于是，挪亚的族人成了历史：大多数拒绝他的信息的人都被淹死并被遗忘了。他们既被逐出了地上的生活，也被逐出了神的恩典。幸存者按照神的应许，被安置在地上。

So Noah’s people became past history: the great majority who denied his message were drowned and forgotten. They were banished from life on earth as also from God’s grace. The survivors were established on earth in fulfilment of God’s promise:

“未来属于敬畏主的人。”（第49节）真主对努哈的应许，在下面这节经文中得到概括：“有声音说：‘努哈啊！你带着从我而来的平安和祝福下船吧，你和与你同行的各族人都将蒙受祝福；另有一些族类，我要让他们暂享今世的享受，然后他们将遭受我的痛苦。’”（第48节）随着时间推移、历史前行，真主的应许得到了应验。阿德族是努哈的后裔，散布于大地上；萨莫德族也是如此。这两个族群都应受到惩罚：

“The future belongs to those who are God-fearing.” (Verse 49). God’s promise to Noah is summed up in the following verse: “The word was spoken: ‘Noah, disembark in peace from Us, and with Our blessings upon you as well as upon generations from those who are with you. As for other folk, We shall let them have enjoyment, and then there will befall them grievous suffering from Us.’” (Verse 48) As time passed and history took its course, God’s promise was fulfilled. The `Ād were part of Noah’s offspring who dispersed on earth, as were the Thamūd. Both of these communities deserved to be punished:

“至于其他人，我们会让他们享受片刻，然后，来自我们的严厉惩罚必将降临到他们身上。”一个完整的轮回已经转过，蒙昧时代（jāhiliyyah）的势力又重新占据了上风。

“As for other folk, We shall let them have enjoyment, and then there will befall them grievous suffering from Us.” A full cycle had turned and the forces of jāhiliyyah were back in full sway.

世代相传的人类，其数目只有真主知道，他们必定曾经生活并离世，并因真诚地顺服真主而得到引导。这意味着他们是依照伊斯兰而生活的，伊斯兰乃是他们的父母亚当和夏娃的信仰。他们一直如此，直到撒旦诱使他们偏离正道，这进而导致了诺亚所面对的那种蒙昧时代（jāhiliyyah）。然而，诺亚（愿主赐他平安）和他的追随者得到了真主的拯救。其余的人类则在洪水中被毁灭，这是对诺亚祈祷的回应。此后，又有许多代人，其数目只有真主知道，他们以顺服真主的原则作为其社会秩序的基础。他们持续如此，直到撒旦再次能够使他们迷失。

Successive generations of mankind, whose number is known only to God, must have lived and passed away, having been guided by true submission to God. This means that they lived according to Islam, which was the faith of their parents, Adam and Eve. They remained so until Satan cajoled them from the straight path, which, in turn, gave rise to the kind of jāhiliyyah Noah faced. Noah (peace be upon him), however, was saved with his followers by God. The rest of mankind were destroyed in the floods, in response to Noah’s prayers. Again, numerous generations, known only to God, adopted as the basis of their social order the principle of submission to God. They continued to do so until Satan was able once again to cause them to stray.

阿德族和赛莫德族都属于蒙昧时期（jāhiliyyah）。

The peoples of `Ād and Thamūd belonged to jāhiliyyah.

ʿĀd部落居住在阿哈盖夫（al-Aḥqāf），即南阿拉伯半岛的沙丘地带。Thamūd部落则居住在希贾尔的城镇中，该地位于麦地那与塔布克之间的北阿拉伯地区。两个部落都极为强大富裕。两者也都偏离了正道，选择拜偶像，而不愿独一地崇拜真主。他们还指责真主的使者编造谎言。

致阿德人，我派遣了他们的兄弟呼德。他说：“我的民啊！你们只当崇拜真主，除祂外，你们没有别的主宰。你们确是捏造虚妄的人。我不为这（传达的）事向你们索取报酬，我的报酬只在那创造我的主那里。难道你们不运用理智吗？我的民啊！你们应当向你们的主求饶，然后向祂悔罪。祂将使天降下丰沛的雨水给你们，并使你们的力量增加上加力。你们不要像犯罪的人那样背转身去。”（第50-52节）

To `Ād, We sent their brother Hūd. He said: My people! Worship God alone; you have no deity other than Him. You are indeed inventors of falsehood. No reward do I ask of you, my people, for this [message]. My reward rests with Him who brought me into being. Will you not, then, use your reason? My people! Seek your Lord’s forgiveness, and then turn to Him in repentance. He will cause the sky to rain abundance on you, and will add strength to your strength. Do not turn away as guilty criminals.’ (Verses 50-52)

胡德属于阿德部族。他因此是他们的兄弟，与他们之间有着维系所有部族成员的血缘关系。这里强调这一纽带，是因为它本应产生信任、怜悯和诚恳的劝告，存在于兄弟之间。因此，阿德人对待他们的兄弟兼先知的态度显得非常怪异，也极其令人厌恶。阿德人与他们的兄弟分道扬镳，是由于思想信仰上的冲突。由此，当信仰的纽带不存在时，一切血缘关系便失去效力，这一观念得到了着重强调。这一纽带因此在伊斯兰社会中占据突出地位，从而清楚地表明了伊斯兰信仰的本质及其行为准则。

Hūd belonged to the tribe of `Ād. He was, then, their brother, tied to them by the blood relations that bind all tribesmen. This tie is emphasized here because it should generate confidence, compassion and honest counsel between brethren. Hence, their attitude towards their brother and prophet seems very odd and exceedingly repugnant. The parting of the ways between the `Ād and their brother comes about because of an ideological conflict. Thus the concept of the invalidity of all ties when the bond of faith is non-existent is strongly emphasized. This bond is thus given prominence in Islamic society, making absolutely clear the nature of Islamic faith and its line of action.

胡德开始他的宣教时，承认他自己与他的people同属一个共同体。他们由家庭、宗族、部落与土地的纽带紧紧联结在一起。然而，最终他们分化成两个不同的民族：一方顺服真主，另一方则在真主之外崇拜偶像。两者之间发生了冲突。真主许给信士的胜利，以及毁灭不信者的应许，只有在分道扬镳、双方被清楚地区分和分离之后才会实现。先知ﷺ与和他一同信仰真主的人，与他们的people断绝关系，并视他们过去与他们的一切纽带为无效。

Hūd commences his call recognizing that he and his people belong to the same community. They are united together by ties of family, clan, tribe and land. They end up, however, as two different nations: one submissive to God and another worshipping deities beside Him. The two are in conflict. God’s promise to give victory to the believers and to destroy the unbelievers comes to pass only when the parting of the ways takes place and the two sides are clearly distinguished and separated. The Prophet and those who believe in God with him disassociate themselves from their people and consider all their former ties with them as invalid.

他们不再对其旧有的人民和旧有的领导层怀有任何忠诚。他们只忠于真主——他们的主，以及他们自己的伊斯兰领导层，后者号召他们唯独顺服真主。只有在这一时刻，问题清楚地阐明，方向完全标明，中间不存在任何妥协之处，他们才会获得胜利。

They no longer have any loyalty to their former people and former leadership. They are loyal only to God, their Lord, and to their own Islamic’ leadership which called on them to submit themselves to God alone. Only at this moment when issues are clearly outlined and directions totally marked out, with no meeting point in the middle, are they given victory.

这就是胡德向他的族人所传达的信息的全部内容。看来，他并没有得到奇迹的佐证来说服那些坚持不信的人。

Such was the sum of the message presented by Hūd to his people. It appears that it was not supported by a miracle to convince those who persisted with unbelief.

或许这是因为洪水的记忆仍然鲜活地留在人们心中。在另一章讲述胡德及其族人的经文中，我们得知胡德曾提醒他们，努哈的族人拒绝真主的使命时遭遇了什么。

Perhaps this was so because the floods were still alive in people’s memories. In another sūrah that gives an account of Hūd and his people we learn that he reminded them of what happened to Noah’s people when they rejected God’s message.

然而，他的族人仍然对他心怀恶念：“他们说：‘呼德啊，你没有给我们带来任何明确的证据。我们不会仅凭你的话就舍弃我们的神灵，我们也不会信你。我们只能说，我们的某个神灵或许已经用什么恶事降临在你身上了。’”（第53-54节）

However, his people still entertained bad thoughts about him: “They replied: ‘Hūd, you have brought us no clear evidence. We are not forsaking our gods on your mere word, nor will we believe in you. All we can say is that one of our gods may have smitten you with something evil.’” (Verses 53-54)

胡德的族人已经迷失到如此地步，以至于认为他精神错乱，认为他被他们的某位神明用某种邪恶之物击中了。他们声称，胡德没有给他们带来证明他所传信息的明确证据。他们没有想到，证明真主的独一不需要任何证据。人们要接受这一不言自明的真理，只需要被恰当地提醒，并被引导去遵循正确的思路。他们只需要询问自己的良心。然而，他们却不愿这样做。他们当面对真主的使者说，他们不会仅仅因为胡德鼓励他们这样做，而在没有明确证明其信息真实性的情况下，就抛弃他们的假神。他们根本不相信他："我们不会仅凭你的话就舍弃我们的神明，我们也不会信你。"（第53节）

Hūd’s people had gone so far astray that they thought him deranged, that one of their deities had smitten him with something evil. They claimed that Hūd did not bring them any clear evidence of his message. Little did they consider that no evidence is needed to prove God’s oneness. All that people need to accept this truism is to be properly reminded of it and guided on the line of thought they should follow. They only needed to consult their consciences. They were, however, not prepared to do that. They told God’s Messenger point blank that they were not prepared to abandon their false gods just because he, Hūd, encouraged them to do so, without clear proof of the truthfulness of his message. They simply did not believe him: “We are not forsaking our gods on your mere word, nor will we believe in you.” (Verse 53)

此时，胡德除了向他们提出挑战，并将全部信靠托付给真主，已别无他法。通过这种方式，他向否认他和他所传信息的人发出了最后的警告，并与他们那些错误的行为彻底划清界限。

There was little Hūd could do at this point apart from throwing down a challenge to them and putting his trust entirely in God. In this way, he delivered a final warning to those who denied him and his message, disassociating himself completely from their erring practices.

他说:"我以真主为证,你们也要作证:我与你们所妄称的同真主并列的那些偶像毫无关系。你们all都来设计谋害我吧,不要宽限我。我确已信托真主,他是我的主,也是你们的主。凡动物,他都掌握其前额。我的主确在正道上。如果你们背弃,那么,我确已把我奉命传达给你们的使命传达给你们了。我的主必以别的民众替代你们;你们丝毫不能损害他。我的主是万物的监护者。"(第54-57节) Note: "all" in the second sentence was left as an English word by mistake; corrected version below. 他说:"我以真主为证,你们也要作证:我与你们所妄称的同真主并列的那些偶像毫无关系。你们都来设计谋害我吧,不要宽限我。我确已信托真主,他是我的主,也是你们的主。凡动物,他都掌握其前额。我的主确在正道上。如果你们背弃,那么,我确已把我奉命传达给你们的使命传达给你们了。我的主必以别的民众替代你们;你们丝毫不能损害他。我的主是万物的监护者。"(第54-57节)

“他说：‘我请真主作证，你们也要作证，我与你们所指派为真主的伙伴的一切，都毫无关系。’”（第54节）我请真主为我作证：我与你们所谓的那些同真主并列的对象毫无干系。你们也要为我作证：我已经否弃你们所有的虚假神灵。你们all聚集起来，连同你们所编造的神灵，共同来谋算我，不给我丝毫宽限，因为我不惧怕你们的任何东西。“我确已将我的信托托付给真主，他是我的主，也是你们的主。”（第56节）尽管你们否认和拒绝，真理依然是：真主是我们所有人的主。他确实是宇宙唯一的主宰，没有任何伙伴。

“He said: ‘I call God to witness, and you, too, bear witness, that I disassociate myself from all those you claim to be partners with God.’” (Verse 54) I call God to be my witness that I am innocent of all those you associate with Him as His partners. You also should testify for me that I have disclaimed all your false gods. Assemble together, all of you and all your invented gods whom you claim to have smitten me with evil and scheme together against me, giving me not a moment’s notice, for I do not fear anything from you. “Indeed I have placed my trust in God, my Lord and your Lord.” (Verse 56) Your denials and rejection notwithstanding, the truth remains that God is the Lord of us all. He is indeed the only Lord of the universe. He has no partners.

“没有任何生灵不是由祂掌握其前额的发髻。”（第56节）这是对神的大能非常真切的描绘。它把神描绘为握住地上每一个行走的受造物——无论是人还是动物——的前额发髻。祂的确对它们全都拥有权能。这种权能被描绘得如此生动，与胡德所对话之人的力量、粗犷与麻木相契合。随后的一句宣告了神的律法从不失效：“我主的道路确实是正直的。”（第56节）这一切反映出胡德的刚强与坚定。既然阿德人除非神的意志允许，否则无法对他施加任何权力，他又为何要惧怕阿德人可能带来的任何伤害呢？

“There is no living creature which He does not hold by its forelock.” (Verse 56) This is a very real image of God’s power. It portrays Him as holding every creature24 that walks on the earth by its forelock, whether man or animal. He has indeed power over them all. His power is depicted so vividly that it fits well with the strength, roughness and insensibility of the people Hūd was addressing. This is followed by a statement that divine laws never fail: “Straight indeed is my Lord’s way.” (Verse 56) All this reflects the combination of Hūd’s strength and determination. Why should he fear anything the `Ād may cause when they cannot have power over him unless God wills?

当一位为真主事业奔走的传播者在内心体会到这一真理时，他便对自己的使命不再有任何疑虑，也不会对前行的道路有所犹豫。这里所说的真理，指的是主宰的独一性，它为真正信仰真主的人所清晰感知。

When an advocate of God’s cause feels this truth within himself, he is left with no doubt as to his own destiny. He feels no hesitation to go along his way. The truth we mean here is that of Godhead which is clearly felt by those who truly believe in God.

当胡德以信靠真主的大能提出挑战时——他所描绘的真主大能是最为庄严的形态——他警告他的民众，他已尽了自己的责任，传达了使命，并任由他们去面对真主的权能："如果你们背离，那么，我已将我奉命传达给你们的使命传达给你们了。我的主会用另一个民族来替代你们。"（第57节）这样的民族会更配得上真主的启示，因为在胡德的民族被毁灭之后，他们会遵循真主的引导。他们没有能力对真主造成任何伤害。他们的离去不会留下任何空缺。

When Hūd has made his challenge, relying on God’s might which he portrays in its most majestic form, he warns his people that he has done his duty, conveyed his message and has left them to face God’s power: “If you turn away, still, I have delivered to you the message with which I was sent to you. My Lord may replace you with another people.” (Verse 57) Such people would be more worthy of God’s message because they would follow His guidance after Hūd’s people had been destroyed. They have no power to cause God any harm. Their departure leaves no vacuum whatsoever.

让我们在此稍作停留，简要回顾在本章的语境中，胡德与其族人的历史。《古兰经》叙述这段自古以来伊斯兰呼吁的历史，是为了给历代的伊斯兰宣教者树立路标。这些路标不仅与第一个穆斯林群体相关——他们是《古兰经》最先的对话对象，也是最先以它作为行动指南、从而有别于蒙昧时代（jāhiliyyah）的人群——也与世界任何地方、任何时代中，挺身反抗蒙昧（jāhiliyyah）的每一个穆斯林群体相关。正因如此，《古兰经》才成为伊斯兰讯息永久的宪章，以及每一场伊斯兰运动的指导手册。

Let us pause here a little to reflect briefly on the history of Hūd with his people, within the context of the sūrah. The Qur’ān gives this account of the history of the age-old call to Islam in order to provide landmarks for the advocates of Islam throughout all generations. These landmarks are not only relevant to the first Muslim community, the first to be addressed by the Qur’ān, and the first to make it its operational guide as opposed to jāhiliyyah, but also to every Muslim community which stands up to jāhiliyyah anywhere in the world, at any time. This is what makes the Qur’ān the permanent constitution of the Islamic message and the manual of every Islamic movement.

每当《古兰经》提及真主派遣的任何使者来到任何民众面前时，经文都引用该使者的话说："我的民众啊！你们只应崇拜真主，你们除他以外没有任何神明。"我曾反复指出，"只应崇拜真主"意味着在与今世或后世相关的一切事务上，完全顺服唯独他。

Every time the Qur’ān mentions the approach of any messenger sent by God to any people, it quotes the messenger as saying: ‘My people, worship God alone. You have no deity other than Him. “I have repeatedly stated that ‘worship God alone” means total submission to Him alone in all matters which relate to this life or to the hereafter.

这确实是该词的本义。词典显示,"عبد"(`abada)的含义为:顺从、服从,以及降低自己的地位以归附于他人。"معبّد"(mu`abbad)指被铺平以便于行走的道路。"عبّد"('abbada)意为使人为奴,即使某人屈从于另一人。最初接受《古兰经》启示的阿拉伯人,并不将"`abada"一词的含义局限于单纯的崇拜仪式。事实上,当这个词在麦加首次向阿拉伯人提出时,还未曾规定任何崇拜仪式。他们理解到,自己需要在生活的一切事务中只顺从真主,并拒绝顺从其他任何人。先知ﷺ在一段圣训中将"崇拜"定义为"顺从",而非指举行崇拜仪式。当时他是在回答阿迪·本·哈提姆关于犹太人和基督徒将其拉比和修士当作神来对待的问题。

This is indeed the original meaning of the word. The dictionary shows the word `abada [which we now use primarily to denote worship] as meaning: to yield, submit and to lower one’s rank to another. A mu`abbad road is one which has been levelled to facilitate travelling. `Abbada is to enslave; that is, to cause someone to submit to another. The Arabs who were first addressed by the Qur’ān did not confine the import of the term `abada to mere worship rituals. Indeed, when the Arabs were first addressed by this term in Makkah, no worship rituals had then been assigned to them. They understood it to mean that they were required to submit themselves to God alone in all their life affairs and to renounce submission to anyone else. The Prophet defined ‘worship’ in one of his pronouncements as meaning ‘compliance’, not as offering worship rituals. He was answering `Ādī ibn Ĥātim’s question about the Jews and the Christians and their treatment of their rabbis and monks as gods.

他说:"是的。他们(指拉比和修士)把神所禁止的东西视为合法,把神所允许的东西视为非法,而他们服从了。这就是他们崇拜他们的方式。"“崇拜”一词后来被用来指崇拜仪式,因为这些仪式是表示顺服神的一种形式。然而,这种形式绝不包含“崇拜”的全部含义。当“宗教”和“崇拜”的明确含义在人们心中淡化之后,他们开始认为,只有向神以外的任何对象,例如偶像和雕像,举行崇拜仪式,人才会背离伊斯兰。他们相信,只要避免这种特定形式的蒙昧(jāhiliyyah),就能免于无神论、多神论或其他任何形式的蒙昧的侵害,仍然是穆斯林,不会失去这一身份。因此,他们将继续享有穆斯林在生命、荣誉和财产保护方面的一切权利。

让我们暂停片刻，聆听先知胡德对他的人民所说的话：“我的people啊！你们要向你们的主求饶，然后向祂悔罪归依。祂将使天降下丰沛的雨水给你们，并将力量加到你们的力量之上。你们不要像犯罪的人那样背过脸去。”（第52节） 这与本章开头所提到的意思相同，当时先知穆罕默德ﷺ号召他的人民信仰伊斯兰教：“你们要向你们的主求饶，然后向祂悔罪归依，祂将在一个规定的期限内让你们享受美好的生活，并将赏赐每个有功德的人与其功德相称的酬报。但如果你们背过脸去，我为你们担心一个大日的刑罚。”（第3节） “除非有启示给他：除我之外，没有应受崇拜的主。”

Let us now pause a little to listen to the Prophet Hūd speaking to his people: “My people! Seek your Lord’s forgiveness, and then turn to Him in repentance. He will cause the sky to rain abundance on you, and will add strength to your strength. Do not turn away as guilty criminals.” (Verse 52) It is the same idea mentioned at the beginning of the sūrah, when the Prophet Muĥammad called on his people to believe in Islam: “Seek forgiveness of your Lord, and then turn towards Him in repentance, and He will grant you a goodly enjoyment of life for an appointed term. He will grant everyone with merit a fill reward for his merit. But if you turn away, I dread for you the suffering of a great Day.” (Verse 3) “messenger without having revealed to him that there is no deity other than Me.

因此，你们只应崇拜我。」（21：16-25）

Therefore, you shall worship Me alone.” (21: 16-25)

人类啊!如果你们对复活心存疑虑,那就想想:我曾用泥土创造你们,然后用一滴精液,然后用一个受精卵,然后用一块既已成形又未完全成形的胚胎块创造你们,以便向你们阐明真相。我使我所意欲的东西在母亲的子宫中停留一个预定的期限,然后让你们以婴儿的身份降生,使你们成长,达到壮年。你们中有人年幼夭折,有人则活到衰老不堪的境地,以致他们曾经所知的一切都不再知晓。你看大地干枯贫瘠;而当我降下雨水于其上时,它便震动、膨胀,并生长出各种绚丽的植物。这是因为真主独是至真;他独能使死者复活;他有能力意欲任何事物。最后的时辰必定来临,这毫无疑问;真主必定会使所有在坟墓中的人复活。(22:5-7)

Mankind! If you are in doubt as to the resurrection, remember that We have created you out of dust, then out of a drop of sperm, then out of a germ-cell, then out of an embryonic lump complete and yet incomplete, so that We might make things clear to you. We cause to rest in the [mothers] wombs whatever We please for an appointed term, and then We bring you forth as infants, that you may grow up and attain your prime. Some of you die young, and some live on to abject old age when all that they once knew they know no more. You can see the earth dry and barren; and [suddenly,] when We send down water upon it, it stirs and swells and puts forth every kind of radiant bloom. That is because God alone is the Ultimate Truth; and He alone brings the dead to life; and He has the power to will anything. And that the Last Hour is certain to come, beyond any doubt; and that God will certainly resurrect all who are in their graves. (22: 5-7)

凡被赋予知识的人,或许会意识到,这部《古兰经》是来自主的真理,从而信仰它,他们的心也会谦卑地顺服于祂。上主必定引导信道的人走上正路。然而,不信道者对此始终存疑,直到末日突然降临到他们身上,或是痛苦降临到他们身上,那是一个再无后继之日。

Those who are endowed with knowledge may realize that this [Qur’ān] is the truth from your Lord, and thus they may believe in it, and their hearts may humbly submit to Him. God will surely guide those who believe to a straight path. Yet the unbelievers will not cease to be in doubt about Him until the Last Hour comes suddenly upon them, or suffering befalls them on a day with no more [days] to follow.

现在让我们继续看这一章经文，来了解它所讲述的先知萨利哈和他的民族萨木德的故事：“我曾派遣他们的兄弟萨利哈去见萨木德人。他说：‘我的人民啊！你们只当崇拜真主，除他以外，你们绝无别的应受崇拜者。他创造了你们，使你们从大地中生长，并让你们在其中居住。所以你们应当向他求饶，然后归向他忏悔。我的主确是近在咫尺的，是应允祈祷的。’”（第61节）

Let us now move on with the sūrah and look at the account it gives of the Prophet Şāliĥ and his people, Thamūd: “To Thamūd, We sent their brother Şāliĥ. He said: ‘My people! Worship God alone. You have no deity other than Him. He it is who brought you into being out of the earth and settled you therein. Seek His forgiveness and then turn to Him in repentance. My Lord is ever near. He answers all.’” (Verse 61)

我们再次看到相同的词句,阐述了同样的基本问题和同样的应对之道。撒利哈呼吁人们信仰真主的独一性,寻求祂的宽恕,并感知祂无论他们在何处、正在做什么都与他们同在。撒利哈还提醒他们,他们源自大地。这既指人类的起源,也指每个人的成长都依赖于他从大地所获得的滋养,或依赖于大地中所存在的各种元素。尽管有这样的起源,他们仍被托付掌管大地,并被赋予建设大地的使命。这既适用于整个人类,也特别适用于其历史时期中的萨穆德人。

We again encounter the same words outlining the same basic issue, and the same course of action. Şāliĥ calls on people to believe in God’s oneness, to seek His forgiveness and to feel His presence with them wherever they are and whatever they are doing. Şāliĥ also reminds them that they originate from the earth. This refers to the origin of the human race as well as to the fact that every human being depends on the nourishment that he receives from the earth, or from the elements which are available in it, for his growth. Despite this origin they are put in charge of the earth and given the task of building it. This applies to the human race generally and to the Thamūd in particular, in their period of history.

尽管如此,他们仍不肯停止以伙伴归于真主。萨利哈因此呼吁他们:“你们当向他求饶,然后归依他。”(第61节)如果他们这样做,他就会慷慨回应,答应他们的祈祷:“我的主确是近在咫尺的,是应答祈祷的。”(第61节)请注意这里所用的物主代词“我的主”,以及所选用的属性“近在咫尺,应答祈祷”。这两者紧密相连,给人一种由信士中的精英所感受到的神性真实之感。它们传递出一种亲切、慈爱,以及仁慈的先知之心与听众之心之间真切相通的氛围。

All this, however, does not deter them from associating partners with God. Şāliĥ, therefore, calls on them to “Seek His forgiveness and then turn to Him in repentance.” (Verse 61) If they do so, He will respond favourably and answer their prayers: ‘My Lord is ever near. He answers all.” (Verse 61) Note here the use of the possessive pronoun “My Lord” and the attributes which are chosen here, “ever near, He answers all.” Coming so close together, they give the impression of the reality of Godhead as felt by one of the chosen elite of believers. They impart an air of friendliness, compassion and very real contact between the benevolent prophet’s heart and the hearts of his audience.

然而,他们的心已被自身的败坏蒙蔽。他们不再有所回应。因此,他们感受不到神性实在的美与庄严,也体会不到萨利赫对他们所怀的友善与关切。相反,他们感到惊讶,开始怀疑他们所信赖的兄弟。"他们说:'萨利赫啊!在此之前,我们曾对你寄予厚望。难道你现在要禁止我们崇拜我们祖先所崇拜的东西吗?对于你所召唤我们的那件事,我们确实深感怀疑。'"(第62节)

Their hearts, however, have been blinded by their corruption. They are no longer responsive. Hence, they do not feel the beauty or the majesty of the reality of Godhead, nor do they appreciate the friendliness and the care with which Şāliĥ addresses them. On the contrary, they are surprised and start to doubt their trusted brother. “They answered: ‘Şāliĥ.! Great hopes did we place in you before this. Would you now forbid us to worship what our forefathers worshipped? We are indeed in grave doubt about that to which you call us.’” (Verse 62)

这是人类历史上神圣启示的又一章。它传达的是同一信息，阐述的是伊斯兰的本质，这里取其广义。

This is another episode of the history of the divine message to mankind. It is the same message, speaking about the essence of Islam, in the broad sense of the word:

去崇拜真主，唯独顺服祂，不以任何同等者归于祂。人们再次陷入了无明（jāhiliyyah）的状态，这种状态源于偏离了基于真主独一性的天启信仰。与此前的阿德人一样，赛莫德人是诺亚方舟上获救信士的后裔，但他们背离了正信，陷入了可怕的无明状态。萨利哈被派来，要使他们回归真正的信仰。

to worship God and submit to Him alone, associating no partners with Him. Again we are faced with a state of jāhiliyyah that follows deviation from the divine faith based on God’s oneness. Like the `Ād before them, the Thamūd descended from the believers saved in Noah’s ark, but they deviated from the right faith and ended up in a dreadful state of jāhiliyyah. Şāliĥ was sent to return them to the true faith.

他们被赐予了他们所要求的神迹,但这并没有引导他们信仰;相反,它使他们更加敌对,于是他们残忍地宰杀了那头母驼。

They are given a miraculous sign, as they asked for, but this does not lead them to believe; rather, it makes them more hostile and they cruelly slaughter the she-camel.

阿拉伯的多神教徒也要求先知给他们显示某种神迹,以便他们接受他的讲述。但赐给萨利赫(Şāliĥ)的民众的那个迹象,对他们毫无益处。信仰真主并不需要神迹:若以清醒的理智去思考,这一讯息既简明又直接。然而,蒙昧无知(Jāhiliyyah)封闭了人们的心灵与思想,使人停留在愚昧的状态之中。

The Arab idolaters also demanded that the Prophet bring them some miraculous sign to help them accept his message. But the sign given to Şāliĥ’s people benefitted them nothing. To believe in God does not require miracles: the message is both simple and straightforward when approached with clear thinking. Jāhiliyyah, however, seals both hearts and minds leaving people in a state of ignorance.

再次，我们在此看到神性的真理，它显现于被选中传达其讯息的一位尊贵使者的心中。《古兰经》中引述沙利哈的话说："我的同胞啊！如果我依据我的主所赐予我的恩典所带来的明证而立场坚定，那么，假如我违抗祂，谁能使我免于神的惩罚呢？你们这样做，只会加重我的毁灭。"（第63节）他在此之前，已经对他们清楚描述了他所感受到的主的临在，即他心中所感受到的那位主："我的主是常近的，祂应答一切。"（第61节）

Again we find here the truth of Godhead as manifested in the heart of one of the noble messengers chosen to deliver His message. It is stated by Şāliĥ, as he is quoted in the Qur’ān: “Think, my people! If I take my stand on a clear evidence from my Lord who has bestowed on me His grace, who will save me from God were I to disobey Him? You are, in such a case, only aggravating my ruin.” (Verse 63) He says this after having given them a clear description of his Lord as he feels His presence in his own heart: “My Lord is ever near. He answers all.” (Verse 61)

在神性真相的美、威严与完美得以最佳体现的地方，莫过于这群蒙神拣选的高贵人群的心中。这些心灵如同澄澈、未受玷污的明镜，清晰地彰显着这伟大的真理。

Nowhere are the beauty, majesty and perfection of the reality of Godhead better reflected than in the hearts of this noble group of God’s chosen people. These hearts stand out as a clear, unstained exhibition of this great reality.