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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 |
