Sunday, November 27, 2011

Mary, Peace be upon her in the Qur'an

Islam honors Mary, peace be upon her, as one of the most honored women among universe. There is a chapter in the Holy Qur'an named after her. She is the only named women in the Qur'an, which consists of over 6,000 verses. Here are some of the verses of the Qur'an from Chapter 3 (The Family of Imran 35-49) dealing with her.

Behold! When wife of Imran (mother of Mary) said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate into You what is in my womb for Your special service so accept this of me! for You hear and know all things." (35) 

When she was delivered she said: "O my Lord! behold! I have delivered a female child!" And Allah knew best what she brought forth, "And a male is not like the female. I have named her Mary and I commend her and her offspring to Your protection from the Satan the Rejected." (36)

Right graciously did her Lord accept her: He made her grow in purity and beauty; to the care of Zechariah was she assigned. Every time that he entered (her) chamber to see her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: "O Mary! whence (comes) this to you?" She said: "From Allah: for Allah provides sustenance to whom He pleases, without measure." (37)

There did Zechariah pray to his Lord saying: "O my Lord! Grant unto me from You a progeny that is pure; for You hear the prayers!" (38) 

While he was standing in prayer in the chamber, the angels called unto him: "Allah does give you glad tidings of John (Yahya), witnessing the truth of a Word from Allah and (be besides) noble, chaste, and a Prophet,―of the (goodly) company of the righteous." (39) 

He said: "O my Lord! how shall I have a son, seeing I am very old, and my wife is barren?" "Thus" was the answer "Does Allah accomplish what He wills." (40) 

He said: "O my Lord! Give me a sign!" "Your Sign" was the answer "shall be that you shall speak to no man for three days but with signals. Then celebrate the praises of your Lord again and again and glorify Him in the evening and in the morning." (41)

 Behold! The angels said: "O Mary! Allah has chosen you and purified you;―chosen you above the women of all nations. (42)

"O Mary! worship your Lord devoutly; prostrate yourself, and bow down (in prayer) with those who bow down." (43)

This is part of the tidings of the things unseen, which We reveal unto you (O Prophet!) by inspiration; you were not with them when they cast lots with arrows, as to which of them should be charged with the care of Mary; nor wer you with them when they disputed (the point). (44)

Behold! the angels said, "O Mary! Allah gives you glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Maseeh Isa, the son of Mary held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah. (45)

 "He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity and he shall be (of the company) of the righteous." (46) 

She said: "O my Lord! how shall I have a son when no man has touched me?" He said: "Even so: Allah creates what He wills; when He decrees a plan, He just says to it `Be', and it is! (47)


"And Allah will teach him the Book and Wisdom, the Torah and the Gospel. (48)
"And (appoint him) an Messenger to the Children of Israel, (with the message): I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, in that I make for you out of clay as it were the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah's leave; and I heal those born blind, and the lepers and I quicken the dead by Allah's leave; and I declare to you what ye eat, and what ye store in your houses. Surely therein is a Sign for you if ye did believe. (49)


In the Chapter 21 (Maryam (Mary)), the following verses were revealed:

And make mention of Mary in the Scripture, when she had withdrawn from her people to a chamber looking East, (16)

And had chosen seclusion from them. Then We sent unto her Our Spirit and it assumed for her the likeness of a perfect man. (17)

She said: Lo! I seek refuge in the Beneficent One from you, if you are God-fearing. (18)

He said: I am only a messenger of your Lord, that I may bestow on you a faultless son. (19)

She said: How can I have a son when no mortal has touched me, neither have I been unchaste? (20)

He said: So (it will be). Your Lord says: It is easy for Me. And (it will be) that We may make of him a Revelation for mankind and a mercy from Us, and it is a thing ordained. (21)

In Chapter 21 (The Prophets), verse 91 says this:

And (remember) her who guarded her chastity: We breathed into her of Our Spirit, and We made her and her son a Sign for all peoples. (91)

The Chapter 66 (Prohibition), Verse 12, mentions this:

And Mary the daughter of `Imran, who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into her (body) of Our spirit; and she testified to the truth of the words of her Lord and of His Revelations, and was one of the devout (Servants). (12)

The conception and the birth of Jesus, peace beupon him, is mentioned in the following verses of Chapter 19, verses 22-34.

So she conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place. (22)

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!" (23)

But (a voice) cried to her from beneath the (palm-tree): "Grieve not! for yor Lord has provided a rivulet beneath you; (24)

"And shake towards yourself the trunk of the palm-tree: it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon you. (25)

"So eat and drink and cool (your) eye. And if you do 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.' " (26)

At length she brought the (baby) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). they said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing have thou brought! (27)

"O sister of Aaron! your father was not a man of evil, nor your mother a woman unchaste!" (28)

But she pointed to the baby. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?" (29)

He (Jesus the baby) said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah: He has given me revelation and made me a prophet; (30)

"And He has made me Blessed wheresoever I be, and has enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live; (31)

"(He) has made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable; (32)

"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 on the Day of Judgment)"! (33)

Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of truth, about which they (vainly) dispute. (34)

In the following verse, Allah explains the miraculous birth of Jesus, peace be upon him,

It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! When He determines a matter, He only says to it "Be", and it is. (35)