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Maryam (Mary), the mother of Isa (Jesus), was a pious Muslim
woman during the time of Prophet Zakariyya. She was Maryam
daughter Imran from the family lineage of Dawud (David), the
offspring of the Children of Israel. In the Quran there is a
chapter named Maryam which talks about Maryam, her birth, her
story, the birth of her son Prophet Isa (Jesus), and other
things. Allah also mentioned the story of her mother's pregnancy
with her in Surah Al Imran.
Maryam's mother, Hannah, conceived and delivered Maryam when she
was an old woman, at an age when women usually can no longer
have babies. With the birth of a son in mind, Hannah vowed that
she would dedicate the child to the service of the Sacred House
in Jerusalem, dedicate the child for worship, freed from all
worldly affairs. Instead Almighty Allah blessed Hannah with a
daughter. She named the girl "Maryam," which literally means
"maidservant of Allah," and she asked Allah to protect Maryam
and her offspring from evil. Maryam could not be devoted to
temple service as her mother had intended, due to being a
female, under the Mosaic Law at the time. However, as the new
born was marked out for a special destiny to be the mother of
the miracle-child, Prophet Isa, Allah had accepted her for His
service.
The Holy Quran says:
(Remember) when the wife of 'Imran said: "O my Lord! I have
vowed to You what (the child that) is in my womb to be dedicated
for Your services (free from all worldly work; to serve Your
Place of worship), so accept this, from me. Verily, You are the
All-Hearer, the All-Knowing."
Then when she delivered her [child Maryam (Mary)], she said: "O
my Lord! I have delivered a female child," - and Allah knew
better what she delivered, - "And the male is not like the
female, and I have named her Maryam, and I seek refuge with You
(Allah) for her and for her offspring from Shaitan (Satan), the
outcast." (Surah Al-Imran:35-36)
Since Maryam's father had died, she lived under the care of
Zakariyya, who was the husband of Maryam's sister and the father
of John "the Baptist". He was a great man among Children of
Israel at the time, to whom they would refer their religious
matters. She grew up as a righteous, pure, and pious Muslim
woman worshipping Allah and endeavoring greatly in performing
obedience to Him. Zakariyya saw astonishing miracles occur from
her that amazed him.
So her Lord (Allah) accepted her with goodly acceptance. He made
her grow in a good manner and put her under the care of
Zachariyya. Every time he entered Al-Mihrāb (a praying place or
a private room) to (visit) her, he found her supplied with
sustenance. He said: "O Maryam! From where have you got this?"
She said, "This is from Allah." Verily, Allah provides
sustenance to whom He wills, without limit." (Surah Al-Imran:37)
It has been mentioned that he would find her with winter fruit
during the summer and summer fruit during the winter.
She became the best of the women in the world. It is mentioned
in the Quran that the angels said Allah chose Maryam and
preferred her to the other women of the world.
And (remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily,
Allah has chosen you, purified you, and chosen you above the
women of the 'Alamīn (mankind and jinns)."
O Maryam! "Submit yourself with obedience to your Lord (Allah,
by worshipping none but Him Alone) and prostrate yourself, and
Irkā'i (bow down etc.) along with Ar-Rāki'ūn (those who bow down
etc.)." (Surah Al-Imran:42-43)
And as the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "Many men
reached the level of perfection, but no woman reached such a
level except Maryam, the daughter of Imran and Asia, the wife of
Pharaoh." (Hadith - Sahih Bukhari 4.643, Narrated Abu Musa Al
Ashari )
Maryam was unique in that she gave birth to a son by a special
miracle, without the intervention of the customary physical
means. This of course does not mean that she was more than
human, any more than her son was more than human. When Allah
wanted to grant her His servant and messenger, Isa (peace be
upon him), Maryam withdrew from her family and secluded herself
from them. She retired to the eastern side of the Sacred Mosque
in Jerusalem where she prayed. It was in this state that the
angel appeared to her in the shape of a man. As she thought the
angel was a man, she was frightened and asked him not to invade
her privacy:
She withdrew in seclusion from her family to place facing east.
(Surah Maryam:16)
Then, Allah sent His Ruh, the angel Jibril (Gabriel), to her.
And he appeared before he in the form of a man in all respects.
(Surah Maryam:17)
When the angel (Jibril) appeared to her in the form of a man,
while she was in a place secluded by herself with a partition
between her and her people, she was afraid of him and thought he
wanted to rape her. Therefore, she said,
Verily I seek refuge with the Most Gracious from you, if you do
fear Allah. (Surah Maryam:18)
She meant, "If you fear Allah," as a means of reminding him of
Allah. This is what is legislated in defense against (evil), so
that it may be repulsed with ease. Therefore, the first thing
she did was try to make him fear Allah, the Mighty and Sublime.
The angel said to her in response, and in order to remove the
fear that she felt within herself, "I am not what you think, but
I am a the messenger of your Lord." By this he meant, "Allah has
sent me to you." [At-Tabari 18:164]. It is said that when she
mentioned the Name of the Most Beneficent (Ar-Rahman), Jibril
fell apart and returned to his true form as an angel. He
responded,
'I am only a messenger from your Lord, to provide to you the
gift of a righteous son.' (Surah Maryam:19)
She said: "How can I have a son..."
Maryam was amazed at this. How she could have a son when she did
not have a husband nor did she commit wicked acts like
fornication? For this reason she said,
...when no man has touched me, nor am I Baghiyya (unchaste)? (Surah
Maryam:20)
He said: "Thus said your Lord: 'That is easy from Me (Allah)..."
(Surah Maryam:21)
The angel responded to her "Verily, Allah has said that a boy
will be born from you even though you do not have a husband and
you have not committed any lewdness. Verily, he is the Most Able
to do whatever He
wills." Due to this, he (Jibril) conveyed Allah's Words,
And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind (Surah
Maryam:21)
This means a proof and a sign for mankind of the power of their
Maker and Creator, Who diversified them in their creation. He
created their father, Adam, without a male or female. Then he
created Hawwa (Eve, Adam's spouse) from a male (from the rib of
Adam) without a female (mother). Then, He created the rest of
their progeny from male and female, except Isa. He created Isa
to be born from a female without a male. Thus, Allah completed
the four types of creation of the human being, which proves the
perfection of his power and the magnificence of His authority.
There is no god worthy of worship except Him and there is no
true Lord other than Him.
Concerning Allah's statement:
and a mercy from Us.. (Surah Maryam:21)
This means, "we will make this boy a mercy from Allah and a
Prophet from the Prophets. He will call to the worship of Allah
and monotheistic belief in Him. This is as Allah, the Exalted,
said in another Ayah,
(Remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam! Verily, Allah gives
you the good news of a Word from Him, his name will be Al-Masih
(The Christ), Isa (Jesus), the son of Maryam, held in honor in
this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who
are near to Allah. And he will speak to the people, in the
cradle and in manhood, and he will be one of the righteous. (Surah
Al-Imran:45-46)
Finally Jibril completes his dialogue with Maryam, informing her
that this matter was preordained by Allah's power and will.
and it is a matter (already decreed (by Allah). (Surah
Maryam:21)
This means that Allah determined to do this, so there is no
avoiding it. [At Tabari 18:165]
So she conceived him and she retired with him to a remote place.
(Surah Maryam:22)
Later, Maryam, being human, suffered the effects of childbirth
as any expectant mother would during these times.
And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a
palm-tree: she cried (in her anguish): "Ah! would that I had
died before this! Would that I had been a thing forgotten and
out of sight!" But (a voice) cried to her from beneath the
(palm-free): "Grieve not! for thy Lord hath provided a rivulet
beneath thee; "And shake towards thyself the trunk of the
palm-tree: it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon thee. "So eat
and drink and cool (thine) eye. And if thou dost see any man say
`I have vowed a fast to (Allah) Most Gracious and this day will
I enter into no talk with any human being.' " (Surah
Maryam:23-26)
When Mary showed the baby to her people, they said that this was
truly an amazing thing that had happened. The newly born baby
(Jesus) replied to the people:
He said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me
revelation and made me a prophet; "And He hath made me Blessed
wheresoever I be and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as
long as I live; "(He) hath made me kind to my mother and not
overbearing or miserable; "So Peace is on me the day I was born
the day that I die and the Day that I shall be raised up to life
(again)"! (Surah Maryam:30-33)
And that is what is reported of the story of Maryam. Even though
Maryam is the mother of Isa (Jesus) and occupies a highest
position among women, neither Maryam nor Isa have any divine
attributes in them. The Holy Quran makes this clear in the
following verse:
They do blaspheme who say: "Allah is Christ the son of Maryam."
But said Christ: "O children of Israel! worship Allah my Lord
and your Lord." Whoever joins other gods with Allah, Allah will
forbid him the garden and the Fire will be his abode. There will
for the wrong-doers be no one to help.
They do blaspheme who say: Allah is one of three in a Trinity:
for there is no god except One Allah. If they desist not from
their word (of blasphemy) verily a grievous penalty will befall
the blasphemers among them.
Why turn they not to Allah and seek His forgiveness? For Allah
is Oft-forgiving Most Merciful. Christ the son of Maryam was no
more than an Apostle; many were the Apostles that passed away
before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to
eat their (daily) food. See how Allah doth makes His Signs clear
to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the
truth!
Say: Will ye worship besides Allah something which hath no power
either to harm or benefit you? But Allah He it is that heareth
and knoweth all things." Say: "O people of the Book! exceed not
in your religion the bounds (of what is proper) trespassing
beyond the truth nor follow the vain desires of people who went
wrong in times gone by who misled many and strayed (themselves)
from the even way. (Surah Al-Ma'idah:72-77)
Say: He is Allah the One and Only; Allah the Eternal Absolute;
He begetteth not nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto
Him. (Surah Al-Ikhlas)
References:
Tafsir of Imam Ibn Kathir
http://www.quraan.com/Tafsir/TheStoryOfMaryamAndJesus1.asp
Muttaqun Online Islamic Network Center
http://muttaqun.com/library.html
The Sunnah Islamic Page
http://www.al-sunnah.com/reality-jesus.htm
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