本段经文旨在纠正某些原则，澄清关于正信的若干误解。它也延续了我们此前已介绍过的与麦地那犹太人的对抗。他们从未停止以真理的外衣包装谬误，并在穆斯林之中制造混乱。

This new passage aims at correcting certain principles and clarifying some misconceptions concerning the true faith. It also continues the confrontation with the Jews of Madinah, to which we were introduced earlier. They did not cease to try to present falsehood in the guise of truth, and to cause confusion among the Muslims.

然而，这一次的语气相当概括，所提出的原则既适用于麦地那的犹太人，也适用于新信仰的其他反对者。它还指出了穆斯林最好避免的若干陷阱。

However, the tone this time is rather general, presenting principles that apply to the Jews of Madinah as well as other opponents of the new faith. It also identifies a number of pitfalls that the Muslims would do well to avoid.

首先，我们提到朝觐仪式中在两座山丘——癿法山（Ṣafā）与麦尔沃山（Marwah）之间往返行走，这一仪式靠近天房（Ka`bah）。伊斯兰教前的异教传统曾使这两座山的意义变得混淆，而伊斯兰教对此作出了澄清。在一定程度上，这与天房作为穆斯林礼拜的普世朝向，以及朝觐仪式的制度相关。

To begin with, we have a reference to the pilgrimage ritual of walking between the two hills of Şafā and Marwah, near the Ka`bah, clarifying the confusion surrounding them as a result of pre-Islamic pagan traditions. To some extent, this is related to the institution of the Ka`bah as the universal direction of prayer for Muslims as well as to pilgrimage rituals.

这之后是对隐瞒经典部分内容的犹太教徒和基督徒的严厉谴责，同时明确表示，悔改和宽恕仍然向那些愿意停止此类行为的人敞开。那些坚持不改的人将遭受严厉的惩罚。

This is followed by a fierce condemnation of Jews and Christians who conceal parts of their Scriptures, while making it clear that repentance and forgiveness remain open to those of them who wish to refrain from such practices. Those who persist will meet with harsh punishment.

接下来重申真主独一的理念，并引述自然界中那些见证这一点的奇妙迹象。那些否认真主独一的人受到严厉谴责，而关于末日审判的场景描绘了：不信道者在为时已晚之际才意识到自己的过错，那将是何等徒劳。

Then comes a reaffirmation of the concept of God’s oneness, and a reference to the marvels of the natural world that attest to it. Those who reject God’s oneness are roundly condemned, while a scene from the Day of Judgement depicts how futile it will be for unbelievers to realize their wrongdoing when it is too late.

关于犹太人对于饮食的合法与非法的争论，这段经文向全人类发出一般性的号召，要他们享用上主为他们所提供的清洁和合法的事物。本节也列举了禁止饮食的事物。

Referring to the Jewish arguments about what is lawful and unlawful of food and drink, the passage makes a general call to mankind to enjoy the wholesome and lawful things in life which God has provided for them. An account of things that are forbidden to eat and drink is also given in this section.

这段经文接续对那些隐瞒或篡改真主启示之人的斥责，警告他们将遭受神的震怒与自身的屈辱，并在后世遭受最严厉的惩罚。

صفا和麦尔沃是真主设立的标志之一。凡前往圣殿朝觐或进行副朝的人，在二者之间往返行走，并无过错。

Şafā and Marwah are among the symbols set up by God. Whoever visits the Sacred House for pilgrimage or `Umrah, would do no wrong to walk to and fro between them.

谁自愿行善，真主必定是至感赏赐的，是全知的。（第158节）

He who does good of his own accord shall find that God is most thankful, All- Knowing. (Verse 158)

有几则传述提到了这节经文降示的特定原因；其中最合乎逻辑的说法，也最接近伊斯兰教在早期穆斯林心中培养起来的思维方式，内容如下：

Several reports suggest a specific cause for the revelation of this verse; the most logical account, which is also the closest to the way of thinking Islam had cultivated in the minds of the early Muslims, is the following:

在沙法和麦尔沃两座小山之间行走，是伊斯兰教以前阿拉伯人朝觐仪式的一部分。然而，这两座山顶上分别立有两尊偶像，即伊萨夫和纳伊拉。因此，一些穆斯林对这种行走感到不安，因为山上曾立有这两尊偶像，他们将这两座山与多神崇拜联系在一起。

Walking between the two small hills known as Şafā and Marwah had been part of the pilgrimage rituals practised by the Arabs before Islam. However, two idols, Isāf and Nā’ilah, were erected on top of them, respectively. Hence, some Muslims felt uneasy about this walk because of the two idols that had been there, associating the two hills with polytheism.

布哈里传述，有人就在萨法与麦尔沃之间行走一事发问，圣门弟子安斯说：“我们过去认为那是蒙昧时代的习俗。伊斯兰到来后，人们便不再把在那里行走当作宗教仪式。于是真主降示了以“萨法与麦尔沃是真主的标志”开头的经文。”沙阿比说：“萨法山上立着伊萨夫，麦尔沃山上立着纳伊拉，人们过去崇拜这两尊偶像。因此伊斯兰之后，他们对在两山之间行走感到不安，于是降示了这节经文。” 这节经文的降示确切年代无从确定，但它更有可能晚于关于转换礼拜朝向的经文降示。穆斯林迁往麦地那后的许多年里，麦加对穆斯林而言仍是敌对之地，但其中一些人仍有可能前往朝觐或进行副朝（欧姆拉）。很可能正是这些个别前往麦加的穆斯林朝觐者，不愿把萨法与麦尔沃纳入他们的仪式之中。

Al-Bukhārī relates that, in answer to a question about walking between Şafā and Marwah, Anas, a Companion of the Prophet, said: “We used to consider them part of pre-Islamic ignorant tradition. With the advent of Islam, people stopped walking there as part of religious ritual. God then revealed the verse starting: “Şafā and Marwah are among the symbols set up by God.” Al-Sha`bī says: “Isāf was placed on Şafā and Nā’ilah on the Marwah, and people used to revere these idols. Hence, after Islam they felt uneasy about walking in between the two hills. Hence this verse was revealed.” No specific date can be determined for the revelation of this verse, but it seems more probable that it was revealed later than the verses dealing with the change of the direction of prayer. Although Makkah was hostile territory for the Muslims for many years after their migration to Madinah, it was possible for some of them to visit it for pilgrimage or `Umrah. It is most probably such individual Muslim pilgrims who were reluctant to include Şafā and Marwah in their rituals.

他们的犹豫，源于他们在新信仰之下所经历的漫长而严格的教育与净化过程。他们形成了一种新的信仰意识和宗教理解，使他们开始审视自己从蒙昧时代继承而来的一切传统与习俗，唯恐其中有未得伊斯兰认可的内容。

接下来的经文对那些犹太人发起了尖锐的抨击。正如前文所提到的，他们在礼拜方向从耶路撒冷改为天房（克尔白）之后制造争议，并隐瞒了其经典中所启示的事实。这表明他们仍在利用这一局面，尤其是在麦加也被确立为穆斯林朝觐之地之后。

The verses that follow launch a sharp attack on those Jews who, as mentioned earlier, concealed facts that were revealed in their Scriptures, in the wake of the controversy they created over the change of the direction of prayer from Jerusalem to the Ka`bah. This suggests that they continued to exploit the situation, especially after Makkah was also instituted as the place of the pilgrimage for Muslims.

那些隐瞒我所降下的明证和指引的人——在我于经典中为世人阐明之后——必受真主和一切诅咒者的诅咒。唯有悔过、改正并阐明真相的人除外；我必接受他们的悔罪，因为我是唯一接受悔罪的，我是至慈的。那些拒绝信仰并以不信道者身份死去的人，必遭真主、天使和全体世人的诅咒。他们将永远处于这诅咒之中，他们的刑罚不会减轻，也不会获得宽限。

Those who conceal the clear proofs and guidance We bestowed from on high, after We have expounded it clearly for mankind in the Book, shall be cursed by God and by others who curse. Excepted, however, shall be those who repent, mend their ways and make known the Truth: from these I shall accept their repentance; for I alone accept repentance and I am the Merciful. Those who reject the faith and die unbelievers shall incur the curse of God, the angels and all mankind. They shall remain under that curse for ever, their torment shall not be alleviated, nor shall they have a respite.

（第159-162节）

(Verses 159-162)

犹太教徒和基督教徒凭借自己的经典，早已知晓穆罕默德ﷺ使命的真实性。他们对其诚实和正直几乎毫无怀疑。然而，他们却不遗余力地隐瞒和压制自己的经典中关于他的记载。出于种种原因，篡改宗教文本和歪曲启示经典的现象在历史上屡屡出现。总有一些人倾向于逃避真理，或无视、压制真理，或为了自己的目的和意图而改变真理。他们明知故犯地隐瞒真相，压制他们最确信的一切真实性证据。他们甚至删除真主经典中的经文，使他们所阐释的真理不能传到人们面前。他们这样做，是为了谋取某些世俗利益。事实上，我们经常能遇到此类压制真理的例子。这样的人将遭到真主和人类的诅咒，成为被人唾弃的贱民，被剥夺真主的慈悯，并遭到同类的摒弃。

The Jews and the Christians were already aware, on the basis of their own Scriptures, of the truth of Muĥammad’s mission. They had little doubt of his honesty and integrity. Nevertheless, they spared no effort to conceal and suppress what their Scriptures had to say about him. Manipulation of religious text and tampering with revealed Scriptures have, for a variety of reasons, been encountered on numerous occasions in history. There have always been people with a propensity for evading the truth, or ignoring or suppressing it, or changing it to suit their own aims and ends. Thy knowingly conceal the truth, suppressing all evidence of the veracity of which they are most certain. They even suppress verses in God’s book so that the truth they expound is kept away from people. They do all this in order to achieve some worldly gain. In fact, we often encounter examples of such suppression of the truth. Such people shall be cursed by God and man. They shall become pariahs, denied God’s mercy and rejected by their fellow men.

在天地的创造之中，在昼夜的交替之中，在载着对人类有益之物穿行于海上的船只之中，在神从天上降下的雨水之中——它使死寂的大地重获生机，使各种生物在其上繁衍——在风的流动之中，在云朵于天地之间依其轨道运行之中：这一切之中都有迹象，给那些运用理智的人。（第164节）

In the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of night and day; in the vessels that sail through the sea with what is useful for mankind; in the water God sends down from the sky giving life to the earth after it had been lifeless, causing all manner of living creatures to multiply on it; in the movement of the winds, and the clouds that run their courses between sky and earth: in all this there are signs for people who use their reason. (Verse 164)

这种独特的《古兰经》表达方式触动人的思想与心灵,往往能激发人的情感,使他观察并沉思宇宙的奇妙。熟悉感或许已使人对这些奇迹的赞叹有所钝化,但这些经文邀请他怀着睁开的双眼、敏锐的感官和清醒的心,仿佛初次见到一般,去反思周围的世界。物质世界充满了美丽的奥秘和令人敬畏的事件,它们吸引了许多人的目光,也打动了许多人的心。

This unique Qur’ānic approach in addressing the human mind and heart tends to heighten man’s feelings and emotions and make him behold and contemplate the wonders of the Universe. Familiarity may have blunted man’s appreciation of these marvels, but the verses invite him to reflect on the world around, as if for the first time, with open eyes and eager senses and a conscious heart. The physical world is full of beautiful mysteries and awe-inspiring events that have captivated many an eye and fascinated many a heart.

这个世界是一场无边无际的奥秘、壮丽与美丽的盛会。天空与大地、行星、恒星与星系，都在各自被注定的轨道上运行，以令人惊叹的和谐浮游于浩瀚无垠、维度令人眩晕的空间之中。

The world is a boundless festival of mystery, splendour and beauty. The Heavens, the Earth, the planets, the stars, the galaxies, are all floating along their decreed orbits with incredible harmony, in a vast expanse of limitless space of dizzying dimensions.

人类很早就被这座浩瀚的奇迹画廊所吸引，那时他尚未能够通过学习与科学，窥见其运作的方式以及背后的究竟。

Man has been fascinated by this vast gallery of wonders long before he was able to get a glimpse, through study and science, of how it works and what lies behind it.

昼夜的交替、光明与黑暗的更迭、黎明与黄昏，在世上每一个人的心灵与灵魂中激起了无数的震颤。

The cycle of day and night and the alternation of light and darkness, dawn and dusk, have sent a million shivers through the hearts and souls of men everywhere.

对于有信仰的心来说,尽管它司空见惯,每日凝望它都是一种奇妙的景象;它是对真主伟大与荣耀的不断提醒。

For the believing heart, it is a daily marvel to behold, despite its familiarity; a constant reminder of God’s magnificence and glory.

至于"以及在海中航行、载着对人类有益之物的船只"这句话，我承认，直到我有一天乘坐一艘大船出行，才真正体会到其中的深意。那艘船在海洋中看上去就像一个小点，波浪从四面八方拍打过来，而我们仿佛置身于一个几乎超现实的、无边无际的蔚蓝世界之中。

As for “in the vessels that sail through the sea with what is useful for mankind,” I admit that I had not fully appreciated the import of this statement until the day I travelled on board a large ship, which seemed like a dot in the ocean. Waves were hitting us from all sides while we were engulfed in an almost surreal world of endless blue.

如果那些不信道的人能够看见——他们终将在受刑时看见——那么他们就会明白，一切力量都只属于真主，真主的惩罚极其严厉。{那时，被人追随的人将与追随他们的人断绝关系，他们都将看见刑罚，彼此之间的一切联系都将断绝。追随者将说：“但愿我们能再回到世上，我们就会像他们与我们断绝关系那样，与他们断绝关系！”}真主就这样让他们看到自己的行为，使他们悔恨交加。他们永远不能走出火狱。

If the unbelievers could but see, as see they will when they are made to suffer, that all might belongs to God alone, and that He is stern in retribution. [On that day] those who were followed will disown their followers and they all shall see their punishment, while all their ties are severed. The followers will say, ‘Would that we had another chance so that we can disown them as they have disowned us!’ Thus will God show them their works [in a way which causes them] bitter regrets. They shall never come out of the fire. (Verses 165-167)

那些犯罪者如果能够预见复活日，就会意识到他们崇拜除真主以外的任何事物或任何人是多么愚蠢。一切权能都属于祂。祂没有同等者，也没有同伴。他们还会看到自己所作所为的徒劳无益，以及等待他们的刑罚之严厉。领袖们将与追随者划清界限，并显露出自己既无力帮助追随者，甚至无力帮助自己。真主独一及祂绝对权能的真理将清楚地显现出来。另一方面，追随者会希望获得第二次生命的机会，以便否认并抛弃那些虚假的神灵和领袖。他们在其中生活的全部欺骗与迷惑，也将完全暴露出来。

Were these transgressors to look ahead to the Day of Resurrection, they would realize their folly in worshipping anything or anybody other than God. All power belongs to Him. He has neither equals nor partners. They would also see the hopelessness of their actions and the severity of the punishment awaiting them. The leaders shall disassociate themselves from their followers, and shall be exposed as powerless to help them, or even help themselves. The truth of God’s oneness and His absolute power would be clearly manifest. The followers, on the other hand, would wish for a second chance of life in order to denounce and disown those false gods and leaders. The full extent of the fraud and the delusion under which they had been living would be exposed.

这是一个精彩的场景,其中两群人之间关系的全部虚伪、不诚与徒劳都彻底暴露出来。随之而来的是痛苦与折磨:“这样,安拉要使他们的行为成为他们的悔恨;他们永远不能从火狱中出来。”(第167节)

It is an awesome scene in which all the hypocrisy and the insincerity and futility of the relationship between the two groups is brought fully into the open. And then come the pain and the torment: “Thus will God show them their works [in a way which causes them] bitter regrets. They shall never come out of the fire.” (Verse 167)

这之后是向全人类发出的号召,要他们享用生活中的美好事物,远离有害的事物。同时,也警告人们不要听从撒旦的唆使,因为撒旦只会教唆人们去做恶事和有害之事,并使人们自认为有权在不考虑真主的情况下立法。此外,还告诫人们不要在宗教事务上盲目追随他人,并谴责崇拜真主至大之外的任何神明。这段内容与前文巧妙地衔接在一起。

This is followed by an invitation to all mankind to enjoy the good things in life and avoid the harmful ones. This is coupled with a warning against following the suggestions of Satan, who will only advise people to do evil and harmful things and to arrogate to themselves the right to legislate without reference to God. There is also a warning against following others blindly in matters of religion, and a denunciation of the worship of any deity other than God Almighty, neatly linking this passage with the preceding one.

人类啊！你们应当吃地上合法而纯良的食物，不要遵循恶魔的足迹，它确实是你们明显的仇敌。它只命令你们作恶和行可耻的事，并命令你们把你们所不知道的事归于真主。当有人对他们说：“你们应当遵循真主所降示的经典。”他们却说：“不，我们只遵循我们祖先所信奉的。”即使他们的祖先毫无理智，也没有遵循正道，他们仍然这样说吗？不信道的人，好比对只能听到呼喊和叫声的牲畜呼喊的人。他们是聋的、哑的、瞎的，所以他们一无所知。（第168-171节）

Mankind, eat of what is lawful and wholesome on earth and do not follow Satan’s footsteps: he is indeed an open enemy for you. He enjoins you only to commit evil and indecency and to attribute to God something of which you have no knowledge. When it is said to them, ‘Follow what God has revealed, they say, ‘No; but we will follow only what we found our forefathers believing in.’ Why, even if their forefathers did not use reason at all, and followed no guidance. The unbelievers are like the one who shouts to that which hears nothing but a call and a cry. Deaf, dumb and blind, they understand nothing. (Verses 168-171)

在论证了真主的独一性，并表明祂是万物的创造者，又揭示了那些崇拜真主以外之神者的彻底失败之后，真主至尊在这些经文中宣告，祂也是生命的供给者和维系者。

Having set out the argument for God’s oneness and shown Himself as the Creator of all, and exposed the utter failure of those who worship gods other than Him, God Almighty states in these verses that He is also the provider and sustainer of life.

因此,祂是决定何种食物为合法、何种为非法的终极权威;这是祂作为唯一真神行使权威的一个方面。那位创造并供给万物的造物主,同时也是决定何为合法、何为非法的权威。

Accordingly, He is the ultimate authority to decide what food is lawful and what is unlawful; an aspect of exercising His authority as the only God. The Creator who makes and provides is also the authority who decides what is lawful and what is not.

因此，法律（Sharī`ah，沙里亚）与信仰密不可分地交织在一起。

The law, Sharī`ah, is thus inextricably intertwined with belief.

这些经文赋予全人类享用真主在大地上所赐食物的许可，但真主所禁止的除外，这些禁令将在本章后文提及。经文还指示世人，关于何者合法、何者不合法的饮食问题，应当只听从真主的话。他们不应听从撒旦在这些事上的意见，因为撒旦是他们的死敌，不会给他们良好的劝告。他只会误导他们，怂恿他们自行决定何者合法、何者不合法，而不参照真主的指引，正如犹太人过去所做的，也正如阿拉伯的多神教徒所主张的那样。

The verses give the whole of mankind permission to enjoy the food God has provided on earth, with the exception of what He has forbidden — which will be mentioned later in the sūrah. People are also instructed here that they should listen only to God concerning what may or may not be lawful for consumption. They should not listen to Satan’s views in these matters, because, as their sworn enemy, he will not give them good advice. He will only mislead them and encourage them to decide what is and is not lawful of their own accord, with no reference to God’s guidance, as the Jews used to do, and as the Arab idolaters used to claim.

随后，本章为信士们规定了他们可以食用的各类动物肉的具体律例，并谴责犹太人在这一问题上争论不休，而这一问题在他们自己的经典中已有充分的论述。

The sūrah then gives believers specific rules on the various types of animal meat that they may eat, denouncing the Jews, who argue over this matter although it has been adequately discussed in their own Scriptures.

信道的人们啊!你们应当吃我所供给你们的佳美食物,如果你们确是崇拜真主的人,那么,你们应当感谢真主。他只禁止你们吃死物、血液、猪肉,以及诵非真主之名而宰杀的牲畜。但谁迫不得已,既不故意违抗,也不过分需求,那么,他没有罪过。真主確是至赦的,确是至慈的。 那些隐讳真主所降示的经典,而以微价出卖它的人,他们只是在肚子里吞食火焰。复活日,真主不跟他们说话,也不洗净他们的罪恶,他们将受痛苦的刑罚。他们是以迷误换取了正道,以刑罚换取了赦宥的人。他们忍受火狱,是多么坚强啊! 这是因为真主以真理降示了天经。那些在天经中发生分歧的人,确是处于极端的分裂之中。

Believers, eat of the wholesome things We have provided for you, and give thanks to God, if it is truly Him that you worship. He has only forbidden you carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which a name other than God’s has been invoked. But he who is driven by necessity, not intending to transgress nor exceeding his need, incurs no sin. God is much-Forgiving, Merciful. Those who suppress any part of the Scriptures God has revealed, and barter it away for a paltry price, eat nothing but fire in their bellies. God will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them. A grievous suffering awaits them. It is they who barter guidance for error and forgiveness for suffering. How great is their endurance of the Fire! That is because God has revealed the Book with the truth. Those who are at variance with the Book are most deeply in the wrong. (Verses 172-176)

真主以信士们最重要的品质——已经接受信仰——来称呼他们，清楚地强调了他们与祂之间的特殊关系，并表明他们应当只接受祂关于什么是合法、什么是允许之事的命令与准则。他们被提醒：唯有祂供给他们，并向他们指明什么是允许的，什么是不允许的。凡是良好和有益的东西，都没有被禁止，被禁止的只是有害和败坏的事物。这少数限制的目的，不是要剥夺人们，也不是要限制他们享受真主所赐予的美好事物，而对于这些事物，他们应当心怀感恩。真主指示他们，如果他们确实只崇拜祂一位，就应当感谢祂。由此，他们被教导：感恩本身就是一种崇拜。“信道的人们啊！你们可以吃我所供给你们的佳美食物，并且感谢真主，如果你们确是崇拜祂的人。”（第172节）

God addresses believers by their most important quality of having accepted the faith, clearly underlining their special relationship with Him and making it clear that they should accept only His instructions and guidelines with respect to what is or is not lawful and permissible. They are reminded that He alone provides for them and shows them what is permissible and what is not. Nothing good or wholesome has been forbidden, only what is harmful and corrupt. The purpose behind these few restrictions is not to deprive people or curb their enjoyment of the good things God has made available, and for which they should show gratitude. God directs them to thank Him if they truly worship Him alone. Thus, they are taught that thanksgiving is an act of worship. “Believers, eat of the wholesome things We have provided for you, and give thanks to God, if it is truly Him that you worship.” (Verse 172)

接下来是一份穆斯林被禁止食用之物的列表。列表以一个阿拉伯语词开头,该词表明禁令仅限于所列举的这些事物:“他只禁止你们食用死物、血液、猪肉,以及诵念过非真主之名的食物。”(第173节)

犹太人对《古兰经》关于可食与不可食的饮食规定曾引起相当大的争议。在其他地方，《古兰经》告诉我们，有些肉类曾被禁止犹太人食用，但穆斯林却被允许食用："对信奉犹太教的人，我曾禁止他们食用一切有爪的动物；我还禁止他们食用牛和羊的脂肪，但背上的、肠子上的，或与骨头混在一起的除外。"（6：146）这些对穆斯林来说都是合法的。

The Jews created considerable controversy around the Qur’ānic pronouncements on permissible and forbidden food and drink. Elsewhere, the Qur’ān informs us of other types of meat that had been forbidden to the Jews but which Muslims were allowed to eat: “To those who followed the Jewish faith did We forbid all animals that have claws; and We forbade them the fat of both oxen and sheep, except that which is in their backs and entrails or what is mixed with their bones.” (6: 146) All these are lawful to Muslims.

犹太人或许会对这种对先前禁令的放宽提出异议。他们甚至就其他被禁止的事物争论不休，尽管这些事物在他们自己的经典中同样是被禁止的。他们的目的，是他们从未忘记的：在古兰经的诫命上制造怀疑，并动摇这些诫命源自真主启示这一事实。

The Jews might have disputed this relaxation of the earlier prohibition. They even argued about other forbidden things, although these were forbidden them in their own Scriptures. Their aim, of which they never lost sight, was to create doubts about Qur’ānic commandments and undermine the fact that they were revealed by God.

这就解释了为何对那些隐瞒自己所知的、真主启示的经文的人,有如此严厉的谴责。"那些隐瞒真主所降经典中任何部分、以之换取微小代价的人,他们腹中所吞的只是火。真主在复活日不会与他们说话,也不会洁净他们。他们将受到痛苦的惩罚。"

This explains the strong denunciation of those who suppress what they know to he God’s revelation. “Those who suppress any part of the Scriptures God has revealed, and barter it away for a paltry price, eat nothing but fire in their bellies. God will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them. A grievous suffering awaits them.

这些人用迷误换取了正道，用惩罚换取了宽恕。他们忍受火狱是多么的坚韧！这是因为真主以真理降示了天经，而那些在天经问题上产生分歧的人，确实处于极大的悖逆之中。」（第174-176节）

It is they who barter guidance for error and forgiveness for suffering. How great is their endurance of the Fire! That is because God has revealed the Book with the truth. Those who are at variance with the Book are most deeply in the wrong.” (Verses 174-176)

这些经文或许是针对有经典的民众，即犹太人和基督教徒而言的，但其谴责的范围却是最广泛的。凡是故意且有系统地压制真理，尤其是宗教真理，或为权力或任何世俗利益而歪曲真理的人，都受到真主的谴责，注定要招致祂的震怒，并在后世遭受严厉的惩罚。即便他们因这种压制而获得整个世界，与他们在来世失去的真主的喜悦和祂的回赐相比，这也不过是微不足道的代价。

The verses may be directed at people of earlier Scriptures, Jews and Christians, but the condemnation applies in the widest possible sense. All those who deliberately and systematically suppress the truth, especially religious truth, or manipulate it for power or worldly gains of any kind, stand condemned by God, and are doomed to incur His wrath and a stern punishment in the hereafter. Even if they were to gain this whole world for such suppression, it remains a paltry price when compared with what they lose of God’s pleasure and His reward in the life to come.

这段文字以一节经文作结，这节经文阐述了真正信仰的原则以及恰当的伊斯兰行为规范。

This passage concludes with a verse that outlines the principles of true faith together with the rules of proper Islamic conduct:

虔诚并不在于你们把脸转向东方或西方，真正虔诚的人是那些信奉真主、末日、天使、天经和先知的人；他们为了所爱之财，把它施给亲属、孤儿、贫困者、旅途中的人、乞丐，以及赎取奴隶；他们谨守拜功，完纳天课；他们践行已立的盟约。《黄牛章》| 还原真相 187

Righteousness is not that you turn your faces towards the east or the west, but truly righteous is he who believes in God, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the Prophets; and gives his money, much as he may cherish it, to his kinsfolk, orphans, the needy, a stranded wayfarer, beggars, and for the freeing of slaves,’ who attends to his prayers and pays zakāt; and [truly pious are] they who keep their promises once made, Al-Baqarah (The Cow) | SETTING THE RECORD S TRAIGHT 187

……并在困苦、患难和危急之时保持坚忍。这些人才是诚实的人，这些人才是敬畏主的人。（第177节）

and are patient in misfortune and adversity and in time of peril. Such are those who have proved themselves true, and such are the God-fearing. (Verse 177)

该节经文的主题显然与前文讨论过的礼拜方向及其引发的争议相关联。它现在确立了一项全面的原则,涵盖了这一问题以及麦地那犹太人惯于争论的所有事务。这些争论大多围绕伊斯兰教所引入的、有别于他们自身的新的宗教仪式和崇拜形式。

The subject of this verse is clearly linked to the issue of the direction of prayer and the controversy surrounding it, as discussed earlier. It now establishes a comprehensive principle that covers this issue and all matters that the Jews of Madinah were wont to dispute. These mostly centred on new religious rituals and forms of worship introduced by Islam and which differed from their own.

礼拜时穆斯林所面向的方向发生改变，其目的从来不在于面向何方，乃至于任何外在形式。这些并非赋予崇拜以价值和意义的所在，也不是使人成为善良正直之人的根源。正直是一种整体的感受、一种态度和一种行为方式的结果，它塑造个人的良知，也塑造社会的心态。这是一种自律，其影响在个人的生活和整个社会的生活中即刻且持续地显现出来。若离开这些内在要素，无论面向东方还是西方，或在礼拜结束时或礼拜各个动作进行时将脸转向右方和左方，都将毫无作用，也没有任何意义。

The purpose behind the change of the place Muslims face in prayers, and indeed all aspects of worship and ritual, has never been the direction people face, or indeed any outward form. These are not what gives worship its value or meaning, nor what makes people good and righteous. Righteousness is the result of a total feeling, an attitude and a mode of behaviour which shape the individual’s conscience and the mind set of the community. It is a discipline whose effects are immediately and constantly apparent in one’s life and the life of society as a whole. Without these aspects, facing east or west, or turning one’s face to the right and to the left at the end of prayer or the performance of the various movements of prayer would have no effect or significance.

“真正的虔诚者，是那些信奉真主、末日、天使、天经和众先知的人……”整体来看，这节经文概括了善良与虔诚的全部内涵。那么，是什么赋予了这些信仰与行为以价值和意义呢？