有若干因素将本段开头与本章的核心主题联系起来，同时也与上一段所讨论的主要内容相连。

A number of factors link the opening of this passage and the central theme of the sūrah on the one hand, and the main topics discussed in the last passage on the other.

本段开始时,重新致力于规范穆斯林社群的生活,清除蒙昧时代遗留的残余痕迹,并更加突出新的伊斯兰生活的主要特征。段落中还明确警告提防前代宗教信徒的阴谋,尤其是麦地那的犹太人。他们的品性中根深蒂固地存在邪恶。这是他们与麦地那新生穆斯林社群交往的全部特征。他们竭力阻挠该社群的成长与进步,尤其是在道德、相互合作和团结方面,而这些正是其力量的根本源泉。

This passage starts with fresh effort to regulate the life of the Muslim community, purging it of the remaining traces of the state of ignorance that prevailed in pre- Islamic days and giving more prominence to the main features of the new Islamic life. It adds a clear warning against the scheming of the people of former religions, particularly the Jews in Madinah. Evil is ingrained in their characters. It is the mark of all their dealings with the new Muslim community in Madinah. They exert strenuous efforts to disrupt its growth and progress, particularly in morality, in mutual co-operation and in solidarity which are the basic source of its strength.

新的这段文字重申了一条基本原则，它是新生穆斯林社群的核心根基，即坚信真主的绝对独一。事实上，穆斯林社群的整个生活以及其行为准则，都源自这一根本信仰。

The new passage reiterates the basic rule that is the central foundation of the new Muslim community. That is the belief in the absolute oneness of God. Indeed, the very life of the Muslim community and its code of living emanate from this basic belief.

在这段经文之前，本章讨论了若干主题，包括家庭制度与穆斯林社群的社会组织。上一段讲的是家庭，它的结构、保护家庭的方法，以及巩固家庭结构的各种纽带。这一段则讨论穆斯林社群内部超越家庭、却仍与家庭相关的社会纽带。连接这两个主题的，是对父母的提及，以及超越亲子关系的各种关系。事实上，这些纽带之所以能被感知，正是由于家庭内部充满关怀与爱的关系。这种关怀与爱很快便会超越严格意义上的亲属范围，延伸到关心他人。如果家庭内部没有占主导地位的爱与仁慈，人们便不可能对那些与自己没有血缘关系的人表现出多少关怀。

Prior to this passage, the sūrah addressed several topics, including the family system and the social organisation of the Muslim community. The last passage dealt with the family, its structure, the methods for its protection and the ties which consolidate its structure. This new passage deals with social ties inside the Muslim community that go beyond the family, but which remain related to it. The link between these issues is provided by the reference to parents and to relationships that go beyond parenthood. Indeed, the perception of these ties takes place as a result of the caring and loving relationships within the family. Such care and love soon begin to transcend strict family relatives, so as to care for others. Without the love and kindness that prevail within the family, people would not be able to show much care for others with whom they have no family ties.

鉴于新的段落包含了妥善照顾直系亲属与广大人类大家庭的指示，并为慷慨大方者与吝啬者确立相应的价值观和标准，它首先阐述了一切价值观和标准所由产生的基本理念。这一理念便是真主独一的信仰，它是伊斯兰生活方式整体的根基。伊斯兰制度将每一个行为、每一份努力和每一种情感都与顺服真主、崇拜真主这一根本原则联系起来。这正是每位穆斯林生活中每一项人类活动的终极目标。

只崇拜真主，不以任何同等者与祂并列。要孝敬父母，善待近亲、孤儿、贫困者、有血缘关系的邻居和陌生的邻居、身边的同伴、旅途中的行人，以及你们右手所拥有的人。真主不喜爱那些傲慢自大的人。

Worship God alone and do not associate with Him any partners. Be kind to your parents and near of kin, to orphans, the needy, the neighbour who is related to you and the neighbour who is a stranger, the friend by your side, the wayfarer, and those whom your right hands possess. God does not love those who are arrogant and boastful.

（第36节）

(Verse 36)

经文开篇便明确命令人只崇拜真主，并明确禁止以任何同伴与祂并列。我们注意到，这节经文以一个连词开始，将它与此前有关家庭及其事务的命令联系起来。这表明伊斯兰信仰的整体统一贯穿于其各个方面。伊斯兰不仅仅是人们在心中接受的若干信条，也不是一系列仪式和功修，更不是脱离信仰与崇拜的世俗制度。它是一种生活方式，将所有这些方面结合在一起，并以信仰真主独一为基础将它们统合起来，所有的制度与立法都只源自祂。承认真主的独一与执行祂的律法之间，不可有任何割裂。

The passage starts with a clear commandment to worship God alone and a clear prohibition against associating partners with Him. We note that this verse begins with a conjunction which links it with the preceding orders that relate to the family and its affairs. This serves to stress the total unity that pervades all aspects of Islamic faith. Islam is not merely a number of beliefs that our minds accept, nor is it a host of rituals and acts of worship, nor a worldly system divorced from faith and worship. It is a way of life that combines all these aspects and unites them together on the basis of believing in the Oneness of God and deriving all systems and legislation from Him alone. There can be no split between accepting God’s unity and implementing His legislation.

这之后是一项命令,要求善待自己的某些近亲以及更广泛的人类大家庭。吝啬、自负、夸耀,以及否认真主的任何形式的恩惠,都受到谴责。同时,书中警告人们不要追随撒旦,并提及后世的惩罚及其所伴随的公开羞辱。所有这些都与信仰真主的独一性以及承认祂是唯一的立法之源相联系。

This is followed by an order to extend kind treatment to certain groups of one’s immediate family and of the human family at large. Miserliness, conceit, boastfulness and suppression of God’s favours, of whichever type, are denounced. This is coupled with a warning against following Satan, together with raising the prospect of punishment in the hereafter and all that attends on it of public humiliation. Again, all this is linked to the belief in God’s oneness and to acknowledging that He is the only source of legislation.

在伊斯兰体系中，一切训令、律法和立法都源于信仰，并以真主独一的基本理念为根基。因此，它们彼此关联、相互补充，并且高度协调一致。正因如此，很难将伊斯兰律法的某一部分与其余部分割裂开来。脱离其根本源头去研究其中任何一部分，都是不符合学术规范的。若只实施其中某些部分而排斥其他部分，则不能算是真正实行伊斯兰教，也无法获得伊斯兰体系全面落实后必然为人类带来的全部益处。

In the Islamic system, all directives, laws, and legislation are derived from faith and are based on the basic concept of God’s oneness. Hence, they are interlinked, mutually complementary and perfectly coherent. As a result, it is very difficult to isolate one part of Islamic legislation from the rest. The study of any one part without reference to its essential origin is unscholarly. The implementation of some parts of these laws to the exclusion of others falls short of implementing Islam and does not yield the full benefits to humanity which are sure to result from the actualisation of the Islamic system.

这段经文以谴责一些可耻的品质作结：傲慢、自夸、吝啬、隐瞒真主所赐的恩惠，以及故意给人留下不良印象。经文说：“真主不喜爱那些傲慢自大的人；那些吝啬并教唆别人吝啬、隐瞒真主以恩典所赐予他们之物的人，亦不在其内。我已为不信道者预备了使人受辱的刑罚。那些为炫耀而施舍财产、不信真主和末日的人，也不在其内。谁以撒旦为伴，撒旦就是最恶劣的伴侣。”（第36-38节）

The verse which commanded all types of kindness ends with a comment denouncing such shameful qualities as arrogance, boastfulness, miserliness, concealment of God’s bounty and deliberately giving foul impressions: “God does not love those who are arrogant and boastful; [nor] those who are niggardly and bid others to be niggardly, and conceal whatever God has bestowed on them of His bounty. We have prepared humiliating suffering for the unbelievers. And [God does not love] those who spend their wealth for the sake of ostentation, and do not believe in God and the Last Day. He who chooses Satan for a companion, an evil companion has he.” (Verses 36-38)

在此我们再次注意到伊斯兰生活方式的一个特别重要的特征,它关乎行为的各个方面,一切情感以及人与信仰的一切社会关系都由此派生。当一个人唯独崇拜真主,并且只从祂那里获取自己的价值观和原则时,他必定会将仁慈施予他人,寻求取悦真主,并期望在后世获得回报。他的善行带有谦卑和温和的态度,这表明他真诚地相信,自己所花费的只是真主赐予他的东西,财富并非由他自己创造。而否认真主和末日审判的人,往往傲慢自大、夸夸其谈。他也是一个吝啬的人,并且鼓励他人同样吝啬。他试图隐瞒真主赐予他的恩惠,这与那种通过将善行施予他人来表达对真主感恩之心的人的态度恰恰相反。另一方面,他也可能将真主所赐予他的一部分用于散布自己的慷慨,以求得他人的赞誉。但归根结底,他并不相信除了世人的崇拜之外还有其他任何回报。

Here again we note an especially important characteristic of the Islamic way of life which relates to all aspects of behaviour, and from which all feelings and all social relationships to faith are derived. When a person worships God alone and derives his values and principles from Him only, he will definitely extend his kindness to people, seeking to please God and hoping to receive reward in the hereafter. His kindness is characterised by a humble and gentle attitude which demonstrates his genuine belief that he only spends what God has granted him. He does not create his wealth. A person who denies God and the Day of Judgement is often arrogant and boastful. He is also a niggardly creature who encourages others to be niggardly. He tries to conceal the favours that God has bestowed on him, which is the opposite attitude of one who demonstrates his gratitude to God by extending his kindness to others. He may, on the other hand, spend some of what he has been given by God in order to publicise his generosity and to seek praise from others. Essentially, however, he does not believe in any other reward than people’s adoration.

因此，信仰与不信所产生的两种截然相反的道德，在此得到了清楚的展示。行善与以良好品行待人的动力，本质上来自对真主的信仰和对后世审判日的信念，以及渴望获得真主的喜悦，从而确保在后世得到回报。这是一种崇高的动力，它不建立在社会习俗之上，也不期望从他人那里得到回报。当信仰缺失、一个人不相信审判日——即他将因自己的行为获得报应的那一天——时，世俗的价值观便占据主导。这些价值观即使在一代人的时间里也不会保持不变，更不用说在所有时代和所有地方。当这些成为基本动力时，价值观便会随着人们喜好与厌恶的改变而改变。

Here, then, the two opposite types of morality generated by faith and unfaith are clearly demonstrated. Motivation to do good and behave in a goodly manner is essentially the belief in God and the Day of Judgement and the eagerness to earn God’s pleasure which ensures reward in the hereafter. It is indeed a sublime motivation, one which is not based in social tradition and which does not expect to be rewarded by other people. When faith is absent and a person does not believe in the Day of Judgement, the Day when he will receive reward for his actions, worldly values predominate. These do not remain constant even during the span of a single generation, let alone for all time and all places. When these constitute the basic motivation, values change in the same way as people change their likes and dislikes.

这些命令、禁令和劝勉，以一幅末日审判的场景作结。在这一场景中，种种情感与态度仿佛就在眼前鲜活呈现。所有这些，都以《古兰经》独特而生动的风格描绘出来："当我从每个民族中带来一个见证，并且我把你作为这些人的见证的时候，他们将会怎样呢？那一天，不信道并违抗使者的人，将希望大地把他们吞没，他们在真主面前不能隐瞒任何事情。"（4:41-42）

These orders, prohibitions and encouragements are concluded with a scene of the Day of Judgement in which we see feelings and attitudes fully animated before our eyes. All are portrayed in the Qur’ān’s uniquely vivid style: “How will it be [on Judgement Day] when We shall bring a witness from every community, and call you as a witness against these people? Those who disbelieved and disobeyed God’s Messenger will on that Day wish that the earth may swallow them. They shall be able to conceal nothing from God.” (Verses 41-42)

这一场景紧接在前面的铺垫之后，那段铺垫的开头是：真主不会亏负任何人哪怕一个微尘之重的应得报酬。他的天平保持着绝对的公正。此外，他会成倍地增加善行，并给予丰厚的回报。这等同于对理应得到怜悯和慈悯的人施以怜悯和慈悯。这些人是把信仰与行动结合起来的人。至于另一些人，既没有信仰，也没有善功，他们的境况将截然不同。这里提出的问题是：当真主从每个民族中带来一位见证人，即专门派往该民族的先知时，他们的境况将会如何；因此，先知穆罕默德ﷺ将作为对阿拉伯人的见证人出现，那时又会怎样呢？

This scene is depicted immediately after the preparations that began by the statement that God does not deny anyone an atom’s weight of what is due to him or her. His scales maintain absolute justice. Furthermore, He multiplies good actions and gives them a great reward. This equates with mercy and compassion to those who deserve them. These are the ones who combine faith with action. As for the others, who have neither faith nor good actions, their state will be different. The question asked here is what will their state be when God brings a witness from every nation, i.e. the Prophet sent specifically to it, and, hence, when the Prophet Muĥammad will be a witness against the Arabs?

场景极其生动，背景宏阔，每个民族都有其见证者在场。仿佛我们几乎能看见那些不信者。

The scene is very vivid indeed, portrayed against a panoramic background in which every nation is present with its witness. We almost see those unbelievers:

自夸、虚伪、傲慢和吝啬，并隐瞒真主恩赐的人。当使者被请来为他们作证时，我们看到了他们的模样。我们看到他们站在他们曾经否认的造物主面前，站在他们隐瞒了其恩惠的给养者面前，站在他们不信的末日面前，也站在他们曾经违抗的使者面前。《古兰经》问道：“那么，他们将如何呢？”这必定是极大的屈辱。他们的羞愧重得无法承受。他们为所做的事感到懊悔，并且承认了，然而否认已毫无价值。

boastful, hypocritical, arrogant and niggardly people who conceal God’s favours. We see them there when God’s Messenger is asked to testify against them. We see them in the presence of the Creator whom they denied, the Provider whose favours they have concealed, on the Last Day in which they did not believe, and facing the Messenger whom they disobeyed. The Qur’ān asks: How then? It is certainly utter humiliation. Their shame is too great to bear. They regret what they have done and they acknowledge it since denial is of no value.

《古兰经》并非仅仅描述一种外在的态度，而是描绘了一种内在的心理状态，借此让我们感受到这些印象，看到羞辱、耻辱与悔恨的效果："那些不信道并违抗真主使者的人，在那日将希望大地把他们吞没。他们在真主面前不能隐瞒任何事情。"（第42节）正是通过这种精妙的表达与意象，我们才能体会到这些情感，并辨识出不信道者在经历这些感受时的心境。这种手法正是《古兰经》独特文体的绝对所在。

正如我们所见，这段经文以命令人单独崇拜真主、不以任何同等物归于祂开始。拜功是所有宗教功修中与崇拜这一核心理念最为贴近的。下面这节经文阐明了与拜功有关的一些律例，以及拜功有效所必需的洁净：“信道的人们啊！你们醉酒的时候，不要礼拜，直到你们知道自己所说的是什么；你们有大净的时候，也不要礼拜，除非你们是过路的人，直到你们洗浴。如果你们患病，或者旅行，或者你们中有人从厕所来，或者你们接触了妇女，而找不到水，那么，你们就用洁净的泥土去揩脸和手。真主确是至恕的，至赦的。”（第四章第四十三节）

As we have seen, this passage started with the commands to worship God alone, associating no partners with Him. Prayer is the closest of all rituals to the central concept of worship. The following verse outlines some of the rulings connected with prayer and the purification which is required for its validity: “Believers, do not attempt to pray when you are drunk, [but wait] until you know what you are saying; nor when you are in a state of ceremonial impurity, except if are on your way, until you have bathed. But if you are ill, or travelling, or if one of you has come from the toilet, or if you have cohabited with a woman and can find no water, then have recourse to pure dust, passing therewith lightly over your faces and your hands. God is indeed Most Lenient, Much-Forgiving.” (Verse 43)

这节经文体现了《古兰经》培育穆斯林群体、提升其道德意识和完善其价值观的方法之一。我们应当记住,伊斯兰教是将穆斯林群体从愚昧的深渊中挽救出来的,那时饮酒是一种根深蒂固的社会习俗,正如古今大多数愚昧社会中的情形一样。在罗马、拜占庭和波斯社会处于文明鼎盛之时,饮酒都是普遍的习惯。当代欧洲和美国社会处于同一阶段时,这一现象同样突出。同样,在落后的非洲社会中,饮酒也非常普遍。

This verse represents one aspect of the Qur’ānic method for cultivating the Muslim community, enhancing its moral sense and refining its values. We should remember here that Islam picked up the Muslim community from the depths of ignorance, when drinking was a well-established social institution, as it is in almost all ignorant societies, ancient and modern. Drinking was a common habit in Roman, Byzantine and Persian societies, when they were at the zenith of their civilisation. It is also characteristic of contemporary European and American societies which are at the same stage. Similarly, it is very common in backward African societies.

在瑞典这个被视为当代最文明的社会之一的国家，十九世纪上半叶曾有这样的情况：每个家庭都自己酿造葡萄酒和其他酒类。平均每人每年饮酒二十升。1 瑞典政府意识到这一状况的严重性，认识到它导致了严重的酒精成瘾。因此，政府垄断了烈酒的生产，从而限制了个人的消费量，并且还限制了在公共场所饮酒。近年来，这些限制已经有所放宽。2 之后，允许在餐厅饮酒，但前提是必须佐餐饮用葡萄酒。再后来，允许在数量有限的公共场所饮酒，但营业至午夜为止。

In Sweden, which is considered one of the most civilised of contemporary societies, it used to be the case during the first half of the 19th century that every family brewed its own wine and other alcohol. On average, an individual consumed 20 litres.1 The Swedish Government recognised the seriousness of this state of affairs, and that it led to major alcohol addiction. It, therefore, monopolised the production of intoxicants, thereby limiting individual consumption, and also restricted drinking in public places. More recently these restrictions have been relaxed. 2 Drinking was then allowed in restaurants, provided that wine was taken with a meal. Later, drinking was allowed in a limited number of public places until midnight.

当伊斯兰在麦加尚无国家，也没有统治权力时，只有《古兰经》的权威，而这种权威仅仅是一种道德权威。因此，对于饮酒的未来态度，只给出了一个暗示，我们可以在思考《蜜蜂章》（又名《蜜蜂章》，即Al-Nahl）第16章第67节的经文时领会这一点："你们从椰枣和葡萄中获取醉物，也获取美好的给养。"（16：67）由此，醉物与由椰枣树和葡萄园果实制成的美好给养被置于相对的位置。这暗示醉物是不同于被称为"美好"的给养的东西。总而言之，这仅仅是对当时仍处于萌芽阶段的伊斯兰良知所施加的一种精妙的触动。然而，饮酒远不止是个人的习惯，它是一种具有深远经济影响的社会传统。这种精妙的触动并非旨在终结这一传统。

When Islam did not have a state or the authority to rule in Makkah, there was only the authority of the Qur’ān. This was simply a moral authority. Therefore, only an indication of the forthcoming attitude towards drinking was given, which we may understand when we contemplate the verse which occurs in Sūrah 16, entitled The Bee, or Al-Nahl: “From the fruits of date palm and vines you derive intoxicants as well as wholesome sustenance.” (16: 67) Thus, intoxicants were placed as opposites to the wholesome sustenance made of the fruits of palm and vineyard trees. This suggests that intoxicants were something different from the sustenance described as “wholesome”. All in all, this was merely a fine touch influencing an Islamic conscience that was still in its infancy. Drinking, however, was far more than an individual’s habit. It was a social tradition with far-reaching economic effects. This fine touch was not calculated to end this tradition.

然而在麦地那,伊斯兰建立了一个真正拥有权威的国家。

In Madinah, however, Islam established a state which wielded proper authority.

然而,酒类饮料并非由国家权威和法律强制力所禁止。伊斯兰的做法依靠《古兰经》,以温和、持续而坚定的方式逐步施行,借助真主对人及其社会现实的洞察来达成目的。

Nevertheless, intoxicants were not forbidden by the authority of the state and the force of law. The Islamic approach relied on the Qur’ān, working its gentle, steady and firm way, to make use of the Divine insight into man and his social realities.

伊斯兰的方法温和且循序渐进。它得益于真主对人类的全知，知晓何种做法适合人及其社会环境。这一方法中的第一道训示，是《黄牛章》（Sūrah 2，即《Al-Baqarah》）中的一节经文。它是对一些问题的回答，这些问题表明，有着虔诚伊斯兰良知的人们开始对饮酒和赌博感到不安："他们问你关于饮酒和赌博的事。你说：'二者中都有重大的罪恶，虽然对于人们也有些益处，但它们的罪恶远大于益处。'"（2：219）

The Islamic approach is gentle, gradual. It benefits from God’s absolute knowledge of man, what is suitable for him and his social environment. The first statement in this approach was a verse revealed in Sūrah 2, entitled The Cow, or Al- Baqarah. This was given by way of an answer to questions which indicate that people with a fine Islamic conscience had begun to feel uneasy about drinking and gambling: “They ask you about drinking and gambling. Say: ‘In both there is great evil although they have some benefits for people, but their evil far exceeds their benefit.‘“ (2: 219)

这是第一次响亮的敲门声,必然会对伊斯兰的良知产生影响。使某事物合法、被劝阻或被禁止的标准,在于其害处或恶是否大于其益处。在这节经文中,我们明确地看到,酒类和赌博的情况正是如此:它们的恶远远大于其益处。然而,这个问题的涉及面比这更深。

This was the first loud knock on the door that was bound to have its effect on an Islamic conscience. The criterion which makes something lawful, discouraged or forbidden is whether its harm or evil is greater than its benefit. In this verse we have a clear statement that the case is such with regard to intoxicants and gambling. Their evil is far greater than their benefit. The question, however, went deeper than that.

现在让我们详细看一下这节经文：“信道的人们啊！你们醉酒的时候，不要礼拜，直到你们知道自己所说的是什么；你们有大净的时候，也不要礼拜，除非你们是过路的，直到你们洗浴。”（第43节）禁酒的这一阶段，禁止信士在醉酒时甚至不要尝试礼拜，直到他们完全清楚自己所说的话。此外，这节经文禁止信士在处于不洁状态即大净（janābah）时礼拜，须先通过洗浴除去不洁，除非是处于“过路”的情况。

Let us now look at this verse in detail: “Believers, do not attempt to pray when you are drunk, [but wait] until you know what you are saying; nor when you are in a state of ceremonial impurity, except if you are on your way, until you have bathed” (Verse 43) This stage of prohibiting intoxicants forbids the believers from even trying to pray when they are drunk, until they know fully what they are saying. Furthermore, this verse forbids believers from praying when they are in a state of ceremonial impurity, or janābah, before they have removed it by washing themselves, except in situations when they are “on their way”.

对于这里译为“在你们行路时”的表达，学者们给出了不同的解释。同样，关于“尝试礼拜”（字面可译为“不要靠近礼拜”，此节禁止的正是这一点）的含义，也存在不同的看法。一些学者认为，处于仪式性不洁状态的人，即行房后或有精液排出之后的人，在沐浴之前不得进入清真寺或在其中停留。对于只想穿过清真寺而不停留的人，则有例外。先知的一些门徒的房屋环绕着先知的清真寺，门直接开向清真寺。他们想要出门或回家时，都必须经过清真寺。因此，对于这些人，允许他们在仪式性不洁状态下穿过清真寺，前提是他们不在清真寺中停留，也不在沐浴之前礼拜。

Different interpretations have been given to the expression translated here as, “on your way”. Similarly, different views are expressed with regard to the meaning of “attempting to pray” which may be rendered in a strictly literal translation as “do not come near to prayer”, which this verse forbids. Some scholars say that a person who is in a state of ceremonial impurity, i.e. after sexual intercourse or seminal discharge, must not enter a mosque or stay in it until he has taken a bath. An exception is made in the case of he who wants only to pass through the mosque without staying. A number of the Prophet’s Companions had their houses surrounding the Prophet’s mosque, with their doors opening onto it. They had to go through the mosque when they wanted to go out or when they came back home. A concession, then, is given to those people to pass through the mosque when they are in a state of ceremonial impurity, provided that they do not stay in the mosque or pray until they have had a bath.

其他学者认为，禁令所指的正是礼拜本身。

Other scholars suggest that what is meant by the prohibition is the prayer itself.

穆斯林处于大净（性污染）状态时，若不先洗净身体，便不得礼拜，但旅行者除外。在这种情况下，旅行者可以前往清真寺礼拜，无需先沐浴，只要他已完成干净除秽，即泥土净身（tayammum），这种净身在此情况下可代替小净（wudū’）和大净（ghusl）。

Muslims are not allowed to pray when they are in a state of ceremonial impurity without washing themselves first, unless they are travelling. In this case, a traveller is allowed to go to the mosque and pray, without having had a bath first, provided that he has had dry ablution, i.e. tayammum, which, in this case, replaces both lesser ablution, i.e. wudū’ and full ablution, i.e. ghusl.

在结束对本段内容的讨论之前，我们需要稍作思考，并尝试理解干净土净（即 tayammum，干净土代净）背后的智慧。

Before we conclude our discussion of the present passage we need to reflect a little on certain points, and to try to understand the wisdom behind tayammum, or dry ablution.

有些人在解释某些伊斯兰立法或伊斯兰崇拜的内在原因时，措辞极为强硬，似乎暗示自己已经理解了其中的一切。除非《古兰经》或圣训中明确说明了立法的原因，否则这并不是解释《古兰经》经文和伊斯兰立法的恰当方式。我们始终更可取的做法，是陈述自己的观点，并补充说明这只是我们所能理解到的该项立法背后智慧的一部分。不能排除这背后还可能有我们尚未能够探知的其他原因。如此一来，我们便能将人类的理智置于其应有的位置，使其在面对《古兰经》的经文和神圣的立法时保持恰当的态度。

Sometimes people who try to explain what lies behind certain Islamic legislation or aspects of Islamic worship, put their points of view very forcefully, implying that they have understood everything there is to understand. This is not the proper way to explain Qur’ānic statements and Islamic legislation, except where the reasons for such legislation are expressly stated in the Qur’ān or the Sunnah. It is always preferable to state our point of view adding that it is all that we have been able to understand of the wisdom behind a certain piece of legislation. The possibility cannot be excluded that there may be other reasons behind it which we have not been able to determine. In this way, we assign our human mind to its proper position, vis-a-vis Qur’ānic statements and Divine legislation.

我之所以要这样说，是因为我们中间有些人，出于最好的用意，试图在某种明确目的的框架下向人们阐述这些教义和律法，而这一目的可能是依据人类知识或科学分析所确定的。只要这种阐述放在我刚才在前一段提到的正确视角之中，这样做本身并无不妥。人们常说，礼拜前洗小净的目的在于保持清洁。清洁确实是通过小净所要达到的目的之一，但若强调这是礼拜前必须洗小净的唯一理由，则是一种既不正确也不稳妥的做法。事实上，曾经有人提出，既然我们生活在干净的环境中，人人都注意日常清洁，那么这种“原始”的清洁方式就不再有必要了。如果小净是为了这一目的而立法的，那么礼拜前就不再需要它了。的确，若如此推论，礼拜本身也就没有必要了。

What motivates me to say this is that some of us, who may have the best of intentions, try to present such statements and legislation to people within the context of a definite purpose which they may determine according to human knowledge or scientific analysis. This is fine provided that it is put in the right perspective to which I have just alluded in the preceding paragraph. It has often been said that the purpose of having ablution before prayer is to maintain cleanliness. It may be true that cleanliness is intended through ablution, but to emphasise that it is the only reason why ablution is required before prayer is to follow an approach which is neither correct nor safe. Indeed, there came a time when some people suggested that there was no longer any need for this “primitive” method of cleanliness when we live in a clean environment, with people taking care of their daily cleanliness. If ablution had been legislated for this purpose, then it would no longer be necessary before prayer. Indeed, there is no longer any need for prayer itself.

人们常常试图探寻祷告背后的智慧。有人把它解释为一系列有益于全身的运动，也有人把它说成是一种良好的训练，能够培养纪律性，包括时间观念、动作协调以及在会众中排列整齐。还有人认为，祷告中所包含的诵读与祈求，使人与真主建立起直接的联系。这些意图或许都存在于祷告之中，但如果强调其中任何一种，甚至把它们全部合在一起，视为要求进行祷告的唯一理由，那就偏离了正确而稳妥的方法。