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 sonProphet
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 thegirl
"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 myLord! 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 Iseek refuge with You (Allah) for her and for
heroffspring from Shaitan (Satan), the outcast." (Surah
Al-Imran:35-36)
Since Maryam's father had died, she lived underthe 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 toHim. Zakariyya saw
astonishing miracles occur from her that amazed him.
So her Lord (Allah) accepted her with goodlyacceptance. He made her
grow in a good manner and put her under the care of Zachariyya. Every
time he entered Al-Mihrâb (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
'Alamîn (mankind and jinns)."
O Maryam! "Submit yourself with obedience to your Lord (Allah, by
worshipping none but Him Alone) and prostrate yourself, and Irkâ'i
(bow down etc.) along with Ar-Râki'ûn (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 - SahihBukhari 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 physicalmeans. 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 Mightyand Sublime.
The angel said to her in response, and in order toremove 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 meto 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 ofa
righteous son.' (Surah Maryam:19)
She said: "How can I havea 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 theMost Able to do whateverHe
wills." Due to this, he (Jibril) conveyed Allah's Words,
And (We wish) to appointhim as a sign to mankind (Surah Maryam:21)
This means a proof and a sign for mankind of the power of their Maker
andCreator, Who diversified them in their creation. Hecreated 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 ofAllah 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
thegood 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 (alreadydecreed (by Allah). (SurahMaryam: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 thatI 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 shaketowards thyself the
trunkof 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
anamazing 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; "AndHe hath made me Blessedwheresoever 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 bornthe day that I die and theDay that I shall
be raised up to life (again)"! (SurahMaryam:30-33)
And that is what is reported of the story of Maryam. Even though
Maryam is the mother of Isa (Jesus) and occupies ahighest 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 willforbid 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)
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