Author: Abdul Hai Lay'yan
The Divine Education Model in the Family of the Prophets (part 84)
Prophet Esa (Jesus) (AS) and his mother Maryam (may Allah be pleased with her)
‘Imran, the father of Maryam, was a great and distinguished man among the scholars of the Children of Israel. His wife became pregnant and made a vow that the child in her womb would be devoted (muharrar), meaning dedicated to the service of Bayt al-Maqdis and kept away from worldly affairs. [1] However, when she gave birth, she found that the child was a girl, while she had hoped for a boy who could serve in the sanctuary. So, with a feeling of sorrow and humility, she turned to Allah and said, «رَبِّ إِنِّي وَضَعْتُهَا أُنثَى وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا وَضَعَتْ وَلَيْسَ الذَّكَرُ كَالْأُنثَى وَإِنِّي سَمَّيْتُهَا مَرْيَمَ وَإِنِّي أُعِيذُهَا بِكَ وَذُرِّيَّتَهَا مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ». Translation: My Lord, I have given birth to a female—and Allah knows best what she has delivered—and the male is not like the female. I have named her Maryam, and I seek Your protection for her and her offspring from the accursed Satan. [2]
She then wrapped her and brought her to Bayt al-Maqdis, entrusting her to the caretakers and reciters. They cast lots to decide who would take care of her, since she was the daughter of their leader [3]. The guardianship was given to Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him), who prepared a special place for her in the sanctuary where no one but her could enter. [4]
Maryam devoted herself to worship, striving day and night, until she became an example of devotion among the Children of Israel. Among her miracles was that whenever Zakariya entered upon her, he found provisions with her: «كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا زَكَرِيَّا الْمِحْرَابَ وَجَدَ عِندَهَا رِزْقًا قَالَ يَا مَرْيَمُ أَنَّى لَكِ هَذَا قَالَتْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ» Translation: Whenever Zakariya entered upon her in the sanctuary, he found provision with her. He said, “O Maryam, from where is this?” She said, “It is from Allah. Indeed, Allah provides for whom He wills without measure. [5]
At that moment, Zakariya prayed to his Lord: «هُنَالِكَ دَعَا زَكَرِيَّا رَبَّهُ قَالَ رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِن لَّدُنكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ» Translation: Thereupon Zakariya called upon his Lord, saying, “My Lord, grant me from Yourself a pure offspring. Indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication.”[6]
Allah also says about Maryam’s selection and purity: «وَإِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَاكِ وَطَهَّرَكِ وَاصْطَفَاكِ عَلَى نِسَاءِ الْعَالَمِينَ» Translation: And when the angels said, “O Maryam, indeed Allah has chosen you, purified you, and chosen you above the women of all worlds.” [7]
«ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَنبَاءِ الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يُلْقُونَ أَقْلَامَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ يَكْفُلُ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يَخْتَصِمُونَ» Translation: This is from the unseen news, which we reveal to you. You were not with them when they cast their pens to decide who would take care of Maryam, nor were you with them when they disputed. [8]
The Birth of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him)
Maryam (may Allah be pleased with her) lived a life full of purity and devotion under divine care. When she reached maturity, Allah willed to grant her a unique honor that no woman before her had received: to give her a son of great status in this world and the Hereafter.
At that moment, Angel Jibril (Gabriel) came to her. She said, «قَالَتْ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِالرَّحْمَنِ مِنكَ إِن كُنتَ تَقِيًّا». Translation: I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, if you are God-fearing. [9]
He replied: «قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَنَا رَسُولُ رَبِّكِ لِأَهَبَ لَكِ غُلَامًا زَكِيًّا» Translation: I am only a messenger from your Lord to grant you a pure boy. [10]
She said, “قَالَتْ رَبِّ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لِي وَلَدٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِي بَشَرٌ.” Translation: How can I have a son when no man has touched me, nor have I been unchaste?. [11]
He said, “قَالَ كَذَلِكِ اللَّهُ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ ۚ إِذَا قَضَى أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ.” Translation: So it will be; your Lord says, “It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign for people and a mercy from Us, and it is a matter already decreed.” [12]
And Allah says: «قَالَ كَذَلِكِ اللَّهُ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ ۚ إِذَا قَضَى أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ» Translation: Thus, Allah creates whatever He wills. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, “Be,” and it is. [13]
«إِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنْهُ اسْمُهُ الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَجِيهًا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ» Translation: The angels said, “O Maryam, Allah gives you glad tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus son of Maryam, honored in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near.” [14]
«وَيُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِي الْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلًا وَمِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ» Translation: He will speak to people in the cradle and in maturity and will be among the righteous.
The creation of Jesus in this miraculous way is a great sign of Allah’s power: He created Adam without father or mother, Eve from a man without a woman, Jesus from a woman without a man, and the rest of humanity from both man and woman. [15]
He was also a mercy from Allah, calling people to worship Him.
Allah says: «وَمَرْيَمَ ابْنَتَ عِمْرَانَ الَّتِي أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِنَا» Translation: And Maryam, the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity; so We breathed into her from Our spirit. [16]
The Story of Her Pregnancy and Birth
«فَحَمَلَتْهُ فَانتَبَذَتْ بِهِ مَكَانًا قَصِيًّا* فَأَجَاءَهَا الْمَخَاضُ إِلَى جِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ قَالَتْ يَا لَيْتَنِي مِتُّ قَبْلَ هَذَا وَكُنتُ نَسْيًا مَّنسِيًّا * فَنَادَاهَا مِن تَحْتِهَا أَلَّا تَحْزَنِي قَدْ جَعَلَ رَبُّكِ تَحْتَكِ سَرِيًّا* وَهُزِّي إِلَيْكِ بِجِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ تُسَاقِطْ عَلَيْكِ رُطَبًا جَنِيًّا* فَكُلِي وَاشْرَبِي وَقَرِّي عَيْنًاۖ فَإِمَّا تَرَيِنَّ مِنَ الْبَشَرِ أَحَدًا فَقُولِي إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لِلرَّحْمَنِ صَوْمًا فَلَنْ أُكَلِّمَ الْيَوْمَ إِنسِيًّا» Translation: She conceived him and withdrew with him to a distant place. Then the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, “Oh, I wish I had died before this and was forgotten.” Then a voice called her from below: “Do not grieve; your Lord has placed a stream beneath you. Shake the trunk of the palm tree toward you; it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon you. So eat, drink, and be comforted. And if you see anyone, say, “I have vowed a fast of silence to the Most Merciful, so I will not speak to anyone today.” [17]
To be continued…
- Aal-e-Imran: 35.
- Aal-e-Imran: 37.
- Ibn Kathir, Stories of the Prophets (Qisas al-Anbiya), pp. 686–687; Al-Alusi, Ruh al-Ma‘ani, Vol. 3, pp. 138–139.
- Aal-e-Imran: 37.
- Aal-e-Imran: 42.
- Aal-e-Imran: 44.
- Maryam: 18.
- Maryam: 19.
- Maryam: 20.
- Maryam: 21.
- Aal-e-Imran: 47.
- Aal-e-Imran: 47.
- Aal-e-Imran: 45.
- Aal-e-Imran: 46.
- Muhammad al-Tayyib al-Najjar, History of the Prophets in the Light of the Noble Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah, Cairo: Dar al-Tiba‘ah al-Muhammadiyyah, n.d., pp. 280–281.
- At-Tahrim: 12.
- Maryam: 22–26.
