这段经文再次与以物配主者展开辩论,旨在纠正世人对神的启示与使者普遍存在的成见。在阿拉伯人及其他民族的蒙昧时期,这些观念进一步被扭曲,使人们偏离了关于先知身份、启示与使者的真理。他们甚至添加了传说、迷信、神话之类的内容,将整个问题与巫术、占卜、精灵(jinn)乃至疯狂混为一谈。于是,先知会被要求预言未来、展示神迹,并做出灵媒或巫师通常所做的事情。

Yet another round of confrontation with the idolaters concerning the truth of the divine message and the nature of the Messenger gets underway in this passage. It seeks to rectify preconceived ideas among mankind generally about God’s messages and messengers. Such ideas had been further distorted during periods of ignorance among the Arabs and other communities, such that they had moved away from the truth of prophethood, revelation, and messengers. They had even added legends, superstitions, myths and the like to confuse the whole issue with sorcery, fortune- telling, the jinn and even with madness. Thus, a Prophet would be asked to predict the future, produce miracles and do what a medium or a sorcerer normally does.

伊斯兰教摒弃了所有这些无稽之谈，以清晰、简明而务实的方式阐述其理念。它净化了先知职分的概念，去除了几乎所有蒙昧时代（jāhiliyyah）社会中附加于其上的神话与迷信，包括各种犹太教和基督教派别所引入的那些。所有这些都严重歪曲了先知及先知职分的形象。

The Islamic faith does away with all this nonsense, presenting its ideology in clear, simple and practical terms. It purges the concept of prophethood of all the myths and superstitions that had been attached to it in practically all jāhiliyyah communities, including those introduced by different Jewish and Christian sects. All these had badly distorted the image of prophets and prophethood.

《古兰经》随后以纯粹的面貌呈现伊斯兰信仰，不掺杂任何与之无关的诱惑或装饰。宣扬这一信仰的使者是一个普通人，他不掌握真主的宝库，不了解人类感知范围之外的事物，也不宣称自己是天使。他的使命只来自他的主，他所遵循的，只是启示给他的内容。

The Qur’ān then presents the Islamic faith to people free of all temptations or adornments that are alien to it. The Messenger advocating it is an ordinary human being, who has no access to God’s treasures, no knowledge of what lies beyond the reach of human perception, and who makes no claim to be an angel. He receives his message only from his Lord, and follows nothing other than what is revealed to him.

那些接受他的信息的人，在上主看来是最尊贵的。他的职责是与他们同在，欢迎他们，并向他们传达这一事实：上主已立定自己的承诺，要赐下怜悯与恩典，并施予宽恕。他还必须警告那些良心对来世真相保持警醒的人，使他们努力奋进，成为敬畏上主的人。因此，这两方面体现了他的全部职责，正如他的人性以及他接受启示的事实体现了他作为上主使者的身份本质。牢记这一点，我们便能正确理解他的本质与职责。此外，作恶者所走的道路也变得十分清晰。真理与虚妄各行其道，一切混淆与含糊都被厘清，信士与不信者也都明白是什么将他们区分开来。

Those who accept his message are the most honourable in God’s view. It is his duty to be with them, welcome them and convey to them the fact that God has committed Himself to bestow mercy and grace and to grant forgiveness. He must also warn those whose consciences are alert to the truth of the life to come, so that they may work hard and become God-fearing. So, these two aspects represent his full role, in the same way as the facts of his humanity and of his being the recipient of revelations represent the nature of his status as a messenger of God. When we bear this in mind, we have the correct concept of both his nature and role. What is more, the path followed by the evil-doers becomes very distinct. Truth and falsehood go their separate ways, all confusion and ambiguity are clarified, and believers and unbelievers are aware of what separates them.

{我不对你们说：真主的宝库在我这里，我也不知道隐秘之事，我不对你们说我是天使。我只遵循受到启示给我的。你说：盲人与明眼人岂能相等？你们难道不思考吗？}（第50节）

Say: I do not say to you that God’s treasures are with me; nor do I know what is beyond the reach of human perception; nor do I say to you that I am an angel. I only follow what is revealed to me. Say: Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equal? Will you not reflect? (Verse 50)

固执地拒绝伊斯兰的古莱什人，要求先知ﷺ为他们显示一个奇迹，以便他们接受这一信仰。正如我们前面已经提到的，他们确信他是诚实的。

Stubborn in their rejection of Islam, the people of the Quraysh demanded that the Prophet (peace be upon him) perform a miracle for them so as to win their acceptance. As we have already mentioned, they were certain that he was truthful.

诚然,他们对此并无怀疑。然而,他们有时却要求他把al-Şafā和al-Marwah这两座山变成黄金!有时,他们要求把这两座山从麦加彻底移走,以便在原处得到一片能出产庄稼和果实的肥沃之地。又有时,他们要求让他们知道未来将要发生的事情。或者,他们要求降下一位天使来印证先知的使命,或者要求从天上降下一份书面文告给他。

Indeed, they had no doubt about that. Nevertheless, they demanded, on occasion, that he transform the two hills of al-Şafā and al-Marwah into gold! At times, they demanded that both hills be removed from Makkah altogether so as to have in their place a fertile area which could yield crops and fruits. At other times, they demanded that they be informed of what would happen in the future. Alternatively, they demanded that an angel be sent down to endorse the Prophet’s message, or that a written statement be sent down to him from on high.

这些要求不过是他们顽固拒绝的遮羞布。它们源于无明（Jāhiliyyah）社会对先知身份与职责所持有的种种神话、迷信和传说。与他们最接近的，是犹太人和基督徒在偏离了真主的使者所传授的真理之后所持有的那些神话和传说。

All these demands were simply a cover-up for their stubborn rejection. They were born out of the myths, superstitions and legends which were associated with the status and role of a prophet, as conceived by jāhiliyyah societies. The closest of these to them were the myths and legends held by the Jews and Christians after they had deviated from the truth preached to them by God’s messengers.

在蒙昧时代（jāhiliyyah）的社会中，流行着许多虚假的预言。这些预言为一些假先知所宣称，受其迷惑的人则信以为真。其来源包括巫术、占卜、占星术和幻觉。这些假先知声称，他们借助与精灵（jinn）及其他灵体的接触，得以获知隐秘之事。他们还宣称，能够通过祈祷、祈求、符咒或其他方法影响自然现象。

A number of false prophecies were commonly held in jāhiliyyah societies, claimed by false prophets and believed by those deceived by them. These included prophecies with origins based in sorcery, fortune- telling, astrology and hallucination. Such false prophets claimed access to withheld information through contact with the jinn and other spirits. They further claimed an ability to influence natural phenomena through prayers, supplications, charms or other methods.

虚妄是所有这些的共同特征，尽管它们在类型、形式、仪式和方法上可能各不相同。

因此,先知被命令按原样将其呈现给人们,不加修饰,也不以诱惑相引。它不需要这些。接受它的人应当知道,他们不会因此获得任何物质财富或地位。他们与他人相比不会有任何优越之处,只能凭借善行。他们所追求的只是神圣的指引,而这比财富、地位或声望珍贵得多。"你说:'我不对你们说神的宝库在我这里;我也不知道幽玄之事;我也不对你们说我是天使。我只是遵循启示给我的。'"(第50节)

The Prophet is, therefore, ordered to present it to people as it is, without adornment or temptation. It requires none of these. Those who adopt it should know that they are not going to gain any material wealth or position by it. They shall have no distinction over other people except through their good actions. They are only opting for divine guidance which is much more valuable than wealth, position or distinction. “Say: ‘I do not say to you that God’s treasures are with me; nor do I know what is beyond the reach of human perception; nor do I say to you that I am an angel. I only follow what is revealed to me.’” (Verse 50)

当他们接受并遵循这一点时，应当明白，自己正从黑暗与盲目走向光明与觉悟："你说：盲人和明眼人能相等吗？你们难道不思考吗？"（第50节）此外，遵循天启，本身就是遵循正道。一个没有这种指引的人，依然是盲目的。这节经文对此说得十分明白。那么，人类的理智还有什么作用呢？

When they accept and adopt this, they should know that they bring themselves out of darkness and blindness into light and enlightenment: “Say: Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equal? Will you not reflect?” (Verse 50) Besides, following divine revelations is, in itself, following proper guidance. A person who is left without such guidance remains blind. This is stated plainly in this verse. What role, then, is left to the human mind?

从伊斯兰的角度看，这个问题的答案非常简单。真主赋予人的理智，能够接受并理解祂的启示。这正是理智的职责。此外，它也是人能够遵循真主的引导、并拥有正确且无误的准则的机会。

From the Islamic point of view, the answer to this question is very simple. The mind with which God has endowed man is able to receive His revelation and comprehend it. This is its role. Moreover, it is the opportunity available to man to follow God’s guidance and to be equipped with the proper, infallible criterion.

当人类的心智被置于自身之中、与神圣的指引隔绝时，它便容易偏离方向、视野模糊、判断失误并陷入错误。这源于其本性：它倾向于把宇宙看作一个个彼此分离的小部分，而非一个完整的整体。它把自己的视野局限于个别的事件、经历与情境之中。

When the human mind is left to its own devices, isolated from divine guidance, it is exposed to deviation, blurred vision, miscalculation and error. This is due to its very nature, which tends to look at the universe as small, separate parts, and not as a complete whole. It limits its outlook to individual events, experiences and situations.

因此,它无法获得一个关于宇宙的全面视角,从而无法据此得出结论并建立一套全面而均衡的体系。与神圣指引隔绝的人类心智,不断地进行试验、更换观点与制度,在行动与反应之间摇摆,在一个极端与另一个极端之间徘徊。在这一过程中,它践踏了一些受人尊敬的人,摧毁了高贵的人类能力。如果它只遵循神圣的启示,人类便可免于这一切罪恶。那样一来,试验与变革将只限于事物、物质、器具和机器,这正是人类心智能够充分施展的自然领域。在这一领域中所遭受的任何损失,都只是物质上的损失,而不是人的损失。

As such, it cannot acquire a comprehensive view of the universe from which to derive conclusions and establish a comprehensive and balanced system. Isolated from divine guidance, the human mind continues to experiment, change views and systems, vacillate between action and reaction, wavering between one extreme and another. In doing so it tramples over some honoured human beings and destroys noble human faculties. If it would only follow divine revelations, it would spare humanity all this evil. Experiments and changes would then be limited to things, materials, appliances and machines, which constitute the natural field where the human mind can have its full play. Any losses incurred in this field are material losses, not human beings.

你要借这部《古兰经》警告那些畏惧将被集合到主面前的人。那时，他们除了主，将没有任何保护者，也没有任何代求者。这样，他们或许会敬畏。不要驱逐那些早晚祈求主、只愿得到主喜悦的人。你对他们的言行毫不负责，他们对你的言行也毫不负责。如果你驱逐他们，你就成了不义者中的一员。我就是这样用彼此来考验他们，好让他们说：“难道这些人是真主在我们之中所施恩惠的对象吗？”难道真主不最知道谁是感恩者吗？当那些信仰真主迹象的人来到你这里时，你就说：“愿你们平安！”你们的主已经自以为有义务施以慈恩。如果你们中有人因无知而做了恶事，之后悔过并改正，那么他会发现主是至赦的、至慈的。

Warn with this [Qur’ān] those who fear that they will be gathered to their Lord, when they shall have none to protect them from Him or to intercede with Him, so that they may be God-fearing. Do not drive away those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking only to win His pleasure. You are in no way accountable for them, just as they are in no way accountable for you. Should you drive them away, you would be among the wrongdoers. It is in this way that We try some of them by means of others, so that they may say: ‘Are these the ones upon whom God has bestowed His favour from among us?” Does not God know best as to who is truly grateful? When those who believe in God’s revelations come to you, say: Peace be upon you. Your Lord has committed Himself to bestow grace and mercy: if any of you does a bad deed out of ignorance, and then repents and mends his ways, He will be much forgiving, merciful.

(第51-4节)

(Verses 51-4)

伊斯兰信仰的一个标志，就是它很少顾及世俗的价值观和人们琐碎的考量。神的使者ﷺ奉命将伊斯兰信仰如其本然地呈现给世人，不加修饰，不加装点，也不许以诱人的承诺。他还奉命特别关注那些可能积极回应其召唤的人，并与那些欣然接受这召唤、愿意真诚努力以求取神之喜悦的人结为同盟。他不应看重jāhiliyyah（蒙昧时代）社会的各种价值观。他的使命是警告那些畏惧自己在复活日被聚集到主面前时将会遭遇何事的人，那日他们将无人扶助，也无人为他们代求。事实依然如此：除非得到许可，否则没有人能为他人向神代求。

It is a mark of the Islamic faith that it pays little regard to worldly values and petty human considerations. God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) has been commanded to present it to human beings as it is, without decoration, adornment or tempting promises. He was also commanded to pay particular attention to those who are likely to respond positively to his call and to ally himself with those who receive it well, willing to make a sincere effort to win God’s pleasure. He was not to attach any weight to the values of a jāhiliyyah society. His task was to warn those who fear what may happen to them when they are gathered to their Lord, on the Day of Resurrection, when they shall have none to support or intercede for them. The fact remains that no one can intercede with God unless he is given permission to do so.

即便得到这样的许可，他也只能为那些真主允许其代求的人说情。那些真正畏惧那日将要发生之事的人，有充分的理由去知晓真主的使者所奉派传达的警告。

Even with this permission, he can only intercede on behalf of those for whose benefit God allows intercession. Those who genuinely fear what will happen on that day have a strong claim to know the warning with which God’s Messenger has been sent.

他们更有可能从中受益，并对此做出回应。

“正是这样，我们借一部分人去考验另一部分人，好让他们说：‘难道是这些人在我们之中蒙受了真主的恩惠吗？’”（第53节）这是傲慢的阿拉伯首领提出的一个修辞性的反问。《古兰经》给出了完美的回答：“真主不是最知道谁是真正感恩的人吗？”（第53节）这一回答意味深长。它清楚地表明，遵循正道是真主赐予那些他所知晓的真正感恩者的奖赏，他们因此蒙受了这一特殊的恩典。无论怎样的感恩，都不足以报答这份恩典。然而，真主接纳仆人们所能做到的最好的行为，并因此予以奖赏。他的回报总是极其丰厚的。

“It is in this way that We try some of them by means of others, so that they may say: Are these the ones upon whom God has bestowed His favour from among us?’“ (Verse 53) This is a rhetorical question asked by the arrogant Arab chiefs. The Qur’ān provides the perfect answer: “Does not God know best as to who is truly grateful?” (Verse 53) It is an answer loaded with pointed connotations. It clearly suggests that following right guidance is a reward given by God to those whom He knows to be truly grateful. In this way, they are favoured with this particular aspect of divine grace. No amount of gratitude is sufficient in return for this act of grace. God, however, accepts the best that His servants can do and rewards them for it. His reward is always exceedingly generous.

这一回答还表明，接受信仰是一种恩赐，它与任何遵循人造制度的社会中可能盛行的价值观毫无关系。真主将其赐予那些他知道会感恩的人，即便他们贫穷、毫无影响力。人类的价值观在真主的天平上没有分量。

The answer also suggests that accepting faith is a blessing that has nothing to do with the values that may prevail in any society following man-made systems. God bestows it on those whom He knows to be grateful for it, even though they may be poor and have no influence. Human values have no weight on God’s scales.

从上帝对那个傲慢问题的回答中可以清楚看出，那些人反对上帝选择哪些人蒙受恩典，完全是出于他们的无知。提出这一问题的人没有意识到，上帝赐予这份恩典，是基于他完美的知识。在他的仆人之中，唯有他知道谁配得上这样的恩典。这种无知的反对也暴露了反对者的失礼与缺乏教养。

It is clear from God’s answer to that arrogant question that it is those people’s sheer ignorance that gives rise to their objection to the selection of people on whom God bestows His grace. Those who raise the question do not realise that God bestows this favour on the basis of His perfect knowledge. It is He who knows those who deserve such a favour from among His servants. Such ignorant objections also betray the objectors’ bad manners.

真主命令祂的使者率先向那些蒙受真主恩典、成为早期穆斯林的人致以问候;正是这些人曾遭古莱氏首领们的嘲讽。真主还命令先知向他们报喜:真主已承诺以祂的慈悲待他们,凡是他们中因无知而犯了任何恶行、之后悔改并改正的人,真主都将宽恕。"当那些信仰真主启示的人来到你面前时,你就说:

God commands His Messenger to be the one who starts by greeting those on whom God has bestowed the grace of being among the early Muslims; the very ones whom the Quraysh chiefs ridiculed. The Prophet is further commanded to give them the happy news that God has committed Himself to grant them His mercy, as He will forgive those among them who mend their ways after having committed any bad deed out of ignorance. “When those who believe in God’s revelations come to you, say:

我们需要再次深入审视这整段文字,因为它对全人类具有极其重要的意义。它的经文所蕴含的价值,远超过对人权条款和理论原则的罗列。它所代表的,是人类生活中所达到的一项伟大成就:当这一信仰牵起人类的手,跨越了一道极其宽广的鸿沟,人类在历史的某一个阶段就攀上了最光辉的顶峰。尽管此后人类长久地从那一顶峰上退落,那一成就的伟大与真实性依然不容轻视。既然人类曾经登上过那一顶峰,它当然能够再次重演这样的成就。顶峰依然矗立在那里。人类与伊斯兰教的本质都未曾改变。所需要的,是再次尝试的坚定决心,以及相信那一顶峰重新可以攀登的信心。

We need to cast another long look at this whole passage, as it is of exceeding importance to humanity as a whole. Its verses have a much greater significance than the listing of values and theoretical principles on human rights. They represent something great that has been achieved in human life when this faith took humanity by the hand to bridge a very wide gulf. In just one stage of history, humanity attained the brightest summit. Despite its long retreat from that summit, the greatness and reality of that achievement cannot be taken lightly. Since humanity has reached that summit once, it can certainly repeat its performance. The summit remains there. Human beings and the religion of Islam remain the same. What is needed is the determined resolution to try again and the confidence that the summit is once again attainable.

这些经文为人类描绘了一条上升的曲线，依次标明每个阶段，以显示阿拉伯人在伊斯兰到来之前所处的蒙昧之低，以及伊斯兰如何将他们带上了最高的巅峰。当他们登上这一巅峰时，他们也带领着其余的人类一同前进。

These verses draw for humanity the rising curve, marking each stage in order to show the low level of ignorance at which the Arabs were situated before Islam took them to the highest summit. When they attained it, they took the rest of mankind with them.

阿拉伯人以及整个人类在蒙昧时代所处的深渊，通过古莱氏首领对先知所说的话呈现在我们眼前，其中带有责备的意味："穆罕默德啊，你从你的族人中选择来作伴的就是这些人吗？真主从我们中间赐恩于他们的，就是这些人吗？难道我们要跟随这些人吗？你把他们赶走吧，那样我们或许会考虑跟随你。"我们在艾格拉尔和乌耶奈的态度中也看到了同样的情形，他们轻蔑地看待先知早期的圣门弟子，如比拉勒、苏海布、阿玛尔、赫拔布以及其他看似不配的人。这两位首领对先知说："我们希望你为我们专门定一个时间，好让阿拉伯人认识到我们的崇高地位。各地的代表团都来见你，我们若与这些人同坐，会感到羞耻。我们来见你时，请你叫他们离开；我们走后，你若愿意，可以与他们同坐。"这就是蒙昧更丑陋的一面，以及它那些狭隘的价值观，它看重社会地位、财富和阶层。被阿拉伯首领所鄙视的那些人，要么是非阿拉伯人，要么是缺乏财富和社会地位的人。同样的价值观在所有蒙昧社会中都占据主导，甚至包括现代社会。

The depths in which the Arabs, and the whole of humanity, lived in their days of ignorance is brought before our eyes as the Quraysh chiefs say to the Prophet, with an overtone of reproach: “Muĥammad, are these the ones you have chosen for company from among your people? Are these the ones upon whom God has bestowed His favour from among us? Are we to be the followers of these? Drive them away for, then, we may consider following you.” We see it again in the way al- Aqra` and `Uyaynah looked contemptuously on the early Companions of the Prophet such as Bilāl, Şuhayb, `Ammār, Khabbāb and other seemingly unsuitable people. The two chiefs said to the Prophet: “We would like you to establish a special time for us so that the Arabs will recognize our high position. Delegations come to you from all parts of Arabia and we feel ashamed to be seen with such people. When we come to see you, tell them to leave. When we depart, you may sit with them if you wish.” This is the uglier face of ignorance and its petty values, which attach importance to social standing and considerations of wealth and class. Those individuals despised by the Arabian chiefs were either non-Arabs, or they lacked wealth and social standing. The same values prevail in all jāhiliyyah societies, even modern ones.

现在我们来到这段经文的结尾。这段经文非常清楚地阐述了神所启示的最后一部经典的本质，以及交付给祂最后一位使者的使命。它又阐明了信仰的基本要素，朴实无华，使我们得以洞察伊斯兰希望在人类生活中确立的价值与原则，以及它希望废除的东西。在这段经文的结尾，我们被提醒：这一详尽的阐述是有意为之，旨在将一切讲得十分清楚，不留任何疑惑的余地。如此，真理便为每个人所知，而无需任何神迹作为证明。这种清晰性正是古兰经的表述方式所提供的，而这段经文便是其中的一个例子。

Now we come to the conclusion of this passage which has outlined very clearly the nature of the last message revealed by God and the task assigned to His last Messenger. It has further outlined the essentials of faith as they are, unadorned, giving us an insight into the values and principles Islam wants to establish in human life and those it wants to abolish. At the conclusion of this passage we are reminded that this detailed outline is given on purpose in order to lay down everything very clearly and to leave no room for confusion. Thus, the truth will be known to everyone, without any need for miraculous proofs. Such clarity is provided by the Qur’ānic approach, of which this passage is an example.

这节经文的最后一句由两个简短的分句组成：第一个分句指的是本章迄今所给予的一切指引的迹象、通向信仰的指示和真理的陈述："这样，我们把我们的启示阐明。"第二个分句令人惊叹："以便罪人的道路明显地显露出来。"（第55节）

The final verse in this passage is expressed in two short clauses: the first refers to all signs of guidance, pointers to faith and statements of the truth that have been given so far in this sūrah: “Thus do We make plain Our revelations”. The second clause in this short verse fills us with wonder: “So that the path of the evildoers may be clearly distinct.” (Verse 55)

这段话表明，古兰经的方法致力于阐明真理，并非常明确地陈述真理；但其目的不仅在于使信士的道路清楚分明，也在于清楚、明确地描绘虚妄，使恶人的道路同样清楚分明。一方的清晰必然要求另一方的清晰。

This statement tells us that the Qur’ānic approach endeavours to clarify the truth and states it very plainly, but its purpose is not merely to make the path of the believers clearly distinct. It also endeavours to clearly and plainly portray falsehood so that the path of the evildoers is also clearly distinct. Clarity of the one necessitates clarity of the other.

《古兰经》采用这种方式，是真主所选定的，因为它对人的心灵最为有效。真主知道，信仰真理需要对谬误有所认识；要使信仰获得完全的确信，就必须清楚地区分谬误与罪恶，以及真理与善良。信士在宣扬真理时所需要的动力，不仅仅来自他自认为遵循真理这一感受。额外的力量来自于他认识到：反对他努力的，是那些倡导谬误的作恶者，而他们历来都是反对众先知的人。正如真主在另一节经文中所说："这样，我为每位先知设置了作恶的敌人。"（25：31）因此，先知穆罕默德ﷺ和信士们确知，反对他们的人正是作恶者，别无他人。

This approach of the Qur’ān has been chosen by God as it is most effective with the human mind. God knows that believing in the truth requires knowledge of falsehood and adding total certainty to faith requires a clear-cut distinction between falsehood and evil on the one hand and truth and goodness on the other. The momentum a believer requires in his advocacy of the truth is not merely generated by his feeling that he follows the truth. The extra power is given by realizing that opposition to his efforts comes from falsehood, advocated by the evildoers, who have always been the ones to oppose prophets. As God states in another verse: “Thus, against every prophet We have set up an enemy from among the evildoers.” (25: 31) Thus, the Prophet Muĥammad and the believers know for certain that those opposing them are none other than evildoers.