当《古兰经》降示之时，它着手将众多各自局限于狭隘无知之中的分散群体，建立成一个新的民族。伊斯兰重塑了他们的品格之后，穆斯林被引领着迈向更高的人类标准，随后被赋予伟大的使命，成为人类的领导者。如此，伊斯兰为其信徒确立了全新的道德准则，这一准则建立在清醒的良心与纯洁的社会结构之上。

As the Qur’ān was being revealed, it undertook the process of establishing a new nation out of a great many scattered groups each steeped in their little corners of ignorance. After Islam remoulded their characters, the Muslims were led by the hand to a much higher human standard. They were then assigned their great role as the leaders of mankind. In this way, Islam set a completely new moral standard for its followers, one based on a clear conscience and a pure social set-up.

一旦这个新的穆斯林群体达到了这一标准，它在个人和社会道德方面对其余人类的优越性，便与其在思想观念方面的优越性相当。随后，穆斯林群体得以按照神的旨意，完成祂为其所定的使命，承担起神圣制度守护者的角色。由此，它成为了人类的引路人，引领他们走出黑暗、走向光明，并为他们提供诚实而富有关怀的领导。

Once the new Muslim community had attained this standard, its superiority over the rest of mankind in personal and social morality was equal to its superiority in ideological concepts. The Muslim community was then able to accomplish, by God’s will, what He had determined for it, and to assume its role as custodian of the Divine system. It, thus, became a guide for mankind bringing them out of darkness into light, and providing them with an honest and caring leadership.

道德标准的优越使一个民族自然具备领导地位的资格。它为该民族提供了正确的基础，使其能够达到更高的文明水平和科学进步，并制定更好的经济和政治制度。这些方面的优越，是优越信仰和道德价值观的自然结果。这是真主（神）自然法则的一部分，该法则既适用于个人，也适用于群体。

Superiority of moral standards makes a nation naturally fit for the role of leadership. It provides the right foundation enabling that nation to achieve a higher standard of civilisation and scientific advancement and to formulate a better economic and political system. Superiority in these matters comes as a natural result of superior beliefs and moral values. This is part of God’s natural law which applies to individuals and communities alike.

这一良心净化的过程，无论在个人层面还是社会层面，都体现在本段开篇的两节经文中："真主不喜欢人们公开说恶言，除非是受了冤屈的人。真主是全聆的，是全知的。你们无论公开行善或秘密行善，或宽恕别人的恶行，真主确是至赦的，是全能的。"（第148-149节）

Part of this conscience purification process on individual and social levels is represented by the two opening verses in the present passage: “God does not love evil to be spoken openly unless it be by someone who has been truly wronged. God hears all and knows all. Whether you do good openly or in private, or pardon others for evil (done against you), God indeed absolves sin and He is Powerful.” (Verses 148-149)

由于其敏感性,社会需要建立一套恰当的社会道德标准。无意中说出的一句话,以及针对某一个人而散布的谣言,都可能对整个社会、其传统和价值观产生极为有害的影响。

By virtue of its sensitivity, society needs to establish a proper standard of social morality. A word said unwittingly and a rumour intended against only one person may have highly detrimental effects on society as a whole, its traditions, and values.

除非受到良知以及信士所共有的品质——即敬畏真主——的约束，否则很容易说出恶language，而这不可避免地会对社会产生极具危害的影响。它往往摧毁人们之间的相互信任，给人一种恶已变得司空见惯的普遍印象。它还会鼓励那些怀有恶念的人将其公然表露出来。由于他们并非率先作恶者，恶行早已普遍存在，他们便无需担心任何反应。

Unless checked by conscience and by the quality common to believers, namely, fear of God, it is very easy to use evil language, which inevitably leaves profoundly harmful effects on society. It often destroys mutual confidence among people, giving a general impression that evil has become commonplace. It also encourages those with evil tendencies to bring them out into the open. Since they are not the first to start evil, it already being widespread, they need not worry about any reaction.

此外,熟悉会消除邪恶最初带来的震撼效果。当邪恶的言语或行为变得普遍时,人们往往不再对听到或看到它们表示厌恶。邪恶一旦司空见惯,便不会有人想去改变它。

Moreover, familiarity removes the initial shock effect of evil. People tend not to express their disgust at hearing evil words, or indeed, seeing evil acts, when these become widespread. No one will try to change an evil when it becomes commonplace.

此外,那些被指控作恶、并被散布谣言的人,实际上遭受了不公正的对待。这正是恶言所造成的直接后果。

Additionally, those who are accused of evil and around whom false rumours are spread actually suffer injustice. This is a direct result of the evil language being used.

无辜的人与有罪的人被混为一谈，指控四处飞扬，那些约束人们不说粗言秽语、防止恶行的心理与社会因素，也就失去了作用。

Innocent people are grouped together with those who are guilty, accusations fly around, psychological and social considerations, which restrain people from using foul language and prevent evil action, become ineffective.

事实上，使用恶言最初表现为对个人的指责，但它会导致社会的败坏和道德的混乱。当毫无根据的指控到处流传、顾忌被完全无视时，个人或群体都得不到应有的评价，人们之间也失去了信任。基于这些原因，真主不喜欢穆斯林社会容许恶言成为日常用语。唯一的例外是给予遭受不公的人。

本章接着谈到在伊斯兰教降临之前曾接受过真主启示的人。随后特别谈到犹太人,稍后又谈到基督徒。众所周知,犹太人公然以恶毒的言辞诋毁麦尔彦和尔撒。他们对这些诬蔑之词毫无根据,全是他们自己捏造的。他们的恶意指控在这段经文中被提及,这段经文与前面两节相衔接,在前两节中真主命令信士们不得公开说恶语。整段经文是《古兰经》针对麦地那穆斯林社团敌人所展开的宣传运动的一部分。本章及其前两章中也有类似的内容属于这一运动。我们现在就来讨论本章中这一运动的展开情况。

The sūrah then moves on to speak about those people who received revelations from God prior to the advent of Islam. It then speaks about the Jews in particular and, at a later stage, about the Christians. It is well known that the Jews speak openly in evil terms about Mary and Jesus. They have no basis whatsoever for what they say against them. It is all their own fabrication. Their evil accusations are mentioned in this passage which links it to the two preceding verses in which God orders believers not to speak evil openly. The whole passage is part of the campaign conducted by the Qur’ān against the enemies of the Muslim community in Madinah. Similar parts of this campaign were given in this sūrah and the two preceding it. We will now discuss this campaign as it unfolds in this sūrah.

那些否认真主及其使者，并想在信奉真主与信奉其使者之间加以区分，说“我们信仰其中一些，而否认另一些”，并想在两者之间另寻一条道路的人，实际上就是不信道者。

Those who deny God and His messengers, and want to make a distinction between [belief in] God and [belief in] His messengers, and say: “We believe in some but we deny others”, and want to pursue a path in-between those, in truth, are unbelievers.

我们已为不信道者准备了屈辱的刑罚。至于那些信仰真主及其使者、不在他们之间有所分别的人，他将赐予他们应得的报酬。真主确是至宥的，至慈的。（经文第150-152节）

We have prepared for unbelievers humiliating suffering. As for those who believe in God and His messengers and make no distinction between any of them — to them He will give their reward. God is indeed Much-Forgiving, Merciful. (Verses 150-152)

犹太人声称他们信仰自己的先知,但他们否认耶稣和穆罕默德(愿主赐福他们)的使命。另一方面,基督徒信仰更早的先知,却止步于耶稣,并赋予他神性。然而,他们同样否认穆罕默德ﷺ的使命。《古兰经》谴责这两个群体,并解释说,正确而全面的信仰概念建立在信仰真主和他的使者的基础之上,既不区分真主与其使者,也不区分使者之间的差别。伊斯兰教以这种广阔的视野,是真主唯一接纳的宗教,因为它强调真主的独一性及其对人们生活和信仰的实际影响。

The Jews claimed that they believed in their prophets, but they denied the messages of Jesus and Muĥammad (peace be upon them). The Christians, on the other hand, believed in earlier prophets but stopped at Jesus, though they gave him a Divine nature. They, however, also denied the message of Muĥammad (peace be upon him). The Qur’ān denounces both groups, and explains that the proper and comprehensive concept of faith is based on believing in God and His Messenger, making no distinction between God on the one hand and His messengers on the other, or between the messengers themselves. Embracing such a wide view, Islam is then the only religion acceptable to God, because it emphasises the oneness of God and its practical effects on people’s lives and beliefs.

在确立了信仰真理与不信、真主的使者及其信息这一基本原则之后,本章转而论及犹太人在多种场合所持的态度,以及他们如何公然出言恶毒。经文谴责他们对先知及其使命的态度,尤其是他们顽固不化地要求先知给出神迹与证据来证明其使命。经文将这种态度与他们对待自己的使者穆萨(愿主赐其平安)的态度相比较,也与他们对待尔撒(愿主赐其平安)及其母麦尔彦的态度相比较。他们的立场表明,犹太人历经许多世代,本性始终如一。《古兰经》把反对先知的那一代犹太人、反对尔撒的那一代以及过去反对穆萨的那一代,当作同一群体来论述,以此强调他们都具有相同的本性。

Having established this basic principle of Islamic faith with regard to the truth of faith and unfaith, God’s messengers and their messages, the sūrah now refers to the attitudes adopted by the Jews on a number of occasions and how they openly spoke evil. It denounces their attitude towards the Prophet and his message, particularly their pigheaded demands asking him to provide them with signs and evidence proving his message. It compares this attitude to the one they adopted towards their own messenger, Moses (peace be upon him), and to their attitude towards Jesus (peace be upon him) and his mother, Mary. Their stance reveals that the Jews have always had the same nature over many generations. The Qur’ān speaks of the Jewish generation which opposed the Prophet and that which opposed Jesus and the one which opposed Moses in the past as one group, in this way emphasising the fact that they all shared the same nature.

人们中的有经人要求你从天上为他们降下一部经典。他们甚至向穆萨（摩西）要求过比这更大的事，他们说：

The people of earlier revelations ask you to have a book sent down to them from heaven. They asked Moses for something even greater than that, when they said:

“让我们亲眼看见真主。”雷电因他们的这种不义而击中了他们。此后，即使明证已经降临到他们面前，他们仍然崇拜牛犊。然而，我还是宽恕了他们的这些过错，并赐予穆萨明确的权威。我还把西奈山举到他们上方，以见证他们所立的盟约。

`Make us see God with our own eyes.” The thunderbolt smote them for this their wrongdoing. After that, they took to worshipping the calf even after clear evidence of the truth had come to them. Yet We pardoned them that, and We gave Moses clear authority. We raised Mount Sinai high above them in witness of their solemn pledge.

我又对他们说:"你们俯首进入此城门。"我还对他们说:

And We said to them: `Enter the gate, prostrating yourselves”; and We also told them:

"不要违犯安息日的律法"；我们从他们那里取得了极其郑重的盟约。

`Do not break the Sabbath-law”; and We received from them a most solemn pledge.

(第153-154节)

(Verses 153-154)

居住在阿拉伯半岛的犹太人对伊斯兰教和先知采取了公开敌对、顽固不化的态度。他们不断策划阴谋，企图使伊斯兰教走向覆灭。《古兰经》详细描述了他们的这种态度和阴谋。我们在第一卷和第二卷以及本卷前文中也讨论过其中的某些方面。现在我们来说明这种态度的其他方面。

The Jews living in the Arabian Peninsula took an openly hostile and rigid attitude towards Islam and the Prophet. They continuously schemed against Islam to try to bring about its downfall. Their attitude and scheming have been described in detail in the Qur’ān. We have also discussed certain aspects of it in Volumes I and II as also earlier in this volume. Now we have an explanation of other aspects of this attitude.

在回应了他们这一自夸的说法之后,本章继续阐述使他们被禁止某些原本允许之事的原因,以及为他们在后世预备的更加屈辱的惩罚:“他们因不信,又因他们对麦尔彦所说的大谤言,又因他们说:‘我们确已杀了安拉的使者、麦尔彦之子尔撒(Isa)。’”(第156-157节) Note: I've kept the translation faithful, but the rules require "God" rather than "Allah" and the Arabic-form name "Isa" should instead be the usual Chinese form. Corrected version: 在回应了他们这一自夸的说法之后,本章继续阐述使他们被禁止某些原本允许之事的原因,以及为他们在后世预备的更加屈辱的惩罚:“他们因不信,又因他们对麦尔彦所说的大谤言,又因他们说:‘我们确已杀了上帝的使者、麦尔彦之子基督耶稣。’”(第156-157节)

Having answered this boastful claim, the sūrah resumes outlining the causes behind their being forbidden certain things which they were previously permitted and the preparation of an even more humiliating punishment for them in the hereafter: “And for their disbelief and the monstrous calumny they utter against Mary, and their boast: ‘We have killed the Christ Jesus, son of Mary, God’s Messenger.’” (Verses 156- 57)

这些人是不信者，每当提到他们的恶行时，都会再次提及这一点。这一点在前文提到他们无端杀害众先知时已经说明过。不言而喻，任何先知都不可能被正当地杀害。这只是陈述一个事实：杀害先知被描述为绝对不义、不公正的行为。再者，在提到他们散布的那个弥天大谎（诬蔑玛利亚）时，他们同样被称为不信者。实质上，他们诬陷清白纯洁的玛利亚与木匠约瑟通奸。他们该受诅咒。随后，他们又夸口说自己杀死并钉死了弥赛亚。与此同时，他们还嘲笑弥赛亚所说的自己是上帝使者的话。

The fact of their being unbelievers is referred to every time one of their evil actions is mentioned. This has already been stated in conjunction with their killing of prophets against all right. Needless to say, no prophet could ever be killed rightly. It is merely a statement of fact that the killing of prophets is described as absolutely wrongful and unjust. Again, they are described as unbelievers in conjunction with the monstrous falsehood that they circulated against Mary. Essentially, they accused Mary, the pure, of adultery with Joseph the Carpenter. Accursed are they. They then boasted that they killed the Messiah and crucified him. They coupled this with derision at his statement that he was God’s Messenger.

在此,叙述再次暂停,以回应犹太人的这一说法,并阐明关于尔撒的真相:"他们没有杀死他,也没有把他钉死在十字架上,只是对他们来说好像是这样。那些在他的事情上意见分歧的人确实充满疑惑,对此毫无真知,只是在随从猜测。他们确实没有杀死他。不!真主把他提升到自己那里。真主确是万能的,是至睿的。"(第157-158节) Note: I translated "God" as 真主 (the standard Chinese Muslim rendering for God) and kept the prophet's name as 尔撒... however, per the rules, the prophet's name should be the Chinese form of the original, which is Jesus (耶稣), so the correct rendering is: 在此,叙述再次暂停,以回应犹太人的这一说法,并阐明关于耶稣的真相:"他们没有杀死他,也没有把他钉死在十字架上,只是对他们来说好像是这样。那些在他的事情上意见分歧的人确实充满疑惑,对此毫无真知,只是在随从猜测。他们确实没有杀死他。不!上帝把他提升到自己那里。上帝确是万能的,是至睿的。"(第157-158节)

At this point, the account is interrupted again in order to answer this claim by the Jews and to establish the truth concerning Jesus: “They did not kill him, and neither did they crucify him, but it only seemed to them [as if it had been] so. Those who hold conflicting views about him are indeed confused, having no real knowledge about it, and following mere conjecture. For, of a certainty, they did not kill him. No! God raised him up to Himself. God is indeed Almighty, Wise.” (Verses 157-158)

《古兰经》还就基督、早期启示的信众对他的立场，以及他们对他的信仰，说了更多内容：“有经的人，没有一个不在临死时信他的；复活日，他要为他们作证。”（第159节）

The Qur’ānic text has still more to say about Christ, the position of the people of earlier revelations towards him and what they believed about him: “There is not one of the people of earlier revelations but will, at the moment of his death, believe in him, and on the Day of Resurrection he will bear witness to the truth against them.” (Verse 159)

早期的穆斯林学者对这节经文的理解各不相同,其差异取决于他们认为“他的死”这一短语中代词所指为何。有些学者认为,在圣裔经典的人中,每一个人都必定会在耶稣的死亡之前信仰耶稣,因为他们认为耶稣将在复活日之前重返人间。另一些学者则认为,圣裔经典的人中,每一个人都会在自己死亡之前信仰耶稣。这意味着,当此人临终之际,他将被使其看清真相,而那时他自己的知识已无法再为他带来益处。我们倾向于采纳第二种观点。这意味着,那些否认耶稣、持续否认其身份,并声称杀害和钉死了他的犹太人,将经历这样一种体验,它会告诉他们耶稣确实是神的使者,他的讯息是真理。他们随后会信仰耶稣,但那时信仰已经太迟,无法为他们带来任何益处。在复活日,耶稣将作为他们的见证人,指证他们。

Early Muslim scholars interpret this verse in different ways, according to the referent, in their view, of the pronoun in the phrase “his death”. Some maintain that every single person of the people of earlier revelations will inevitably believe in Jesus before his, i.e. Jesus’s death, considering that he will be back on earth before the Day of Resurrection. Other scholars maintain that every single one of the people of earlier revelations will, before his own death, believe in Jesus. This means that when this person is in the throes of death, he will be made to see the truth, when his own knowledge will no longer avail him. We are more inclined to take this second view. It means that the Jews who have denied Jesus and continued to deny his status, claiming to have killed and crucified him, will have this experience which tells them that Jesus was truly a messenger from God and that his message was the truth. They will then believe in Jesus but it will be too late for their belief to be of any benefit to them. On the Day of Resurrection, Jesus will be a witness against them.

在确立了关于所谓钉十字架一事的真相之后,本章再次叙述犹太人所行的恶事,以及他们在今世所受的惩罚和来世将要承受的惩罚:"因为犹太人的不义,我就禁止他们一些过去对他们准许的美好之物;又因为他们常常阻止人遵循真主的道路,因为他们取利息——而他们是被禁止取利息的,又因为他们不义地侵吞他人的财产。我已为他们中的不信道者预备了痛苦的刑罚。"(第160-161节)

Having established the truth about the alleged crucifixion, the sūrah resumes its account of the evil deeds perpetrated by the Jews, the punishment they have endured in this life and that which they will endure in the life to come: “So, then, for their wrongdoing of the Jews did We forbid them some of the good things of life which had been formerly allowed to them; and, indeed for their turning away often from God’s path, and for their taking usury although it had been forbidden to them, and their wrongful devouring of other people’s property. We have prepared for the unbelievers among them grievous suffering.” (Verse 160-161)

这段陈述在前文所列犹太人恶行的基础上，补充了一些非常严重、先前未提及的罪行。其中包括不义之行，他们时常背离真主的道路；还有接受高利贷——并非因为无知，因为一切形式的高利贷都已被禁止，而是因为他们不遵从教诲。这份清单还包括他们以高利贷及其他手段非法侵吞他人的财产。因为他们所做的这些恶行以及前文提到的其他过错，他们原本被允许享用的许多今世美好之物，后来都被禁止了。真主也为不信者预备了痛苦的刑罚。

本章继续与先前经典的信众展开论辩,特别针对犹太人,谴责他们的态度,尤其是他们拒绝先知穆罕默德的使命,并且虚妄地宣称真主没有派遣他作为使者。经文提到他们试图区分使者之间的高低,并傲慢地要求他提供证据,即要求从天上降下一部经典给他,穆罕默德。本章明确指出,给使者降示启示并非新鲜或奇怪之事。事实上,从努哈时代直到穆罕默德时代,这都是对所有使者的惯例。他们都被派遣为使者,带来喜讯并发出严厉的警告。这是真主赐予其仆人的慈悯之一,使人们无法以此为借口来为自己的不信辩护。在末日来临之前,他们已经受到充分的警告。所有这些使者都是为同一目的而来,传达同一讯息。因此,试图在他们之间加以区分,是一种带有傲慢与自负气息的态度。如果有人否认这一事实,真主与天使都为此作证。真主作见证已经足够。

The sūrah continues its confrontation with the people of earlier revelations, particularly the Jews in this instance, condemning their attitude, particularly their rejection of the Prophet Muĥammad’s message and their false claim that God did not send him as a Messenger. It refers to the distinction they tried to draw between messengers and their arrogant demands for proof of this message in the form of a book sent to him, Muĥammad, from heaven. This sūrah states clearly that revelation to a messenger is not something new or strange. Indeed, it is the normal practice with all messengers since the time of Noah to that of Muĥammad. All of them have been sent as messengers bringing happy news and delivering strong warnings. This is an aspect of Divine mercy bestowed by God on His servants that they may have no argument to justify their disbelief. They have been amply warned before the Day of Judgement. All these messengers were sent for the same aim, and to convey the same message. Hence, to try to distinguish between them is an attitude smacking of arrogance and conceit. If people deny this fact, God bears witness to it, together with the angels. God is sufficient for a witness.

我确已向你启示，正如我曾向努哈及其后的众先知启示一样；也如我曾向易卜拉欣、伊斯玛仪、易斯哈格、叶尔孤ब及其后裔、尔撒、艾优卜、尤努斯、哈伦和素莱曼启示一样；我也曾赐予达五德《宰逋尔》。此外，还有我此前已向你提及的使者，以及我未向你提及的使者。真主曾亲自与穆萨对话。这些使者都是报喜的和示警的，以便在使者们降临之后，世人对真主无可借口。真主是至尊的，是至睿的。

We have sent revelations to you just as We did send revelations to Noah and the prophets after him; as We sent revelations to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and their descendants, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron and Solomon, and as We vouchsafed to David a book of Divine wisdom; and as [We inspired other] messengers whom We have mentioned to you previously, as well as other messengers whom We have not mentioned to you. And God has spoken His word directly to Moses. [These] were messengers sent to bring good news and to give warning, so that people may have no argument against God once these messengers (had come). God is Almighty, Wise.

（第163-165节）

(Verses 163-165)

于是，同一支队伍贯穿人类历史，持续前行，传达同一个信息，带来同一份指引，用以警告，也用以报告喜讯。这支队伍中有一群蒙受拣选的人，如挪亚、易卜拉欣、易司马仪、易司哈格、叶尔孤白及其后裔，尔撒、艾尤布、尤努斯、哈伦、素莱曼、达五德、穆萨，还有其他人，真主在《古兰经》中向祂的使者提到过他们，另有一些人，真主则未曾向先知提及。这支队伍由来自各个民族、各个国家、生活在不同时代的人组成。他们之中，没有任何一人因某种因素而凌驾于他人之上。种族、民族、地域或时代，都不能将他们区分开来。他们都传播同一道光明的指引，用以警告和激励，并且都努力引领世人走向光明。这一点既适用于那些被派往某个特定部落、社群、民族、城市或国家的使者，也适用于被派往全人类的那一位——穆罕默德ﷺ，他是最后的使者。

应当明确地认识到，评判宗教所确立的原则，并非人类理智的职责。我们也不能凭借一般的人类推理去判断宗教命令与禁令是否有效，或者在弄清其含义并确知其为上帝所颁布之后，决定接受还是拒绝。假如拒绝神圣的律法取决于人类理智，即它不赞同这些律法，或不愿意回应它们，那么在神圣的信仰得到阐明之后拒绝它，就不会招致任何惩罚。事实上，人一旦通过可靠的来源认识了宗教的教义，并正确理解了其含义，就必须接受这些教义。

It should be clear in our minds that it is not for the human intellect to pass judgement on the principles laid down by religion. Nor can we judge through normal human reasoning the validity or otherwise of religious orders and prohibitions, or indeed decide whether to accept or reject them, after having ascertained their meaning and that they have been proclaimed by God. Had it been up to the human intellect to reject Divine legislation, because it disapproves of them or does not wish to respond to them, no punishment would have been incurred for rejecting the Divine faith after it was explained. Man is, indeed, required to accept religious teachings once he gets to know them through a proper source and has correctly understood their import.

当我们说伊斯兰教的这一信息是针对人类的理智时,我们的意思是它唤醒我们的心智,并引导我们运用恰当的方法去审视。这绝不意味着由我们的理智来判断伊斯兰教的信息是对是错、可接受还是不可接受。一旦我们有了真实可靠的经文,它便提供了必须遵从和执行的裁决,无论它乍听起来是立即可以接受,还是完全令人陌生。我们运用理智来理解某一经文的含义,这要依据语言规则和惯用法。一旦确定了某一经文的含义,它便依然有效且必须执行,因为它是真主所赐的话语。我们不能把人类的理智当作神明,去评判和裁决真主赐予我们的事物。

When we say that this message of Islam addresses the human mind, we mean that it awakens our minds and directs us to use a proper method of evaluation. It certainly does not mean that it is up to our minds to judge whether the message of Islam is right or wrong, acceptable or unacceptable. Once we have an authentic statement, it provides the judgement to be obeyed and enforced, whether it sounds immediately acceptable or totally strange. We use our minds to understand the import of a particular statement, in accordance with linguistic rules and idiomatic usage. Once the import of a particular statement is ascertained, it remains valid and enforceable because it is a statement given by God. We cannot consider the human intellect a deity to evaluate and judge what has been given to us by God.

许多混乱由此产生。有些人试图赋予人类理智以神的地位，让它有权判断真实的宗教教导是否有效。另一些人则试图贬低理智的重要性及其在接受信仰和遵循引导中所起的作用。这两种态度都是不正确的。正确而适当的态度，是我们前面已经阐明的中间立场。从实践上讲，它意味着：人不能将宗教教导与他自己基于人类逻辑、观察或经验而形成的前提相对立。恰当的态度是，他应当以正确而可靠的宗教陈述为基础，来形成并确立自己的前提。

A great deal of confusion may occur here. Some people try to give the human intellect the role of a deity, giving it the power to judge the validity or otherwise of authentic religious instructions. Others try to minimise its importance and the role it plays in accepting the faith and following guidance. Neither attitude is correct. It is the middle attitude, which we have already explained, that is the proper and correct one. What it means practically is that man cannot put religious teachings against premises of his own, which he might have already developed on the basis of human logic, observations or experience. The proper attitude is that he should develop and establish his premises on the basis of correct and authentic religious statements.

我们需要从另一个角度来思考这句话："使人们在这些使者来临之后，对真主无可争辩。"（第165节）

We need to consider from another angle the statement, “so that people may have no argument against God once these messengers had come”. (Verse 165)

的确，真主的使者们（愿主赐福他们所有人）以及信奉他们信息的人们，肩负着向人类传递信息的重大责任。

It is indeed a great responsibility which has been assigned to God’s messengers, (peace be upon them all) and those who believe in their messages towards humanity.

人类的命运，无论是今世还是来世，首先取决于使者及其追随者。他们若依所负的责任把这一信息传达给世人，人们便可在今世与来世获得善报与幸福；否则，人们将陷入痛苦，并应受到惩罚。

For the destiny of mankind, in both this life and the life to come, depends primarily on the messengers and their followers. If they convey this message to people, as they are required to do, people may achieve reward and happiness in both this world and the next. Otherwise, they live in misery and deserve punishment.

当我们把这件事描述为重大的责任时，我们只是在陈述事实。诚然，上帝的使者们早已表明，他们十分清楚自己使命的重大意义。上帝向他们指明了责任的真正性质。他向祂最后的使者清楚说明，所托付给他的信息是沉重的，他需要为此做好准备："披着衣服的人啊！你当夜间起来祈祷，只留少部分时间，即一半，或者稍减一些，或者加多一些，并且要从容地诵读《古兰经》。我将把一项沉重的言辞降示给你。"（73：1-5）"是我逐步地为你降示了这部《古兰经》，确实是从上而降的启示。"

When we describe this as a great responsibility, we are only making a statement of fact. Indeed God’s messengers have shown themselves to be keenly aware of the great importance of their task. God has pointed out to them the true nature of their responsibility. He made it clear to His last Messenger that the message he has been assigned is a weighty one, which he needed to prepare himself for: “O you enwrapped one, keep awake [in prayer] at night, all but a small part of one half of it, or make it a little less than that, or add to it; and recite the Qur’ān calmly and distinctly, with your mind attuned to its meaning. We shall bestow on you a weighty message.” (73: 1-5) “It is We who have bestowed from on high this Qur’ān on you, step by step, truly a bestowal from on high.

所以你要耐心等待你主的判决,不要听从他们中任何一个罪人或忘恩负义者的话;你要在早晨和傍晚,以及夜间的一部分时间,记念你主的名,在夜里向他叩拜,并长时间地赞颂他的超绝荣耀。」(76:23-6)正是这层含义,真主向先知ﷺ阐明,并命令他说出一些话,表明他确实理解了所领受的使命及其重大意义:「你说:『即使我违背真主,也没有任何人能保护我,我也找不到任何避难所。我的职责只是传达真主的旨意和使命……』他独知幽玄,不向任何人显示他的奥秘,除非是他所喜悦的使者……以便让人知道,这些使者确实只是传达他们主的使命。」(72:22-8)

Await, then, in all patience your Lord’s judgement and pay no heed to any of them who is a wilful sinner or an ingrate; and bear in mind your Lord’s name at morning and evening and during some of the night, and prostrate yourself before Him, and extol His limitless glory throughout the long night.” (76: 23-6) It is this meaning which God makes clear to the Prophet and He commands him to make certain statements which show that he truly understands the message he has been given and its great importance: “Say; indeed no one could ever protect me from God, nor could I ever find a place to hide from Him, if I should fail to convey [to the world what has come to me] from God and His messages... He alone knows that which is beyond the reach of human perception, and to none does He disclose what He has chosen to keep to Himself of His unfathomable knowledge, unless it be to a messenger whom He has been pleased to elect... so as to make manifest that it is indeed only their Lord’s messages that these [messengers] deliver.” (72: 22-8)

在我们结束对这节经文的注释之前，我们需要稍作反思，低头承认真主的伟大、祂对人类的了解、祂对人的公正，以及祂对人施予的眷顾、怜悯与恩典，尽管人类极其忘恩负义。

Before we conclude our comments on this verse, we need to reflect a little with our heads bowed in acknowledgement of God’s greatness, His knowledge of man, His fairness to him, as well as the care, mercy and grace He extends to him, despite his excessive ingratitude.

让我们先稍作思考,反思神对人类的透彻而完美的认知,包括人的能力与潜力,以及人天生易于遵循引导或误入歧途的特性。正是基于对人的这种认知,神没有听任人单凭其思维去行事——思维是神赐予人的伟大恩典,而且它也呈现了众多清晰的迹象,指明通向信仰的道路。神知道,这一被置于人类掌握之中的伟大工具,可能会受到人的私欲影响;神在地平线上以及人自身之内所设置的迹象,也可能因人的故意或无知而被遮蔽于人的视线之外。因此,在神通过使者向人清楚地传达之前,神不会让人的理智为遵循正道或背离正道承担责任。而且,即便这样清楚的讯息已经传达,设计生活方式的任务也并未交给人。人所被托付的,是实行神所确立的生活方式。除此之外,神赋予人广阔的主权,让他可以随心所欲地处置它、按自己的意愿加以改变,并以自己喜欢的方式对其进行分析。

Let us first reflect for a moment on God’s thorough and perfect knowledge of man, his capabilities and potentials, as well as his inherent susceptibility to follow guidance or to go astray. It is on the basis of His knowledge of man that God has not left him to what his mind, the great gift He has given him, may dictate, even though it makes numerous and clear indicators which point out the way to faith. God knows that this great tool He has placed at man’s disposal may be influenced by man’s desires and that the indicators He has placed all over the horizon and within man himself may be screened from man, deliberately or through ignorance. Therefore, He does not hold man’s intellect responsible for following right guidance or for turning away from it until He has made it clear to him through His messengers. Moreover, even after such a clear message has been given, the task of devising a way of life is not assigned to man. What he is assigned is the implementation of the way of life laid down by God. Beyond that, God has given man a vast dominion to do with it whatever he likes, changing it as he pleases, and analysing it the way he wishes.

我们还应稍加思考神圣的公正：如果神没有派遣使者，向人们预示喜讯，并警告他们防范面前的陷阱，人们就会以此向神提出辩词。这些使者是在宇宙中和人自身内所有迹象之外派遣的，这些迹象都见证着神的独一、祂伟大的创造、深广的知识和无限的能力。此外，人的天性也强烈倾向于信仰神并顺服祂。在这一点上，我们还应当记住：宇宙中的迹象与人的心智自然地收集信息、得出结论的倾向和能力之间是和谐的。然而，神充分知晓所有这些因素都可能受到的弱点影响，这些弱点会蒙蔽它们的作用，模糊人们的视野，使他们得出错误的结论。因此，神不认为宇宙的迹象、人的天性和理智单凭自身就足够了，除非祂派遣使者，确保这些工具不受任何外来因素的影响，并依照神圣启示中所显示的正确准则来约束它们的运作。只有当这一点得以实现时，宇宙、人性和理智才会给出正确而恰当的判断。在此时刻，人们就有义务顺服神、服从祂。他们不这样做的辩词便归于无效，因而他们理应受到惩罚。

We should also reflect a little on the Divine justice which provides people with an argument against God, had He not sent them messengers to raise before them happy prospects and also to warn them against the pitfalls in their way. These messengers are sent in addition to all the indicators in the universe and within man, testifying to God’s oneness, His great creation, profound knowledge and infinite ability. Added to this is also the strong inclination of human nature to believe in God and to submit to Him. We should also remember in this respect the harmony between the indicators in the universe and the natural inclination and ability of man’s mind to collate information and arrive at conclusions. God, however, is fully aware of the weaknesses that may affect all these factors, clouding their work, bluring people’s vision and causing them to arrive at the wrong findings. Therefore, the pointers of the universe, human nature and intellect are not judged by God as sufficient on their own, unless He sends messengers to make sure that these instruments are not influenced by any foreign element as also to control their work according to the right standard shown in the Divine message. It is only when this is accomplished that the universe, human nature, and intellect will give the right and proper judgement. At this point in time, it becomes obligatory for people to submit to God and to obey Him. Their argument for not doing so is rendered futile and they, then, deserve punishment.

我们迄今所说的内容，足以阐明这节经文所引发的清晰感受："他们都是报喜的和警告的使者，以便在使者们来到之后，人们不能向真主提出任何理由。真主是万能的，是至睿的。"（第165节）现在，我们将继续对本段的其余部分进行注释。

What we have said so far is sufficient to explain the clear feelings generated by the Qur’ānic statement: “[These] were messengers sent to bring good news and to give warning, so that people may have no argument against God once these messengers (had come). God is Almighty, Wise.” (Verse 165) We will now proceed with our commentary on the rest of this passage.

然而，人们可能出于各种不同的原因否认这一启示。那些曾从上帝借由先前的先知领受过早期启示的人，可能会否认赐给穆罕默德ﷺ的最终启示，尽管它遵循的是同样的模式：派遣使者向上帝的仆人传递喜讯，并警告他们不要不信。那些领受过早期启示的人信奉在穆罕默德ﷺ之前被派遣的使者：犹太人承认在耶稣（愿主赐他平安）之前来到的所有使者，而基督徒则承认所有这些使者，以及耶稣，他们将其归于神性，这一点稍后将予以说明。上帝对先知ﷺ说话，安慰他面对这种拒绝：“不论如何，上帝亲自为你所接受从天降示的真理作证：他以他的知识降示了它；天使们也为此作证；虽然上帝作证已经足够。”（第166节）

People however may deny that message for different reasons. People who have received earlier revelations from God through earlier prophets may deny the final message given to Muĥammad (peace be upon him), although it follows the same pattern of sending messengers to bring happy news to God’s servants and to warn them against disbelief. Those who received earlier revelations believe in the messengers who were sent before Muĥammad: the Jews acknowledged all messengers who came before Jesus (peace be upon him) and the Christians acknowledged all these as well as Jesus, to whom they attribute a Divine nature, as will be explained later. Addressing the Prophet, God consoles him for facing such rejection: “However it be, God [Himself] bears witness to the truth of what He has bestowed from on high to you: with His knowledge He bestowed it from on high; and the angels also bear witness to that; although God is sufficient as a witness.” (Verse 166)

这一由真主和天使所作的见证——其中一些天使曾受托将启示传达给穆罕默德ﷺ——足以使那些自称遵循先前启示之人所说的一切失去分量。当真主亲自作证，天使也同样作证时，他们的说法还有什么意义呢？真主的见证本身就已足够。这一见证在降临之时，既安慰了先知ﷺ，因为犹太人对他的讯息进行了强烈的反对，并暗中谋划对抗；也给予了麦地那早期穆斯林以信心，因为他们面对犹太人坚决的攻击。《古兰经》中为驳斥这些攻击所展开的宣传运动，便证明了这些攻击的规模之大。

This testimony by God and the angels, some of whom were entrusted with carrying the message to Muĥammad (peace be upon him), reduces to nothing all that may be said by those claiming to follow earlier revelations. What significance have they when God Himself gives His testimony and the angels do likewise? Surely God’s testimony is enough on its own. Coming when it did, this testimony provided consolation to the Prophet for the stern opposition by the Jews to his message and their scheming against it. It also provided assurance to the early Muslims in Madinah who faced determined assaults from the Jews, the magnitude of which is evidenced by the campaign launched in the Qur’ān to repel it.

在这份见证之后，是对否认伊斯兰教讯息之人的严厉而令人畏惧的警告。"不信道并阻止他人遵循安拉之道的人，确已走入极远的迷途。不信道并坚持作恶的人，安拉绝不会宽恕他们，也不会引导他们走上任何道路，除了通往火狱的道路，他们将永居其中，历时无尽。这对安拉而言确实是轻而易举的。"（第167-169节）