“Maye, Maye Kuwe-Muzi Omkhulu”

KUWO wonke amadolobha amakhulu emhlabeni, kubonakala lingekho elingafaneleka ukubizwa kanjalo ngaphandle kwamadolobha abhekwa njengangcwele ngokwenkolo. Kodwa amazwi athi “maye, maye” abonisa ukuthi umuzi (idolobha) ongokwenkolo obizwa ngokuthi ‘mkhulu’ kusAmbulo 18:10 ngokusobala untula ukuvunyelwa kwaphezulu, njengoba sizobona kamuva.

Ingabe Izibuko Lokuwelela Ekungafini?

ENdiya amadolobha angcwele obuHindu abizwa ngokuthi ama-tīrtha, okusho ukuthi “amazibuko.” Amaningi, njengeBanaras (ebizwa nangokuthi iBenares, iKasi, noma iVaranasi), akhiwe osebeni lwemifula. Kodwa awabhekwa njengamazibuko angempela, kodwa kunalokho abhekwa njengamazibuko angokomoya okucatshangwa ukuthi abantu bawela kuwo ngokuphepha amanzi okuphila bawelele ngalé ekuphileni okungcono.

I-encyclopedia ethile ithi: “IVārānasi ingelinye lamadolobha amadala kakhulu asahlala abantu emhlabeni . . . , indawo yokuqala ama-Aryan akha kuyo phakathi nesigodi saseGanges.” Yayiyisikhungo esingokwenkolo emuva enkulungwaneni yesibili B.C.E. Nakuba iyidolobha lamaHindu, iyatholakala futhi emlandweni wobuBuddha noweNkolo YamaSulumane. Phakathi nekhulu lesithupha B.C.E., lapho iBanaras iyinhloko-dolobha yoMbuso WaseKasi, uBuddha washumayela okokuqala ngqá eduze kwalelidolobha. INkolo YamaSulumane yaqala ukuhileleka ngo-1194, lapho amaSulumane elawula lelidolobha.

Njengoba yakhiwe enyakatho yeNdiya emfuleni iGanges, iBanaras ingelinye lamadolobha obuHindu ayisikhombisa angcwele kakhulu kulelizwe. Emaphethelweni ayo indawo enemifanekiso yabelwe unkulunkulu ngamunye wamaHindu nelinye lama-tīrtha amakhulu. Ngakho, i-Encyclopedia of Religion ibiza lelidolobha ngokuthi “isibonelo sezwe elingcwele lase-Ndiya.” Iyanezela: “Ubukhulu bamandla obubangelwa ukubuthana ngokomfanekiso kwawonkulunkulu, ama-tīrtha, nezihlakaniphi kulendawo kuye kwenza iBanaras yaba indawo yaseNdiya eyaziwa kabanzi njengokuyiwa kuyo ohambeni lokukhulekela.”

AmaHindu abheka iBanaras njengendawo efaneleka kakhulu angafela kuyo. Amazwi athandwayo athi Kāśyām maranam muktih asho ukuthi “Kuyinkululeko ukufela eKasi.” Isiko lithi noma ubani ofelé lapho uyofundiswa uSiva uqobo, okufana nokuweliswa “izikhukhula ze-samsāra uyiswe ‘ogwini olukude’ lokungafi.”a

Njengemifula yonke indawo, iGanges iguduza idlule phakathi kwamadolobha achumile, ihambe ikhuculula ukungcola namakhemikhali. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, amaHindu azinikezele, njengoba kubonisa isiko elingokwenkolo, nsuku zonke alahla kulomfula izidumbu ezilinganiselwa ku-10 000. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, abazokhuleka, bengayiqapheli ingozi esobala yokuthola izifo, behla ngezitebhisi osebeni lwalomfula ukuze bahlanganyele ekugezeni okungokwenkolo. Ingabe ngempela lena indlela eya ekungafini?

Lingelaphakade Kangakanani “IDolobha Laphakade”?

Omunye umfula, cishe owake wabizwa ngokuthi i-Albula ngenxa yobumhlophe bamanzi awo, ugeleza phakathi kwedolobha elithile laseYurophu elingokwenkolo, “iDolobha Laphakade” elisemagqumeni ayisikhombisa. Lomfula, njengoba sekuyisikhathi eside ungasemhlophe, manje sewaziwa ngokuthi iTiber. Futhi sekuyisikhathi eside lelidolobha laba likhulu ngaphezu kwamagquma alo ayisikhombisa. Nakuba kunjalo, i-New Encyclopædia Britannica, iphawula ukuthi “ifa lesikhathi esidlule elisekhona eRome, alidlulwa yilutho kunoma yiliphi idolobha laseNtshonalanga.”

Inqwaba yezakhiwo eziyisikhumbuzo nezingokomlando zifakazela ukuba khona kwalelifa. Kuyamangalisa ukuthi ziye zasinda, uma kucatshangelwa izikhathi eziningi lelidolobha eliye lanqotshwa futhi laphangwa ngazo—ekuqaleni kwekhulu lesine B.C.E., ngamaGaul, futhi eSikhathini Esivamile, ngamaVisigoth ngo-410, ngamaVandal ngo-455, ngamaNorman ngo-1084, ngamasosha ayeqashiwe ngo-1527, yibutho likaNapoleon ngo-1798, nangamaJalimane namaZwe Asizanayo phakathi neMpi Yezwe II.

Nakuba idolobha lokuqala elinezindonga laseRome lakha amaphesenti amane endawo yonke yedolobha lanamuhla, izigidigidi zezivakashi ezibuka amazwe zithutheleka ukuzobona leRome, ngoba kuyilapho imibhoshongo eminingi yakhiwe khona. Okunye okwakhanga izivakashi ezibuka amazwe okungenani ekuqaleni kuka-1993, kwakuwumbukiso othi “Sixtus V and Rome.” Njengoba ayengupapa kusukela ngo-1585 kuya ku-1590, uSixtus wenzela iRome okuthile okungeke kulitshalwe kangangokuba uye wabizwa ngokuthi “ubaba wokuhlelwa kwedolobha lanamuhla.” Ichaza ukuthi kungani ayihlela kabusha iRome, i-European yabhala: “Okokuqala, ukuze anikeze isisekelo esiqinile nesibumbene sokuqinisekisa amandla eVatican ngokumelene nosongo lwamaProthestani. . . . Okwesibili, ukuze enze idolobha laseRome, ngezindlela eziningi liqhubeke liyidolobha lesifunda elingaphucukile, ikomkhulu elifanelekayo leJerusalema Elisha.”

IDolobha LaseVatican, izwe elincane laseRome, lithi ‘liyikomkhulu leJerusalema Elisha.’ Ngo-1929 uhulumeni wobuFascist e-Italy wasayina iLateran Treaty ngo-1929, ngaleyondlela eqaphela ubukhosi beDolobha LaseVatican. Kusukela kulesosikhathi upapa uye wabusa lelidolobha ngegunya eliphelele lokuphatha, ukushaya umthetho, nokwahlulela. IVatican inesimiso sayo seposi nesezingcingo nebutho layo siqu, kuhlanganise namaSwiss Guard agqoka iyunifomu, anomthwalo wemfanelo wokuvikela upapa. Kodwa ngokuyinhloko izivakashi ezibuka amazwe zifuna ukubona iSt. Peter’s Basilica, osekungamakhulu eminyaka iyisonto elikhulu kunawo wonke kweLobukholwa. Lokhu kwehluka kwaphela ngo-1989 lapho kuqedwa isakhiwo salelisonto eYamoussoukro, eCôte d’Ivoire.

I-New Encyclopædia Britannica ithi “eminyakeni engu-1 000, ukuba isakhamuzi saseRome kwakuwukukhomba ngophakathi, ukuphila ngokuphepha, ukuzigqaja, nokunethezeka okulinganiselwe.” Kodwa akusenjalo! Ukonakala okungokwezombangazwe eRome nokungcola okungokwenkolo eDolobheni LaseVatican kubonisa ukuthi lokho okuthiwa izinkazimulo zesikhathi esidlule akuhlali phakade.

Indawo Engcwele Kunazo Zonke YeNkolo YobuSulumane

Emhlabeni wonke amaSulumane angaba izigidi eziyinkulungwane abheka idolobha laseMecca ‘njengeliyindawo yomsebenzi waphezulu, wezingelosi, wabaprofethi, nababoni kusukela esikhathini sakudala sendalo.’b NgokweNkolo YamaSulumane kuyilapho indalo yaqala khona, lapho u-Abrahama akha khona indlu yokuqala yokukhulekela, nalapho ayisa khona isancinza sakhe uHagari nendodana yabo, u-Ishmayeli.

Muva nje, cishe ngo-570 C.E., eMecca, eSaudi Arabia, yilapho kwazalelwa khona umprofethi uMuḥammad. Ekuqaleni izimfundiso zakhe azizange zithakazelelwe. IMecca kwakuyindawo yokuphumula yodwendwe lwezohwebo emzileni ophakathi kweNdiya neYurophu, futhi abadayisi bayo babesaba ukuthi izinguquko zakhe ezingokwenkolo zazingase ziholele ekuwohlokeni kwezomnotho. Lapho ehluleka ukuthola ukusekelwa kuleyondawo, lomprofethi waphendukela eYathrib, kamuva eyaziwa ngokuthi i-Al-Madīnah (iMedina), idolobha elingamakhilomitha angu-300 ukuya ngasenyakatho-mpumalanga. Kodwa ngo-630 C.E., wabuyela eMecca, wayinqoba, futhi wayenza isikhungo esingokomoya seNkolo YobuSulumane.

Namuhla iMecca iyidolobha elinothile futhi elinezizwe ezihlukahlukene, ngisho nakuba kungamaSulumane kuphela angahlala khona. Phakathi noDhuʼl-Hijja, inyanga engcwele yokuthatha uhambo lokuyokhulekela, izigidigidi zivakashela khona ukuze zifeze isibopho sazo sokukhulekela. Lapho beseMecca labakhulekeli bavakashela iSonto Elingcwele LamaSulumane, lapho bejikeleza khona izikhathi eziyisikhombisa endaweni engcwele encane cishe emaphakathi negceke lalelisonto elingenaphahla.

Lendawo engcwele yiKaaba, isakhiwo esinezinhlangothi eziyisithupha ngokuvamile esimbozwa ngesihenqo esikhulu esimnyama sendwangu kasilika esineTshe Elimnyama elingcwele. Lelilitshe, amaSulumane akholelwa ukuthi lanikezwa u-Adamu ukuze athethelelwe izono ngemva kokuxoshwa e-Edene, ngalesosikhathi kwakucatshangwa ukuthi lalimhlophe. Esikweni lamaSulumane iKaaba yokuqala yanyamalala ngoZamcolo kaNowa, kodwa iTshe Elimnyama lalondolozwa futhi kamuva ingelosi uGabriyeli yalinikeza u-Abrahama, okwathi ngemva kwalokho u-Abrahama wakha kabusha iKaaba futhi leliTshe Elimnyama walibuyisela endaweni yalo efanele. Kungasohlangothini lweKaaba— ngokwamaSulumane eyindawo engcwele kunazo zonke emhlabeni—lapho amaSulumane ebheka ngakhona uma ethandaza kahlanu ngosuku.

Amasango angamashumi amabili nane aholela egcekeni laleliSonto Elingcwele LamaSulumane, kodwa indawo evamile abakhulekeli abangena ngayo iSango Lokuthula, elakhiwe ekhoneni elingasenyakatho. Nakuba kunjalo, izinto azinakho ukuthula ngaso sonke isikhathi phakathi nohambo lokuyokhulekela. Ngo-1987, abaphikisi beNkolo YobuSulumane bazama ukulawula lelisonto. Ngokushesha ukuthula kwabuyiselwa kodwa kwase kufe amaSulumane angaphezu kuka-400 futhi kwalimala angaba ngu-650. Kuyadabukisa ukuntuleka okunjalo kokuthula endaweni yokukhulekela engcwele kunazo zonke yeNkolo YamaSulumane, kodwa amaSulumane athola induduzo emfundisweni yeNkolo YobuSulumane ethi, noma ubani ofa lapho esohambweni lokuyokhulekela ungena ngokushesha ezulwini.

Ingabe Inokuthula Okukabili?

IJerusalema, elibhekwa amaJuda namaKristu okuzisholo njengeDolobha Elingcwele futhi amaSulumane alibheka njengendawo yesithathu engcwele kakhulu emhlabeni wonke (edlulwa iMecca neMedina), lisho “Ukuba Nokuthula Okukabili.” Kusukela ngo-1070 B.C.E., laliyinhloko-dolobha yezwe lasendulo lakwa-Israyeli, nakuba lalikhona eminyakeni engu-900 ngaphambili lalaziwa ngegama elithi iSalema. (Genesise 14:18) Njengesikhungo sokuqondisa salesisizwe, lalakhiwe endaweni emi kahle, liphahlwe amagquma aphakeme ngamamitha angu-750 ukusuka ogwini lolwandle, okwakulenza libe ngenye yezinhloko-dolobha ezaziphakeme kakhulu emhlabeni ngalesosikhathi.

Ekhulwini lesine B.C.E., iJerusalema laba ngaphansi kwamaGreki. Ngekhulu lesibili B.C.E., laliqhubeka lithonywa amandla amaRoma. Phakathi nokubusa kukaHerode Omkhulu, iJerusalema lachuma. Ingxenye yodonga lwegceke lethempeli alakha cishe isekhona, manje eyaziwa ngokuthi uDonga (Lokububula) LwaseNtshonalanga. Ngenxa yokuthi amaJuda azama ukukhululeka ejokeni labaseRoma, amabutho aseRoma ahlasela iJerusalema ngo-April 70 C.E. Ezinyangeni ezingaphansi kwezinhlanu kamuva, lelidolobha nethempeli lalo kwase kuyincithakalo.

Ngokwesinye isilinganiso, iJerusalema liye lanqotshwa izikhathi ezingu-37. Ezikhathini eziningi lokhu kuye kwaphumela ekubhujisweni kwalo ngokuphelele noma ngokwengxenye. Kodwa ngaso sonke isikhathi iJerusalema elisha belakhiwa lapho kwakunelidala khona. Ngakho cishe ngo-130 C.E., uMbusi uHadrian wayaleza ukuba kwakhiwe idolobha elisha, elabizwa ngokuthi i-Aelia Capitolina. Isikhathi esingaba amakhulu amabili eminyaka akukho mJuda owayevunyelwe ukungena kulo. Khona-ke, engxenyeni yokuqala yekhulu lesikhombisa C.E. amaSulumane anqoba lelidolobha futhi kamuva esizeni sethempeli lakuqala noma eduze kwaso akha isiQongo Sedwala.

IZwe lanamuhla lakwa-Israyeli lasungulwa ngo-1948, futhi ngo-1949, iJerusalema lahlukaniselwa i-Israel neJordan. Kodwa ngo-1967, phakathi neMpi Yezinsuku Eziyisithupha, abase-Israel banqoba ingxenye yalo engasempumalanga. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi baye balenza laba isimanje lelidolobha, kuyilapho bezama ukulondoloza ubuqotho balo obungokomlando. Ngo-1993 inani labantu bakhona lalingaphezu kwengxenye yesigidi.

Njengoba izinkolo zezwe ezintathu ezinkulu zonke zibheka iJerusalema njengelingcwele, ukucindezeleka okungokwenkolo ngezinye izikhathi kuyashuba. “Kuzo zonke izingxabano zamaJuda nama-Arabhu, leyo ephathelene neJerusalema iyona eyinkimbinkimbi kunazo zonke futhi engaxazululeki,” kuphawula i-Time. Okwamanje abukho ubufakazi bokuthula obukabili lokho okuthenjiswa igama leJerusalema.

“Amadolobha Enu Ayakuphenduka Incithakalo”

Umuzi (idolobha) okukhulunywa ngawo kusAmbulo 18:10 ufanekisela zonke izinkolo ezingamjabulisi uNkulunkulu. “Maye, maye kuwe-muzi omkhulu waseBabiloni, muzi onamandla, ngokuba ngehora linye nje kufikile ukwahlulelwa kwakho!” Ngokusobala, lokhu kusho ukuthi inkolo emelene noJehova uNkulunkulu yahlulelwe ukubhujiswa. Naphezu kwamathempeli awo, imicikilisho, nemidanti engokwenkolo, amadolobha ‘amakhulu’ enkolo anamuhla ngeke anikeze isivikelo esihlala njalo ngosuku lukaNkulunkulu lokwahlulela.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Camerapix

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

Isonto elingcwele lamaSulumane laseMecca neKaaba

[Umthombo]

Camerapix

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

UDonga Lokububula lwamaJuda lwaseJerusalema nesiQongo Sedwala samaSulumane (ngakwesobunxele)

[Umthombo]

Garo Nalbandian