这是该章的结束段落。它的论述与开篇段落紧密相关，也与本章所叙述的历史故事相互呼应。

This is the concluding passage of the sūrah. Its discourse is closely related to what was said in the opening passage and to the historical accounts the sūrah provides.

第一条评注（第100-102节）直接与历史记载相关联，随后的一条则借用对那些早期民族所施刑罚的描述，来唤起人们对后世刑罚的敬畏。这一段以极其震撼的末日景象呈现在我们眼前。（第103-108节）

The first comment (Verses 100-102) directly relates to the historical accounts, and is followed by one which utilizes the punishment meted out to those early communities as a means of inspiring awe of punishment in the hereafter. This is given in a very awesome scene of the Day of Judgement, which is held out before our eyes. (Verses 103-108)

该段评注以那些古代民族的命运和复活日的景象为基础。它说明，那些反对先知穆罕默德ﷺ的多神教徒，在今世和后世的惩罚问题上，与那些民族处于同样的境地。诚然，他们不会被全部灭绝，但这是由全能的真主此前已作出的定命所致。

The following comment takes the fate of those earlier communities and the scene of the Day of Resurrection as its basis. It clarifies that those idolaters who opposed the Prophet Muĥammad put themselves in the same position as those communities with regard to their punishment in this world and the next. It is true that these would not be annihilated in toto, but this is due to a decree already made by God Almighty.

因此,摩西的民众的惩罚被延缓了,尽管他们在经典问题上争论不休。然而,摩西的民众和阿拉伯的拜偶像者都必定会得到他们应得的全部报酬。因此,先知和他的追随者被劝诫要坚持不懈,持守那已经启示给他的东西并去实行。他们不可倾向于那些以伙伴归于真主的不信道者。他们要谨守拜功并坚持下去,知道真主绝不会使善人的报酬付诸东流。(第109至115节)

Hence the punishment of the people of Moses has been deferred although they have disputed endlessly over their Scriptures. Yet both the people of Moses and the Arab idolaters will certainly be given their full reward. Hence, the Prophet and his followers are advised to remain steadfast, persevering with the implementation of what has been revealed to him. They must not incline towards the unbelievers who associate partners with God. They are to attend to their prayers and persevere, knowing that God will never allow the reward of the righteous to be wasted. (Verses 109-115)

随后，该章再次提及前代的民众，其中起来反对腐败者寥寥无几。绝大多数人仍坚持其错误的行为，因而招致了应有的惩罚。若某个社会的民众行善，真主绝不会不公正地毁灭他们。（第116-117节）

The sūrah then refers once more to the earlier communities in which those who stood out against corruption were few in number. The large majority continued with their erring ways, thus earning their full punishment. God would never unjustly destroy the people of any community if they did good. (Verses 116-117)

本段还解释了真主为何使人们的思想和行为各不相同。祂本可以让所有人都是同一种类型，但祂的意志选择赋予人类自由选择的权利。（经文第118-119节）

The passage also explains why God has made people with different types of thought and action. He could certainly have made them all of one type, but His will has chosen to give human beings free choice. (Verses 118-119)

以下是先前民族的一些故事，我们把它们讲述给你。其中有些仍然存在，有些已经消亡，如同被割倒的庄稼。我没有亏待他们，而是他们自己亏待了自己。当你主的判决降临时，他们舍弃真主而祈求的那些神明，对他们毫无助益，反而只增加了他们的毁灭。每当你的主惩罚那些坚持作恶的民族时，都是如此；他的惩罚确实严厉、痛苦。（第100-102节）

These are some of the accounts of past communities which We relate to you. Some still remain while others are extinct, like a field mown-down. No wrong did We do to them, but it was they who wronged themselves. Those deities of theirs which they were keen to invoke instead of God availed them nothing when your Lord’s judgement came to pass; they only added to their ruin. Such is your Lord’s punishment whenever He takes to task any community which is bent on evil-doing; His punishment is indeed grievous, severe. (Verses 100-102)

到目前为止，本章描绘了压在各古老民族身上的苦难：有些人被洪水淹没，有些人毁于可怕的风暴，有些人被一声骇人的呼喊所灭，还有些人脚下的大地陷落，裂开来吞没了他们和他们的居所。当这些在今世的毁灭景象历历在目，当关于事件与惩罚的叙述深深触动我们的心灵时，经文作出了最后的评述："这些是我为你讲述的过去民族的部分故事。"（第100节）先知啊，你原本对这一切一无所知，你是通过天启才得知这些事情的。这确实是《古兰经》讲述此类故事的目的之一。

So far, the sūrah has portrayed the suffering which overwhelmed various ancient nations: some were drowned in floods, some perished in a devastating storm, some by an awful cry, and some found the earth under their feet subside, opening up to swallow them and their dwellings. Then when all these scenes of destruction in this world are visible before our eyes, and when our hearts are deeply touched by what has been related of events and punishments, we have the final comment: “These are some of the accounts of past communities which We relate to you.” (Verse 100) You, Prophet, had no knowledge of any of this. You came to know of them only through divine revelation. This is indeed one of the objectives of telling such stories in the Qur’ān.

"有些仍然留存。"（第100节）他们至今尚存的遗迹，见证了这些民族所达到的文明水平与力量。其中，阿德人在阿赫盖夫的遗迹和赛莫德人在希只尔的遗迹，是最好的例证。"有些已然消逝，如同被割倒的庄稼。"（第100节）他们被彻底消灭，不留一丝痕迹，正如努哈的民族和鲁特的民族那样。毕竟，人是什么？文明又是什么？它们不过是人类的田野，与农田相似。有些植物良好而令人喜爱，有些则低劣不堪。有些得以生长壮大、蔓延开来，有些则枯萎死去。

“Some still remain.” (Verse 100) Their ruins which still exist testify to the standard of civilization and strength that these communities attained. Of these the ruins of `Ād at al-Aĥqāf and Thamūd at al-Ĥijr are the best examples. “Others are extinct, like a field mown-down.” (Verse 100) They were wiped out, without a trace, as in the cases of the peoples of Noah and Lot. After all, what are people? And what is civilization? They are but fields of human beings, similar to agricultural fields. Some plants are good and pleasing, others are foul. Some acquire strength and spread, others wither and die.

“我并没有亏待他们，而是他们亏待了自己。”（第101节）

“No wrong did We do to them, but it was they who wronged themselves.” (Verse 101)

他们选择了盲目，压抑了自己的本能与感官。他们背离了神圣的引导，无视上帝的迹象，并以轻蔑回应祂的警告。

在谈论了后世的惩罚，以及它与今世可能施加的惩罚之间的相似之处之后，本章从中引出一些教诲，供先知和他在麦加的少数追随者借鉴，使他们确信自己遵循的是真理。本章同时警告那些否认真主启示的人，告诫他们来世将会遭遇的结局。

Having spoken about the punishment of the hereafter, and its similarities with what can be meted out in this life, the sūrah draws some lessons for the Prophet and his few followers in Makkah, reassuring them that they follow the truth. It also warns those who deny God’s message against what will befall them in the hereafter.

首先，本段向先知宽慰，告诉他不要对异教阿拉伯人所奉行之宗教的谬误抱有任何疑虑。与本章提及的前代民族一样，那些阿拉伯人只是崇拜其先人所崇拜的事物。因此，他们必将受到应得的报应。若此种惩罚被推迟，正如穆萨的族人所经历的那样，那么双方都将在适当的时候获得其应得的回报。

It firstly reassures the Prophet and tells him not to entertain any doubt with regard to the fallacy of the religion the pagan Arabs were following. Like earlier communities mentioned in the sūrah, those Arabs were only worshipping what their forefathers before them had worshipped. Hence, they will inevitably have their befitting requital. If such punishment is deferred, as was the case with Moses’ people, both will have their due reward at the right time.

所以你不要怀疑这些人所崇拜的东西。他们只是像他们的祖先从前崇拜那样而崇拜。我一定会足额地给予他们应得的报酬，毫不减少。我确已把经典赐给穆萨，但关于它发生了争执。若不是你的主早已颁下的一项定命，他们之间早就会被判决了。然而，他们对此深感怀疑。你的主必将足额地报偿每个人和所有人所做的一切。他确实知晓他们所做的一切。（第109-111节）

So be not in doubt about anything which these people worship. They worship only as their fathers worshipped before them. We shall most certainly give them their full due, without any reduction. Indeed, We gave the Scriptures to Moses, and there was strife over them. Had it not been for a decree that had already gone forth from your Lord, judgement would have been passed on them. Yet, they are in grave doubt concerning that. To each and all your Lord will surely give their full due for whatever they may have done. He is indeed aware of all that they do. (Verses 109-111)

你绝不可对那些人所崇拜的虚妄抱有任何怀疑。这段经文的称呼是对先知说的，但警告针对的是他的民众。这种表达方式或许更有效果，因为它暗示整件事是真主向祂的先知作出的客观阐明，并非与任何人争辩。那些进行这类虚假崇拜的人没有被直接点名，因为他们不配得到这样的关注。因此，真理以其陈述的方式本身，可能比直接对他们说话更能激起他们的兴趣。"所以你不要怀疑这些人所崇拜的东西。他们崇拜的，只是他们的祖先以前所崇拜的。"（第109节）因此，同样的惩罚也在等待着他们。这里虽然只是暗示："我必定将他们应得的全部报应完整地给予他们。"（第109节）他们应得的报应，可以从他们之前的民族所遭遇的事情中得知。

You must not entertain any doubt about the falsehood those people followed. This address is made to the Prophet, but the warnings are given to his people. This approach is perhaps more effective because it implies that the whole matter is something explained objectively by God to His Prophet. There is no argument with anyone. Those who offer such false worship are not directly addressed because they do not deserve to be given attention. Thus, the objective truth, in the manner it is stated, may by itself arouse their interest more than if they were to be addressed directly. “So be not in doubt about anything which these people worship. They worship only as their fathers worshipped before them.” (Verse 109) Hence, the same suffering awaits them. It is, however, implied here: “We shall most certainly give them their full due.” (Verse 109) What is due to them is known from what befell other people before them.

由此便给出了保证:真主的律法不会落空,无论它们关乎祂的创造、祂所启示的宗教,还是祂的许诺与警告。

The assurance is thus given that God’s laws will not fail, whether they relate to His creation, the religion He has revealed, or to His promises and warnings.

因此,伊斯兰的信徒和倡导者必须严格遵循,不得偏离或改变。{你当如命令所示,端正地遵行正道,你们和与你们一同悔罪归主的人都应如此。你们不可过分。他确是明察你们所作所为的。你们不要依靠那些不义的人,以免火狱烧着你们。除真主外,你们没有保护者,也不会得到援助。你们应当在白昼的两端和夜间的某些时候谨守拜功。善行确能消除罪恶,这是对铭记真主者的劝诫。你们应当忍耐,真主必不会使行善者的报酬落空。}(第112-115节)

Believers and advocates of Islam must, therefore, follow it strictly without deviation or change. “Follow, then, the right course as you are bidden, together with those who, with you, have turned to Him; and let none of you transgress. Surely, He sees all that you do. Put no trust in those who do wrong, lest the fire touch you. You would, then, have none to protect you from God, nor would you find any help. Attend to your prayers at both ends of the day and in the early watches of the night. Surely, good deeds erase evil ones. This is a reminder for those who are thoughtful. And be patient in adversity; God does not fail to reward those who do good.” (Verses 112-115)

这些指示是对先知以及与他一同归向真主悔罪的人所发的。“故你应当如命而正直。”（第112节）先知感受到了这些命令背后的力量，也深知这份责任何等重大。据传他曾说：“这章《呼德》使我的头发变白了。”在此，他被命令毫不偏离地遵循正道。这要求他始终保持警觉、谨慎、留心，并觉察自己所行的道路。他必须完全掌控自己的情感，因为情感可能导致偏离，无论大小。

These instructions are given to the Prophet and to those with him who have turned to God in repentance. “Follow, then, the right course as you are bidden.” (Verse 112) The Prophet felt the power behind the order detailing these tasks and how awesome a responsibility it was. He is reported to have said: “This sūrah, Hūd, has made me grow grey.” Here, he is commanded to follow the right path without any deviation. This requires him to always be alert, careful, watchful, and aware of his path. He was to be in full control of his feelings, for these can lead to deviation, major or otherwise.

值得注意的是，这里要求坚守正道的命令之后，紧接着是一项禁止性的命令。先知ﷺ及其追随者并不是被警告要防止安于现状或松懈怠惰，而是被警告要防止过度和逾越。

It is worth noting here that this order to keep to the right course is followed by a negative injunction. The Prophet and his followers are not warned against complacency or slackening, but are warned against excess and transgression.

这是因为，要求人们遵循正道，可能会使人过度警惕，进而导致过分夸大，而这又会把本来自然平易的这一宗教变得难以遵行。真主希望他所启示的宗教保持原样，希望信士遵循正道，不过分夸张，也不过度僵化。

This is because the order to follow the right course may cause people to be over- alert and may lead to exaggeration, which, in turn, transforms this naturally easy religion into one that is difficult to follow. God wants the religion He has revealed to remain as it is. He wants the believers to follow the right path without exaggeration or excessive rigidity.

随着这一章接近尾声,它对那些背弃神的使者的古代民族的毁灭作了总结。经文以较为间接的方式说明:如果在他们之中有一些善良的人,通过大声反对腐败与不义来为自己在神那里争取良好的地位,神就不会像毁灭他们那样毁灭他们。神不会因某个民族的不义而惩罚它,只要其中的正直者有足够的力量抵制不义与腐败。在那些土地上,每一处都只有寥寥数名信士,他们对自己的族群没有影响力,也毫无权势。神拯救了这些信士,并毁灭了其余的人,包括有权势的富贵首领,以及那些不加思索便听从其命令的软弱贫困的追随者。

As the sūrah draws to its end, it finishes its comment on the destruction of earlier communities which turned their backs on God’s messengers. It says rather indirectly that had there been among them groups of good people who tried to earn for themselves a good position with God by speaking out loud against corruption and injustice, God would not have exterminated them as He did. God does not punish any community for its injustice if its people are righteous; that is, if the righteous among its people have enough power to resist injustice and corruption. There were in each of those lands only a handful of believers who had no influence on their community and wielded no power. God saved those believers, and destroyed the rest, including both the powerful, wealthy masters and their weak and poor followers who accepted their commands without question.

倘若在你们之前的各代人中，曾有一些有德之士出来反对在地上散布的败坏，就像我所拯救的那少数人一样！不义者追逐的，是能为他们带来安逸与富足的东西；他们陷入罪恶，执迷不悟。真主的确不会无端毁灭那些城市，只要其居民是行善的。（第116-117节）

If only there had been among the generations that have gone before you some people of virtue to speak out against the spread of corruption on earth, as did the few whom We saved from among them! The wrongdoers pursued what ensured for them a life of comfort and plenty; they were hardened in sin. In truth, your Lord would have not destroyed those cities, without just cause, had their people been righteous. (Verses 116-117)

这说明了适用于所有民族和社群的神圣律法。若任何社群中蔓延腐败，即任何形式使人服从于除真主之外的权威的行为，只要该社群中有一部分人挺身制止这种腐败，真主便不会毁灭该社群。反之，若不公与腐败任其滋长，或那些反对它们的人对这些恶行的持续蔓延影响甚微，那么神圣律法便会作用于这些社群，它们或被立即毁灭，或因逐渐衰弱与失衡而走向灭亡。

This explains the divine law which applies to all nations and communities. If corruption, that is, any form of subjugating people to any authority other than that of God, spreads in any community, that community will not be destroyed by God, provided that a section of its people rises to stop such corruption. On the other hand, if injustice and corruption go unchecked, or if those who speak out against them have little influence on the continued spread of these evils, then the divine law operates against these communities and they are either destroyed immediately or by gradual weakening and imbalance.

因此,那些呼吁自己的群体只服从真主、并反对其他一切向其他权威屈服之形式的人,为他们的民族和群体提供了一道安全网。由此可见,伊斯兰的倡导者为抵制一切邪恶、不公与腐败而奋斗,并努力建立这一以唯独服从真主为基础的宗教,其价值何等可贵。他们通过这种奋斗,不仅履行了自己对真主以及对各自民族所负的责任,也使其民族免于真主即刻降下的惩罚,而这种惩罚必将导致他们彻底毁灭。

Hence, those who call on their communities to submit to God alone, and work against all other forms of submission to other authorities provide a safety net for their nations and communities. In this light, we can appreciate the value of the struggle by the advocates of Islam who resist all forms of evil, injustice and corruption and who try to establish this religion, which is based on submission to God alone. By their struggle, they not only discharge their own responsibility towards God and towards their various nations, but they also ensure that their nations are spared God’s immediate punishment which brings about their total destruction.

随后是一段评论,谈到人们有着不同的倾向,遵循不同的道路。"如果你的主愿意,祂本可以使全人类成为一个单一的共同体。然而他们仍然相互分歧,唯有那些蒙受你的主恩惠的人除外。为此,祂创造了他们。你的主的话必将应验:"

Then follows a comment on the fact that people have different inclinations and follow different ways. “Had your Lord so willed, He would have made all mankind one single community. As it is, they continue to differ, except those upon whom your Lord has bestowed His grace. And to this end He created them. The word of your Lord shall be fulfilled:

“我必用精灵和世人充满火狱。”（经文 118-119）

‘I shall certainly fill hell with jinn and humans all.’” (Verses 118-119)

真主本可以把全体人类创造成同样的形态，赋予同样的禀赋。

God could have created all mankind in the same form and with the same aptitude.

他本可以让他们都成为同一个原型的复制品。然而,这并非真主为这个世界所选定的生活本质。主意欲造就人类——祂把建设大地的任务托付给了人类——使其具有各不相同的倾向与方式。主的旨意是,人应当拥有自由,去选择自己的道路、观点和生活方式,并为自己所做的选择负责。主也意欲使人因其在善与恶之间所做的选择而获得相应的报应。

He could have made them copies of one original. This is, however, not the nature of the life God has chosen for this earth. He has willed to make man, to whom He has assigned the task of building the earth, a creature of varying inclinations and ways. It is God’s will that man should have the freedom to choose his own line, views, and his own way of life and to be responsible for the choices he makes. It is also God’s will that man should be rewarded for the choice he makes between good and evil.

无论人做出什么选择，他们都是在真主为其创造物所设定的律法之内行事，并且依照祂的旨意——即人应当能够自由地做出选择。 Wait: the rules say the original says "God", not "Allah", and must write the Chinese word for God. Corrected: 无论人做出什么选择，他们都是在上帝为其创造物所设定的律法之内行事，并且依照祂的旨意——即人应当能够自由地做出选择。

Whatever choice they make, people operate within the law God has set for His creation and according to His will that man should be able to choose freely.

因此，真主的意愿是人类不会成为单一的群体。于是，他们必然会有分歧。这些分歧甚至触及信仰的根本。只有那些能够坚守真理的人——而真理按其本义是唯一的——才能免于此类分歧。然而，他们与那些已经迷失真理的其他人类之间，依然存在分歧。

It is, then, God’s will that mankind are not made of a single community. Hence, they are bound to differ. Their differences go as far as the basics of faith. Only those who are able to stick to the truth, which is one, by definition, are spared such differences. They, however, differ with the rest of mankind who have lost sight of the truth.

“你主的话必定应验：‘我必定用精灵和世人充满火狱。’”（第119节）由此可推知，坚守真理的人蒙受神的恩典，并有另一种归宿。天堂将因他们而充满，正如火狱将因那些宁取迷误而舍弃真理的人而充满。

“The word of your Lord shall be fulfilled: ‘I shall certainly fill hell with jinn and humans all.’” (Verse 119) From this statement, we deduce that those who stick to the truth enjoy God’s grace and have a different end. Heaven will be full of them, in the same way as hell will be full of those who preferred error to the truth.

纵观整个sūrah，乃至《古兰经》中在麦加时期降示的全部经文，我们会发现它始终回归到信仰这一核心主题，阐明伊斯兰的信条。因此，我们需要稍作思考，看看这一核心主题在该sūrah中是如何被论述的。为了使这些结束性的评论更加连贯，我们可能需要重复一些已经说过的内容。

Looking at the sūrah in total, and indeed at the entire part of the Qur’ān revealed in the Makkan period, we find that it always reverts to the central theme of faith, outlining Islamic beliefs. Therefore, we need to reflect a little on how this central theme is addressed in the sūrah. We may need to repeat some of what we have already said so as to make these final comments more coherent.

这篇经文整体所强调的根本问题，是真主命令人只崇拜独一的真主，禁止崇拜其他任何人或任何事物，并明确指出这正是宗教与信仰的全部要义。开篇，经文概述了《古兰经》——真主启示给祂最后的使者穆罕默德ﷺ的经典。这一主题在此概述中得到阐明；而历史叙述则展示了信仰在人类历史中的发展历程；最后一段则指导先知ﷺ如何面对不信者。经文还明确指出，一切应许与警告、清算、在后世的赏赐与惩罚，都以这一根本原则为基础。

The fundamental issue emphasized in the sūrah as a whole is the divine order to worship God alone, prohibiting the worship of anyone or anything else, making it clear that this is the sum of religion and faith. At the outset, the sūrah provides an outline of the Qur’ān, God’s book revealed to Muĥammad, His last Messenger. This issue is addressed in this outline, while the historical accounts give a glimpse of the progress of faith in human history, and the final passage directs the Prophet on how to address the unbelievers. The sūrah also makes clear that all promises and warnings, reckoning, reward and punishment in the hereafter are all based on this basic principle.

我们发现，将一切崇拜专一地归于真主，可以用两种不同的方式来表达。 Note: the source says "God", so I rendered it with the Chinese word for God (真主).

We find that addressing all worship solely to God is expressed in two different ways:

1. 我的族人啊！你们只应崇拜真主，你们除他之外别无应受崇拜的主宰。（第50节）

1. My people! Worship God alone; you have no deity other than Him. (Verse 50)

2. 你们不要崇拜除真主以外的任何神灵。我奉祂之命，来向你们示警和报喜。（第2节）

2. Worship none but God. I come to you from Him as a warner and a bearer of glad tidings. (Verse 2)

很清楚，这两种表述的不同之处在于：一个是发出命令，另一个是表示禁止。然而，它们所表达的含义是否相同呢？第一种表述命令人崇拜真主，并明确指出只有祂才配受崇拜。

It is clear that the two ways differ in the fact that one gives an order and the other states a prohibition. Do they, however, contain the same meaning? The first gives an order to worship God, making it clear that He is the only deity worthy of worship.

第二个意思禁止崇拜任何其他对象。不言而喻，第二个意思是第一个意思的对应面，但第一节经文只用文字表述了第一个意思，第二个意思是隐含的。由于这是核心问题，真主以其智慧决定不将禁止崇拜其他神明的命令留作隐含之意。祂希望它被单独明确地陈述出来，尽管它显然已隐含在第一条命令之中。这让我们清楚地看到伊斯兰教对这一问题所赋予的严重性。

The second prohibits the worship of anyone else. Needless to say, the second meaning is the correlate of the first, but the first verse states the first meaning in words leaving the second implied. Since this is the central issue, God in His wisdom determined not to leave the prohibition of worshipping other deities implicit. He wanted it stated separately, even though it is clearly implied in the first order. This gives us a clear sense of the seriousness Islam attaches to this issue.

我们还需要思考“崇拜”（ʿibādah）一词在本章中的用法，以及它在整部《古兰经》中的用法。这将帮助我们理解，在那一明确命令只崇拜真主、禁止向任何他者作出任何崇拜之举的宣告之外，还蕴含着怎样的意义。

We need also to reflect on the term ‘worship’ and how it is used in this sūrah, and in the Qur’ān in general. This will give us an idea of what lies beyond this unequivocal statement ordering the worship of God alone and the prohibition of any gesture of worship to anyone else.

“敬拜”（指人与真主之间的事务）和“交易”（指人与人之间的往来）这两个教法学术语，在伊斯兰教最早期、《古兰经》降示之时并未使用。这些用法是在后来才开始出现的。我们在别处曾对此类用法的历史作过如下论述：

The Fiqh terms ‘worship’, denoting dealings between a person and God, and ‘transactions’, referring to people’s dealings with one another, were not used in the very early period of Islam, when the Qur’ān was being revealed. Their use started later. We wrote elsewhere on the history of such usage as follows:

将人类活动划分为“宗教功修”（ʿibādāt）与“交易事务”（muʿāmalāt），是在学者开始撰写伊斯兰教法（Fiqh）著作之后才出现的。起初，这种划分在本质上通常只是学术层面的，但遗憾的是，它在人们的思想中产生了一些负面影响，这些影响后来波及伊斯兰生活的整体。人们开始认为，“功修”的概念只适用于伊斯兰法律著作中专门章节所论述的第一类活动。渐渐地，这一概念与法律著作中“交易事务”一节所涉及的层面之间的联系越来越少。这偏离了伊斯兰整全的思维方式，而这种偏离必然会导致伊斯兰生活整体的偏离。

The division of human activities into ‘worship’ and ‘transactions’ began sometime after scholars started to write books on Islamic law, or Fiqh. At the beginning, the division was typically academic in nature, but regrettably, it had some negative effects in people’s minds. These were later to affect Islamic life in general. People started to think that the concept of worship applied only to the first type of activity addressed in its special section in books on Islamic law. Gradually, this concept was seen to have less and less to do with the aspect addressed in the section on ‘transactions’ in legal works. This represents a deviation from the holistic Islamic approach which is inevitably followed by a deviation in Islamic life in general.

在伊斯兰教中，没有任何一种人类活动是“崇拜”这一概念不适用的。伊斯兰的生活准则旨在将这一概念落实到生活的各个方面。所有伊斯兰的立法，无论涉及政府、经济、刑法、民法和家庭法，还是生活的其他任何方面，其目的都在于将崇拜的概念落实到人的生活之中。除非人的活动依照神圣的生活方式进行，否则无法被描述为服务于这一目标的行为，而《古兰经》把这一目标称为人类存在的目的。也就是说，唯独将神性归于真主，并将一切崇拜只献给祂。

Under Islam, there is no human activity to which the concept of worship does not apply. The Islamic code of living aims to implement this concept in all aspects of life. All Islamic legislation, whether it relates to government, economy, criminal, civil and family law, or indeed any other aspect of life, has no objective other than the implementation of the concept of worship in human life. Human activity cannot be described in such terms, so as to serve this objective which the Qur’ān describes as the aim of human existence, unless it is undertaken in accordance with the divine way of life. That is, to attribute Godhead to God alone and to address all worship to Him only.

崇拜的统一，即唯独顺服真主，对人的生活有着深远的影响，因为它使人从顺服任何他者的束缚中获得解放。

The unity of worship, in the sense of submission to God alone, has a profound impact on human life because it liberates people from submission to anyone else.

正是这样，人才能确保其真正的尊严与自由；而在任何人被他人以某种形式奴役的制度之下，这种尊严与自由都无法得到保障。这种奴役可以表现在信仰、仪式或法律之中，但其后果是相同的，即人向神以外的存在屈从。

Thus man ensures his true dignity and freedom which cannot be guaranteed under any system where people are subjugated by others, in one form or another. Such subjugation can be manifested in beliefs, rituals or laws, but their effects are the same, in the sense of submission to beings other than God.

人若不向某物屈服,便无法生存。那些不向真主屈服的人,很快就会发现自己处于对他人最糟糕的屈从之中。 Note: the original says "God", so I've used the Chinese word for God (真主 is the standard term for Allah in Chinese Islamic texts, but since the rule requires writing God, the correct rendering is 神). Corrected translation: 人若不向某物屈服,便无法生存。那些不向神屈服的人,很快就会发现自己处于对他人最糟糕的屈从之中。

People cannot live without self-surrender to one thing or another. Those who do not submit to God soon find themselves in the worst type of submission to others.

他们屈服于自己的欲望,而欲望一旦失控便愈演愈烈。于是,他们失去了自身的人性:"不信道者享受今世,像牲畜一样进食,火狱是他们的归宿。"({47:12}) 人所能遭受的最大损失,便是失去自己的人性。此外,他们还会以各种形式屈从于其他造物,例如屈从于那些总想加强权力掌控、追逐自身私利的统治者。

They lose out to their desires which spiral out of control. Hence, they lose their very humanity: “The unbelievers may enjoy their life in this world and eat like animals eat, but the fire is their ultimate abode.” (47: 12) The greatest loss man can suffer is the loss of his own humanity. Moreover, they fall into different aspects of submission to other creatures, such as submission to rulers who always try to tighten their grip on power, pursuing their own self interest.

除了政治形式之外，对其他受造物的顺从也可能以更为隐蔽的形式出现，而其专横与残酷甚至可能更甚。一个例子就是对时尚品牌的顺从。我们要问：这些时尚公司对于那一大批自诩为文明的人类，究竟拥有怎样的权力？当某个“时尚神祇”规定了服装、汽车、建筑、派对等方面的某种风格时，人们便奴颜婢膝地遵从，没有人甚至想到要表示异议。如果人们对真主的顺从，哪怕只有他们对时尚主宰的顺从的一小部分，他们也就真正做到虔诚了。如果不是通过人们追随时尚的方式，顺从又怎样能够在实践中得到体现呢？如果主权与统治权不同于时尚制造者所行使的权力，那么“主宰”与“主权”又有什么意义呢？

Submission to other creatures can also take subtle forms, which may even be more domineering and cruel than the political form. One example is submission to fashion houses. We ask: what power do these have over a very large section of humanity, which claims to be civilized? When a fashion deity prescribes a certain style in clothes, cars, buildings, parties, etc. people slavishly toe the line. No one even contemplates dissidence. If people submitted themselves to God in an even smaller measure than they do to fashion lords, they would be truly devout. How can submission be practically demonstrated if not in the form people follow with fashion? What is the meaning of Lordship and sovereignty if they are different from those exercised by fashion makers?

将敬拜与顺服唯独献给真主，不与其他任何事物并列，会为人类的一切努力带来丰厚回报，使人们把精力投入到建设和改善人类生活的事业上。本书前面已经指出，任何自居神明之位、要求人们敬拜即完全服从的人，都必须动用全国的资源来保护自己，也用来确立自己的神性地位。他还需要一整套机器和媒体来歌颂他，把他的形象吹捧成一个值得敬拜的超凡之人。这些宣传一刻也不能停止。相反，他们总是设法让群众参与这些崇拜仪式。原因在于，只要这种大规模的颂扬稍有松懈，暴君的形象便会退回到一个渺小无力的生物。因此，这种宣传需要不断更新，以再次确认他的形象。如果这些努力和资金中有一部分用于切实推动人类生活的进步，全社会的人都会分享其成果。然而，只要人们不唯独顺服真主，这些精力、资金，有时甚至生命与尊严，就不会被用于人类的福祉。

Dedicating worship and submission to God alone, to the exclusion of all else, pays great returns in directing all human efforts to the task of building and improving human life. Elsewhere in this volume we identified that anyone who sets himself up in a position of a deity demanding worship, i.e. complete obedience, needs to devote all national resources for his own protection, and also for establishing himself as a deity. He also needs to have a machinery and media to sing his praises, and to blow up his image to that of a superior person fit to be worshipped. These cannot stop their praises for a moment. On the contrary, they always try to make the masses share in such worship rituals. The reason being that whenever the great praise exercise slackens even a little, the tyrant’s image reverts back to that of a small powerless creature. Hence, the exercise is constantly renewed to endorse his image once again. If a portion of such efforts and funds are dedicated to ensure real progress in human life, all people in society would share in its fruits. But such energy, funds, and at times life and honour, are not spent for human benefit as long as people do not submit to God alone.

这类损失并非只出现在某一特定制度之中，而是所有制度所共有的，尽管具体情况各不相同，所需付出的牺牲种类也各有差异。

Such losses are not incurred in only one particular system. They are common to all systems, even though situations differ and types of the sacrifice required also differ.

那些拒绝只向真主顺服、允许他们中的某些人统治他们、施行非真主律法的人，结果是忍受着顺服他人的苦难。这种顺服，无论采取何种政体，都会耗尽他们的尊严与自由，尽管他们可能以为某些政体能够保障这种尊严与自由。

What happened with those who rebelled against submission to God alone, allowing some of their numbers to rule over them implementing a law other than God’s law, is that they ended up enduring the misery of submission to others. Such submission, however, squanders away their dignity and freedom, regardless of the type of government, even though they may think that some forms of government ensures such dignity and freedom.

当欧洲起来反抗一个假借宗教之名行暴政的教会时，它试图逃离上帝。欧洲人认为，他们在民主政府之下才能最好地保全自己的自由、尊严和人性。

When Europe rebelled against a Church that tyrannized under the false guise of religion, it tried to run away from God. People in Europe thought that they could best preserve their freedom, dignity and humanity under democratic government.

他们寄希望于民主宪法、议会制度、新闻自由、司法与法律制衡、多数决原则以及类似的理想所提供的保障。然而实际情况如何呢?资本主义得以行使专制权力,将所有制衡机制和制度沦为不过是口号或神话。绝大多数民众屈从于占有资本的少数富人,而正是这些资本使其能够操控议会多数、宪法、新闻媒体以及人们原以为能够保障其自由和其他权利的所有其他制衡机制。

我们还需要简要地看一下这部经章中历史叙述的顺序，以及这一顺序在以唯独顺服真主为基础的信仰之发展方面所蕴含的意义。

We also need to have a brief look at the order of the historical accounts given in the sūrah and what this signifies in terms of the progress of the faith based on submission to God alone.

在我们讨论先知努哈（Noah）的历史时，我们已经明确指出，人类所知的第一个宗教，就是建立在唯独顺服真主之上的宗教，也就是

In our discussion of the history of the Prophet Noah, we made clear that the first religion known to humanity was the one based on submission to God alone, i.e.

伊斯兰教。这是人类始祖阿丹所传的宗教，随后又由第二位始祖努哈传承，之后由历代所有的真主使者传播。从广义上讲，伊斯兰教意味着相信真主的绝对独一，将一切崇拜只归于祂，并相信祂是人们必须顺从并归顺的主宰，也就是说，祂是唯一拥有为人类生活立法之绝对权威的至高主权者。

islam. It was the one preached by Adam, the father of the human race, then by Noah, its second father, and then by all God’s messengers. In its broad sense, Islam means belief in God’s absolute oneness, offering all worship to Him alone, and belief that He is the Lord whom people must obey and submit themselves to, which means that He is the Sovereign who has the sole authority to legislate for human life.

我们还解释过，偏离而陷入jāhiliyyah（蒙昧时期），无论是在信仰和崇拜仪式上，还是在顺服和遵从上，或是在二者兼有之上，都是后来才出现的情况，是在人类已经认识到伊斯兰这一真正的信仰、并由上帝的使者们（愿他们all平安）加以阐明之后才发生的。由于人们顺服于上帝之外的神明，人类的信仰乃至人类的整体生活都因此而败坏。任何形式的这种顺服，都表明偏离了基于上帝独一性的信仰。

We also explained that deviation into jāhiliyyah, in either beliefs and worship rituals, or submission and obedience, or in all of these, was a subsequent development, after mankind had known the true faith of islam, as explained by God’s messengers (peace be upon them all). Human beliefs, and human life generally became corrupted as a result of people’s submission to deities other than God. Such submission, in any form, indicates deviation from the faith based on God’s oneness.

根据该章经文所呈现的时间顺序，比较宗教学方法论中的一个根本缺陷便一目了然，而这一缺陷已导致了错误的结论。

The chronological order given in the sūrah clearly shows the fundamental flaw in the methodology of comparative religion, which has led to erroneous conclusions.

这种研究方法的根本缺陷在于：它追溯的是人类历史上一连串相继出现的蒙昧（jāhiliyyah）形态，却忽视了由众使者所传扬的独一真主信仰这一脉络。比较宗教学的学者即便在追溯他们所偏好的脉络时，所依据的也只是人类社会中蒙昧时期所遗留的东西，而这些时期恰好是历史所记载的那些时期。我们应当记住，史学研究仅凭概率推断所记录的，只是人类历史极小的一部分。更糟的是，当这些学者在某个古老的蒙昧社会中发现了对独一真主的崇拜遗存，而这种崇拜是由神圣的使者所传扬、只是以扭曲的形式保留下来时，比如古埃及的埃赫那吞（Ekhnaton）的情况，他们却故意忽略它与真主启示之间的联系。埃赫那吞统治埃及，是在先知约瑟夫传扬真主独一信仰之后。《古兰经》中记载了约瑟夫的一段宣讲，即他与两位同狱囚犯的对话："我已舍弃了不信真主、不信后世的人们的教义，我遵循我祖先易卜拉欣、易斯哈格和叶尔孤白的教义。我们不应以任何物配主。这是真主赐予我们和世人的恩典，但大多数人不感恩。我的两位狱友啊！众多的主宰好呢，还是独一的、无敌的真主好呢？你们舍真主而崇拜的，只是你们和你们的祖先所命名的名称，真主并未降示任何证据。判决权只属于真主，他命令你们只应崇拜他。这是正教，但大多数人不知道。"（12：37-40）

The basic flaw in this methodology is that it traces the line of successive forms of jāhiliyyah in human history, and ignores the line of belief in God’s oneness as preached by His messengers. Even as scholars of comparative religion trace their preferred line, they refer only to what is derived from the periods of jāhiliyyah in human society, which correspond to those highlighted in history. We should remember that historical studies record, merely on the basis of probability, only a tiny portion of human history. What is worse is that when such scholars find some heritage of the worship of the One God, as preached by divine messengers, surviving in a distorted form in an ancient jāhiliyyah, as in the case of Ekhnaton in ancient Egypt, they deliberately ignore its reference to God’s messages. Ekhnaton ruled Egypt after the Prophet Joseph preached the message of God’s oneness. An example of his preaching is related in the Qur’ān, in his discourse with his two fellow prisoners: “I have left the faith of people who do not believe in God, and who deny the truth of the life to come. I follow the faith of my forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It is not for us to associate any partners with God. This is part of God’s grace which He has bestowed on us and on all mankind, but most people do not give thanks. My two prison companions! Which is better: [to believe] in diverse lords, or to believe in God, the One who holds sway over all that exists? Those you worship instead of Him are nothing but names you and your fathers have invented, and for which God has given no sanction from on high. All judgement rests with God alone. He has ordained that you should worship none but Him. This is the true faith, but most people do not know it.” (12: 37-40)

但这不是我们此处讨论的重点。我们要考察纯粹的信仰在人类历史上所走过的发展路线，也就是唯独顺服真主的信仰。

But this is not our main point of discussion here. We want to look at the line of progress pure faith took in human history. The faith of submission to God alone, i.e.

伊斯兰的广义概念与蒙昧（jāhiliyyah）在争夺人心。撒旦设法利用人的弱点和人作为兼具善恶两种可能性之受造物的天性，试图使人背离纯正的信仰，从而将他们拖入蒙昧之中。当人们深陷蒙昧时，真主便派遣一位使者，引导他们回归纯正的信仰。这位使者首先要从他们心中清除的，是对真主以外任何人的顺服，无论这种顺服体现在生活的哪一个方面，而不仅仅局限于礼拜仪式或信条。明白了这一点，我们便能理解当今人类的处境，并确定伊斯兰宣教的性质。

islam in its broader sense, and jāhiliyyah compete for human minds. Satan tries to exploit man’s weaknesses and nature as a creature with a dual susceptibility to good and evil. He tries to turn people away from the pure faith in order to sink them into jāhiliyyah. When people have sunk deep into jāhiliyyah, God sends a messenger to turn them back to the pure faith. The first thing he purges from their minds is submission to anyone other than God in any aspect of their life, not merely in worship rituals or beliefs. With this clear in our minds, we can understand humanity’s situation today and determine the nature of Islamic advocacy.

人类整体上正在回归先知穆罕默德ﷺ在世时将其从中拯救出来的蒙昧时代（jāhiliyyah）。这种蒙昧时代有不同的表现形式。在某些群体中，它表现为明确否认真主的存在，因此它关涉信仰与信条。这一类型最明显的例子是共产主义者。在另一些群体中，我们看到对真主存在的模糊承认，以及在崇拜仪式、顺服与服从方面的明显偏离。这就是印度教徒等偶像崇拜者的情况，也是基督徒和犹太教徒的情况。在另一些群体中，我们看到对真主存在的明确承认，以及对崇拜仪式的正确履行，但在人们对“除真主之外别无神明，穆罕默德是真主的使者”这一宣言之含义的理解上却存在严重偏差。在顺服与服从的问题上，他们也完全陷入混乱。这是那些自称为穆斯林的人所实行的蒙昧时代的类型。

Humanity as a whole reflects a return to the jāhiliyyah from which the Prophet Muĥammad saved it during his lifetime. This jāhiliyyah takes different forms. In some communities, it is reflected in the clear denial of God’s very existence, which means that it pertains to faith and beliefs. The clearest example of this type is that of the Communists. In others, we see a confused recognition of God’s existence and a clear deviation in worship rituals and in submission and obedience. This is the case of idol worshippers like the Hindus, and also the case of the Christians and Jews. In other communities we find a clear admission of God’s existence and a proper performance of worship rituals, coupled with serious deviation in people’s concept of the meaning of the declaration that there is no deity other than God and that Muĥammad is God’s Messenger. There is also utter confusion about the question of submission and obedience. This is the type of jāhiliyyah practised by people who claim to be Muslims.

他们以为，仅仅念出基本的清真言并履行各种功修，就已经成为穆斯林，有资格获得信士在伊斯兰教中应得的一切权利；尽管他们对这句清真言的含义理解有误，并且向其他造物屈服。然而，这些都属于蒙昧（jāhiliyyah）的形式：它们要么是像第一类那样的不信，要么是像其余各类那样的以物配主。

They imagine that simply by pronouncing the basic declaration and offering acts of worship they have become Muslims entitled to all that is due to believers in Islam, despite their flawed understanding of the meaning of this declaration and their submission to other creatures. But all these are forms of jāhiliyyah, which means that they are either disbelief like the first type, or association of partners with Him like all others.

每一位使者都是被派遣到自己的族群中的。在传达使命的开始阶段，使者本是其族群中的一员，以兄弟的身份称呼他们，并希望他们获得一位兄弟为其兄弟姐妹所希望的一切美好。他希望他们也能拥有他在真主的指引中所找到的一切美好，而他的主也已为此赐予他清晰的证据。这是每一位使者在开始时的态度；但到了最后，他们中没有一位的态度是相同的。

Every messenger was sent to his own community. At the start of his message, the messenger would be a member of his community, addressing them as a brother, desiring for them all the goodness a brother desires for his siblings. He wanted them to have all the goodness he had found in God’s guidance, and for which he found clear evidence granted by his Lord. This was the attitude of every single messenger at the beginning; but it was not the same with any of them at the end.

每个群体中都有一批人响应了这一讯息,他们开始唯独崇拜真主。这样,他们将自己完全交付给真主,共同组成了一个信士的群体,或者从广义上说,组成了一个穆斯林群体。另一些人则拒绝了这一讯息,否认其真实性,仍然屈从于真主之外的神明。他们依旧处于蒙昧时代(jāhiliyyah)之中。于是,他们成为了一个不信者的群体。

A group from among every community responded to the message. They began to worship God alone. Thus, they surrendered themselves totally to God, forming together a community of believers, or a Muslim community, in the broader sense of the term. Another group rejected the message, denying its truth and continuing to submit to deities other than God. They remained in jāhiliyyah. Thus, they became a community of unbelievers.

这意味着，由于人们对上帝的使者及其讯息持有不同的态度，同一群人分裂成了两个群体：一个是穆斯林群体，另一个是拜偶像的群体。尽管他们同属一个种族、出自同一个源头，却不再是一个共同体。种族、土地和共同利益的纽带，已无法再将他们团结在一起，也无法再规范他们之间的关系。随着神圣讯息的降临，一种新的纽带应运而生，它将同一群人联合起来，或将他们区分开来。这一纽带就是信仰的纽带，它要求相应的顺服，并确立了一套生活准则。

This means that by their different attitudes towards God’s messenger and his message, the same people became two communities: one Muslim and the other idolater. They were no longer one community, despite being of the same race and origin. Ties of race, land and common interests could no longer unite them and govern their relations. With the divine message a new bond came into being, uniting or dividing the same people. This is the bond of faith, with the type of submission it requires and the code of living it lays down.

今天倡导伊斯兰复兴的人必须清楚地认识到：在信士与其族人中的其他人分道扬镳之前，真主从未使信士与不信者区分开来。信士们这样做，就是宣告他们拒绝偶像崇拜，唯独顺服真主，并拒绝服从任何暴虐的权威。他们也拒绝参与由实行不同于真主法律之制度的权威所统治的社会生活。

What the advocates of Islamic revival today must clearly understand is that God never set the believers apart from the unbelievers until the believers themselves split away from the rest of their people. In so doing they declared their rejection of idolatry, submitted to God alone, and refused to obey any tyrannical authority. They also refused to participate in the social life of the community ruled by an authority implementing laws different from those of God.

真主在信士与不信者划清界限之前,并不会降下惩罚以毁灭作恶之人。这意味着信士必须向其余的族人宣告,他们是一个独立的群体,拥有独特的信仰、生活方式和行动路线。这是真主实现祂的应许、赐予信士胜利并降罚于不信者之前所必需的。

这些关于该章中历史叙述的观察,向我们揭示了伊斯兰的进路,正如《古兰经》所阐明的那样。这是一种面对人类现实的务实进路。这些历史故事是在先知身处麦加时被叙述给他的。当时信士人数很少,被局限在自己的城市之中,使命实际上被围困在城内。对于那些信士来说,前方的道路似乎漫长、艰难,看不到尽头。这些历史向他们展示了终点,并勾勒出前方的各个阶段。于是,《古兰经》牵着信士们的手,帮助他们走上这条道路。这条道路已成为自人类历史之初便开始的那场行进的延续,而那场行进所倡导的,正是唯独归顺真主的真信仰。这样,他们便不再觉得自己的道路是孤寂荒芜的了。

These observations about the historical accounts given in the sūrah reveal to us the nature of the Islamic approach, as outlined in the Qur’ān. It is a practical approach in the face of human realities. These histories were related to the Prophet when he was in Makkah. The small number of believers were confined to their city, and the message practically besieged within it. The road ahead must have seemed to those believers to be long, arduous and without an end in sight. These histories showed them the end and outlined the different stages ahead. The Qur’ān thus took the believers by the hand, helped them on the road that had become a continuation of the march that started at the beginning of human history advocating the true faith of self-surrender to God alone. Thus, they no longer felt that their road was deserted.

他们感到自己是沿着一条标示清楚的道路前行的连续队伍中的一支新队伍。他们依照一个明确的计划，从起点走向终点。

They felt themselves to be a new group in a continuous procession walking along a well charted road. They moved from the starting point to the finishing line according to a well defined plan.

这样，《古兰经》引导穆斯林群体，以安全而有节制的步骤逐步前行。今天以及未来，它同样可以引导伊斯兰复兴的倡导者，沿着同样的道路前进。这些倡导者需要《古兰经》作为指路明灯，标示其前进的方向，勾勒其各个阶段。

Thus did the Qur’ān act with the Muslim community, moving it in safe and measured steps. Thus it can do today and in future with the advocates of Islamic revival, moving them along the same way. These advocates need the Qur’ān as a guiding light, marking its movement and outlining its stages.

当《古兰经》扮演这一角色时，它便不再被视为仅仅为了求福而诵读的文字。它仿佛正从天上此刻降下，引导穆斯林群体；穆斯林遵行它的训示，并期盼它明确宣示的真主应许得以实现。

When the Qur’ān plays this role, it is no longer treated as mere words recited for blessing. It comes alive as if it is being bestowed now from on high to guide the Muslim community which implements its directives and hopes for the fulfilment of God’s promise which it clearly states.

这就是我们所说的意思:这部《古兰经》只把它的奥秘显示给那些遵循其指引、将其讯息付诸实践的穆斯林群体。它不会向那些只为求福而诵读、为艺术或科学研究而读、或只为欣赏其艺术之美与精妙文体而读的人显示这些奥秘。这些人都不可能真正领会《古兰经》的许多内涵,因为《古兰经》降示并非为了这些目的,而是作为实践的指南,为人们的行动提供指令。

This is what we mean when we say that this Qur’ān reveals its secrets only to the Muslim group which moves according to its guidance, to put its message into practice. It does not reveal these secrets to those who only read it for blessings, artistic or scientific study, or to appreciate its artistic beauty and fine style. None of these will truly appreciate much of the Qur’ān, because the Qur’ān was not bestowed from on high for such purposes. It was rather revealed to act as a practical guide providing directives for implementation.