosophical or theological approach here. The aim is to define the meaning of all these aspects in human life: namely, the unity of allegiance and worship as a practical demonstration of the unity of submission. Thus, when God’s Messenger is directed to denounce the very thought of having any master other than God, this denunciation is based first of all on the fact that it is God who provides nourishment while He needs none. It is also based on the fact that the acknowledgement of a master other than God is contrary to His orders requiring him to submit himself to God alone.

你说：天地间所有的一切都属于谁？你说：属于真主。祂已经以慈悯为己任。祂必定在复活日把你们全部聚集起来，这一天毫无疑问。那些葬送了自己灵魂的人，是不会信仰的。黑夜和白昼中所安歇的一切，都属于祂。祂是全聆的，是全知的。（第12-13节）

Say: To whom belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth? Say: To God. He has committed Himself to bestow grace and mercy. He will certainly gather you all together on the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. Those who squandered their own souls will not believe. To Him belongs whatever takes its rest in the night or in the day. He alone hears all and knows all. (Verses 12-13)

在此，本章采取一种对抗的态度，旨在把问题讲得非常清楚，然后划出信士与其他人之间的界限。它指示先知与这样一些人进行对抗：他们完全知道真主是整个宇宙的创造者，但尽管如此，他们仍崇拜其他事物，而这些事物并无能力创造与祂相等的任何东西。也就是说，他们以同祂并列的伙伴相配，并声称这些伙伴对他们如何过活有发言权。先知奉命就天地间万物的所有权（它紧随创造而来）向他们提出一个问题。这个问题的提法意在涵盖整个宇宙中的每一个元素。随后是一项事实陈述，他们对此既未争辩，也无法争辩。《古兰经》在别处告诉我们，他们过去是完全承认这一点的：“你说：‘天地间所有的一切属于谁？’你说：‘属于真主。’”（第12节）

Here, the sūrah adopts an attitude of confrontation that aims to state the issues very clearly before drawing the lines that separate the believers from all others. It gives the Prophet certain instructions to take up this confrontation with those who are fully aware that God is the Creator of the whole universe, but who, nevertheless, worship other beings even though these have no power to create anything equal to Him. That is, they associate partners with Him whom they claim have a say in how they conduct their lives. The Prophet is instructed to confront them with a question about the ownership, which follows creation, of everything in the heavens and on earth. As the question is put, it is meant to include every single element in the whole universe. It is followed by a statement of fact over which they did not and could not argue. The Qur’ān tells us elsewhere that they used to acknowledge it fully: “Say: To whom belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth? Say: To God.” (Verse 12)

尽管蒙昧之人的无知极深，并由此产生了贬低其生活品质的偏差观念，但在这一方面，伊斯兰到来之前的阿拉伯人仍优于后来的蒙昧时代（jāhiliyyah）。这种新的蒙昧却对这一事实视而不见。而阿拉伯人过去承认并确认，天地间的一切都属于真主所有。然而，他们并未将这种承认推向其逻辑的结论——这一结论本应使他们承认真主对其所有之物拥有绝对的权威，并且承认对真主所创造之物的唯一正当使用方式，是获得祂的许可，并依照祂的法律行事。正因如此，阿拉伯人被称为拜偶像者，他们的生活方式被称为无知。那么，对于那些否认真主有立法权来规范人类生活，反而自己行使这一权威的人，又该如何描述呢？对他们必须采用一种不同于拜偶像的描述。真主称他们为不信道者、不义者和越轨者，无论他们如何坚称自己是穆斯林，也无论其出生证上登记的是什么宗教。

Despite the depth of their ignorance, which resulted in deviant concepts that devalued their quality of life, the Arabs in their pre- Islamic days were superior in this particular aspect to later-day jāhiliyyah. This new jāhiliyyah shuts its mind to this fact while the Arabs used to recognise and admit that God owned everything in the heavens and on earth. However, they did not bring that recognition to its logical conclusion which would have required them to acknowledge God’s total authority over what He owns and that the only proper way to use what God has created is to obtain His permission and to act according to His law. Because of this, the Arabs were described as idolaters and their lifestyle as ignorant. How then should those who deny God’s authority to legislate for human existence and, instead, exercise that authority themselves, be described? They must be given a description other than that of idolatry. God describes them as unbelievers, as wrongdoers and transgressors, no matter how strongly they claim to be Muslims and regardless of what religion is entered on their birth certificates.

让我们来看几段圣训，它们让我们了解先知ﷺ如何描述真主的恩典，以便普通人能够真正体会和感念。

Let us now consider a number of aĥādīth which give us an insight into how the Prophet portrayed God’s grace so as to make it properly appreciated by ordinary people.

阿布·胡莱赖transmits 先知ﷺ的话："当真主创造万物时，他在一部保存在宝座之上、与他同在的经典中写道：我的恩慈胜过我的愤怒。"（由布哈里和穆斯林记载，略有不同。）在布哈里记载的另一版本中，最后一句为："我的恩慈超越了我的愤怒。"布哈里和穆斯林都根据阿布·胡莱赖的传述记载，真主的使者ﷺ说："真主将慈悯分为一百份，他保留了九十九份，只将一份置于大地上。正是凭着这一份，受造物彼此怜悯，以至于母兽会抬起蹄子，以免伤害自己的幼崽。"穆斯林还根据萨勒曼的传述记载，真主的使者ﷺ说："真主拥有一百种慈悯。其中一种是受造物彼此怜悯的慈悯，其余九十九份则留待审判日。"穆斯林记载的另一段圣训中写道："当真主创造天地时，他也创造了一百份慈悯，每一份都充满了天地之间的空间。他将一份慈悯置于大地上。正是通过它，母亲才会怜爱自己的婴儿，野兽和飞禽也是如此。在审判日，真主将以这一份慈悯来圆满他们。" 这是先知ﷺ一段富有启发性的描述，使人的心智易于想象真主恩典的广大。我们只需思考：母亲们对幼儿是多么慈爱，人们对幼小、年迈、病弱者以及亲友所表现出的同情与善良。我们也应当思考：飞禽走兽有时彼此表现出的慈悯是多么令人惊叹。现在让我们考虑，这一切慈悯都只是真主一百份慈悯中的一份。由此，我们便能体会真主恩典的丰盈与无尽。

Abū Hurayrah quotes the Prophet as saying: “When God created His creation, He wrote in a book which He keeps with Him above the Throne: My grace overspeeds My anger.” (Related by al-Bukhārī and Muslim with slight variations.) In another version related by al- Bukhārī, the last sentence is quoted as, “My grace oversteps My anger.” Both al-Bukhārī and Muslim relate on the authority of Abū Hurayrah that God’s Messenger said that: “God has made mercy into one hundred parts. He then retained ninety-nine parts and placed on earth one part. It is from that one part that creatures show mercy to one another, to the extent that a female animal lifts its hoof away from its young in order not to harm it.” Muslim also relates on the authority of Salmān that God’s Messenger said: “God has one hundred acts of mercy. One of these is the one by which creatures show mercy to one another. The other ninety-nine parts are reserved to the Day of Judgement.” In yet another ĥadīth related by Muslim, we read: “When God created the heavens and the earth, He also created one hundred mercies, each one of them filled the space between the heavens and the earth. He placed one mercy on earth. It is through this that a mother is compassionate to her baby, and so are wild beasts and birds. On the Day of Judgement, God complements them with this one mercy.” This is an inspiring description by the Prophet, one which makes it easy for the human mind to visualise the extent of God’s grace. We only need to reflect on how mothers are so kind-hearted to their youngsters and the sympathy and kindness people show towards the very young and very old, the sick and the invalid, and to relatives and friends. We should also contemplate how birds and animals sometimes manifest their mercy to one another in amazing ways. Now let us consider that all this mercy is the result of a single part out of one hundred parts of God’s mercy. We can, thus, appreciate the extent of God’s abounding, and inexhaustible grace.

一次又一次,先知与他的同伴们谈论真主的恩慈,提醒他们这份恩慈的益处归于祂的仆人。欧麦尔·本·赫塔卜传述,有一次,一群奴隶被送到麦地那的先知那里。人们看见一名女奴隶快步走着,她的乳房因奶水而溢出。她在奴隶中发现了一个幼童,便把他抱起来,让他吮吸her乳房以喂养他。先知ﷺ向他的同伴们提出这样一个问题:“你们认为这个女人会把她的孩子投入火中吗?”他们回答说:“不会!凭真主起誓,只要她有办法避免,她就不会这样做。”他说:“真主对祂的仆人的怜悯,比这个女人对她孩子的怜爱更深。”(由布哈里和穆斯林辑录。)既然这位女子对孩子的慈爱,源自真主置于世上的那一份慈悲——而这份慈悲是祂所创造的一百份中的一份——那又怎能不是如此呢?

当“慈悲”这一理念深植于穆斯林的思想之中时,它会深刻影响他的生活、他看待事物的方式,以及他的品行与道德价值观。对这种影响作全面的研究,超出了本篇注释的范围。因此,我们只能满足于作几点非常简要的观察。

When this concept of mercy is engrained in a Muslim’s thinking, it leaves a profound impact on his life, his view of things and his manners and moral values. A full study of such impact is beyond the scope of this commentary. Therefore, we have to be content with only a few very brief observations.

当穆斯林真正体会到真主以慈悯待其仆人这一承诺的意义时，他便会获得一种深切的安定感。即使经历困顿与严峻的考验，足以使人远离主的时候，这份安定感依然伴随着他。信士坚信，在任何时刻、任何境况和任何处境中，真主的恩典都与他同在，并且必将降临。他知道，他的主考验他，并非因为抛弃了他，也并非因为拒绝给予他慈悯。真主不会拒绝任何诚心盼望得到恩典的人。拒绝自己获得真主慈悯的，是那些不信真主、弃绝祂恩典的人。信士确信真主的恩典近在咫尺，这种确信充实着他的内心，赋予他力量、坚韧、希望与慰藉。他知道自己身处良善而慈爱的庇护之中，只要他不偏离正道太远，就能享受真主恩典所带来的安慰。

When a Muslim truly appreciates the significance of God’s commitment to being merciful to His servants, he experiences a profound sense of reassurance which remains with him even when he goes through periods of hardship and severe trials that are enough to turn people away from their Lord. A believer is certain that at every moment and in every situation and condition, God’s grace is present and sure to be bestowed. He knows that his Lord does not put him to the test because He has abandoned him or denied him His mercy. God does not deny His grace to anyone who sincerely hopes to receive it. It is human beings who deny themselves God’s mercy when they disbelieve in Him and reject His grace. A believer’s reassurance that God’s grace is close at hand fills his heart with strength, perseverance, hope and comfort. He knows that he is in good, caring hands and he enjoys the comfort of God’s grace as long as he does not go far astray.

此外,当信士以这种特定的方式认识到这一事实时,他在主面前的羞愧之心便会增强。对主的怜悯和宽恕抱有希望,并不会像某些人所宣称的那样促使人违抗主。事实上,它会使信士在与主——那至为宽恕、至为慈悯的主——打交道时非常谦卑。一个因主的慈悯而受诱惑去违抗主的人,是没有真正体会到做信士之滋味的人。例如,一些苏菲派或神秘主义者声称,他们故意沉溺于罪恶,以便享受主的宽容、宽恕和慈悯所带来的甜美。这是一种扭曲的逻辑,与信士的本质格格不入。

Moreover, when a believer recognises this fact in this particular manner, his sense of modesty in front of God is enhanced. Hoping for God’s mercy and forgiveness does not motivate people to disobey God as some would have us believe. Indeed, it makes a believer very shy in his dealings with God, the Much-Forgiving, the Merciful. A person who is tempted to disobey God because of God’s mercy is one who has not experienced the true taste of being a believer. For example, some Sufis or mystics claim that they deliberately indulge in sin, in order to enjoy the sweetness of God’s forbearance, forgiveness and mercy. This is twisted logic, which is alien to the proper nature of a believer.

对神无穷恩典的真正认识，必然会对信徒的道德价值观和行为举止产生深远影响。他知道自己应当在内心培养与神相同的品格和价值观。他认识到，尽管自己有种种不足、过失和错误，仍然享有神丰厚的恩典，因此他懂得应当怜悯他人，宽恕他们的过错，并以宽容的态度对待他们。正是为了巩固这一原则，先知努力在他的同伴心中培养慈悲之心。

A true recognition by a believer of God’s unfailing grace is bound to leave a very strong influence on his moral values and manners. He knows that he is required to cultivate within himself the same manners and values as God. As he recognises that despite his shortcomings, slips and mistakes, he still enjoys an abundance of God’s grace, he learns that he must show mercy to others, forgive them their mistakes and treat them with forbearance. It is to strengthen this principle that the Prophet tried to cultivate a sense of mercy in his Companions.

到目前为止，已经确立了一个基本事实：真主是宇宙间一切存在之物唯一的创造者，也是唯一的所有者。接下来，经文强烈谴责向真主以外的任何人寻求支持，或将崇拜指向真主以外的任何人。所有此类行为都与顺服真主这一根本事实相矛盾，因为它们属于与伊斯兰教不相容的多神崇拜行为。此处还陈述了真主的若干属性，包括：祂是天地的创造者，是万物的维持者，是至能者。对严厉惩罚的提及，也进一步增强了整体的敬畏之感。

So far, the basic fact that God is the only Creator and the only owner of everything that exists in the universe has been established. This is now followed by a strong denunciation of seeking support from, or addressing worship to, anyone other than God. All such deeds contradict the fundamental fact of submission to God since they are acts of polytheism that do not fit with Islam. A number of God’s attributes are also stated here, including that He is the Creator of the heavens and earth, the sustainer of all, the Almighty. The general air of awe is enhanced by a mention of God’s severe punishment.

你们说：“难道我要以真主以外的人为主宰吗？他是天地的创造者，他供养万物，而不被供养。”你们说：“我奉命做第一个归顺者，你们不要做以物配主的人。”你们说：“如果我违抗我的主，我实在害怕那可怕之日的惩罚。”在那日免于惩罚的人，已蒙他的恩慧，那才是明显的成功。如果真主使你遭遇灾难，除他以外没有能解除的；如果他使你享受福利，他确是万能的。他统治他的众仆，他是至睿的，是彻知万事的。（第14-18节）

Say: ‘Am I to take for my master anyone but God, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, who gives nourishment to all and Himself needs none’? Say: ‘I am commanded to be the first of those who surrender themselves to God, and not to be among those who associate partners with Him. Say: Indeed I would dread, were I to disobey my Lord, the suffering of an awesome day. He who is spared that shall have received His grace. This will be a manifest triumph. If God were to expose you to affliction, none can remove it but He. And if He were to bless you with good fortune — well, He has power over all things. He alone holds sway over all His creatures, and He alone is truly wise, all-aware. (Verses 14-18)

这确实是根本问题：在各种意义上，唯以真主为我们的主宰，即"wali"（保护者、监护者）。唯有祂是应当崇拜的主。我们顺服祂，因为祂是唯一的主权者。除祂之外，不可寻求任何人的支持。在每一个艰难的境况中，我们唯独向祂求助。这便是信仰的根本问题。

This is, indeed, the basic issue: taking God alone for our Master, or waliy, in every sense of the word. He alone is the Lord to be worshipped. We submit to Him as He is the only Sovereign. No support may be sought from anyone other than Him. In every grave situation, we appeal to Him alone for help. This is the basic question of faith.

当我们在各个意义上以祂为主宰，并且唯独顺服祂时，我们才是真正的穆斯林。那些在祂的主宰权的任何方面将他者与祂并列的人，就犯了以物配主真主的罪。这是任何穆斯林都不能接受的。

When we take Him as master, in every sense of the word, and submit to Him alone, we are true Muslims. Those who associate others with Him in any aspect of His mastery are guilty of associating partners with God. This is something that cannot be entertained by any Muslim.

这一根本问题在这些经文中以最有力的措辞加以阐明，并蕴含着一种强大的韵律：“你说：难道我要以真主之外的任何人为主宰吗？他是天地的创造者，他供养众生，而不需要任何供养。你说：我奉命要做第一个归顺真主的人，不要做以物配主的人。”（第14节）

现在进入这段文字的高潮。它运用了深沉的韵律，用以再次强调信士应有的正确态度。这段经文的最后一节明确表明立场，既是一种警示，也是一种彻底远离一切带有以物配主（与真主并列）成分之事物的宣告。其文风既有力又果断。

Now comes the climax of this passage, which employs a profound rhythm so as to re-emphasise the right attitude of a believer. The final verse of the passage serves as a clear statement of position, a warning a nd a move away from everything that has an element of setting partners with God. The style here is both strong and decisive:

“请说：‘作证之事，什么最大？’请说：‘真主是我和你们之间的见证。这部《古兰经》是启示给我的，借以警告你们和凡它所能传达到的人。你们果真作证说，除真主之外还有别的神灵吗？’请说：‘我不作这样的证。’”

“Say: What is weightiest in testimony? Say: God is witness between me and you. This Qur’ān has been revealed to me that I may thereby warn you and all whom it may reach. Will you in truth bear witness that there are other deities beside God? Say: I bear no such witness.

"他只是独一的神。我与你们所以为他的同伴者毫无关系。"（第19节）

Say: He is but one God. I disown all that you associate with Him.” (Verse 19)

这节经文由一系列简短的陈述组成，它们接连而至，节奏很快。这样安排，是为了给我们快速呈现人们对核心问题所持的各种不同态度。尽管如此，画面却十分生动，我们几乎能看清画中人物脸上的每一种表情，甚至能窥见他们的内心想法。我们首先看到的，是真主对祂的使者下达的一道命令。紧接着的场景是：真主的使者面对那些以物配主、并想要他，即先知，先认同他们的谬误，然后才肯接受他的使命的不信道者。他们以为这样的交换是可行的，以为伊斯兰与偶像崇拜可以同时存在于一个人的心中。遗憾的是，至今仍有人认为这是可能的。他们主张，一个人可以顺服真主，同时却依据从其他来源接受的教导来安排自己的生活，承认其他权威的权力，并寻求其他存在者的帮助与庇护。

This verse is made up of a series of short statements which follow each other in very quick succession. This, to give us quick images of the different attitudes which can be held in relation to the central issue. Nevertheless, the painting is so vivid that we can see all expressions on the faces of the characters drawn and we can even penetrate their thoughts. What we see first is a command given by God to His Messenger. This is immediately followed by a scene wherein God’s Messenger confronts the unbelievers who are associating partners with God and who want him, i.e. the Prophet, to endorse their falsehood before they accept his message. They imagine that such an exchange is feasible and that Islam and idolatry can exist side by side in someone’s heart. It is sad to say that some people still think that this is possible. They argue that a person can submit himself to God while he conducts his life on the basis of teachings he receives from other sources and while he acknowledges the authority of other powers and seeks the help and patronage of other beings.

因此,安拉的使者ﷺ与不信道者对峙。他向他们明确表明,他和他们走的是两条永不相交的道路。他阐明了他所倡导的信仰——独一的神、顺服于祂——与他们所持的、以同神并列的信仰和行为之间的区别。

Thus, God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) confronts the unbelievers. He makes it clear to them that he and they follow two separate roads that cannot meet. He outlines the difference between what he advocates of believing in God’s oneness and submitting to Him and their beliefs and practices which associate partners with God.

然而，我想讨论本段的核心问题，即信仰及其根本原则：真主的独一性，以及与不信者的决裂。

However, I wish to discuss the central question in this passage, namely that of faith and its fundamental principle: God’s oneness and the break with unbelievers.

我们这些今天属于穆斯林群体的人,应当对这段经文以及它处理这一核心问题的方式进行深入的反思。今天,真正信仰的小群体在世界各地所面对的,是根深蒂固的蒙昧(jāhiliyyah),正如这些经文降示时第一代穆斯林所面对的情形一样。

Those of us today who belong to the Muslim community should reflect very deeply on this passage and the way it tackles this central issue. The small community of true believers today are faced with well entrenched jāhiliyyah throughout the world, in the same way as the first generation of Muslims were when these verses were revealed.

根据这些经文，穆斯林社群应当采取的正确态度，现在必须像当时那样加以明确。

In the light of these verses, the proper attitude to be adopted by the Muslim community must be defined now as it was defined then.

今天人类的处境，在许多方面与《古兰经》降示给先知穆罕默德ﷺ的时代几乎完全相同。

The situation of mankind today is in many ways identical to what it was at the time when the Qur’ān was revealed to the Prophet Muĥammad (peace be upon him).

那时，伊斯兰作为一种信仰和生活准则，建立在一个核心原则之上，要求人们宣告接受“除真主之外别无应受崇拜者”。这一宣告有其特殊含义，正如穆斯林军队统帅派往波斯统帅卢斯图姆处的使者拉比尔·本·阿米尔所阐明的那样。两军决战之前，卢斯图姆问他：是什么使穆斯林离开了他们的土地？他回答说：“是真主命令我们出征，以便我们帮助那些愿意被解放的人，使他们脱离对受造物的崇拜，归于单独崇拜真主；使他们脱离今世的束缚，走向与后世相连的广阔境界；使他们脱离其他宗教的压迫，获得伊斯兰的公正。”这位穆斯林使者清楚地知道，卢斯图姆及其人民并不认为他们的君主库斯鲁是创造宇宙的主，也不向他举行崇拜仪式。他们只是承认他为替他们制定法律的统治者，并因此在一种与伊斯兰截然相反的特定意义上服从于他。因此，这位穆斯林使者告诉波斯统帅，穆斯林正在执行真主的命令，帮助人们脱离一群人崇拜另一群人的境况。这些人把主权这一神性的本质属性，以及由此产生的立法权威，归于统治者，并将其立法付诸实施，而这本身就是一种宗教形式。穆斯林军队的使命，就是解放人们，使他们只崇拜真主，并享有伊斯兰的公正。

At that time, Islam, as a faith and a code of living was established on a central principle which required people to declare their acceptance that `there is no deity other than God’. It is a declaration which has a special meaning as outlined by Rab`ī ibn `Āmir, a messenger sent by a Muslim army commander to Rustom, the Persian commander, before the two armies fought a decisive battle. The latter asked him what brought the Muslims out of their land. He answered: “It is God who ordered us to march out so that we may help to free those who are willing to be freed from the worship of creatures to the worship of God alone, and from the restrictions of this present life to the expanse of its universal link with the life to come, and from the oppression exercised by other religions to the justice of Islam.” That Muslim messenger was keenly aware that Rustom and his people did not consider their emperor, Khusraw, as the lord who created the universe, nor did they offer worship rituals to him. They simply acknowledged him as the sovereign who enacted laws for them. As such, they made themselves subservient to him in the particular sense that is diametrically opposed to Islam. Thus, the Muslim messenger informed the Persian commander that the Muslims were fulfilling God’s orders to help free people from situations where one group of them worship another. They do so by attributing to rulers an essential quality of Godhead, i.e. sovereignty and what it imparts of authority to legislate, and implementing their legislation in practice, which is a form of religion. The mission of the Muslim armies was to free people so that they would worship God alone and enjoy the justice of Islam.