Defending the Christian Faith in Conversation with Islam — Sehemu ya 3: Kurani na HadithiDefending the Christian Faith in Conversation with Islam — Unit 3: The Qur'an and the Hadith

Mstari MkuuKey Verse

"Maandiko yote yamepuliziwa na Mungu, yanafaa kwa mafundisho, na kuonya, na kunyoosha, na kuadibisha katika haki." (2 Timotheo 3:16, SUV)"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16, NKJV)

Malengo ya KujifunzaLearning Objectives

Utakapomaliza kitengo hiki, unapaswa kuweza:When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

1. Kueleza jinsi Waislamu wanavyoelewa ufunuo na kwa nini Kurani ni kitovu cha imani ya Kiislamu.1. Explain how Muslims understand revelation and why the Qur'an is so central to Muslim faith.

2. Kueleza jinsi Kurani ilivyokusanywa kuwa kitabu kimoja, kwanza chini ya Abu Bakr kisha chini ya khalifa Uthman.2. Describe how the Qur'an was gathered into one book, first under Abu Bakr and then under the caliph Uthman.

3. Kufafanua kufutwa kwa aya (naskh) na kutoa mfano wa jinsi inavyofanya kazi.3. Define abrogation (naskh) and give an example of how it works.

4. Kueleza hadithi na Sunna ni nini, na kwa nini Waislamu huzihitaji ili kutekeleza imani yao.4. Explain what the hadith and the Sunnah are, and why Muslims need them to practise their faith.

5. Kueleza tofauti kuu kati ya Waislamu wa Sunni na Shia na jinsi inavyogusa vyanzo vyao.5. Describe the main difference between Sunni and Shia Muslims and how it touches their sources.

6. Kulinganisha mtazamo wa Kiislamu juu ya Kurani na fundisho la Kikristo juu ya Maandiko, na kuzungumzia tofauti hiyo kwa upole na uwazi.6. Compare the Muslim view of the Qur'an with the Christian doctrine of Scripture, and speak about the difference with gentleness and clarity.

Kwa Nini Kitengo Hiki ni MuhimuWhy This Unit Matters

Kila mazungumzo kati ya Mkristo na Mwislamu hatimaye ni mazungumzo kuhusu vitabu. Jirani yako Mwislamu atasema, "Kitabu changu kinasema Yesu hakusulubiwa." Wewe utajibu, "Kitabu changu kinasema alisulubiwa." Kabla ya kupima madai hayo, ni lazima tuelewe kila upande unaamini kitabu chake ni nini. Mchungaji asipojua Kurani inamaanisha nini kwa Mwislamu, atazungumza bila kueleweka na rafiki yake, na pia anaweza kumkwaza bila kukusudia.Every conversation between a Christian and a Muslim is, in the end, a conversation about books. A Muslim neighbour will say, "My book says Jesus was not crucified." You will answer, "My book says He was." Before we can weigh those claims, we must understand what each side believes its book is. If a pastor does not know what the Qur'an means to a Muslim, he will speak past his friend, and he may also give offence without meaning to.

Kwa hiyo kitengo hiki kinafanya mambo mawili. Kwanza, kinaeleza mtazamo wa Kiislamu juu ya Kurani na hadithi kama Mwislamu mwenye ufahamu angeutambua. Pili, kinaulinganisha na kile Biblia inachofundisha juu yake yenyewe. Tutaona tofauti halisi. Pia tutaona kwamba baadhi ya maswali ambayo Waislamu huuliza kuhusu Biblia yanaweza kuulizwa, kwa haki na kwa adabu, kuhusu vyanzo vyao wenyewe. Lengo letu si kushinda mabishano bali kufungua mlango kwa ajili ya kweli, "kwa upole na hofu" (1 Petro 3:15, SUV).This unit therefore does two things. First, it describes the Muslim view of the Qur'an and the hadith as an informed Muslim would recognize it. Second, it compares that view with what the Bible teaches about itself. We will see real differences. We will also see that some of the questions Muslims ask about the Bible can be asked, fairly and politely, about their own sources. Our goal is not to win an argument but to open a door for the truth, "with meekness and fear" (1 Peter 3:15).

Jinsi Waislamu Wanavyoelewa UfunuoHow Muslims Understand Revelation

Neno Kurani linamaanisha "usomaji" au "kusoma kwa sauti." Waislamu wanaamini kwamba mwaka 610, Muhammad alipokuwa na umri wa miaka arobaini hivi, malaika Gabrieli (kwa Kiarabu, Jibril) alimjia katika pango karibu na Makka na kumwamuru, "Soma!" (Kurani 96:1). Tangu wakati huo hadi kifo cha Muhammad mwaka 632, yaani karibu miaka ishirini na mitatu, Waislamu wanaamini kwamba Mungu alimteremshia Kurani kidogo kidogo kupitia Gabrieli.The word Qur'an means "recitation" or "reading aloud." Muslims believe that in the year 610, when Muhammad was about forty years old, the angel Gabriel (in Arabic, Jibril) came to him in a cave near Mecca and commanded him, "Recite!" (Qur'an 96:1). From that time until Muhammad's death in 632, about twenty-three years, Muslims believe God sent down the Qur'an to him piece by piece through Gabriel.

Kwa Mwislamu, Muhammad si mwandishi wa Kurani. Yeye ni yule aliyeipokea na kuipitisha. Maneno hayo yanaaminiwa kuwa maneno ya Mungu mwenyewe, katika lugha ya Kiarabu, kama yalivyosemwa hasa. Waislamu wengi hufundisha kwamba Kurani ni nakala ya asili iliyo mbinguni, ambayo Kurani inaiita "ubao uliohifadhiwa" (Kurani 85:21-22). Katika mafundisho makuu ya Sunni, Kurani pia ni usemi wa Mungu usioumbwa na wa milele.For a Muslim, Muhammad is not the author of the Qur'an. He is the one who received it and passed it on. The words are believed to be God's own words, in the Arabic language, exactly as they were spoken. Many Muslims teach that the Qur'an is a copy of a heavenly original, which the Qur'an calls a "guarded tablet" (Qur'an 85:21-22). In mainstream Sunni teaching the Qur'an is also the uncreated, eternal speech of God.

Istilahi MuhimuKey terms

Kurani ina msamiati wake. Mchungaji anapaswa kujifunza maneno machache ili aweze kufuata wanayosema marafiki zake Waislamu.The Qur'an has its own vocabulary. A pastor should learn a few words so that he can follow what his Muslim friends say.

• Sura ni sura ya Kurani. Kuna sura 114.• A sura is a chapter of the Qur'an. There are 114 suras.

• Aya (wingi ayat) ni mstari. Neno hilo pia linamaanisha "ishara." Kuna aya zaidi kidogo ya elfu sita; idadi kamili hutofautiana kidogo kulingana na njia ya kuhesabu.• An ayah (plural ayat) is a verse. The word also means "sign." There are a little over six thousand verses; the exact count differs slightly by method.

• Wahy ni neno la Kiarabu la ufunuo, yaani tendo la Mungu kutuma ujumbe wake.• Wahy is the Arabic word for revelation, the act of God sending down His message.

• Tanzil linamaanisha "kuteremsha," wazo kwamba ufunuo hushuka kutoka kwa Mungu hadi kwa nabii.• Tanzil means "sending down," the idea that revelation comes down from God to the prophet.

• I'jaz linamaanisha "kutoigika" kwa Kurani, imani kwamba hakuna binadamu anayeweza kutunga chochote kama hicho.• I'jaz means the "inimitability" of the Qur'an, the belief that no human could produce anything like it.

Sura hazijapangwa kwa mpangilio ambao Waislamu wanaamini ziliteremshwa. Baada ya sala fupi ya ufunguzi, al-Fatiha, sura hufuatana kwa jumla kuanzia ndefu zaidi hadi fupi zaidi. Wanazuoni Waislamu pia huzigawanya katika sura za Makka, kutoka miaka kabla Muhammad hajahamia Madina mwaka 622, na sura za Madina, kutoka miaka baada ya hapo. Sura za Makka zinasema zaidi kuhusu Mungu mmoja, hukumu na manabii. Sura za Madina zinasema zaidi kuhusu sheria, maisha ya jamii na vita.The suras are not arranged in the order in which Muslims believe they were revealed. After the short opening prayer, al-Fatiha, the suras run roughly from the longest to the shortest. Muslim scholars also divide them into Meccan suras, from the years before Muhammad moved to Medina in 622, and Medinan suras, from the years after. The Meccan suras speak more about the one God, the judgement and the prophets. The Medinan suras speak more about law, community life and warfare.

Kurani kama MuujizaThe Qur'an as a miracle

Waislamu wanaamini kwamba Kurani ni muujiza mkuu wa Muhammad. Aya kadhaa zinawapa changamoto wanaoshuku watunge sura kama hiyo (kwa mfano Kurani 2:23 na 10:38). Waislamu wengi huonyesha uzuri wa Kiarabu chake, nguvu yake inaposomwa, na ukweli kwamba Muhammad anasemekana hakuweza kusoma wala kuandika. Kwa sababu hiyo, Kurani huheshimiwa sana. Waislamu wengi hawataiweka sakafuni wala kuigusa bila kutawadha. Mamilioni ya Waislamu, wakiwemo watoto, hukariri kitabu chote. Mtu aliyefanya hivyo huitwa hafiz.Muslims believe that the Qur'an is Muhammad's great miracle. Several verses challenge doubters to produce a sura like it (for example Qur'an 2:23 and 10:38). Many Muslims point to the beauty of its Arabic, its power when recited, and the fact that Muhammad is said to have been unable to read or write. For this reason, the Qur'an is treated with deep honour. Many Muslims will not place it on the floor or touch it without ritual washing. Millions of Muslims, including children, memorize the whole book. A person who has done this is called a hafiz.

Mkristo anapaswa kuiheshimu ibada hii. Usiweke Kurani sakafuni wala kuweka vitu vingine juu yake unapotembelea nyumba ya Mwislamu. Vitendo vidogo kama hivyo vya heshima vinaonyesha kwamba unamchukulia rafiki yako kwa uzito. Hata hivyo, uzuri na nguvu peke yake havithibitishi kwamba kitabu kinatoka kwa Mungu. Washairi wengi katika lugha nyingi wameandika kazi ambazo wasikilizaji wao walihisi haziwezi kulinganishwa na chochote. Swali la ukweli lazima liamuliwe kwa kile kitabu kinachofundisha na kwa ushahidi wa historia.A Christian should respect this devotion. Do not place a Qur'an on the floor or put other things on top of it when you visit a Muslim home. Such small acts of respect show that you take your friend seriously. At the same time, beauty and power do not by themselves prove that a book comes from God. Many poets in many languages have written works that their hearers felt could never be equalled. The question of truth must be decided by what a book teaches and by the evidence of history.

Jinsi Kurani Ilivyokuwa Kitabu KimojaHow the Qur'an Became One Book

Waislamu mara nyingi husema kwamba Kurani imehifadhiwa kikamilifu, herufi kwa herufi, tangu wakati wa Muhammad. Wanataja Kurani 15:9, ambayo katika tafsiri ya Pickthall inasema, "Hakika Sisi, hasa Sisi, tumeteremsha Ukumbusho, na hakika Sisi tutakuwa walinzi wake." Vyanzo vya mapema vya Uislamu wenyewe vinasema nini kuhusu jinsi kitabu hicho kilivyokusanywa?Muslims often say that the Qur'an has been perfectly preserved, letter for letter, from the time of Muhammad. They point to Qur'an 15:9, which in Pickthall's translation says, "Lo! We, even We, reveal the Reminder, and lo! We verily are its Guardian." What do Islam's own early sources say about how the book was gathered?

Wakati wa Kifo cha MuhammadAt Muhammad's death

Muhammad alipokufa mwaka 632, Kurani ilikuwa bado haijawa kitabu kimoja kilichofungwa. Kulingana na taarifa katika mkusanyo wa hadithi wa al-Bukhari, aya zilikumbukwa na masahaba wa Muhammad na kuandikwa kwenye vitu mbalimbali, kama vile mashina ya mitende, mawe bapa, vipande vya ngozi na mifupa. Masahaba tofauti walijua sehemu tofauti.When Muhammad died in 632, the Qur'an did not yet exist as a single bound book. According to reports in the hadith collection of al-Bukhari, the verses were remembered by Muhammad's companions and written on many different materials, such as palm stalks, flat stones, pieces of leather and bones. Different companions knew different portions.

Mkusanyo Chini ya Abu BakrThe collection under Abu Bakr

Muda mfupi baada ya kifo cha Muhammad, khalifa wa kwanza, Abu Bakr, alipigana vita mahali paitwapo Yamama. Wanaume wengi waliokuwa wamekariri Kurani waliuawa huko. Bukhari anaripoti kwamba Umar, ambaye baadaye alikuwa khalifa wa pili, aliogopa kwamba sehemu za Kurani zingepotea. Alimsihi Abu Bakr aikusanye. Abu Bakr alimpa kazi hiyo Zayd ibn Thabit, kijana ambaye alikuwa ameandika ufunuo kwa ajili ya Muhammad. Zayd alikusanya aya hizo katika mkusanyo wa kurasa. Kurasa hizi zilipita kwa Umar na, baada ya kifo chake, kwa binti yake Hafsa, mmoja wa wajane wa Muhammad.Soon after Muhammad's death, the first caliph, Abu Bakr, fought a battle at a place called Yamama. Many of the men who had memorized the Qur'an were killed there. Bukhari reports that Umar, who later became the second caliph, feared that parts of the Qur'an would be lost. He urged Abu Bakr to collect it. Abu Bakr gave the task to Zayd ibn Thabit, a young man who had written down revelations for Muhammad. Zayd gathered the verses into a set of pages. These pages passed to Umar and, after his death, to his daughter Hafsa, one of Muhammad's widows.

Maandishi ya Kawaida Chini ya UthmanThe standard text under Uthman

Hatua muhimu zaidi ilikuja chini ya khalifa wa tatu, Uthman, aliyetawala kuanzia 644 hadi 656. Bukhari anaripoti kwamba kamanda wa jeshi aitwaye Hudhayfa alimjia Uthman akiwa na wasiwasi, kwa sababu Waislamu kutoka mikoa mbalimbali walikuwa wakisoma Kurani kwa njia tofauti na kugombana kuhusu hilo. Uthman alikopa kurasa za Hafsa na kumwamuru Zayd na wengine wachache waandae nakala za kawaida katika lahaja ya kabila la Muhammad, Quraysh. Nakala zilitumwa katika miji mikuu ya ulimwengu wa Kiislamu. Kisha, kulingana na taarifa hiyo hiyo, Uthman aliamuru nakala nyingine zote zilizoandikwa za Kurani zichomwe moto.The most important step came under the third caliph, Uthman, who ruled from 644 to 656. Bukhari reports that a military commander named Hudhayfa came to Uthman alarmed, because Muslims from different regions were reciting the Qur'an in different ways and quarrelling about it. Uthman borrowed Hafsa's pages and ordered Zayd and a few others to prepare standard copies in the dialect of Muhammad's tribe, the Quraysh. Copies were sent to the major cities of the Muslim world. Then, according to the same report, Uthman ordered that all other written copies of the Qur'an be burned.

Taarifa hii si shtaka la Wakristo. Inatoka kwa Bukhari, mkusanyo wa hadithi unaoheshimiwa zaidi na Wasunni. Inatuambia kwamba ndani ya miaka ishirini hivi baada ya kifo cha Muhammad kulikuwa na aina tofauti za maandishi zilizokuwa zikitumika, na kwamba aina moja ilifanywa rasmi huku nyingine zikiharibiwa. Vyanzo vya mapema pia vinasema kwamba baadhi ya masahaba, kama Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, walikuwa na nakala zao binafsi zilizotofautiana na za Uthman katika mpangilio wa sura na katika baadhi ya usomaji.This report is not a Christian accusation. It comes from Bukhari, the most respected Sunni hadith collection. It tells us that within about twenty years of Muhammad's death there were different forms of the text in use, and that one form was made official while the others were destroyed. Early sources also say that some companions, such as Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, had personal copies that differed from Uthman's in the order of suras and in some readings.

Usomaji na Hati za MapemaReadings and early manuscripts

Maandishi ya mwanzo kabisa ya Kiarabu hayakuwa na alama za irabu na mara nyingi yalikosa nukta zinazotofautisha baadhi ya herufi. Katika karne zilizofuata, alama hizi ziliongezwa. Wanazuoni Waislamu pia wanatambua "usomaji" (qira'at) kadhaa unaokubalika wa Kurani, uliopitishwa kupitia walimu tofauti. Usomaji unaoitwa Hafs ndio unaoenea zaidi duniani leo, huku usomaji unaoitwa Warsh ukitumika sana katika sehemu za Afrika Kaskazini na Magharibi. Tofauti nyingi ni ndogo, lakini ni halisi.The earliest Arabic script did not have vowel marks and often lacked the dots that tell some letters apart. Over the following centuries, these marks were added. Muslim scholars also recognize several accepted "readings" (qira'at) of the Qur'an, passed down through different teachers. The reading called Hafs is the most common in the world today, while the reading called Warsh is widely used in parts of North and West Africa. The differences are mostly small, but they are real.

Hati chache za mapema sana za Kurani zimesalia, na Waislamu wanazithamini kwa haki. Vipande vichache vinaweza kuwa vya zamani sana kweli. Wanazuoni wanaosoma hati hizi, wakiwemo baadhi huko Yemen ambako nakala za zamani zilipatikana zimefichwa msikitini, pia wameona tofauti katika maandishi ya mwanzo kabisa. Hitimisho la kweli ni hili: Kurani tuliyo nayo leo inarudi kwa ukaribu mkubwa hadi maandishi ambayo Uthman aliyafanya rasmi, lakini dai la uhifadhi kamilifu, herufi kwa herufi, kutoka kwa Muhammad mwenyewe ni kauli ya imani, si hitimisho linalolazimishwa na historia ya mapema.Some very early Qur'an manuscripts survive, and Muslims rightly value them. A few fragments may be very old indeed. Scholars who study these manuscripts, including some in Yemen where old copies were found hidden in a mosque, have also noted variations in the earliest texts. The honest conclusion is this: the Qur'an we have today goes back very closely to the text Uthman made official, but the claim of perfect, letter-for-letter preservation from Muhammad himself is a statement of faith, not a conclusion that the early history requires.

Kwa Nini Hili Ni Muhimu kwa MchungajiWhy this matters for the pastor

Waislamu wengi hufundishwa kwamba Biblia ina matoleo mengi na Kurani ina toleo moja tu. Mchungaji hahitaji kujibu kwa hasira. Anaweza kuuliza kwa upole, "Je, ulijua kwamba Bukhari anaripoti kwamba Uthman alichoma nakala nyingine?" Wakristo wengi hawajawahi kulisikia hili, na Waislamu wengi pia hawajalisikia. Lengo si kushambulia Kurani bali kuonyesha kwamba swali la jinsi kitabu kitakatifu kilivyohifadhiwa ni la haki kwa pande zote mbili. Tutaangalia historia ya maandishi ya Agano Jipya katika Kitengo cha 9.Many Muslims are taught that the Bible has many versions and that the Qur'an has only one. A pastor need not answer with anger. He can gently ask, "Did you know that Bukhari reports that Uthman burned the other copies?" Most Christians have never heard this, and many Muslims have not either. The point is not to attack the Qur'an but to show that the question of how a holy book was preserved is fair for both sides. We will look at the history of the New Testament text in Unit 9.

Kufutwa kwa Aya (Naskh)Abrogation (Naskh)

Neno la Kiarabu naskh linamaanisha "kufuta" au "kubatilisha." Ni fundisho kwamba baadhi ya aya za baadaye za Kurani huchukua nafasi ya aya za awali au kuzifuta kuhusu jambo hilo hilo. Wazo hilo linatoka katika Kurani yenyewe. Katika Kurani 2:106, Mungu anasema, kwa muhtasari, kwamba kila anapofuta aya au kuifanya isahaulike, huleta iliyo bora kuliko hiyo au inayofanana nayo. Kurani 16:101 pia inasema juu ya aya moja kuwekwa mahali pa nyingine.The Arabic word naskh means "abrogation" or "cancelling." It is the teaching that some later verses of the Qur'an replace or cancel earlier verses on the same subject. The idea comes from the Qur'an itself. In Qur'an 2:106, God says, in summary, that whenever He abrogates a verse or causes it to be forgotten, He brings one better than it or similar to it. Qur'an 16:101 also speaks of one verse being put in place of another.

Wanazuoni Waislamu mara nyingi hutoa mfano wa pombe. Aya moja ya mapema inakubali kwamba kuna faida fulani katika pombe lakini inasema dhambi yake ni kubwa zaidi (Kurani 2:219). Aya nyingine inawaambia waumini wasije kuswali wakiwa wamelewa (Kurani 4:43). Aya ya baadaye inaiita pombe kitu kichafu na kuwaamuru waumini waiepuke kabisa (Kurani 5:90). Wanazuoni wengi hufundisha kwamba kanuni ya baadaye ilichukua nafasi ya zile za awali.Muslim scholars often give the example of wine. One early verse admits that there is some benefit in wine but says the sin is greater (Qur'an 2:219). Another verse tells believers not to come to prayer while drunk (Qur'an 4:43). A later verse calls wine an abomination and commands believers to avoid it completely (Qur'an 5:90). Many scholars teach that the later rule replaced the earlier ones.

Wanazuoni wa kale walieleza aina mbalimbali za kufutwa. Katika baadhi ya visa, aya inabaki katika Kurani lakini kanuni yake haifuatwi tena. Baadhi ya taarifa hata zinaeleza aya ambazo zamani zilisomwa lakini hazimo tena katika maandishi. Wanazuoni wametofautiana juu ya idadi ya aya zilizofutwa, kuanzia mamia hadi chache tu. Baadhi ya wanazuoni Waislamu wa kisasa wanaipunguza idadi hiyo sana.Classical scholars described different kinds of abrogation. In some cases, a verse remains in the Qur'an but its rule is no longer followed. Some reports even describe verses that were once recited but are no longer in the text. Scholars have disagreed about how many verses are abrogated, from hundreds to only a handful. Some modern Muslim scholars reduce the number greatly.

Hili ni muhimu kwa mazungumzo ya Kikristo kwa njia mbili. Kwanza, Mwislamu mmoja anaponukuu aya ya amani na mwingine aya kali zaidi, wanazuoni Waislamu wanaweza kujadili ni ipi ilikuja baadaye, kama moja ilichukua nafasi ya nyingine, au kama kila moja inahusu hali tofauti. Usidai kujua zaidi ya unavyojua. Muulize rafiki yako mapokeo yake yanaielewaje aya hiyo. Pili, kufutwa kwa aya kunaleta swali la haki. Ikiwa Kurani ni neno la milele la Mungu, kwa nini baadhi ya amri zibadilishwe ndani ya takriban miaka ishirini na mitatu? Waislamu hujibu kwamba Mungu alijua mpango mzima tangu mwanzo na alitoa amri zake hatua kwa hatua, kama mwalimu mwenye hekima afanyavyo. Sikiliza jibu hilo. Wakristo wanaelewa uhusiano kati ya amri za awali na Kristo kupitia utimizo na agano jipya. Je, hili linalinganaje na maelezo ya Waislamu kuhusu kufutwa kwa aya?This matters for Christian conversation in two ways. First, when one Muslim quotes a peaceful verse and another quotes a harsher one, Muslim scholars may discuss which came later, whether one replaced the other, or whether each applies to a different situation. Do not claim to know more than you do. Ask your friend how his tradition understands the verse. Second, abrogation raises a fair question. If the Qur'an is God's eternal word, why would some commands be replaced within about twenty-three years? Muslims answer that God always knew the whole plan and gave His commands step by step, as a wise teacher does. Listen to that answer. Christians understand the relationship between earlier commands and Christ through fulfilment and the new covenant. How does this compare with Muslim accounts of abrogation?

Hadithi na SunnaThe Hadith and the Sunnah

Kurani peke yake haimwambii Mwislamu jinsi ya kuishi imani yake siku hadi siku. Kwa mfano, inaamuru sala, lakini haitoi nyakati, maneno na mienendo ya sala tano za kila siku. Kwa maelezo haya Waislamu hurejea kwenye hadithi.The Qur'an alone does not tell a Muslim how to live his faith day by day. For example, it commands prayer, but it does not give the times, words and movements of the five daily prayers. For these details Muslims turn to the hadith.

Hadithi ni Nini?What is a hadith?

Hadithi (wingi ahadith, mara nyingi huitwa tu "hadithi") ni taarifa ya jambo Muhammad alilosema au kufanya, au jambo alilolikubali kwa kunyamaza kwake. Kila hadithi ina sehemu mbili. Isnad ni mlolongo wa watu walioipitisha taarifa hiyo: "A aliniambia kwamba B alimwambia kwamba C alimsikia Mtume akisema..." Matn ni yaliyomo katika taarifa yenyewe.A hadith (plural ahadith, often simply "hadiths") is a report of something Muhammad said or did, or something he approved by his silence. Each hadith has two parts. The isnad is the chain of people who passed the report on: "A told me that B told him that C heard the Prophet say..." The matn is the content of the report itself.

Sunna inamaanisha "njia" au mfano wa Muhammad. Waislamu wanaifuata kwa sababu Kurani inamwita Muhammad "kielelezo chema" (Kurani 33:21) na inawaamuru waumini wamtii Mungu na mjumbe wake (kwa mfano Kurani 4:59). Hadithi ndizo kumbukumbu kuu ya Sunna. Katika sheria ya Kiislamu (sharia), Sunna ni chanzo cha pili baada ya Kurani.The Sunnah means the "way" or example of Muhammad. Muslims follow it because the Qur'an calls Muhammad a "good example" (Qur'an 33:21) and commands believers to obey God and His messenger (for example Qur'an 4:59). The hadith are the main record of the Sunnah. In Islamic law (sharia), the Sunnah is the second source after the Qur'an.

Mikusanyo MikuuThe great collections

Hadithi zilipitishwa hasa kwa kukariri kwa vizazi vingi kabla mikusanyo mikuu haijaandikwa. Mkusanyo maarufu zaidi wa Sunni ni wa al-Bukhari, aliyekufa mwaka 870, zaidi ya miaka mia mbili baada ya Muhammad. Unaofuata kwa heshima ni mkusanyo wa Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj, aliyekufa mwaka 875. Mikusanyo hii miwili kwa pamoja huitwa mikusanyo miwili ya Sahih ("sahihi"). Pamoja na mingine minne, ya Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i na Ibn Majah, inaunda "Vitabu Sita" ambavyo Waislamu wa Sunni huviheshimu zaidi.Hadith were passed on mostly by memory for generations before the great collections were written. The most famous Sunni collection is by al-Bukhari, who died in 870, more than two hundred years after Muhammad. Next in honour is the collection of Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj, who died in 875. These two together are called the two Sahih ("sound") collections. With four others, by Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah, they form the "Six Books" that Sunni Muslims hold in highest regard.

Wanazuoni Waislamu wenyewe walijua kwamba hadithi nyingi za uongo zilikuwa zikisambaa. Walibuni sayansi makini ya kupima mlolongo wa wapokezi, wakiamua kama kila mtu alikuwa mwaminifu na mwenye kumbukumbu nzuri. Hadithi zilipimwa kuwa sahih (sahihi), hasan (nzuri) au da'if (dhaifu). Inasemekana Bukhari alichagua taarifa elfu chache tu kati ya idadi kubwa sana aliyoichunguza.Muslim scholars themselves knew that many false hadith were in circulation. They developed a careful science to test chains of narrators, judging whether each person was honest and had a good memory. Hadith were graded as sahih (sound), hasan (good) or da'if (weak). Bukhari is said to have chosen only a few thousand reports out of a very large number that he examined.

Kwa Nini Hili Ni Muhimu kwa MchungajiWhy this matters for the pastor

Karibu kila kitu ambacho Waislamu wanajua kuhusu maisha ya Muhammad kinatoka kwenye hadithi na wasifu, si kwenye Kurani, kama tulivyoona katika Kitengo cha 2. Hata hivyo vyanzo hivi viliandikwa karibu karne mbili baada ya matukio vinavyoyaeleza. Waislamu wachache, wanaoitwa wakati mwingine Wakurani, wanazikataa hadithi kwa sababu hii, lakini wengi wa Waislamu wanakubali mikusanyo mikuu.Nearly everything Muslims know about Muhammad's life comes from the hadith and the biographies, not from the Qur'an, as we saw in Unit 2. Yet these sources were written down roughly two centuries after the events they describe. A few Muslims, sometimes called Quranists, reject the hadith for this reason, but the great majority of Muslims accept the main collections.

Hili linampa Mkristo swali la haki la kuuliza kwa heshima. Waislamu wakati mwingine husema Injili haziwezi kuaminiwa kwa sababu ziliandikwa miongo kadhaa baada ya Yesu. Hata hivyo Injili ziliandikwa wakati mashahidi waliojionea bado wako hai, ilhali Bukhari aliandika karibu miaka mia mbili baada ya Muhammad. Mwislamu akimwamini Bukhari, anapaswa kuwa tayari kuzingatia Injili za zamani zaidi.This gives the Christian a fair question to ask with respect. Muslims sometimes say the Gospels cannot be trusted because they were written decades after Jesus. Yet the Gospels were written within the lifetime of eyewitnesses, while Bukhari wrote about two hundred years after Muhammad. If a Muslim trusts Bukhari, he should be willing to consider the far earlier Gospels.

Ramani ya Uislamu Anayoweza Kuitumia Mchungaji wa KiafrikaA Map of Islam That an African Pastor Can Use

Uislamu si vuguvugu moja lenye umbo moja. Mapokeo mawili makubwa zaidi ni Sunni na Shia, na Uislamu wa Shia wenyewe una matawi makubwa, kama vile Maimamu Kumi na Wawili (Twelvers), Waismaili na Wazaidi. Tofauti hizi zilianza kwa kutokubaliana juu ya nani aongoze jamii baada ya Muhammad, na zikakua kuwa tofauti muhimu za imani na ibada. Tunaanza na Sunni na Shia, kisha tunaangalia majina mengine mawili ambayo mchungaji wa Kiafrika atayasikia mara nyingi.Islam is not one uniform movement. The two largest traditions are Sunni and Shia, and Shia Islam itself has major branches, such as the Twelvers, the Ismailis and the Zaydis. These differences began with disagreements about who should lead the community after Muhammad, and they grew into important differences of belief and devotion. We look first at Sunni and Shia, and then at two other names an African pastor will often hear.

Sunni na ShiaSunni and Shia

Waislamu wengi ulimwenguni ni Wasunni, labda asilimia themanini na tano hadi tisini. Wengi wa wengine ni Washia. Mgawanyiko ulianza kwa swali la uongozi baada ya kifo cha Muhammad mwaka 632.Most Muslims in the world are Sunni, perhaps eighty-five to ninety percent. Most of the rest are Shia. The division began with a question of leadership after Muhammad's death in 632.

Wasunni wanawakubali makhalifa wanne wa kwanza, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman na Ali, kuwa viongozi "walioongozwa sawasawa." Jina Sunni linatokana na "watu wa Sunna na jamii." Waislamu wa Shia wanaamini kwamba Muhammad alimteua binamu yake na mkwe wake Ali awaongoze baada yake. Jina Shia linatokana na shi'at Ali, "kundi la Ali." Waislamu wa Shia wanawaheshimu mfululizo wa maimamu wa uzao wa Ali. Kuuawa kwa Husayn, mwana wa Ali, huko Karbala mwaka 680 kunakumbukwa kwa huzuni kubwa na Waislamu wa Shia hadi leo.Sunnis accept the first four caliphs, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, as the "rightly guided" leaders. The name Sunni comes from "the people of the Sunnah and the community." Shia Muslims believe Muhammad appointed his cousin and son-in-law Ali to lead after him. The name Shia comes from shi'at Ali, "the party of Ali." Shia Muslims honour a line of imams descended from Ali. The killing of Ali's son Husayn at Karbala in 680 is remembered with great sorrow by Shia Muslims to this day.

Makundi yote mawili yanakubali Kurani moja. Lakini hawategemei hadithi zile zile. Waislamu wa Shia wanakubali taarifa zilizopitishwa kupitia familia ya Muhammad na wafuasi wao wanaoaminika, nao wana mikusanyo yao wenyewe, kama al-Kafi ya al-Kulayni. Hawakubali wapokezi wengi ambao Wasunni wanawaamini. Kwa hiyo mchungaji asidhani kwamba kila Mwislamu anakubali kila hadithi. Hadithi inaponukuliwa, ni haki kuuliza, "Hiyo ni kutoka mkusanyo upi, na je, wewe unaukubali?"Both groups accept the same Qur'an. But they do not rely on the same hadith. Shia Muslims accept reports passed on through the family of Muhammad and their trusted followers, and they have their own collections, such as al-Kafi by al-Kulayni. They do not accept many of the narrators that Sunnis trust. A pastor should therefore not assume that every Muslim accepts every hadith. When a hadith is quoted, it is fair to ask, "Which collection is that from, and do you accept it?"

Mashirika ya SufiSufi orders

Usufi si kundi la tatu tu linaloshindana na Uislamu wa Sunni na wa Shia. Ni upande wa ndani na wa kiibada wa Uislamu, wenye nidhamu zake za kiroho. Mashirika mengi ya Sufi, au udugu, yako ndani ya Uislamu wa Sunni, na baadhi ya desturi za Sufi hupatikana pia miongoni mwa Waislamu wa Shia. Mashirika kama Tijaniyya, Qadiriyya na Muridiyya yameathiri maisha ya Waislamu katika sehemu nyingi za Afrika. Mchungaji huko Senegali anaweza kukutana na aina ya ibada ya Kiislamu tofauti na mchungaji kaskazini mwa Nigeria au pwani ya Afrika Mashariki. Desturi ya ibada ya mahali fulani, wala vuguvugu la msimamo mkali, haipaswi kuchukuliwa kuwa ndiyo maana ya Uislamu kila mahali.Sufism is not simply a third group competing with Sunni and Shia Islam. It is the inward, devotional side of Islam, with its own spiritual disciplines. Many Sufi orders, or brotherhoods, belong within Sunni Islam, and some Sufi practice is found among Shia Muslims too. Orders such as the Tijaniyya, the Qadiriyya and the Muridiyya have shaped Muslim life in many parts of Africa. A pastor in Senegal may meet a different kind of Muslim practice from a pastor in northern Nigeria or on the coast of East Africa. Neither a local devotional practice nor an extremist movement should be treated as the definition of Islam everywhere.

UahmadiyyaThe Ahmadiyya

Vuguvugu la Uahmadiyya lilianza India katika karne ya kumi na tisa na Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. Waahmadi wanaelewa nafasi yake kwa njia tofauti na fundisho kuu la Wasunni na Washia kuhusu unabii, na Waislamu wengi hawawakubali Waahmadi kuwa Waislamu. Waahmadi kwa kawaida hufundisha kwamba Yesu alinusurika msalabani na baadaye akafa kifo cha kawaida. Hili ni muhimu kwa kozi yetu, kwa sababu Nabeel Qureshi alilelewa katika familia ya Kiahmadi. Mchungaji anapaswa kujua tofauti hizi bila kudhani kwamba Mwislamu yeyote anashikilia shule fulani, hadithi fulani, desturi fulani au msimamo fulani wa kisiasa.The Ahmadiyya movement began in India in the nineteenth century with Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. Ahmadis understand his role in a way that differs from mainstream Sunni and Shia teaching about prophethood, and many Muslims do not accept Ahmadis as Muslims. Ahmadis usually teach that Jesus survived the cross and later died a natural death. This matters for our course, because Nabeel Qureshi was raised in an Ahmadi family. A pastor should know these differences without assuming that any one Muslim holds a particular school, hadith, practice or political view.

Muulize Mtu KwanzaAsk the person first

Njia ya vitendo ni kumuuliza kila mtu kwanza kuhusu imani yake mwenyewe: "Jamii yako inafundisha nini kuhusu Yesu, kuhusu Maandiko na kuhusu njia ya wokovu?" Mchungaji anayesikiliza vizuri anaweza kugundua kwamba maoni ya jirani yake hayafai katika kundi rahisi zaidi la vitabu vya kiada. Kwa historia ya mashirika ya Sufi, tazama J. Spencer Trimingham, The Sufi Orders in Islam (Oxford University Press).The practical method is to ask each person about his or her own belief first: "What does your community teach about Jesus, about Scripture and about the way of salvation?" A pastor who listens well may find that his neighbour's views do not fit the simplest textbook category. For the history of the Sufi orders, see J. Spencer Trimingham, The Sufi Orders in Islam (Oxford University Press).

Fundisho la Kikristo juu ya MaandikoThe Christian Doctrine of Scripture

Wakristo na Waislamu wote wanaamini kwamba Mungu amesema. Wote wanaheshimu kitabu kitakatifu. Lakini tunaelewa kusema kwa Mungu kwa njia tofauti sana.Christians and Muslims both believe that God has spoken. Both honour a holy book. But we understand God's speaking in very different ways.

Mungu Akisema Kupitia Waandishi WanadamuGod speaking through human authors

Biblia inafundisha kwamba Maandiko yote yamepuliziwa na Mungu (2 Timotheo 3:16). Hata hivyo Mungu hakumwandikisha mtu mmoja tu kwa kumsemea neno kwa neno. Petro anaandika kwamba "watu wa Mungu walinena kama walivyoongozwa na Roho Mtakatifu" (2 Petro 1:21, SUV). Kwa muda wa miaka elfu moja na mia tano hivi, waandishi wanadamu arobaini hivi waliandika kwa Kiebrania, Kiaramu na Kigiriki. Walikuwa wachungaji wa kondoo, wafalme, wavuvi, daktari na msomi. Mungu alitumia haiba zao, mitindo yao na uzoefu wao, na bado matokeo ni Neno lake kikamilifu, la kweli na lisilo na kosa katika yote linayofundisha.The Bible teaches that all Scripture is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16). Yet God did not simply dictate it to one man. Peter writes that "holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21, NKJV). Over about fifteen hundred years, around forty human authors wrote in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. They were shepherds, kings, fishermen, a doctor and a scholar. God used their personalities, styles and experiences, and yet the result is fully His Word, true and without error in all that it teaches.

Kwa sababu hiyo, Biblia inabaki kuwa Neno la Mungu inapotafsiriwa kwa uaminifu. Mkristo huko Nigeria au Meksiko anaweza kusoma Neno la Mungu kwa Kihausa au Kihispania. Waislamu wengi, kinyume chake, hufundisha kwamba tafsiri ya Kurani ni ufafanuzi tu wa maana yake, na kwamba Kurani halisi ipo kwa Kiarabu pekee.Because of this, the Bible remains God's Word when it is faithfully translated. A Christian in Nigeria or Mexico can read the Word of God in Hausa or Spanish. Many Muslims, by contrast, teach that a translation of the Qur'an is only an interpretation of its meaning, and that the real Qur'an exists only in Arabic.

Kutimiza, Si KufutaFulfilment, not cancellation

Biblia inaonyesha maendeleo katika ufunuo. Agano Jipya katika Kristo linapita la Kale, na baadhi ya sheria za Musa, kama dhabihu na sheria za vyakula, zilitimizwa katika Kristo. Lakini hili si sawa na kufutwa kwa aya. Yesu alisema, "Msidhani kwamba nalikuja kuitangua torati au manabii; sikuja kutangua, bali kutimiliza" (Mathayo 5:17, SUV). Dhabihu zilielekeza mbele kwa Mwana-Kondoo wa Mungu, na alipokuja, kivuli kilipisha uhalisi. Tabia ya Mungu haibadiliki: "Kwa maana mimi, BWANA, sibadiliki" (Malaki 3:6, SUV).The Bible does show progress in revelation. The New Covenant in Christ goes beyond the Old, and some laws of Moses, such as the sacrifices and food laws, were fulfilled in Christ. But this is not the same as abrogation. Jesus said, "I did not come to destroy but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17, NKJV). The sacrifices pointed forward to the Lamb of God, and when He came, the shadow gave way to the reality. God's character does not change: "For I am the LORD, I do not change" (Malachi 3:6, NKJV).

Kuhifadhiwa Kupitia Nakala NyingiPreserved through many copies

Maandiko ya Kikristo hayakuhifadhiwa na mtawala mmoja aliyetengeneza nakala moja rasmi na kuharibu nyingine. Yalienea haraka katika nchi na lugha nyingi, yakinakiliwa kwa uhuru na makanisa yasiyo na udhibiti wa kati. Hili lilileta tofauti ndogo kati ya hati, ambazo wanazuoni wanaweza kuzilinganisha. Lakini pia linamaanisha kwamba hakuna mtu mmoja ambaye angeweza kubadilisha maandishi yote. Kama nabii asemavyo, "bali neno la Mungu wetu litasimama milele" (Isaya 40:8, SUV).The Christian Scriptures were not preserved by one ruler who made one official copy and destroyed the rest. They spread quickly across many lands and languages, copied freely by churches that had no central control. This produced small differences among manuscripts, which scholars can compare. But it also means that no one person could ever change the whole text. As the prophet says, "the word of our God stands forever" (Isaiah 40:8, NKJV).

Neno Aliyefanyika MwiliThe Word made flesh

Kuna tofauti moja zaidi, na ndiyo ya ndani kabisa. Katika Uislamu, neno la milele la Mungu linashuka kama kitabu. Katika Ukristo, Neno la milele la Mungu lilishuka kama mtu: "Naye Neno alifanyika mwili, akakaa kwetu" (Yohana 1:14, SUV). Wanafunzi wa Uislamu mara nyingi wameeleza kwamba nafasi ambayo Kurani inashikilia katika Uislamu iko karibu zaidi na nafasi ambayo Kristo anashikilia katika Ukristo kuliko nafasi ambayo Biblia inashikilia. Huu ni ulinganisho, si madai kwamba dini hizi mbili zinafundisha jambo lile lile kuhusu ufunuo. Waislamu wengi wa Sunni wanashikilia kwamba Kurani ni usemi usioumbwa wa Mungu; baadhi ya shule za Kiislamu zimeueleza kwa njia tofauti. Kwa Wakristo, Biblia ni ya thamani kwa sababu inatuelekeza kwa Yesu (Yohana 5:39). Unapozungumza na Mwislamu kuhusu Biblia, kumbuka hili. Swali la mwisho si tu kitabu kipi ni cha kweli, bali Yesu ni nani.There is one more difference, and it is the deepest. In Islam, God's eternal word comes down as a book. In Christianity, God's eternal Word came down as a person: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14, NKJV). Students of Islam have often pointed out that the place the Qur'an holds in Islam is closer to the place Christ holds in Christianity than to the place the Bible holds. This is a comparison, not a claim that the two faiths teach the same thing about revelation. Most Sunni Muslims hold that the Qur'an is God's uncreated speech; some Muslim schools have explained it differently. For Christians, the Bible is precious because it points us to Jesus (John 5:39). When you speak with a Muslim about the Bible, keep this in view. The final question is not only which book is true, but who Jesus is.

MuhtasariSummary

Waislamu wanaamini kwamba Kurani ni neno la milele la Mungu, lililoteremshwa kupitia Gabrieli kwa Muhammad kwa karibu miaka ishirini na mitatu, kwa Kiarabu, bila uandishi wa binadamu. Vyanzo vya mapema vya Uislamu wenyewe, hasa Bukhari, vinaripoti kwamba Kurani ilikusanywa baada ya kifo cha Muhammad, kwanza chini ya Abu Bakr kisha ikawekwa kiwango chini ya Uthman, aliyeamuru nakala nyingine zichomwe moto. Fundisho la kufutwa kwa aya (naskh) linasema kwamba baadhi ya aya za baadaye huchukua nafasi ya za awali. Hadithi, zilizokusanywa karibu karne mbili baada ya Muhammad, zinaandika Sunna yake, au mfano wake, na zinahitajika kwa utekelezaji wa kila siku wa Kiislamu; Waislamu wa Sunni na Shia wanashiriki Kurani moja lakini wanatumia hadithi tofauti. Uislamu si vuguvugu moja lenye umbo moja. Mapokeo ya Sunni na Shia, mashirika ya Sufi na Waahmadi yanatofautiana, kwa hiyo mchungaji anapaswa kumuuliza kila mtu anaamini nini. Biblia, kinyume chake, ni Neno la Mungu lililotolewa kupitia waandishi wengi wanadamu, lililohifadhiwa kupitia nakala nyingi, lililotimizwa badala ya kufutwa katika Kristo, na lenye kitovu chake katika Neno aliyefanyika mwili. Mchungaji mwenye hekima huelewa mambo haya, huwaheshimu jirani zake Waislamu, na huuliza maswali ya haki kwa upole.Muslims believe the Qur'an is the eternal word of God, sent down through Gabriel to Muhammad over about twenty-three years, in Arabic, without human authorship. Islam's own early sources, especially Bukhari, report that the Qur'an was gathered after Muhammad's death, first under Abu Bakr and then standardized under Uthman, who ordered other copies burned. The doctrine of abrogation (naskh) teaches that some later verses replace earlier ones. The hadith, collected about two centuries after Muhammad, record his Sunnah, or example, and are needed for daily Muslim practice; Sunni and Shia Muslims share the Qur'an but use different hadith. Islam is not one uniform movement. Sunni and Shia traditions, Sufi orders and the Ahmadiyya differ, so a pastor should ask each person what he believes. The Bible, by contrast, is God's Word given through many human authors, preserved through many copies, fulfilled rather than cancelled in Christ, and centred on the Word who became flesh. A wise pastor understands these things, respects his Muslim neighbours, and asks fair questions with gentleness.

Maswali ya KutafakariQuestions for Reflection

1. Ungemweleza rafiki yako Mwislamu, kwa sentensi chache, tofauti kati ya wazo la Kiislamu la ufunuo na wazo la Kikristo la uvuvio?1. How would you explain to a Muslim friend, in a few sentences, the difference between the Muslim idea of revelation and the Christian idea of inspiration?

2. Ni vitendo gani vidogo vya heshima kwa Kurani unavyoweza kutekeleza unapotembelea nyumba ya Mwislamu, bila kuhatarisha imani yako mwenyewe?2. What small acts of respect toward the Qur'an could you practise when you visit a Muslim home, without compromising your own faith?

3. Unawezaje kutaja taarifa kuhusu Uthman kuchoma nakala nyingine kwa njia ya uaminifu isiyo ya dhihaka wala ya kuchokoza?3. How could you mention the report about Uthman burning other copies in a way that is honest but not mocking or provocative?

4. Kwa nini tofauti kati ya kufutwa kwa aya na kutimizwa ni muhimu kwa kuelewa jinsi Agano la Kale na Jipya vinavyolingana?4. Why is the difference between abrogation and fulfilment important for understanding how the Old and New Testaments fit together?

5. Katika Uislamu neno la milele likawa kitabu; katika Ukristo Neno la milele alifanyika mwili. Tofauti hii inawezaje kukusaidia kuelekeza mazungumzo kwa Yesu?5. In Islam the eternal word became a book; in Christianity the eternal Word became flesh. How could this contrast help you turn a conversation toward Jesus?

6. Kwa nini Sunni, Shia, Sufi na Ahmadi si masanduku manne yaliyotenganishwa, na ungemuulizaje jirani yako Uislamu unamaanisha nini kwake?6. Why are Sunni, Shia, Sufi and Ahmadi not four separate boxes, and how would you ask a neighbour what Islam means to him?

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