《古兰经》是伊斯兰教的经典。它是伊斯兰使命的灵魂与存在的根本理由，是伊斯兰教存在的支柱与根基，是它的守护者与保护者，是它的表达与体现，是它的宪章与生活方式。归根结底，《古兰经》是源泉，也是参照的准绳；伊斯兰教与穆斯林正是从中汲取行动的方式与手段、制度与路径，以及今世旅程的给养。

The Qur’ān is the Book of Islam. It is the soul and raison d’être of the Islamic mission. It is the backbone and edifice of its existence. It is its guardian and protector; its expression and manifestation; its constitution and way of life. Once all is said and done, the Qur’ān is the fountain, and the reference point, from which Islam and Muslims draw the ways and means of their actions, their systems and approach, and the provisions for their journey in this life.

然而,除非我们在内心深处理解到,《古兰经》是向一个真实存在于现实生活中的活生生的群体所发出的,否则我们与《古兰经》之间将始终横亘着一道巨大的鸿沟。它针对的是该群体生活中的真实处境,并与地球上真实形态的人类生活相互作用。它是人类灵魂内部一场宏大斗争的主要因素,这场斗争发生在我们星球的某个特定地域;那是一场充满变化、激情与回应的斗争。

However, a vast chasm will continue to separate us from the Qur’ān unless we understand deep down in our consciousness that the Qur’ān was addressed to a living community that existed in real life. It dealt with genuine situations in the life of that community and interacted with human life in its true manifestation on this earth. It was the main factor in a tremendous battle within the human soul that took place on a specific part of our planet; a battle that teemed with changes, passions and responses.

只要我们诵读或聆听《古兰经》时，把它当作一组虚幻的宗教颂诗，与人这一存在所面对的日常现实、与我们所称的穆斯林群体的现实完全脱节，我们的心与《古兰经》之间的这道鸿沟就会持续存在。这些经文是为了面向有生命的灵魂、切实的现实与事件而降示的，具有真实的意义。它们确实以有效而有力的方式引导了这些灵魂、现实与事件，在人类生活总体上，尤其是在穆斯林群体的生活中，带来了一种具有特定characteristics的、切实可感的现实状况。

This divide between our hearts and the Qur’ān will continue to exist as long as we recite or listen to it as though it were a collection of fanciful religious hymns, totally disassociated from the realities of daily life facing this being we call man, and this community we call Muslims. These verses were revealed to address living souls, actual realities and events, with real meaning. They did indeed guide those souls, realities and events in an effective and vigorous manner, bringing forth a particular tangible situation with particular characteristics in man’s life, in general, and in the life of the Muslim community, in particular.

《古兰经》的独特奇迹在于：它的降示是为了应对某一特定人类群体的实际经历，发生在历史上某个确定而有限的时刻。它曾带领那一群体投入一场影响人类全部历史进程的重大战役。尽管如此，《古兰经》至今仍为我们提供生活所需的能力与才具，仿佛它此时此刻正在降示一般，用以组织穆斯林共同体的事务，并引导其持续对抗普遍存在的全球性愚昧。它依然带领穆斯林与自己的灵魂和良知搏斗，其精神之坚定与脚踏实地，与千百年前所展现的一般无二。

The Qur’ān’s distinctive miracle lies in the fact that it was revealed to deal with the actual experience of a particular human community, at a specific and finite time in history. It led that community in a momentous battle that was to change the whole history of mankind. That notwithstanding, the Qur’ān continues to provide us with the competence and the capability to live life today, as though it were being revealed at this very moment to organise the affairs of the Muslim community, and its ongoing struggle against pervasive universal ignorance. It continues to lead Muslims in their struggle with their own souls and conscience and with the same vigour and down-to- earth spirit it displayed so long ago.

为了让我们今天能够领会《古兰经》的穿透力，感受其内在的活力，并接受它为历代穆斯林所传达的指引，我们需要设想最早接受《古兰经》的那一代穆斯林的真实面貌。我们需要看到那一代穆斯林如何过着日常生活，如何面对麦地那和阿拉伯半岛各地的事件与局势，如何应对敌人与盟友，如何与自身的私欲和情欲搏斗。《古兰经》的降示，正是为了应对这一切，并伴随穆斯林共同体进行他们最伟大的战役——与自己灵魂的战斗，与那些在麦地那、麦加及周边地区乃至更远之处伺机进攻的敌人的战斗。

In order for us, today, to capture the Qur’ān’s penetrating power, appreciate its latent vitality and receive the guidance it conveys to Muslims in every generation, we need to visualise the true nature of the earliest Muslim generation who received the Qur’ān for the first time. We need to perceive the Muslims of that generation as they went about their daily lives, facing up to events and developments in Madinah and the rest of Arabia, dealing with their enemies as well as their allies, and struggling against their own passions and desires. The Qur’ān was being revealed to deal with all that and to follow the progress of the Muslim community in their greatest battle — with their own souls, with those enemies poised to strike in Madinah, Makkah and the surrounding lands, and even beyond.

诚然，我们应当与那一代开创性的穆斯林共同体同在，从他们纯粹的人性出发去想象他们：他们真实的生活，以及他们身处的人生困境。

Indeed, we have to live with that pioneering community of Muslims and picture them in their downright humanity, their actual life and in their human predicaments.

我们应当思考《古兰经》如何直接引导那一群体的人们，既在他们的日常事务中，也在他们更宏大的全球理想中。我们要看到《古兰经》如何一步一步地牵着那些穆斯林的手：他们跌倒又站起，偏离又回归正道，软弱又抵抗，受苦又忍耐，缓慢而艰辛地向上攀登，奋斗并坚持不懈，展现出他们全部的人性特征，他们的弱点与能力。

We ought to reflect on how the Qur’ān guided that community directly in their daily affairs as well as in their greater global aspirations. We have to see how the Qur’ān led those Muslims by the hand, step by step, as they stumbled and rose, deviated and returned to the true path, weakened and resisted, as they suffered and endured, as they climbed upwards slowly and painfully, striving and persevering, showing all their human characteristics, their weaknesses and capabilities.

这样，我们便能感受到，《古兰经》正以与早期穆斯林群体完全相同的方式在对我们说话。我们可以认识到，我们在自身中所看到、所认识、所感受到的那种人类的特质，同样能够回应《古兰经》，并沿着同一条正道，从其指引中获益。

In this way, we can feel that we are being addressed by the Qur’ān in exactly the same manner as that earlier Muslim community. We can realise that the humanity whose attributes we see and know and feel within ourselves is also capable of responding to the Qur’ān and benefiting from its guidance along the same true path.

因此,我们会发现,《古兰经》不仅在那个穆斯林群体的生活中发挥着积极作用,也在我们自己的生活中发挥着作用。我们会感到,《古兰经》今天与我们同在,明天也将与我们同在。它不仅仅是一些赞美诗或空洞的仪式,与我们不断变化的现实相距遥远;它也不是某种已经过去并被遗忘的历史记录,失去了效力,不再具有与人类生活相互作用的动态能力。

Thus, we will find the Qur’ān actively working in the life of that Muslim community, but also working in our own lives as well. We will feel that as the Qur’ān is here with us today, so will it be with us tomorrow. It is not merely hymns or hollow rituals, far- removed from our changing reality; nor is it some historic record that has passed and been forgotten, having lost its efficacy and dynamic ability to interact with human life.

《古兰经》是一个具有永恒存在的实在，与宇宙本身的存在相似；宇宙是真主可见的“书”，而《古兰经》则是真主被诵读的“书”。

The Qur’ān is a reality with a perpetual existence akin to that of the cosmos itself; the cosmos being God’s visual “book” while the Qur’ān is God’s recited “book”.

每一部书都是对造物主的见证与证明，也是世间的一股力量。宇宙持续运行，履行造物主为它所定的职能：太阳沿着它的轨道运行，尽其本分；月亮、地球以及一切星辰行星也是如此，不受时间流逝或其在宇宙中作用变化的阻碍。同样，《古兰经》已经履行了它对人类的职能，并以其原始形式继续存在。同样，就人的真实品性与本来天性而言，人并未改变。《古兰经》是真主传给人类的讯息。它是不变的，因为尽管人周围发生了种种变化，尽管他与这些变化之间相互影响，人并没有改变，也没有变成另一种存在。《古兰经》所针对的，是人的根本本性和原始天性，而这些始终如一。它能够指引今天和未来的人类生活，因为它注定如此。这是因为它是真主最后的、终极的讯息，而人的天性，如同物质宇宙一样，是恒常而富有活力、却永不改变的。

Each book is a testimony and a witness to the Creator, and a force in the world. The universe continues to move and fulfil the functions ordained for it by its Creator: the sun moves in its orbit and performs its role, as do the moon, the earth and all the stars and planets, unhindered by the passing of time or the changes affecting their role in the universe. Similarly, the Qur’ān has fulfilled its role towards humanity, and continues to exist in its original form. Likewise, as far as his true character and original nature are concerned, man has not changed. The Qur’ān is God’s message to man. It is immutable because, despite the changes that may have taken place around him and despite the mutual effect between him and those changes, man has not changed or become a different being. The Qur’ān addresses man’s basic being and his original nature which have remained the same. It is capable of guiding human life today and in the future because it is destined so to do. That is because it is God’s last and final message and because human nature, like that of the physical universe, is constant and dynamic but never changing.

如果有人把太阳描述为“陈旧”或“反动”，因此主张应当用一颗新的、更“进步”的恒星来取代它，那岂不是很可笑吗？

Would it not be laughable if the sun, for instance, were described as old or “reactionary” and hence it should be replaced by a new and more “progressive” star?

同样地,把人视为陈旧、“反动”的存在,并主张用某种更“开明”的存在来取代他、统治世界,这难道不也是可笑的吗?

Similarly, is it not also laughable for man to be considered antiquated and “reactionary” and his replacement by some other more “enlightened” being to rule the world be argued for?

这样说对《古兰经》而言同样荒谬，它是真主给人类的最后、最终的启示。

It would also be ludicrous to say the same with regard to the Qur’ān, God’s last and final message to mankind.

本章所探讨的这一章经文,涵盖了穆斯林在麦地那历史上一段充满活力的时期。这段时期始于伊斯兰历第二年(公元622年)著名的白德尔之战结束之后,一直延续到一年后的乌候德之战的余波。它描述了这一时期事件的背景与氛围,《古兰经》对该社群生活的影响,以及它如何与当时的各种状况相互作用,涉及社会生活的方方面面。

The sūrah under examination here covers a lively period in the history of the Muslims in Madinah, extending from the end of the famous Battle of Badr, in the second year of Hijrah (622 CE), to the aftermath of the Battle of Uĥud, a year later. It describes the circumstances and the atmosphere surrounding the events of that period, the impact of the Qur’ān on the life of that community, and how it interacted with the prevailing conditions, across all walks of life.

《古兰经》文本的力量与生命力，将那一时期的景象、社群的生活，以及包围这种生活的种种互动与处境，清晰地呈现在我们眼前。它深入穆斯林的良知，探索他们内心深处的思想、情感与感受，以至于读者能够像那个社群的成员一样，感受到那些事件。若闭上双眼，人便可能开始看见——正如我所见——那些穆斯林在日常生活中来来往往，面带笑容、神态安详，而敌人却潜伏在四周。那些敌人密谋策划、散布谎言与猜疑、怀恨在心，并集结力量与穆斯林交战：起初在乌候德战役中他们击败了穆斯林，但之后又重新集结，给穆斯林造成了沉重的损失。人们可以想象战场上的每一个动作与每一项行动，以及随之而来的每一种内在或外在的情绪与反应。人们也可以看见《古兰经》降示，用以对抗阴谋与诡计、驳斥谎言与指控、增强穆斯林的士气、巩固穆斯林的地位、引导穆斯林的精神与思想、评论事件与行为并从中汲取恰当的教训、确立和阐明各种概念，提醒穆斯林警惕狡诈敌人的背叛与欺骗，并为他们在前方荆棘、荨麻与陷阱之中指明开明而明智的道路。

The force and vitality of the Qur’ānic text brings into sharp focus the images of that period, the life of the community, and the interactions and circumstances in which that life was engulfed. It penetrates deep into the Muslims’ consciences, exploring their innermost thoughts, feelings and sensibilities; so much so that the reader feels those events in the same way that members of that community experienced them. If one closes one’s eyes, one may begin to see — as I have seen — those Muslims going about their daily lives, hither and thither, with their smiling faces and serenity, but with enemies lurking all around. Those enemies were conspiring, spreading lies and suspicion, harbouring grudges, and rallying their forces for combat with the Muslims, for them to be defeated initially at Uĥud, but later to re-group and inflict heavy losses upon the Muslims. One can picture every movement and every action that took place on the battlefield, and every inner or outward emotion and reaction that accompanied it. One can see the Qur’ān being revealed to counteract the conspiracy and the intrigue, to refute the lies and the allegations, to strengthen Muslim morale and bolster the Muslim position, to direct Muslim spirit and thoughts, to comment on events and actions and draw appropriate lessons, to establish and clarify concepts, to alert the Muslims to the treachery and deceit of their scheming enemies, and to provide them with an enlightened and judicious lead through the thorns, nettles and traps laid in their path.

此外,本章所包含的训诫与劝勉是永恒且普遍的,不受时间、地点或环境的限制。本章所针对的是人的灵魂、穆斯林群体——包括当今及未来的——以及全人类,仿佛它正在此时此刻降示一般。它论及当代的问题与现实的境况,因为它所论及的是情感与精神层面的问题、事件与感受,仿佛这些在本章的语境之中早已被纳入考虑。事实上,它们本已被纳入全知之主——那位对万事有完全了解的真主的总体安排之中。

Beyond that, the directives and exhortations contained in this sūrah remain eternal and universal, not restricted by time, place, or circumstance. The sūrah addresses the human soul and the Muslim community — today and in the future — and the whole of mankind, as though it is being revealed at this very moment. It deals with contemporary issues and current situations, because it deals with emotional and spiritual issues, events and feelings as though these were already taken into account within the context of the sūrah. Indeed, they would have been taken into account in the overall scheme of God, the omniscient, who has full knowledge of everything.

由此可见,《古兰经》是伊斯兰教在任何地方、任何时代的指路明灯。无论是哪一代穆斯林,它都是他们的生活准则,是他们世世代代前行路上的灯塔。因为它是真主在各个时代传给人类的最后且最终的启示。

Thus, it becomes clear that the Qur’ān is the guiding light of Islam everywhere and at all times. It is the life code for every generation of Muslims whoever they may be, and their beacon along the way, century after century. For, it is God’s last and final message to mankind in all ages.

在本章启示之时,穆斯林社群已开始在他们的新家园麦地那定居。麦地那是先知穆罕默德ﷺ之城,社群的情况已在我们对第二章《黄牛章》的导言中有所描述(第一卷,第9至16页)。

At the time of the revelation of this sūrah, the Muslim community began to settle in their new homeland, Madinah, the city of the Prophet Muĥammad (peace be upon him) and had gone some way into the state of affairs already described in our Introduction to sūrah 2, al-Baqarah, or The Cow (Vol. I, pp 9-16).

白德尔战役已经结束,穆斯林在与古莱氏的对抗中蒙受真主赐予的胜利。取得这一胜利时所伴随的种种情形,使人感到其中有"奇迹"。这迫使一些显要人物不得不收敛傲气,放下对伊斯兰的敌意,压制对先知穆罕默德ﷺ的嫉恨与妒忌,从而融入穆斯林群体,尽管他们是出于虚伪。麦地那哈兹拉只部落的显赫人物阿卜杜拉·本·乌拜伊·本·赛鲁勒对此唯一的评论是:"伊斯兰已经在此扎根,它将长存。"他终于承认,伊斯兰已经牢固确立,其发展势不可挡。

The Battle of Badr had already taken place, and the Muslims had been blessed with victory over the Quraysh. The circumstances concomitant with achieving that victory suggested a “miracle”. This forced notable figures such as `Abdullāh ibn Ubayy ibn Salūl, a grand personality of the Khazraj tribe of Madinah, to suppress his pride, put aside his hatred for Islam, and contain his spite and envy towards the Prophet Muĥammad in order to assimilate into the Muslim community, albeit hypocritically. His only comment was: “This, Islam, is here to stay.” He had come to accept that Islam was firmly established and its progress unstoppable.

这就是伪善这一现象的种子在麦地那播下的经过，此后它开始生长并蔓延。在白德尔战役之前，一些亲属已皈依伊斯兰教的人被迫假装不介意；其中一些较为显赫的人甚至假装已经接受伊斯兰教并加入了穆斯林群体，但与此同时，他们仍然怀着怨恨和敌意。他们准备策划对付穆斯林，寻找新生群体结构中的薄弱环节，以削弱穆斯林的力量和团结，满足自己的偏见，并等待合适的时机，如果可能的话，给予最后一击。

This was how the seeds of the phenomenon known as hypocrisy were planted in Madinah, and which began to grow and spread. Before Badr, some people whose relatives had converted to Islam were obliged to pretend not to mind; some of the more prominent of these even pretended to have accepted Islam and joined the Muslim community while, at the same time, they continued to harbour a grudge and animosity. They were ready to scheme against the Muslims and to seek the weaker points in the structure of the new community in order to undermine Muslim ranks and strength, satisfy their own prejudices and await the appropriate moment to strike their final blow, if possible.

伪信者在麦地那的犹太人中找到了天然的盟友,这些犹太人对伊斯兰和先知ﷺ同样怀有怨恨与偏见,甚至更为强烈。

The hypocrites found natural allies among the Jews of Madinah who had a similar or even stronger grudge and prejudices of their own towards Islam and the Prophet.

伊斯兰教对麦地那阿拉伯人中犹太人的地位构成了真正而严峻的威胁。它剥夺了他们挑拨麦地那两大阿拉伯部落奥斯人与海兹拉季人之间怨恨和分裂的唯一理由。

Islam had posed a real and formidable threat to the status of the Jews among the Arabs of Madinah. It deprived them of the one reason they had to cause rancour and division between the two main Arab tribes of Madinah: the Aws and the Khazraj.

该sūrah的第二部分专门论述乌侯德战役，同时也包含有关伊斯兰原则及其世界观的肯定，以及关于如何依照这些原则建立穆斯林群体的命令与劝诫。它生动详尽地回顾了这场战役的事实与经过，以及由此引发的情感与思考。它也极为准确地描绘了当时穆斯林群体的状况及其各个组成部分，正如本导论开头所概述的那样。

The second part of the sūrah deals exclusively with the Uĥud campaign, but also carries affirmations relating to the principles of Islam and its outlook, together with commands and exhortations on how to build the Muslim community on those principles. It reviews the facts and events of the campaign, and the feelings and thoughts generated by it, in vivid detail. It describes most accurately the state of the Muslim community at the time and its various constituents, as outlined at the beginning of this Prologue.

这一节与前一节之间的联系十分清楚。它也关注伊斯兰观念的阐明——在战斗的紧要关头，即刻且果断地阐明。它引导并劝勉穆斯林群体如何坚守信仰，如何承担自己的义务与责任。它向穆斯林讲授关于胜利与失败的神圣律法和准则，补充了他们从实际经验中所获得的教训。

The link between this section and the preceding one is quite clear. It also attends to the articulation of the Islamic outlook — immediately and decisively in the heat of battle. It guides and counsels the Muslim community how to uphold their faith and to take on their obligations and responsibilities. It instructs the Muslims in the Divine rules and criteria regarding victory and defeat, complementing the lessons they had learned from their practical experience.

在这篇总序中，要充分阐述这一段经文的意义几乎是不可能的，但我们会在注释的适当位置再回到这一部分。

It is hardly possible, in this general Prologue, to do justice to this section of the sūrah, but we shall return to it at the appropriate point in the commentary.

sūrah 的最后一段对全篇的主要主题作了总结。它首先提到物质世界，即真主所观察的经典，以及它对信道之心的激励作用。接着是一段平和流畅的祈祷，代表那些信道的心灵而诵，以真主“所观察的经典”作为恰当的背景。经文说：“在天地的创造中，以及黑夜与白昼的更替中，确有许多迹象，昭示给有理智的人。他们站立时、坐着时、躺卧时都记念真主，并思索天地的创造：‘我们的主啊！你没有徒然创造这一切。赞美你超绝万物！求你保护我们，免受火刑。我们的主啊！你使谁入火狱，谁就确已蒙受凌辱；不义者必无助手。我们的主啊！我们听见一位招人信道的人在招呼：“你们当信仰你们的主。”我们就信仰了。我们的主啊！求你赦宥我们的罪过，涂除我们的过失，并使我们与善良的人同死。我们的主啊！求你赐给我们你借众使者应许我们的，在复活日不要使我们蒙受凌辱，你确是不违背应许的。’”（3:190-194）

The final section of the sūrah provides a summary of its main themes. It begins with a revealing reference to the physical world, God’s observed book, and its inspiring effect on believing hearts. It continues with a serene and flowing invocation on behalf of those faithful hearts, recited with God’s ‘observed book’ as a fitting backdrop. It says: “In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the succession of night and day, there are indeed signs for men endowed with insight, who remember God when they stand, sit and lie down, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: ‘Our Lord, You have not created all this in vain. Limitless are You in Your glory. Guard us, then, against the torment of the fire. Our Lord, him whom You shall commit to the fire, You will have condemned to disgrace. The evildoers shall have none to help them. Our Lord, we have heard the voice of one who calls to faith, [saying], “Believe in your Lord, “and we have believed. Our Lord, forgive us then our sins and efface our bad deeds and let us die with the truly virtuous. Our Lord, grant us what You have promised us through Your Messengers and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection. Surely, You never fail to fulfil Your promise.’” (Verses 190-4)