Maryam
Makkan Period
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
[1] Kāf. Hā’. Yā’. ʿAyn. Ṣād. [2] This is an account of the mercy of your Lord to His servant Zechariah [3] when he cried to his Lord in secret.
[4] He said: “Lord! My bones have grown feeble and my head is glistening with age; yet, never have my prayers to You, my Lord, been unfruitful. [5] I fear evil from my kinsmen after I am gone; and my wife is barren, so grant me an heir out of Your special grace, [6] one that might be my heir and the heir of the house of Jacob; and make him, Lord, one that will be pleasing to You. [7] (He was told): “Zechariah, We bring you the good news of the birth of a son whose name shall be Yaḥyā (John), one whose namesake We never created before.” [8] He said: “My Lord! How can I have a boy when my wife is barren and I have reached an extremely old age?” [9] He answered: “So shall it be.”1 Your Lord says: “It is easy for Me,” and then added: “For beyond doubt, I created you earlier when you were nothing.” [10] Zechariah said: “Lord, grant me a Sign.” Said He: “Your Sign is that you shall not be able to speak to people for three nights, though you will be otherwise sound.” [11] Thereupon Zechariah came out from the sanctuary and directed his people by gestures to extol His glory by day and by night.
[12] “O John! Hold the Book with all your strength.”2 We had bestowed wisdom3 upon him while he was still a child; [13] and We also endowed him with tenderness and purity, and he was exceedingly pious [14] and cherishing to his parents. Never was he insolent or rebellious. [15] Peace be upon him the day he was born, and the day he will die, and the day he will be raised up alive.
[16] (O Muḥammad), recite in the Book the account of Mary, when she withdrew from her people to a place towards the east;4 [17] and drew a curtain, screening herself from people5 whereupon We sent to her Our spirit and he appeared to her as a well-shaped man. [18] Mary exclaimed: “I surely take refuge from you with the Most Compassionate Lord, if you are at all God-fearing.”
[19] He said: “I am just a message-bearer of your Lord, I have come to grant you a most pure boy.” [20] Mary said: “How can a boy be born to me when no man has even touched me, nor have I ever been unchaste?” [21] The angel said: “Thus shall it be.6 Your Lord says: ‘It is easy for Me; and We shall do so in order to make him a Sign7 for mankind and a mercy from Us. This has been decreed.’ “
[22] Then she conceived him and withdrew with him to a far-off place. [23] Then the birth pangs drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree and she said: “Oh, would that I had died before this and had been all forgotten.”8 [24] Thereupon the angel below her cried out: “Grieve not, for your Lord has caused a stream of water to flow beneath you. [25] Shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards yourself and fresh and ripe dates shall fall upon you. [26] So eat and drink and cool your eyes; and if you see any person say to him: ‘Verily I have vowed a fast to the Most Compassionate Lord, and so I shall not speak to anyone today.’ “
[27] Then she came to her people, carrying her baby. They said: “O Mary! You have committed a monstrous thing.
[28] O sister of Aaron!9 Your father was not an evil man, nor was your mother an unchaste woman.” [29] Thereupon Mary pointed to the child. They exclaimed: “How can we speak to one who is in the cradle, a mere child?” [30] The child cried out: “Verily I am Allah’s servant.10 He has granted me the Book and has made me a Prophet [31] and has blessed me wherever I might be and has enjoined upon me Prayer and Zakāh (purifying alms) as long as I live; [32] and has made me dutiful to my mother.11 He has not made me oppressive, nor bereft of God’s blessings. [33] Peace be upon me the day I was born and the day I will die, and the day I will be raised up alive.”12
[34] This is Jesus, the son of Mary; and this is the truth about him concerning which they are in doubt. [35] It does not befit Allah to take for Himself a son. Glory be to Him! When He decrees a thing He only says: “Be” and it is.13
[36] (Jesus had said): “Indeed Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so serve Him alone. This is the Straight Way.” [37] But different parties began to dispute with one another. A dreadful woe awaits on that great Day for those that reject the Truth. [38] How well shall they hear and how well shall they see on the Day they come to Us! But today the evil-doers are in manifest error. [39] (O Muḥammad), warn those who are steeped in heedlessness and are obstinately rejecting the truth that the Day shall come when things will be finally decided and they shall be left with utter remorse. [40] Ultimately, We shall inherit the earth and whatever is on it; to Us shall they be returned.
[41] (O Muḥammad), recite in the Book the account of Abraham. Most surely he was a man of truth, a Prophet. [42] (And remind people) when he said to his father: “Father! Why do you worship that which neither sees nor hears, and which can be of no avail to you? [43] Father, a knowledge that has not reached you has come to me. So follow me that I may guide you to a Straight Way. [44] Father, do not serve Satan, for Satan has indeed been a persistent rebel against the Most Compassionate Lord. [45] Father, I fear that a punishment from the Most Compassionate Lord might strike you and you may end up as one of Satan’s companions?” [46] The father said: “Abraham, have you turned away from my gods? If you do not give this up, I shall stone you to death. Now begone from me forever.” [47] Abraham answered: “Peace be upon you. I shall seek pardon for you from my Lord. My Lord has always been kind to Me. [48] I shall withdraw from you and all that you call upon beside Allah. I shall only call upon my Lord. I trust the prayer to my Lord will not go unanswered.” [49] Thereupon Abraham dissociated himself from his people and the deities they worshipped instead of Allah, and We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob and made each of them a Prophet; [50] and We bestowed on them Our mercy, and granted them a truly lofty renown.
[51] And recite in the Book the account of Moses. He was a chosen one, a Messenger, a Prophet.14 [52] We called out to him from the right side of the Mount, and We drew him near to Us by communing to him in secret, [53] and out of Our mercy We appointed his brother Aaron, a Prophet (that he may assist him).
[54] And recite in the Book the account of Ishmael. He was ever true to his promise, and was a Messenger, a Prophet. [55] He enjoined his household to observe Prayer and to give Zakāh (purifying alms); and his Lord was well pleased with him.
[56] And recite in the Book the account of Idrīs. He was a man of truth, a Prophet; [57] and We exalted him to a lofty position.
[58] These are the Prophets upon whom Allah bestowed His favour from the seed of Adam, and from the seed of those whom We carried (in the Ark) with Noah, and from the seed of Abraham and Israel. They were those whom We guided and chose (for an exalted position). They were such that when the words of the Most Compassionate Lord were recited to them, they fell down in prostration, weeping.
[59] They were succeeded by a people who neglected the Prayers and pursued their lusts. They shall presently meet with their doom, [60] except those who repent and believe and act righteously. Such shall enter Paradise and shall not be wronged at all. [61] Theirs shall be everlasting Gardens which the Most Compassionate Lord has promised His servants in a realm which is beyond the ken of perception. Surely His promise shall he fulfilled. [62] They shall not hear in it anything vain; they shall hear only what is good; and they shall have their provision in it, morning and evening. [63] Such is the Paradise which We shall cause those of Our servants who have been God-fearing to inherit.
[64] (The angels will say): “(O Muḥammad!) We descend not except by the command of your Lord.15 To Him belongs all that is before us and all that is behind us, and all that is inbetween. Your Lord is not forgetful in the least. [65] He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is in between. Serve Him, then, and be constant in serving Him. Do you know anyone that might be His compeer?”
[66] Man is prone to say: “Shall I be raised to life after I die?” [67] Does man not remember that We created him before when he was nothing? [68] By your Lord, We will surely muster them and the devils together. Then We will surely bring them all, on their knees, around Hell, [69] and then We will draw aside from each party those who were most rebellious against the Most Compassionate Lord, [70] and then We shall know well all those most worthy to be cast in Hell. [71] There is not one of you but shall pass by Hell. This is a decree which your Lord will fulfil. [72] Then We shall deliver those that feared Allah and leave the wrong-doers there on their knees.
[73] When Our clear revelations are recited to those who deny the Truth they are wont to say to those who have faith: “Which of the two groups has a better status and whose assemblies are grander?”16 [74] How numerous are the peoples We destroyed before them – those that were more resourceful and grander in outward appearance! [75] Say: “The Most Compassionate Lord grants respite to those who stray into error, until they behold what they had been threatened with, either God’s chastisement (in the world) or the Hour (of Resurrection)” – then they fully know whose station is worse, and who is weaker in hosts! [76] (On the contrary), Allah increases in guidance those who follow the Right Way. Lasting acts of righteousness are better in the sight of your Lord as reward and conducive to a better end.
[77] Have you seen him who rejected Our signs and said: “Surely I shall continue to be favoured with riches and children.” [78] Has he obtained knowledge of the Unseen, or has he taken a covenant with the Most Compassionate Lord? [79] By no means! We shall write down all what he says; and We shall greatly prolong his chastisement, [80] and We shall inherit all the resources and hosts of which he boasts, and he will come to Us all alone.
[81] They have taken other gods instead of Allah that they may be a source of strength for them. [82] By no means! They shall soon deny their worship and shall become their adversaries instead.
[83] Do you not see that We have sent devils upon the unbelievers who greatly incite them (to oppose the Truth)? [84] Therefore, do not hasten (in seeking a scourge against them). We are counting their days. [85] The Day shall soon come when We shall bring together the God-fearing to the Most Compassionate Lord, as honoured guests; [86] and We shall drive the guilty ones to Hell as a thirsty herd. [87] On that Day none will have the power to intercede for them except those who received a sanction from the Most Compassionate Lord.
[88] They claim: “The Most Compassionate Lord has taken a son to Himself.” [89] Surely you have made a monstrous statement. [90] It is such a monstrosity that heavens might well-nigh burst forth at it, the earth might be cleaved, and the mountains fall [91] at their ascribing a son to the Most Compassionate Lord. [92] It does not befit the Most Compassionate Lord that He should take a son. [93] There is no one in the heavens and the earth but he shall come to the Most Compassionate Lord as His servant. [94] Verily He encompasses them and has counted them all. [95] On the Day of Resurrection each one of these will come to Him singly.
[96] Indeed, the Most Compassionate Lord will soon create enduring love for those who believe and do righteous works.17 [97] Therefore, We have revealed the Qur’ān in your tongue and made it easy to understand that you may give glad tidings to the God-fearing and warn a contentious people. [98] How numerous are the peoples that We destroyed before them! Do you now perceive any one of them, or hear even their whisper?
1. The angel tells Zechariah that notwithstanding his old age and his wife’s barrenness he will be blessed with a son.
2. The Qur’ānic narrative does not mention certain details of John’s story – his birth under God’s special command, and his attainment of youth.
3. The word ḥukm connotes the power of making the right decision, the ability to apply the principles of faith to changing circumstances, and the capacity to comprehend the teachings of the faith both in letter and spirit. It also connotes the ability to arrive at correct judgements and to have the authority from God to judge things.
4. That is, in the eastern part of Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem).
5. That is, she went into seclusion for the purpose of religious devotion.
6. That is, you will bear a son though no man has touched you.
7. That is, we want this child to be a living miracle.
8. If one remembers the gravity of the situation, it is easy to grasp that she did not utter these words because of intense labour pains. Rather, what tormented her was the awkward situation in which she found herself, and she did not know how she was going to come out of it. That is why she left her mother and other family members during pregnancy to live alone at a distant location.
9. In accordance with Arabic idiom, it may be taken to mean that she was a member of Aaron’s house. For according to the known Arabic linguistic tradition, a person is referred to as the brother of the tribe to which he belongs. What enraged the public was that the apparently scandalous incident involved a girl who belonged to the most highly pious Israelite family – the house of Aaron.
10. This was the Sign referred to in verse 21 above. The new-born baby began to speak while yet in the cradle which made it manifest that he was not the result of any sin but a miracle wrought by God. sūrah Āl ʿImrān 3: 46 and sūrah al-Mā’idah 5: 110 also mention Jesus as uttering these words as a new-born baby in his cradle.
11. It is significant here that Jesus is not mentioned as one who is dutiful to his parents, but rather as one who is only dutiful to his mother. This itself suggests that he did not have a father. An evidence which further corroborates this is that Jesus is invariably referred to in the Qur’ān as “Jesus, son of Mary”.
12. The “Sign” referred to above (see verse 21 above) is the person of the Prophet Jesus (peace be on him) who was presented as a miracle before the Israelites. Thereafter, when that same child had attained maturity and claimed to be a Prophet, those people not only refused to recognize him as a Prophet but turned into his sworn enemies and did not hesitate to accuse his venerable mother of adultery. Then God inflicted upon them a punishment more severe than that suffered by any other people.
13. This is yet another argument to show that the Christian belief in Jesus being God’s son is false. A miraculous birth by itself is no reason for the child to be considered God’s son.
14. The word rasūl literally means “the one sent”. Lexicographers disagree as to the exact meaning of the word nabī. Some consider it to mean someone who brings news. Others consider it to denote height and elevation. In sum, when someone is called rasūl and nabī it either means a “Messenger of high standing,” or a “Messenger who brings news from God”. So far as the two words – nabī and rasūl – are concerned, they are generally used in the Qur’ān as equivalents. There are, however, also instances where the two words are employed in such manner as distinguishes between a Prophet and a Messenger in respect of their status or the nature of their mission. For instance, in sūrah al-Ḥajj it is said: “Never did We send a Messenger or a Prophet before you except …” (al-Ḥajj 22: 52). This clearly indicates that the Messenger and the Prophet represent two distinct entities. As a result, commentators on the Qur’ān have engaged in serious discussions about the nature of these differences between a Prophet and a Messenger. The fact, however, remains that these scholars have failed to persuasively establish the precise nature of any difference between a Messenger and a Prophet. All that can be said with certainty is that while every Messenger is a Prophet, every Prophet does not enjoy the status of a Messenger. In other words, the word rasūl (“Messenger”) is used for those great figures who had been assigned duties of greater significance than those assigned to mere Prophets. This point is further corroborated by a tradition. According to this tradition, Muḥammad (peace be on him) was asked about the number of Messengers. He replied that they were 313 or 315 in number, whereas when asked about the number of Prophets, he mentioned their number to be 124,000.
15. The speakers here are the angels though what they say is the word of God. The angels tell the Prophet (peace be on him) that they descend not by their own will but by the command of God whenever He pleases.
16. This was a fallacious argument which the unbelievers often put forward, claiming that it was they rather than the believers upon whom God’s bounties were lavished. They would audaciously ask: “Who has more stately houses to live in – the believers or us? Who enjoy higher standards of living – the believers or us? Whose assemblies are more splendid and grandiose – the believers’ or ours?” How is it then possible, they would ask, that those who suffered such a miserable lot are the followers of the truth whilst those who prosper are the followers of falsehood?
17. The believers throughout Makkah were at that time subjected to the most abject humiliation. Here they are being told that that situation will not endure. Soon they will become God’s favourites, the heroes of all mankind, on account of their moral excellence. People will involuntarily be attracted to them. They will simply adore them, bowing to them in respect. As for their opponents, they are doomed to ignominy. A leadership which rests on sin and transgression, on arrogance and trickery, can never win the hearts of people; the most that it can do is to force them into outward obedience. Conversely, those who invite people to the right way and are themselves invested with honesty, veracity, sincerity and good morals, are bound to win over the hearts of all concerned in the end even if they might provoke some revulsion at the outset. It is simply impossible for those who lack honesty and sincerity to impede their path for long.