这是出于真主的恩典，你才对他们温和。假如你粗暴而心肠刚硬，他们必定会离你而去。所以你应当饶恕他们，为他们祈求宽恕，并在公共事务上与他们协商。

It is by God’s grace that you deal gently with them. Had you been harsh and hard- hearted, they would surely have broken away from you. Therefore, pardon them and pray for them to be forgiven and consult with them in the conduct of public affairs.

当你下定决心做某件事时，就要信靠真主。真主喜爱信靠祂的人。（第159节）

When you have resolved about a course of action, put your trust in God. God loves those who put their trust in Him. (Verse 159)

在该章对乌候德战役的注释中，以及穆斯林群体和其他群体对战役前后事态发展的态度中，有几节经文谈到了真主的使者穆罕默德ﷺ的崇高品格，以及他的先知身份对穆斯林群体生活的重要意义。这显示了真主赐予穆斯林群体的诸多恩典。虽然以下经文的主题是先知的品格，但其中某些句子也阐明了伊斯兰教组织穆斯林群体的方法、这种组织的基础，以及伊斯兰哲学的一些基本要素及其对人类生活整体的重要性。

In the course of the sūrah’s commentary on the Battle of Uĥud and the attitudes of the Muslim community and other groups towards the way events developed both prior to and during that battle, a few verses are included about the noble personality of Muĥammad, God’s Messenger (pbuh) and the importance of his status as a Prophet to the life of the Muslim community. This demonstrates much of the grace God has bestowed on the Muslim community. While the Prophet’s personality is the known theme of the following verses, certain lines also explain the Islamic method in organising the Muslim community, the basis of this organisation, as well as some basic elements of Islamic philosophy and its importance to human life generally.

我们可以体会到神圣恩典的一个重要方面，它体现在先知崇高的道德品格和优美的仪态之中。他性情平易、温和、宽厚、富有慈悲，这使人们心生亲近，并在他们之间建立起真挚的情谊。在这段简短的经文中，我们还能发现穆斯林共同体生活所依据的基本原则，即协商治理。这里有一道明确的命令，要求实行这一协商原则。值得注意的是，这一命令是在协商似乎带来了痛苦后果的时候下达的。与协商治理的原则相伴的，是坚定决断的原则，即在协商之后，毫不犹豫地执行已经作出的决定。在这两项原则之上，又加上最为重要的价值，即对神的信靠。这三项原则在理念、实践和组织上形成了清晰的相互补充。此外，这段经文阐明了神的旨意与前定的实质：一切事务始于祂，又归于祂。祂的旨意在主宰事件的进程和决定结果方面至高无上。这段经文还告诫人们防止背叛和贪婪，并区分那些顺从神所喜悦之事的人与那些招致祂震怒的人。这为衡量得失提供了一个标准。最后，这段经文强调神赐予这个民族的伟大恩典，即先知所传达的使命。与这一恩典相比，其他一切都显得如此微不足道，一切苦难也都可以轻易忍受。

We can appreciate the great aspect of Divine grace represented by the high moral standards of the Prophet and his fine manners. He had an easy, gentle, lenient and compassionate nature, which attracted people and established real bonds among them. We also find in this short passage the basic principle governing the life of the Muslim community, namely, consultative government. We have here a clear order to implement this principle of consultation. It is worthy of note that this order is given at a time when consultation appears to have led to bitter consequences. Coupled with the principle of consultative government is that of firm resolution, of implementing, without hesitation, whatever has been decided after consultation. To these two principles is added the most important value of placing our trust in God. There is a distinct conceptual, practical and organisational complementarity provided by these three principles. Moreover, the essence of God’s will and predestination is explained here. All matters start with Him and return to Him. His will is supreme in conducting events and determining results. The passage also warns against treachery and greed, and distinguishes between those who follow what pleases God and those who incur His wrath. This provides a criterion with which to evaluate gains and losses. The passage concludes by emphasising the great bounty God has bestowed on this nation in the form of the message conveyed by the Prophet. Compared to this bounty, everything else appears so small and all suffering can easily be tolerated.

“请与他们协商处理公共事务。”这一明确的命令体现了一项独特的原则：该原则是伊斯兰政治制度的根基，甚至在穆罕默德本人——真主的使者ﷺ——亲自主持公共事务的情况下，它依然得以确立。因此，这是一项确定无疑的表述，使穆斯林社群毫无疑问地认识到：协商是伊斯兰治理的核心。缺少了协商，任何制度都称不上真正的伊斯兰制度。协商采取何种形式、该原则如何落实，可以根据任何特定伊斯兰社会的现实条件加以调整。只要能确保协商是切实践行而非流于形式的，任何形式和机制都为伊斯兰所接受。

We have here a distinctive order: “Consult with them on the conduct of public affairs.” This principle, which is basic to the Islamic system of government, is established here, even when Muĥammad himself, God’s Messenger, is the one who conducts public affairs. This is, then, a definitive statement which leaves the Muslim community in no doubt that consultation is central to Islamic government. Without it, no system is truly Islamic. What form this consultation takes and how the principle is implemented are matters which can be adapted to the prevailing conditions of any particular Islamic society. Any forms and mechanisms which ensure that consultation is really, not superficially, practised are acceptable to Islam.

“协商处理公共事务”这一明确的命令，是在协商似乎带来了不良结果的时候，由真主向先知下达的。从表面看，在通往伍侯德战役的事件中，穆斯林之间出现的分裂正是由协商造成的。回顾一下：一派主张穆斯林留在麦地那，在那里可以轻易地击退任何敌人的进攻；另一派则主张出城迎战不信道者。这种分裂在敌人已经兵临麦地那城下时表现得十分明显：阿卜杜拉·本·乌拜伊·本·赛鲁勒带领多达三分之一的军队撤离。此外，为保卫麦地那而采取的方案，从军事角度看似乎也不是最稳妥的，它与过往的经验相悖。然而，穆斯林在随后的战役中采取了相反的策略：留守麦地那，并在城外挖掘壕沟。由此可见，他们从伍侯德的教训中获益了。

The decisive order, “consult with them on the conduct of public affairs” is issued by God to the Prophet at a time when consultation appears to have produced bitter results. Appearances suggested that it was due to consultation that disunity crept in among the Muslims during the events leading to the Battle of Uĥud. By way of a reminder, one group wanted the Muslims to stay in Madinah, where they could easily repel any enemy attacks. Another group wanted to fight the unbelievers outside the city. The resulting disunity was clearly apparent when `Abdullāh ibn Ubayy ibn Salūl withdrew with no less than one-third of the army, when the enemy was knocking at the gates of Madinah. Moreover, the plan adopted for the defence of Madinah did not appear to be the most sound from a military point of view. It was at variance with what had been learnt from past experience. The Muslims did, however adopt the opposite strategy in the following battle, staying in Madinah and digging a moat around it. Thus, they showed that they had benefited by the lessons of Uĥud.

先知本人并非不知道出城可能带来的严重后果。作为先知,他的梦境总是应验的。他曾在梦中见到自己家中某人将被杀害,也见到若干圣门弟子将在战场上殉难。他还说,这个梦表明麦地那犹如一座坚不可摧的堡垒。在这种情况下,他本有权推翻基于协商所做的决定。然而,他还是选择遵从这一决定,因为在实践中确立协商这一根本原则,并让穆斯林集体通过实施它而吸取沉痛的教训,比避免暂时的挫折更为重要。

The Prophet himself was not unaware of the serious consequences which would result from moving out. As a prophet, whose dreams always came true, he had seen in a dream that one of his own household would be killed, and that a number of his Companions would fall in battle. He also said that the dream indicated that Madinah was akin to an impregnable fortress. Under the circumstances, he was entitled to overturn the decision made on the basis of consultation. However, he preferred to go ahead with that decision because the practical establishment of the fundamental principle of consultation, and allowing the Muslim community to learn hard lessons through its implementation, was more important than avoiding temporary setbacks.

为了说明信靠真主的含义,该章经文明确指出,决定胜负的力量属于真主。援助应当向他寻求,借着他的帮助才能避免失败。信士们做好准备,调动了他们所能调集的一切力量之后,便转而求助于真主,完全依靠他,并且认识到自己无权决定结果。决定结局的是真主的旨意:"如果真主助你们,就没有人能战胜你们;如果他弃你们而去,那么,在他之后,谁能帮助你们呢?信士们应当信靠真主。"(第160节)

In order to explain what placing one’s trust in God means, the sūrah clearly states that the power which determines victory or defeat is God’s. It is from Him that support should be sought and through His help defeat is avoided. Once the believers have made their preparations and mobilised all the forces they can muster, they turn to God for help, rely fully on Him and recognise that they have no say in determining the consequences. It is God’s will that determines the outcome: “If God helps you, none can overcome you; but if He should forsake you, then who is it that can help you beside Him? It is in God that the believers should place their trust.” (Verse 160)

伊斯兰的生命观体现了一种完美的平衡:一方面肯定真主的意志在塑造一切事件中是绝对的,另一方面又肯定这种意志是通过人自身的行为而发挥作用的。真主的自然律在一切事务中确立了因果关系,但原因并不会引发结果。真正起作用的力量是真主的,祂依照自己的意志,以原因为基础决定结果。随后,祂要求人努力工作,履行职责,承担义务。真主根据人履行责任的程度来决定结果。

The Islamic concept of life demonstrates the perfect balance between asserting that God’s will is absolute in shaping all events and that it comes into operation through man’s own actions. The Divine law of nature establishes a cause and effect relationship in all matters, but causes do not initiate effects. The operative force is that of God, Who determines effects on the basis of causes according to His will. He then requires man to work hard, fulfil his duties, and meet his obligations. It is in relation to how far man discharges his responsibility that God determines the results.

这意味着，结果和后果始终取决于真主的意志，因为只有祂能按照祂所愿的时间和方式使其成为现实。由此，穆斯林的基本信念与其行为之间便建立起一种平衡。他竭尽全力地工作，并且知道行为的结果取决于真主的意志。在他看来，因果关系中并不存在必然性，因为他不认为真主所做的任何事情是必然的。

This means that results and consequences will always be dependent on God’s will, for it is He alone who brings them into being whenever and however He wills. An equilibrium is thus established between the basic concept of a Muslim and his actions. He works as hard as he can and knows that the results of his actions depend on God’s will. To him, there is no inevitability in the cause and effect relationship, because he does not claim that anything which God does is inevitable.

在一场军事战役及其两种可能结果——胜利或失败——的特定情形中，该章引导穆斯林归于真主的旨意，并提醒他们真主的大能。若真主助他们，则任何力量都不能战胜他们；若真主的助佑不来，则他们将无法找到任何人为他们带来胜利。这是绝对的真理：除真主外，没有任何能力、权能或意志，祂决定一切事件。然而，这一基本真理并不免除穆斯林遵循真主的方法、服从祂的命令、履行自己的义务、竭尽全力，并在此之后单单依靠真主：“信士们应当托靠真主。”（第160节）因此，穆斯林不向真主以外的任何来源寻求任何东西。他与宇宙中运行的主宰之力有着直接的联系，这意味着他不需要任何其他来源的帮助或庇护。他完全依靠真主，按照祂的智慧促成事件与结果。至于他自己，则以完全的安心接受真主所定的一切。这是一种圆满的福乐，唯有通过伊斯兰才能获得，别无他途。

In the particular case of a military battle and its two possible results, victory or defeat, the sūrah refers Muslims to God’s will and reminds them of His might. If God helps them, then they cannot be overcome by any force, and if His help is not forthcoming, then they will not be able to find anyone to bring them victory. This is the absolute truth: there is no ability, power or will other than those of God, Who determines all events. This basic truth, however, does not exempt Muslims from following God’s method, obeying His directives and fulfilling their obligations, exerting all efforts and relying, after all that, on God alone: “It is in God that the believers should put their trust.” (Verse 160) Thus, a Muslim does not seek anything from any source other than God. He has a direct relationship with the operative power in the universe, which means that he is in no need of help or protection from any other source. He relies totally on God to bring about events and results according to His wisdom. As for him, he accepts what God determines with total reassurance. This is a perfect bliss which no human being can experience except through Islam.

在渴望分享战利品的心态之下——正是这种心态直接导致了乌侯德战役的失败，也是普遍的不诚实之源——本章强调了信士必须专注的正确价值观：“追求真主喜悦的人，岂能与招致真主震怒、以火狱为归宿的人相比呢？那是多么恶劣的归宿啊！”（第162节）

Within the framework of keenness to have a share in the spoils of war, which was the direct cause of the defeat at Uĥud, and dishonesty in general, the sūrah underlines the proper values, on which a believer’s attention must be focused: “Can he who strives after God’s pleasure be compared to one who has incurred God’s wrath and whose abode is hell? How evil such a goal is.” (Verse 162)

毫无疑问，真主的喜悦是值得追求的至高奖赏，能否获得它，决定了一个人的努力是有益的，还是以彻底的亏损告终。追求真主的喜悦直至获得它的人，与最终招致真主的不悦、通向火狱的人之间，差距是巨大的。两者在真主面前的地位截然不同："他们在真主那里有不同的品级。"（第163节）每个人都是凭自己的所为赢得其地位的，这意味着不存在偏袒，也没有人受到不公："真主洞察他们所做的一切。"（第163节）

There is no doubt that God’s pleasure is the prize to be coveted, and the winning of which determines whether one’s efforts are profitable or end in utter loss. The gulf is great between the one who pursues God’s pleasure until he wins it and the one who ends up incurring God’s displeasure, which leads him to hell. The two have greatly different standings with God: “They have different standings in God’s sight.” (Verse 163) Each actually earns his position, which means that there is no favouritism and none is wronged: “God sees all that they do.” (Verse 163)

本段经文以对先知人格、其使命的提及作结，并说明这是真主赐予信士的一大恩典："真主确已恩赐信士们，从他们中间派遣了一位使者，向他们宣读他的启示，净化他们，教授他们天经和智慧；而在此以前，他们确是处于明显的迷误之中。"（第164节）

This part of the sūrah concludes with a reference back to the personality of God’s Messenger, his message, and the fact that it represents a great favour bestowed by God on the believers: “Indeed, God bestowed a favour on the believers when He sent them a messenger from among themselves, to recite to them His revelations, and to purify them, and teach them the book and wisdom, whereas before that they were surely in plain error.” (Verse 164)

这段话清楚地强调了先知在建立穆斯林群体、塑造、教育并引导其脱离迷误、成为一个拥有知识、智慧与纯洁的民族方面所起的作用。《古兰经》塑造穆斯林群体的一贯方式是：这一提及是在乌侯德战役所遭受的失败、痛苦与损失的语境中作出的。与真主派遣使者给人类带来的伟大恩典相比，一切世俗的所得，乃至世间所有的财富，以及穆斯林可能被要求承受的一切苦难与牺牲，都显得微不足道。

This reference to the Prophet’s role in bringing the Muslim community into existence, and in moulding, educating and leading it out of a state of error to become a nation endowed with knowledge, wisdom and purity is clearly emphasised. It is typical of the Qur’ānic method of moulding the Muslim community that this reference is made in the context of defeat, pain, and loss suffered at Uĥud. All worldly gains, indeed all the riches of the world, and all the suffering and sacrifices that the Muslims may be called upon to endure seem very petty compared with the great favour God has done to mankind when He sent them His Messenger.

使者的职责还包括“使他们得到净化”。这种净化触及他们的心灵，影响他们的家庭、荣誉和崇拜，并塑造他们的生活、社群与社会制度。他使他们摆脱一切多神信仰、偶像崇拜和迷信的痕迹，以及与之相关的一切，包括不配人类的仪式、习惯和传统。由此，人类的生活得以清除无明的一切痕迹，及其对价值观、原则和社会传统的影响。

The role of the Messenger is also “to purify them”. This purification touches their hearts, affects their homes, honour and worship, and characterises their lives, community and social systems. He purges them of all traces of polytheism, idol worship, and superstition and all that is associated with these, of rituals, habits and traditions which are unworthy of man. Human life is thus purged of all traces of ignorance and its effects on values, principles and social traditions.

每一个蒙昧的社会，包括当时的阿拉伯人，都有其自身的种种恶行。圣人的堂兄贾法尔·本·艾比·塔利卜在向阿比西尼亚的统治者尼格斯陈述时，曾指出了这些恶行。一些穆斯林曾在阿比西尼亚寻求庇护，但古莱氏派出使团，要求其统治者将他们引渡回去。尼格斯召见了这些穆斯林难民，让他们陈述理由。他们的发言人贾法尔作了如下陈述：

Every type of ignorant community, including the Arabs at that time, entertained its own evil aspects. These evils were highlighted by Ja`far ibn Abī Ţālib, a cousin of the Prophet, when he addressed Negus, the ruler of Abyssinia. A number of Muslims had sought refuge in Abyssinia, but the Quraysh sent a delegation which requested its ruler to extradite them. He called in the Muslim refugees to put their case. Their spokesman, Ja`far, made his statement in the following terms:

“我们曾是愚昧的人，拜偶像，吃死物，犯下各种可耻的罪行，断绝与亲属的往来，对邻居不善，强者侵夺弱者的权利。我们一直处于这种状态，直到神从我们中间派遣了一位使者来，他因良好的家世、诚实、忠厚和正直而为我们所知。他号召我们只崇拜神，不以任何事物与祂并列，抛弃我们和祖先除神之外所崇拜的石头和雕像。他命令我们说话诚实，为人忠厚，善待亲属和邻居，戒除罪恶，不相互残杀。他禁止我们一切形式的淫乱、伪证、吞占孤儿的财产，以及诬陷贞洁妇女通奸。他吩咐我们只崇拜神，不以任何事物与祂并列，谨守拜功，施舍天课（zakāt），并斋戒。” 在蒙昧时期的阿拉伯，还有另一种恶俗，先知的妻子阿伊莎在叙述两性关系时描述了它。这段记载见于布哈里的《圣训实录》，即先知圣训中最可靠的辑录：“蒙昧时代，男女之间的关系有四种。其中一种与今天的婚姻关系相同：男子向另一个男子的女儿或他监护下的某个女孩求婚，支付聘礼后娶她为妻。第二种是，丈夫在妻子月经结束后对她说：‘你去找某某……’（他点名某人），并与他同房怀孕。丈夫自己则停止与她同房，直到她明显怀上了他所指定之人的孩子。待她怀孕临近分娩，丈夫若愿意，才可再与她同房。他之所以采用这种方法，是因为想要一个血统优良的儿子。” 第三种形式是：若干个男人（少于十人）共同与同一个女人发生性关系，他们每个人都与她同房。如果她怀孕并生下孩子，她会在分娩后几天派人请他们来到她那里。他们中没有一个人能够缺席那次聚会。她会对他们说："你们都知道我们之间发生过什么。现在我已经生下了孩子，这个孩子是……的儿子。"她可以选择她喜欢的任何人作为父亲，那人不能否认这个孩子。 第四种是卖淫。任何数量的男人都可以与一个女人交往，而她不会拒绝来找她的任何人。妓女习惯在门上挂某种旗帜，以表明她欢迎任何男人。如果这样的妓女生下孩子，人们会为她凑钱，并请来一位相面师来判断这个孩子的父亲。随后，这个孩子就以那个没有拒绝认领他的男人的名字来命名。 这种卑劣、下贱的状况不需要任何评论。只要想象一个男人把妻子送到另一个男人那里去怀孕，就像他为了良种而把母骆驼、母马或其他牲畜送去配种一样，这就足够了。只要想象若干个男人（少于十人）与同一个女人发生关系，然后允许她从中选择一人作为孩子的父亲，这也就足够了。至于卖淫，各地的情况都一样。然而，在这个特定的例子中，妓女所生的孩子以某个通奸者的名字命名。他并不以此为耻，也不否认这个孩子。若不是伊斯兰教及其纯洁的原则，阿拉伯人恐怕还会继续生活在这样的污秽之中。

“We have been ignorant people who worshipped idols, ate carrion, committed all gross indecencies, severed relations with our kinsfolk, were unkind to our neighbours, and the strong among us usurped the rights of the weak. We continued in this state of affairs until God sent us a Messenger from among ourselves, who was known to us in respect of his good family position, and truthfulness, honesty and integrity. He called upon us to worship God alone, associate no partners with Him, to abandon what we and our forefathers used to worship alongside Him of stones and statues. He has commanded us to be truthful in what we say, honest, kind to our relatives and neighbours, and to refrain from sin and from killing one another. He has forbidden us every aspect of indecency, perjury, devouring what belongs to orphans, and accusing chaste women of committing adultery. He has bidden us to worship God alone, associate no partners with Him, attend to our Prayers, spend in charity [zakāt], and fast.” Another aspect of the evil customs that prevailed in ignorant Arabia is described by `Ā’ishah, the Prophet’s wife, as she gives this account of relations between the sexes. This report is given in Al-Bukhārī’s Şaĥīh, the most authentic collection of the Prophet’s hadīths: “There were four types of relations between men and women in the days of ignorance. One of these was the same as the marital relationships of today: a man may make a proposal of marriage to another man’s daughter or some other girl in his charge. He pays her a dower and marries her. A second type was that a man said to his wife after she finishes her menstrual period: ‘Go to so and so ... [he names a certain man] and get pregnant by him.’ He himself stops having intercourse with her until she is manifestly pregnant by the man he named. When she becomes heavy with the child, her husband may have intercourse with her if he so desires. He resorts to this method because of his desire to have a son of superior blood. A third form is that a number of men, less than ten, shared the same woman, every one of them having intercourse with her. If she got pregnant and gave birth to a child, she sent to them asking them to come over to her a few days after delivery. None of them could absent himself from that meeting. She would say to them: ‘You are aware of what has passed between us. Now that I have given birth to a child, this child is the son of ....’ She chose whoever she fancied to be the father. He could not disown that child. The fourth type was that of prostitution. Any number of men may associate with a woman who would not refuse anyone who came to her. Prostitutes used to put some sort of a flag on their doors, to indicate that they welcomed any man. If such a prostitute gave birth to a child, they collected some money for her and they called in a physiognomist to determine the father of that child. The child was then named after that man who did not decline to claim it.” This contemptible, derogatory state of affairs needs no comment. It is sufficient to imagine a man sending his wife to another man to get pregnant by him, in the same way as he sends his female camel or horse or other animal for good breeding. It is sufficient to imagine a number of men, less than ten, having intercourse with the same woman and then allowing her to choose one of them to be the father of her child. As for prostitution, it is the same everywhere. In this particular case, however, the child born to a prostitute is named after a particular adulterer. He finds no disgrace in this and does not disclaim the child. Had it not been for Islam and its purifying principles, the Arabs would have continued to live in such squalor.

所有建立在无知于真主之上的制度，都有其弊端与堕落的做法。

All systems based on ignorance of God have their evils and debased practices.

在伊斯兰前的阿拉伯，最突出的其中一种现象是偶像崇拜，正如纳德维所描述的那样：

Perhaps the most prominent among these in pre-Islamic Arabia was idol-worship as described by Nadwī:

在伊斯兰教降临之前的阿拉伯人中，对至高天命的信仰已经变得十分微弱。这种信仰仅存于少数人之中，而大多数人所信奉的则是赤裸裸的偶像崇拜。最初被引入、用作敬拜媒介的偶像，后来竟被抬升到神性的地位。人们口头上仍然尊崇那位超越万物的真主，但在内心深处，却供奉着众多神明，设法博取它们的欢心，避免它们的震怒。

The belief in an overruling Providence had grown very feeble among them (the Arabs of pre-Islamic days). It was confined to a select few, while the religion of the great mass of them was gross idolatry. The idols that had originally been introduced to serve as devotional media had become elevated to the status of divinity. Homage was still paid to one transcendent God, but only verbally; in their hearts a host of deities were enthroned, whose goodwill they sought to propitiate, and displeasure avert.

每个部落、城市和地方都有自己的神。Al-Kalbī曾记载，麦加的每一户人家都有自己的偶像。麦加人出门远行时，离家前的最后一件事是向家族的神祈求庇佑；归来后第一件事则是向它致敬。

Each tribe, city, and locality had its own god. Al-Kalbī has stated that every household in Makkah had its own idol. When a Makkan started on a journey, his last act at home would be to invoke the blessings of the family deity, and the first thing he did on his return was to pay reverence to it.

过去人们竞相收集偶像，争相为它们修建神庙。那些既无力购置偶像、又无力修建神庙的人，便在克尔白前竖立一块石板，并围绕它进行绕行仪式。

People used to vie with one another in collecting idols and constructing temples for them. Those who could afford neither planted a slab of stone in front of the Ka`bah and performed the ritual of circumambulation around it.

这些石头被称为“安萨卜”（ansāb）。正如艾布·里贾厄·欧塔里迪（Abū Rijā’ al-`Uţāridī）的话，见于布哈里（Al-Bukhārī）的《圣训真本》所载：“我们崇拜石头。若我们找到比手中那块更好的石头，就拿起它，丢弃旧的那块。”

Such stones were called ansāb. In the words of Abū Rijā’ al-`Uţāridī, as reported in the Şaĥīh of Al-Bukhārī, “We worshipped stones. When we found a better stone than the one we had, we took it up and threw away the old one.

“在没有石头的地方，我们就堆起一座沙丘，在它上面挤羊奶，然后向它崇拜。”每当旅人在某处停歇，他便会搜集四块石头，崇拜其中最美的一块，另外三块则用来架放锅罐以便烹煮食物。

Where no stones were available, we made a mound of sand, milked a goat over it and worshipped it.” When a traveller halted at a place, he used to collect four stones, worshipped the most beautiful of them and used the other three to rest his pots on for cooking.

“而教导他们经典与智慧。”这节经文所指向的人，在各方面都是不识字的。他们不仅不会读书写字，在智识上也同样蒙昧。按照国际公认的知识标准，他们在各个领域都落后于人。他们所关心的事务，并不利于增进知识。当他们接受这一讯息时，经历了一场伟大的转变，使他们将其传播到世界各地。它赋予了他们极大的智慧。他们成为一种智识与社会哲学的旗手，这种哲学注定要把人类从其陷入的无知深渊中拯救出来。同样的教义，如今也将再次发挥作用，愿真主许可，把人类从当代的无知中再一次拯救出来。这种当代的无知，与过去的各种形式在道德和社会层面上有着相同的特征，它为人类生活设定的目标与宗旨也相同，尽管科学与工业已取得巨大的物质进步，并带来了随之而来的富足。

“And to teach them the book and wisdom.” Those addressed by this verse were illiterate in every sense of the word. Not only did they not read and write, but their illiteracy was intellectual as well. According to international standards of knowledge, they lagged behind in every field. Their preoccupations were not of the sort which encouraged or increased knowledge. When they received this message, they experienced a great transformation which made them pass it on to the rest of the world. It endowed them with great wisdom. They became the standard-bearers of an intellectual and social philosophy which was destined to save humanity from the depths of ignorance into which it had sunk. The same doctrine is about to play its role again, God willing, to save humanity anew from its contemporary ignorance, an ignorance which shares with past forms the same moral and social characteristics, as it sets the same goals and objectives for human life, despite the great material advances of science and industry and the affluence such advances have brought about.

“而在此之前，他们的确处于明显的迷误之中。”他们在观念与信仰、目标与志向、习惯与行为、制度与标准，以及道德与社会价值等方面，都处于迷误之中。这节经文首次向阿拉伯人发出，他们无疑记得自己过去的生活是什么样子，也充分体会到伊斯兰带来的彻底转变。他们明白，若没有伊斯兰，他们绝不可能达到伊斯兰所提升至的那样崇高的标准。这样的转变在人类历史上是绝无仅有的。他们认识到，正是通过伊斯兰，他们才从部落阶段（那时充满了琐碎的计较和狭隘的眼界）直接迈入新境界，不仅成为真正意义上的一个民族，更成为一个引领人类、为人类确立理想与制度的民族。

“Whereas before that they were surely in plain error.” They were certainly in error with regard to concepts and beliefs, goals and objectives, habits and practices, systems and standards, as well as moral and social values. The Arabs, addressed for the first time by this verse, undoubtedly remembered what their lives were like and fully appreciated the total transformation brought about by Islam. They recognised that without Islam they would never have attained the high standards to which Islam elevated them. Such a transformation is totally unique in human history. They recognised that it was through Islam that they moved directly from the tribal stage, with all its petty concerns and narrow-mindedness, to become not merely a nation in the fullest sense of the word, but a nation to lead humanity and to set for it its ideals and systems.

他们认识到，正是通过伊斯兰教，他们才获得了自身的民族特质、文化特质和智识特质。最重要的是，伊斯兰教赋予了他们人性的品格，借着真主的恩典，使他们升至尊荣的地位。他们将整个生活建立在这种尊荣的基础之上，继而将其传播于世界，并教导世界如何尊重人，赋予人真主所授予他的尊荣地位。在这方面，他们是引领者。无论是在阿拉伯，还是在其他任何地方，都没有人走在他们前面。我们此前讨论过的协商式治理，正体现了这一神圣制度的一个方面。

They recognised that only through Islam had they acquired their national, cultural, and intellectual character. Most importantly, Islam gave them their human character, which elevated them to a position of honour through God’s grace. They established their whole life on the basis of this honour and, subsequently, imparted it to the world, and taught it how to respect man and give him the position of honour God has granted him. In this they were the leaders. There was no one ahead of them, not in Arabia, not anywhere. The reference to consultative government which we discussed earlier brings out one aspect of this Divine system.