Tafseer Verse 35-36
The Story of Maryam’s Birth
The wife of `Imran mentioned here is the mother of Maryam, and her name is Hannah bint Faqudh. Muhammad bin Ishaq mentioned that Hannah could not have children and that one day, she saw a bird feeding its chick. She wished she could have children and supplicated to Allah to grant her offspring. Allah accepted her supplication, and when her husband slept with her, she became pregnant. She vowed to make her child concentrate on worship and serving Bayt Al-Maqdis (the Masjid in Jerusalem), when she became aware that she was pregnant. She said,
رَبِّ إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لَكَ مَا فِي بَطْنِي مُحَرَّرًا فَتَقَبَّلْ مِنِّي إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
(O my Lord! I have vowed to You what is in my womb to be dedicated for Your services, so accept this from me. Verily, You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knowing.) meaning, You hear my supplication and You know my intention. She did not know then what she would give birth to, a male or a female.
فَلَمَّا وَضَعَتْهَا قَالَتْ رَبِّ إِنِّى وَضَعْتُهَآ أُنثَى وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا وَضَعَتْ
(Then when she gave birth to her, she said: “O my Lord! I have given birth to a female child, ـ and Allah knew better what she bore.)
وَلَيْسَ الذَّكَرُ كَالاٍّنثَى
(And the male is not like the female,) in strength and the commitment to worship Allah and serve the Masjid in Jerusalem.
وَإِنِّى سَمَّيْتُهَا مَرْيَمَ
(And I have named her Maryam,) thus, testifying to the fact that it is allowed to give a name to the newly born the day it is born, as is apparent from the Ayah, which is also a part of the law of those who were before us. Further, the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ mentioned that the Prophet said,
«وُلِدَ لِيَ اللَّيْلَةَ وَلَدٌ، سَمَّيْتُهُ بِاسْمِ أَبِي إِبْرَاهِيم»
(This night, a son was born for me and I called him by my father’s name, Ibrahim.) Al-Bukhari and Muslim collected this Hadith.
They also recorded that Anas bin Malik brought his newborn brother to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who chewed a piece of date and put it in the child’s mouth and called him `Abdullah. Other new born infants were also given names on the day they were born.
Qatadah narrated that Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, that Samurah bin Jundub said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«كُلُّ غُلَامٍ رَهِينٌ بِعَقِيقَتِهِ، يُذْبَحُ عَنْهُ يَوْمَ سَابِعِهِ، وَيُسَمَّى وَيُحْلَقُ رَأَسُه»
(Every new born boy held in security by his `Aqiqah, until his seventh day, a sacrifice is offered on his behalf, he is given a name, and the hair on his head is shaved.)
This Hadith was collected by Ahmad and the collectors of the Sunan, and was graded Sahih by At-Tirmidhi. We should mention that another narration for this Hadith contained the wording, “and blood is offered on his behalf,” which is more famous and established than the former narration, and Allah knows best.
Allah’s statement that Maryam’s mother said,
وِإِنِّى أُعِيذُهَا بِكَ وَذُرِّيَّتَهَا مِنَ الشَّيْطَـنِ الرَّجِيمِ
(“…And I seek refuge with You for her and for her offspring from Shaytan, the outcast.”) means, that she sought refuge with Allah from the evil of Shaytan, for her and her offspring, i.e., `Isa, peace be upon him. Allah accepted her supplication, for `Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«مَا مِنْ مَوْلُودٍ يُولَدُ إِلَّا مَسَّهُ الشَّيْطَانُ حِينَ يُولَدُ، فَيَسْتَهِلُّ صَارِخًا مِنْ مَسِّهِ إِيَّاهُ، إِلَّا مَرْيَمَ وَابْنَهَا»
(Every newly born baby is touched by Shaytan when it is born, and the baby starts crying because of this touch, except Maryam and her son.)
Abu Hurayrah then said, “Read if you will,
وِإِنِّى أُعِيذُهَا بِكَ وَذُرِّيَّتَهَا مِنَ الشَّيْطَـنِ الرَّجِيمِ
(And I seek refuge with You for her and for her offspring from Shaytan, the outcast).” The Two Sahihs recorded this Hadith.
Tafseer Verse 37
Maryam Grows Up; Her Honor is with Allah
Allah states that He has accepted Maryam as a result of her mother’s vow and that He,
وَأَنبَتَهَا نَبَاتًا حَسَنًا
(made her grow in a good manner) meaning, made her conduct becoming, her mannerism delightful and He made her well liked among people. He also made her accompany the righteous people, so that she learned righteousness, knowledge and religion.
وَكَفَّلَهَا زَكَرِيَّا
(And put her under the care of Zakariyya) meaning, Allah made Zakariyya her sponsor. Allah made Zakariyya Maryam’s guardian for her benefit, so that she would learn from his tremendous knowledge and righteous conduct. He was the husband of her maternal aunt, as Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Jarir stated, or her brother-in-law, as mentioned in the Sahih,
«فَإِذَا بِيَحْيَى وَعِيسى، وَهُمَا ابْنَا الْخَالَة»
(I saw John and `Isa, who are maternal cousins.)
We should state that in general terms, what Ibn Ishaq said is plausible, and in this case, Maryam was under the care of her maternal aunt. The Two Sahihs recorded that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ decided that `Amarah, the daughter of Hamzah, be raised by her maternal aunt, the wife of Ja`far bin Abi Talib, saying,
«الْخَالَةُ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْأُم»
(The maternal aunt is just like the mother.)
Allah then emphasizes Maryam’s honor and virtue at the place of worship she attended,
كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا زَكَرِيَّا الْمِحْرَابَ وَجَدَ عِندَهَا رِزْقًا
(Every time he entered the Mihrab to (visit) her, he found her supplied with sustenance.)
Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Abu Ash-Sha`tha, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, `Atiyah Al-`Awfi and As-Suddi said, “He would find with her the fruits of the summer during winter, and the fruits of the winter during summer.” When Zakariyya would see this; d
قَالَ يمَرْيَمُ أَنَّى لَكِ هَـذَا
(He said: “O Maryam! From where have you gotten this”) meaning, where did you get these fruits from
قَالَتْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ إنَّ اللَّهَ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَآءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ
(She said, “This is from Allah.” Verily, Allah provides sustenance to whom He wills, without limit.)
Tafseer Verse 38-41
The Supplication of Zakariyya, and the Good News of Yahya’s Birth
When Zakariyya saw that Allah provided sustenance for Maryam by giving her the fruits of winter in summer and the fruits of summer in winter, he was eager to have a child of his own. By then, Zakariyya had become an old man, his bones feeble and his head full of gray hair. His wife was an old women who was barren. Yet, he still supplicated to Allah and called Him in secret,
رَبِّ هَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنْكَ
(O my Lord! Grant me from Ladunka,) from You,
ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً
(A good offspring) meaning, a righteous offspring,
إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَآءِ
(You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation.) Allah said,
فَنَادَتْهُ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّى فِى الْمِحْرَابِ
(Then the angels called him, while he was standing in prayer in the Mihrab,) meaning, the angels spoke to him directly while he was secluded, standing in prayer at his place of worship. Allah told us about the good news that the angels delivered to Zakariyya,
أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحْيَـى
(Allah gives you glad tidings of Yahya, ) of a child from your offspring, his name is Yahya. Qatadah and other scholars said that he was called Yahya (literally, `he lives’) because Allah filled his life with faith.
Allah said next,
مُصَدِّقاً بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ
(believing in the Word from Allah) Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said, and also Al-Hasan, Qatadah, `Ikrimah, Mujahid, Abu Ash-Sha`tha, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Ad-Dahhak, and several others said that the Ayah,
مُصَدِّقاً بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ
(believing in the Word from Allah) means, “Believing in `Isa, son of Maryam.”
Abu Al-`Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Qatadah and Sa`id bin Jubayr said that Allah’s statement,
وَسَيِّدًا
(And Sayyidan) means, a wise man. Ibn `Abbas, Ath-Thawri and Ad-Dahhak said that Sayyidan means, “The noble, wise and pious man.” Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib said that Sayyid is the scholar and Faqih. `Atiyah said that Sayyid is the man noble in behavior and piety. `Ikrimah said that it refers to a person who is not overcome by anger, while Ibn Zayd said that it refers to the noble man. Mujahid said that Sayyidan means, honored by Allah.
Allah’s statement,
وَحَصُورًا
(And Hasuran) does not mean he refrains from sexual relations with women, but that he is immune from illegal sexual relations. This does not mean that he does not marry women and have legal sexual relations with them, for Zakariyya said in his supplication for the benefit of Yahya,
هَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنْكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً
(Grant me from You, a good offspring), meaning, grant me a son who will have offspring, and Allah knows best.
Allah’s statement,
وَنَبِيًّا مِّنَ الصَّـلِحِينَ
(A Prophet, from among the righteous) delivers more good news of sending Yahya as Prophet after the good news that he will be born. This good news was even better than the news of Yahya’s birth. In a similar statement, Allah said to the mother of Musa,
إِنَّا رَآدُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَـعِلُوهُ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
(Verily, We shall bring him back to you, and shall make him one of the Messengers.) 28:7
When Zakariyya heard the good news, he started contemplating about having children at his age. He said,
قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لِي غُلَـمٌ وَقَدْ بَلَغَنِي الْكِبَرُ وَامْرَأَتِى عَاقِرٌ قَالَ
(“O my Lord! How can I have a son when I am very old, and my wife is barren” (He) said…) meaning the angel said,
كَذَلِكَ اللَّهُ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَآءُ
(“Thus Allah does what He wills.”) meaning, this is Allah’s matter, He is so Mighty that nothing escapes His power, nor is anything beyond His ability.
قَالَ رَبِّ اجْعَل لِّى ءَايَةً
(He said: “O my Lord! Make a sign for me”) meaning make a sign that alerts me that the child will come,
قَالَ ءَايَتُكَ أَلاَّ تُكَلِّمَ النَّاسَ ثَلَـثَةَ أَيَّامٍ إِلاَّ رَمْزًا
((Allah) said: “Your sign is that you shall not speak to the people for three days except by signals.”) meaning, you will not be able to speak except with signals, although you are not mute. In another Ayah, Allah said,
ثَلَـثَ لَيَالٍ سَوِيّاً
(For three nights, though having no bodily defect.) 19:10
Allah then commanded Zakariyya to supplicate, thank and praise Him often in that condition,
وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ كَثِيرًا وَسَبِّحْ بِالْعَشِىِّ وَالإِبْكَـرِ
(And remember your Lord much and glorify (Him) in the afternoon and in the morning. )
We will elaborate more on this subject in the beginning of Surah Maryam (chapter 19), Allah willing.