SURAH (19) MARYAM (AYA 11 to 30)

فَخَرَجَ عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ مِنَ الْمِحْرَابِ فَأَوْحَىٰ إِلَيْهِمْ أَنْ سَبِّحُوا بُكْرَةً وَعَشِيًّا {19:11}

[Q19:11] Fakharaja 'alaa qawmihee minal mihraabi fa-awhaaa ilaihim an sabbihoo bukratanw wa 'ashiyyaa. 
[Q19:11] So he went forth to his people from his place of worship, then he made known to them that they should glorify (ALLAH (SWT)) morning and evening.

[Q19:11] Maka dia pun keluar mendapatkan kaumnya dari Mihrab (tempat sembahyangnya), lalu dia memberi isyarat kepada mereka: Hendaklah kamu bertasbih (mengerjakan ibadat kepada ALLAH (SwT)) pagi dan petang. 

The use of ‘Awha’ gives the justification for the use of the root ‘Wahi’ and its derivations in any suggestive method for a clear verbal conversation. (see also verse 3:40).

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:11) After this, he came out of the sanctuary *7 to his people, and made signs, asking them, "Glorfy God morning and evening.” *8

*7 For the explanation of mihrab (sanctuary), see E.N. 36 of Al-i-`Imran 
*8 Below we reproduce the details of this event as given in Luke's Gospel so that the reader may study and compare the Quranic with the Christian version. The references and additions within the brackets are ours:
"There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, (see Bani Isra'il (XVII): E.N. 9) a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abiah: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; (there is no mention of Zacharias' prayer anywhere in the Bible) and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John (that is, Yahya). And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord (Sayyidan: a great Leader according to the Qur'an, III: 39), and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink (the Quranic version: Taqiyynr. pious and pure); and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb (the Qur'an says: `We blessed him with "judgment" while he was yet a child'). And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit of the power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
"And Zacharias said unto the angel, whereby shall I know this for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. (This is different from the Qur'an, which gives it as a Sign, whereas according to Luke, it was a punishment. Moreover, the Qur'an mentions it as the silence for `three consecutive days', but Luke says that Zacharias remained dumb till the birth of John). And the people .waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless." (Luke, I: 5-22).

يَا يَحْيَىٰ خُذِ الْكِتَابَ بِقُوَّةٍ ۖ وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْحُكْمَ صَبِيًّا {12}

[Q19:12] Yaa Yahyaa khuzil Kitaaba biquwwatinw wa aatainaahul hukma saiyyaa. 
[Q19:12] O Yahya! Take hold of the Book with strength, and We granted him wisdom while yet a child.

[Q19:12] Wahai Yahya, terimalah Kitab itu (serta amalkanlah) dengan bersungguh-sungguh! Dan Kami berikan kepadanya Hikmat kebijaksanaan semasa dia masih kanak-kanak.  

The Command in this verse is that which was given to Yahya after his birth. Even from his very young age, Yahya clad himself with the simplest covering made of jute and fed himself with simplest food of mere dried leaves. ‘Hukm’ ----meaning the strength or the power of correct judgment, i.e., ‘Hikmat’ meaning Wisdom which means also apostleship. This Gift of ALLAH (SWT) was, when he was yet very young. Yahya from his earliest age used to be with the priests and scholars of the religion, firmly established in faith.

Ø  It is a fact that Jesus (Isa) spoke from the cradle claiming to be the servant and an Apostle of the Lord, and while he was yet a baby lying in the cradle claimed to have received from ALLAH (SWT) the Holy Book Injeel and Yahya while yet a young boy was endowed with Wisdom, i.e., apostleship. IT WILL BE SHEER BETRAYAL OF IGNORANCE TO SAY THAT THE PRINCE OF THE PROPHETS OF ALLAH (SWT), THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD), WAS [1] AN IGNORANT AND AN ILLITERATE ONE UNTIL FORTY YEARS AND [2] WHEN THE COMMISSION TO START APOSTLESHIP WAS CONFERRED ON HIM HE COULD NOT EVEN RECOGNISE HIS POSITION AND NEEDED TO BE INTRODUCED TO IT BY A WOMAN AND FURTHER TO [3] BE ASSURED BY THE ONE YET TO EMBRACE THE FAITH. THESE ARE WISHFUL FABRICATIONS.

Ø  It is a matter deplorable that Yahya’s being given a Book and getting endowed with wisdom of an apostle and the firmness of faith in the earliest state of the age of a youth, is believed, and Ali’s embracing the faith is discredited, saying, since Ali was young his belief in the truth could not have any value. This is another wishful thinking.

Ø  It is said that when Yahya was yet a young boy, when the other boys called him to play with them, he used to tell them ‘Man are not born to play away their lives.’

Ayashi reports of Ali bin Isbath who said that ‘when I visited Madina en route to Egypt and presented myself to the Eight Holy Imam Ali ibne Musa Ar-Riza, who was yet of only five years of age, I was struck with wonder at the highest amount of wisdom and the divine insight the young Imam was endowed with. I decided in my heart to speak of this wonderful gift I found in him, when I reached Egypt. As this thought was still in my heart the Holy Child of five years looked at me and recited the verses which speak of Yahya being gifted with wisdom while yet a young boy’.

This verse discards the objection about Ali’s being too young when he [1] witnessed and accepted the Holy Prophet’s (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) mission and [2] about the Imamat of the Ninth, Tenth and the Twelth Holy Imams--- This verse and verse 30.

THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) AND THE CHOSEN SUCCESSORS FROM THEIR BIRTH ARE GIFTED WITH THE EXTRAORDINARY POWER OF RECEIVING THE DIVINE BLESSING ARE EXPRESSING IT TO OTHERS AND THIS IS CLEARLY ASSERTED IN QUR’AN IN THE CASE OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD). REFER IN THE OPENING VERSE OF CHAPTER 55 SURAH AR-RAHMAN.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:12) To John We said, "Observe the Divine Book with a firm resolve. *9"

*9 The details regarding the birth of Prophet John, according to the Divine will, and his coming of age, have been left out. Here, in one sentence, the Mission of Prophethood entrusted to him on attaining maturity has been stated, which was "to observe and follow the Torah in letter and spirit, and to exhort the Israelites as well to do the same." 

وَحَنَانًا مِنْ لَدُنَّا وَزَكَاةً ۖ وَكَانَ تَقِيًّا {19:13}

[Q19:13] Wa hanaanam mil ladunnaa wa zakaatanw wa kaana taqiyyaa, 
[Q19:13] And tenderness from Us and purity, and he was one who guarded (against evil),

[Q19:13] dan (Kami mengurniakannya) rahmat dari sisi Kami, serta kelebihan yang kembang manfaatnya dan dia seorang yang bertakwa. 

(see commentary for verse 2)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:13) We blessed him with "judgment" *10 while he was yet a child, and bestowed on him tenderness of heart *11 and purity from Ourself; and he was very pious

*10 The Arabic word hukm implies ability (1) to make decisions, (2) to form right opinions, (3) to interpret the Divine Law, (4) to solve problems, AND (5) it also means `authority from Allah to decide affairs'.
*11 The Arabic word hanan is almost synonymous with `mother love'. In other words, Prophet John bore in his heart the same kind of intense love for Allah's servants as a mother has for her child. 

وَبَرًّا بِوَالِدَيْهِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ جَبَّارًا عَصِيًّا {19:14}

[Q19:14] Wa barram biwaalidayhi wa lam yakum jabbaaran 'asiyyaa. 
[Q19:14] And dutiful to his parents, and he was not insolent, disobedient.

[Q19:14] Dan dia taat serta berbuat baik kepada ibu bapanya dan dia pula tidak sombong angkuh atau derhaka. 

(see commentary for verse 2)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:14) and dutiful to his parents, and he was neither arrogant nor disobedient.

وَسَلَامٌ عَلَيْهِ يَوْمَ وُلِدَ وَيَوْمَ يَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ يُبْعَثُ حَيًّا {19:15}

[Q19:15] Wa salaamun 'alaihi yawma wulida wa yawma yamootu wa yawma yub'asu haiyaa. 
[Q19:15] And peace on him on the day he was born, and on the day he dies, and on the day he is raised to life.

[Q19:15] Dan (Kami limpahkan) kepadanya selamat sejahtera pada hari dia diperanakkan dan pada hari dia mati, serta pada hari dia dibangkitkan hidup semula (pada hari kiamat).  

 ‘Peace’ mentioned here to have been conferred upon Yahya (John, the Baptist) AND in the case of Jesus (Isa) also (verse 33 below) refers to the peace of mind granted to those two divines at the stage of the agony of birth, death and resurrection for on these three occasions the soul suffers a terrible agony. Yahya was so tender-hearted and god-fearing that he could not bear even the mentioned of the various kinds of the chastisements of Hell. Whenever he heard any one mentioning the torments of the Hell-fire, he used to weep and even get out of control in his breeding the wrath of ALLAH (SWT) that he used to weep and even get the habitation and Zachariah his father and his mother used to wander for days together in the sahara, searching for him.

v  The cause of Yahya’s assassination was that the wife of the king of the place had a beautiful daughter by her previous husband. As she had become old and had lost the attraction of womanhood for the king, she intended her young and beautiful daughter to engage the attention of the king. The king consulted Yahya about taking his step-daughter as his wife. Yahya said that it was forbidden and the king gave up the idea of taking the girl into any matrimonial connection.

v  But this displeased the king’s wife, i.e., the mother of the girl. When once the king was fully drunk, his wife sent her daughter, fully adorned with an extraordinary attraction. The king in his violent passion in the drunken state went to take hold of the girl but the mother said that it could be possible if the king presents Yahya’s head to her as her dowry, and the king immediately ordered to bring Yahya’s head before him.

v  When the scholars of the faith learnt about the king’s order, they rushed to the king and said that if even a drop of Yahya’s blood was shed on earth, not even grass would grow on it. HOWEVER the king ordered Yahya to be slain and his blood to be thrown into a well and his head brought before him in a tray. Someone suggested to the king through his closest officials that since Yahya’s father Zachariah was the one whose prayer was always readily heard by ALLAH (SWT), Zachariah be killed first so that he might not curse the king for Yahya’s assassination.

v  The king ordered his men to act accordingly. When Zachariah and Yahya were engaged in prayer in their house, the king’s men came and took hold of Yahya, AND Zachariah escaped and ran for his life while he was being chased by the king’s men,

v  Zachariah in his helplessness ordered a tree in front of him to split and he entered into it and the tree once again resumed its original form with Zachariah accommodated in it. BUT Satan the avowed enemy of man, who had no hold upon ALLAH (SWT)’s selected ones like Zachariah, to beguile them, caused a corner of Zachariah’s cloth to protrude out of the tree.

v  When the king’s men were in search of Zachariah, Satan in the form of a man led them to the tree and pointing out the bit of Zachariah’s cloth peeping out of the tree, suggested to them to kill Zachariah, cutting the tree into two by a saw which he (Satan) himself devised for them.

v  When Zachariah felt himself getting cut along with the trunk of the tree, a voice came saying, ‘Beware O’ Zachariah if thou raised any noise or complaint, thy name will be removed from the list of the patient one’! Zachariah got himself cut quietly without raising the least noise of grief or pain.

Yahya was slain, his blood was thrown into a well, and his head presented to the king. The well began to flow out blood so profusely THAT HOWEVER much the people filled it with earth, the gush of blood from the well did not cease, and the earth thrown in the well rose up into a mound covering the mouth of the well.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:15) Peace was on him on the day he was born and on the day he died, and peace shall be on him on the day he will be raised to life. *12

*12 In order to have a fuller understanding of the Mission and the pure character of Prophet John, about which brief references have been made in this Surah and Surah Al-i`Imran, it will be useful to study this story as given in different Books of the New Testament in the following order:
According to Luke, Prophet John was older than Prophet Jesus by six months and their mothers were cousins. He was appointed a Prophet at the age of 30 years, and according to the Gospel of John, he started his mission of inviting the people toward God in Jordan. He would say: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Make straight the way of the Lord." (John, I: 23)
According to Mark, "John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptizm of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins." (Mark, I: 45). He thus came to be known as John the Baptist, and the Israelites held him as a prophet. (Mat. 21: 26). Prophet Jesus said about John: "Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a man greater than John the Baptist." (Mat. 11: 11)
"John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey." (Mat. 3: 4). He would say: "Repent  ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Mat. 3: 2). By this he meant that very soon Prophet Jesus was going to start his Mission of Prophethood. The same thing has been said about him in the Qur'an: ". . . he (John) will come to confirm a Command from Allah." (III: 39). For the same reason he has been called `a sign of or pointer to' Prophet Jesus.
He urged the people to observe the Fast and Prayers. (Mat. 9: 14, Luke, 5: 33, I1: 1). He would also tell them, ". . . He that hath two coats, let him -impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." (Luke 3: 11). When the tax-collectors asked, "Master, what shall we do?" He said unto them, "Exact no more than that what is appointed you." (12-13), and when the soldiers sought his guidance, he said: "Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely and be content with your wages." (Luke, 3: 14)'
When the corrupt scholars, Pharisees and Sadducees of the Israelites, came to be baptized by him, he rebuked them, saying: "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Tthink not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father... now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." (Mat-3:7-10)
The Jewish ruler of his time, Herod Antipas, in whose tetrarchy he was performing his Mission of inviting the people to the Truth, had been so deeply influenced by the Roman civilization that he was causing sin and evil to spread freely in the land. He had kept Herodias, his broyher Philip's wife, unlawfully in his house; when Prophet John reproved him for this and raised his voice against other evils being committed by him, Herod got him arrested and sent to jail. However, he held him in high esteem for his piety and righteousness and even feared him on account of the great respect he enjoyed among the people. On the contrary, Herodias thought that the moral consciousness that Prophet John was producing among the people was directly aimed at women like herself and pulling them down in the public eye. Thus she nursed a grudge against him and would have him killed but could not. Soon an opportunity came her way. On the birthday banquet of Herod, her daughter danced and so delighted Herod and others that the king said to her, 'Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.' The girl asked her mother what she should ask for. The mother said, `Ask for the head of John the Baptist.' The girl went back to the king and requested to have there and then the head of John the Baptist on a dish. Herod felt sorry to hear this, but could not reject the demand of the daughter of his beloved. He at once got Prophet John killed in the prison and presented his head on a dish to the dancing girl. (Mat. 14: 3-12, Mark, 6:17-29, Luke, 3:19-20). 

SECTION 1

Mary and Jesus

The Angle informs Mary about her giving bith to Jesus – The Miraculous Birth of Jesus as a Sign of God – Jesus announces his apostleship from the cradle itself.

وَاذْكُرْ فِي الْكِتَابِ مَرْيَمَ إِذِ انْتَبَذَتْ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا مَكَانًا شَرْقِيًّا {19:16}

[Q19:16] Wazkur fil Kitaabi Marya; izin tabazat min ahlihaa makaanan shariqyyaa. 
[Q19:16] And mention Marium in the Book when she drew aside from her family to an eastern place;

[Q19:16] Dan bacakanlah (wahai Muhammad) di dalam Kitab Al-Quran ini perihal Mariam, ketika dia memencilkan diri dari keluarganya di sebuah tempat sebelah timur. 

The subject of Mary (Maryam) and Jesus (Isa) has been dealt with in verses 3:42-51. Here it is mentioned with reference to the devotion of the true believers in ALLAH (SWT).

Ë  Refer to the commentary of Ali Imran 3:42 to 64 for Maryam and Isa.

In addition to their apparent meanings, the east (in this verse) and the west (in verse 28:44 of Qasas) imply reference to the distinctive aspects of the missions of Isa and Musa.

Ü  The mission of Isa which laid greater emphasis on the spiritual perspective of the human life has been compared to the east from where the light of guidance emanates; AND

Ü  The mission of Musa which dealt with the temporal issues pertaining to the human society has been compared to the west where the light of guidance completes its purpose.

IN THIS SENSE THE SENTENCE "NEITHER OF THE EAST NOR OF THE WEST" REFERS TO THE MISSION OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) WHICH IS NOT LOCALISED. IT IS NEITHER OF THE EAST NOR OF THE WEST. IT IS UNIVERSAL.

‘The Eastern Place’ refers to the Chambers on the Eastern side in the synagogue in which the Holy Virgin Mary used to closet herself in prayer to ALLAH (SWT) OR when Mary was in the house of prayer on the Eastern side of Jerusalem to take a bath.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:16) And, O Muhammad, relate in this Book the story of Mary: *13 how she had retired in seclusion from her people to the eastern side

*13 For comparison, see Al-i-`Imran (III): 34-57, and An-Nina (IV):156 and E.N.'s thereof. 

فَاتَّخَذَتْ مِنْ دُونِهِمْ حِجَابًا فَأَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهَا رُوحَنَا فَتَمَثَّلَ لَهَا بَشَرًا سَوِيًّا {19:17}

[Q19:17] Fattakhazat min doonihim hijaaban fa arsalnaaa ilaihaa roohanaa fatamassala lahaa basharan sawiyyaa. 
[Q19:17] So she took a veil (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our spirit, and there appeared to her a well-made man.

[Q19:17] Kemudian Mariam membuat dinding untuk melindungi dirinya dari mereka maka Kami hantarkan kepadanya: Roh dari kami lalu dia menyamar diri kepadanya sebagai seorang lelaki yang sempurna bentuk kejadiannya. 

Ruhana (Our spirit) refers to angel Jibra-il. Maryam went into privacy, from her people and from people in general, for prayer and devotion. It was in this state of purity that Jibra-il appeared to her in the form of a man. It means the spiritual power of Jibra-il made her see him as a man otherwise he remained a spirit, so as to solace her which he could not do unless she was able to see him with her own eyes. **Also refer to the commentary of Hud 11:69 to 78 for appearance of angels in human form before Ibrahim and Lut.

Some commentators, with ulterior motives, translate fa as "and" and ruh as "inspiration", in order to indicate that Maryam did not conceive Isa through the divine light BUT it was a man of flesh and blood who gave her a son. It is done to deny the miraculous birth of Isa in particular and miracles wrought by ALLAH (SWT) through His messengers in general.

They say that the spirit appeared before Maryam in her vision; AND ON THIS BASIS deny the physical ascension (mi-raj) of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad). For such people the Qur’an says: "As to those who do not believe in the hereafter, their (stubborn) hearts are unyielding (to the truth), and they are arrogant" (Nahl 16:22)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:17) and had hung down a screen to hide herself from them. *14 There We sent to her Our Spirit ("an angel") and he appeared before her in the form of a perfect man.

*14 The Sanctuary where she had retired for devotion was an eastern chamber in the Temple, and as was customary she had hung a curtain to conceal herself from the people. It cannot be Nazareth as some people have wrongly taken it to be, because Nazareth is to the north of Jerusalem.

قَالَتْ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِالرَّحْمَٰنِ مِنْكَ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَقِيًّا {19:18}

[Q19:18] Qaalat inneee a'oozu bir Rahmaani minka in kunta taqiyyaa. 
[Q19:18] She said: Surely I fly for refuge from you to the Beneficent ALLAH (SWT), if you are one guarding (against evil).

[Q19:18] Mariam berkata: Sesungguhnya aku berlindung kepada (ALLAH (SwT)) Ar-Rahman daripada (gangguan) mu kalaulah engkau seorang yang bertakwa. 

Mary asks the person who appeared to her to be away IF he be a pious soul.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:18) Mary cried out involuntarily, "I seek God's refuge from you, if you are a pious man."

قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَنَا رَسُولُ رَبِّكِ لِأَهَبَ لَكِ غُلَامًا زَكِيًّا {19:19}

[Q19:19] Qaala innamaa ana rasoolu Rabbiki li ahaba laki ghulaaman zakiyyaa.
[Q19:19] He said: I am only a messenger of your Lord: That I will give you a pure boy.

[Q19:19] Dia berkata: Sesungguhnya aku pesuruh Tuhanmu, untuk menyebabkanmu dikurniakan seorang anak yang suci. 

(see commentary for verse 16)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:19) He replied, "I am a mere messenger from your Lord and have been sent to give you a pure son."

قَالَتْ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِي غُلَامٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِي بَشَرٌ وَلَمْ أَكُ بَغِيًّا {19:20}

[Q19:20] Qaalat anna yakoonu lee ghulaamunw wa lam yamsasnee bashrunw wa lam aku baghiyyaa.
[Q19:20] She said: When shall I have a boy and no mortal has yet touched me, nor have I been unchaste?

[Q19:20] Mariam bertanya (dengan cemas): Bagaimanakah aku akan beroleh seorang anak lelaki, padahal aku tidak pernah disentuh oleh seorang lelaki pun dan aku pula bukan perempuan jahat? 

(see commentary for verse 16)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:20) Mary said, "How can I bear a son, when no man has touched me, and I am not an unchaste woman?"

قَالَ كَذَٰلِكِ قَالَ رَبُّكِ هُوَ عَلَيَّ هَيِّنٌ ۖ وَلِنَجْعَلَهُ آيَةً لِلنَّاسِ وَرَحْمَةً مِنَّا ۚ وَكَانَ أَمْرًا مَقْضِيًّا {19:21}

[Q19:21] Qaala kazaaliki qaala Rabbuki huwa 'alaiya yaiyimunw wa linaj 'alahooo Aayatal linnaasi wa rahmatam minnaa; wa kaana amram maqdiyyaa. 
[Q19:21] He said: Even so; your Lord says: It is easy to Me: and that We may make him a sign to men and a mercy from Us, and it is a matter which has been decreed.

[Q19:21] Dia menjawab: Demikianlah keadaannya tak usahlah dihairankan; Tuhanmu berfirman: Hal itu mudah bagiKu dan Kami hendak menjadikan pemberian anak itu sebagai satu tanda (yang membuktikan kekuasaan Kami) untuk umat manusia dan sebagai satu rahmat dari Kami dan hal itu adalah satu perkara yang telah ditetapkan berlakunya. 

The miraculous birth of Isa and his wonderful advent was to be a sign to turn the ungodly followers of Musa, who had sunk themselves in pagan rituals and dogmas, back to ALLAH (SWT).

The Israelites, to whom Isa was sent, were a hardened people, for whom the message of Isa was truly a gospel of mercy. They were given a respite so that by repentance and self-discipline they might sincerely follow the Ten Commandments made known by Musa and earn the mercy of their Lord.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:21) The angel replied, "So shall it be. Your Lord says, `This is an easy thing for Me to do, and We will do so in order to make that boy a Sign for the people *15 and a blessing from Us, and this must happen."

*15 The word "So shall it be" are very significant as has been stated in E.N. 6. The plain meaning is this: "A pure son shall be born to you just as your Lord has decreed, even though no man has touched you." The same was the response to prophet Zachariah as stated in v. 9 above. And it is a sheer perversion to interpret it as: "So shall it be that a man will touch you and a son will be born to you." For, if it were to mean: "You will bear a son like all other women of the world," the subsequent two sentences: "Your Lord says, 'This is an easy thing for Me to do, and We will make that boy a Sign for the people'," would have become meaningless: Had this birth been an ordinary birth like the birth of every other child, there would have been no occasion to boast: "It is an easy thing, and that it will be made a Sign (miracle). This will be so because the child will speak in the cradle. " 

فَحَمَلَتْهُ فَانْتَبَذَتْ بِهِ مَكَانًا قَصِيًّا {19:22}

[Q19:22] Fahamalat hu fantabazat bihee makaanan qasiyyaa. 
[Q19:22] So she conceived him; then withdrew herself with him to a remote place.

[Q19:22] Maka Mariam hamilah mengandungnya, lalu dia memencilkan diri dengan kandungannya itu ke sebuah tempat yang jauh. 

(see commentary for verse 16)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:22) Accordingly, Mary conceived the child, and with it she went away to a distant place. *16

*16 When she conceived the child, she left the Sanctuary and went to a distant place (Bethlehem) in order to escape the bitter criticism of the people. They would have said, "Look at the virgin daughter of the pious house of Aaron! She has conceived a child and that, too, in the Sanctuary where she had retired for devotion!" Thus she temporarily succeeded in concealing the shame of the conception, but this event itself is a proof that prophet Jesus was born without a father. Had Mary been married and had a husband, she would not have left his or her parents' house by herself and chosen a distant place for the purpose of delivery. 

فَأَجَاءَهَا الْمَخَاضُ إِلَىٰ جِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ قَالَتْ يَا لَيْتَنِي مِتُّ قَبْلَ هَٰذَا وَكُنْتُ نَسْيًا مَنْسِيًّا {19:23}

[Q19:23] Fa ajaaa 'ahal makhaadu ilaa jiz'in nakhlati qaalat yaa laitanee mittu qabla haazaa wa kuntu nasyam mansiyyaa.
[Q19:23] And the throes (of childbirth) compelled her to betake herself to the trunk of a palm tree. She said: Oh, would that I had died before this, and had been a thing quite forgotten!

[Q19:23] (Ketika dia hendak bersalin) maka sakit beranak itu memaksanya (pergi bersandar) ke pangkal sebatang pohon tamar (kurma); dia berkata alangkah baiknya kalau aku mati sebelum ini dan menjadilah aku sesuatu yang dilupakan orang dan tidak dikenang-kenang!  

The birth pangs led her to the trunk of a date-palm tree. It is said that it was a barren tree BUT as soon as she rested herself on its trunk it became green and new leaves and fruit grew on its naked branches.

v  A similar miracle was seen by all when, while migrating from Makka to Madina, the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) rested upon the trunk of a barren tree on a road side. The leaves of the tree were used by the sick to cure their different ailments.

Maryam was worried about the whispering campaign the people would start when they would come to know that she gave birth to a child without being married. They would not believe the truth that the holy ghost caused her conception. Overcome with shame and pain she cried: "Would that I had died before this and become a thing forgotten, lost in oblivion!"

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:23) Then the throes of childbirth urged her to take shelter under a date palm. There she began to cry, "Oh! Would that I had died before this and sunk into oblivion." *17

*17 The words "Would that..." show the extreme state of anxiety in which Mary found herself at the time. She did not utter these words on account of the labour pains but due to the pangs of sorrow as to how she would conceal the child from her people. The angel's words---"Grieve not at all"-explain why she had spoken these desperate words. When a married girl is delivering her first baby, she might be dying with pains, but she is never so sorrowful and grieved. 

فَنَادَاهَا مِنْ تَحْتِهَا أَلَّا تَحْزَنِي قَدْ جَعَلَ رَبُّكِ تَحْتَكِ سَرِيًّا {19:24}

[Q19:24] Fanaadaahaa min tahtihaan allaa tahzanee qad ja'ala Rabbuki tahtaki sariyyaa; 
[Q19:24] Then (the child) called out to her from beneath her: Grieve not, surely your Lord has made a stream to flow beneath you;

[Q19:24] Lalu dia diseru dari sebelah bawahnya: Janganlah engkau berdukacita (wahai Mariam), sesungguhnya Tuhanmu telah menjadikan di bawahmu sebatang anak sungai. 

(see commentary for verse 16)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:24) At this the angel at the foot of her bed consoled her, saying, "Grieve not at all, for your Lord has set a spring under you; as for your food,

وَهُزِّي إِلَيْكِ بِجِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ تُسَاقِطْ عَلَيْكِ رُطَبًا جَنِيًّا {19:25}

[Q19:25] Wa huzzeee ilaiki bijiz 'in nakhlati tusaaqit 'alaiki rutaban janiyyaa. 
[Q19:25] And shake towards you the trunk of the palmtree, it will drop on you fresh ripe dates:

[Q19:25] Dan gegarlah ke arahmu batang pohon tamar itu, supaya gugur kepadamu buah tamar yang masak.  

(see commentary for verse 16)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:25) shake the trunk of this tree and fresh, ripe dates will fall down for you;

فَكُلِي وَاشْرَبِي وَقَرِّي عَيْنًا ۖ فَإِمَّا تَرَيِنَّ مِنَ الْبَشَرِ أَحَدًا فَقُولِي إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ صَوْمًا فَلَنْ أُكَلِّمَ الْيَوْمَ إِنْسِيًّا {19:26}

[Q19:26] Fakulee washrabee wa qarree 'ainaa; fa immaa tarayinnna minal bashari ahadan faqooleee innee nazartu lir Rahmaani sawman falan ukallimal yawma insiyyaa. 
[Q19:26] So eat and drink and refresh the eye. Then if you see any mortal, say: Surely I have vowed a fast to the Beneficent ALLAH (SWT), so I shall not speak to any man today.

[Q19:26] Maka makanlah dan minumlah serta bertenanglah hati dari segala yang merunsingkan. Kemudian kalau engkau melihat seseorang manusia, maka katakanlah: Sesungguhnya aku bernazar diam membisu kerana (ALLAH (SwT)) Ar-Rahman; (setelah aku menyatakan yang demikian) maka aku tidak akan berkata-kata kepada sesiapapun dari kalangan manusia pada hari ini.  

Maryam was asked to keep from talking to people so that she might not give her own answers to the expected censure from the people. THE ANSWER WAS TO BE GIVEN BY ISA HIMSELF AS A CHILD IN THE CRADLE.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:26) so eat and drink and refresh your eyes; and if you see a man, say to him, `As I have vowed to observe the fast (of silence) for the sake of the Merciful, I wi l l not speak to anyone today' " *18

*18 That is, "You need not say anything with regard to the child. It is now Our responsibility to answer the critics." This also indicates why Mary was so sad and grieved. Had she been married and given birth to her first baby like any other mother, there was no occasion to tell her to observe "a fast of silence", though it was a common custom among the Jews.

فَأَتَتْ بِهِ قَوْمَهَا تَحْمِلُهُ ۖ قَالُوا يَا مَرْيَمُ لَقَدْ جِئْتِ شَيْئًا فَرِيًّا {19:27}

[Q19:27] Fa atat bihee qawmahaa tahmiluhoo qaaloo yaa Maryamoo laqad ji'ti shai'an fariyyaa. 
[Q19:27] And she came to her people with him, carrying him (with her). They said: O Marium! Surely you have done a strange thing.

[Q19:27] Kemudian baliklah dia kepada kaumnya dengan mendokong anaknya mereka pun menempelaknya dengan berkata: Wahai Mariam! Sesungguhnya engkau telah melakukan suatu perkara yang besar salahnya!  

(see commentary for verse 16)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:27) Then she brought the child to her people. They said, "O Mary! This is a heinous sin that you have committed.

يَا أُخْتَ هَارُونَ مَا كَانَ أَبُوكِ امْرَأَ سَوْءٍ وَمَا كَانَتْ أُمُّكِ بَغِيًّا {19:28}

[Q19:28] Yaaa ukkhta Haaroona maa kaana abokim ra-a saw'inw wa maa kaanat ummuki baghiyyaa. 
[Q19:28] O sister of Haroun! Your father was not a bad man, nor, was your mother an unchaste woman.

[Q19:28] Wahai saudara perempuan Harun, bapamu bukanlah seorang yang buruk akhlaknya, dan ibumu pula bukanlah seorang perempuan jahat!  

Many Christian scholars have failed to understand the term "O sister of Harun", although, ACCORDING to the Bible, Maryam and Zakariyya's wife were related to each other, AND Zakariyya's wife was a descendant of the house of Harun. Generally any female belonging to a family is described as a sister or daughter of the head of the family.

THE QUR’AN AND THE BIBLE ASSERT THAT MARYAM AND ZAKARIYYA'S WIFE WERE THE DESCENDANTS OF HARUN, the brother of Musa, a prophet of ALLAH (SWT), and through him belonged to the tribe of Levi, noted for virtue and piety, and not to the house of Dawud.

In order to remove the discrepancies between the two genealogies, given in Matthew and Luke, the Christian Church wrongly tries to establish that one refers to Maryam and the other refers to Joseph, the alleged husband of Maryam, which is entirely based upon conjecture and is against the clear wordings of the Qur’an and the Bible.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:28) O sister of Aaron! *19 your father was not a wicked man, nor was your mother an unchaste woman 19a. "

*19 "Sister of Aaron" may either mean that Mary had a brother of the name of Aaron, OR it may mean that she belonged to the family of Prophet Aaron. The first meaning is supported by a tradition of the Holy Prophet and the second is plausible because that is supported by the Arabic idiom.

But we are inclined to the second meaning, for the wording of the said tradition does not necessarily mean that she actually had a brother named Aaron. The tradition as related in Muslim, Nasa'i, Tirmizi, etc. says that when the Christians of Najran criticised the Quranic version of stating Mary as the sister of Aaron before Hadrat Mughirah bin Shu`bah, he was not able to satisfy them, because Prophet Aaron had passed away centuries earlier. When he presented the problem before the Holy Prophet, he replied, "Why didn't you say that the Israelites named their children after their Prophets and other pious men?" That is, "You could have answered their objection like this as well." (See also E.N. 32 of Al--`Imran). 

*19a. How can the people who reject the miraculous birth of Prophet Jesus, explain why Mary's whole community had come out to curse and condemn her when she had appeared before them with the child? 

فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ ۖ قَالُوا كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَنْ كَانَ فِي الْمَهْدِ صَبِيًّا {19:29}

[Q19:29] Fa ashaarat ilaih; qaaloo kaifa nukallimu man kaana fil mahdi sabiyyaa.
[Q19:29] But she pointed to him. They said: How should we speak to one who was a child in the cradle?

[Q19:29] Maka Mariam segera menunjuk kepada anaknya. Mereka berkata (dengan hairannya): Bagaimana kami boleh berkata-kata dengan seorang yang masih kanak-kanak dalam buaian? 

As stated in the commentary of verse 26 the child in the cradle, Isa, was selected by ALLAH (SWT) to give the answer. This verse and verse 3:46 of Ali Imran clearly say that Isa, lying in the cradle, spoke clearly to defend his holy mother. It is downright mischief-making based upon meaningless interpretation to say, as the commentator of a man-made religion tries to argue, that Isa declared his prophethood in his advanced age and not from the cradle while he was yet an infant. The people questioned Maryam about her giving birth to a child without a husband as soon as Isa was born, not when he grew up and attained maturity.

v  In verse 26 she was asked not to give her own answers, THEREFORE when she brought him to them and was reprimanded, she pointed to the baby in the cradle as stated in verse 27, 28 and 29. That this event took place immediately after the birth of Isa is also confirmed by verse 29 since the people asked as to how they could talk to one who was a child in the cradle. It would be sheer nonsense if they had spoken these words when Isa was a grown up man.

When the self-interest oriented people do not find the exalted excellence the chosen servants of ALLAH (SWT) possess in their favourite leaders whom they themselves choose to lay hands on worldly possessions, **they have no alternative but to deny the possibility of such excellence altogether. **They twist the appropriate meanings of the verses of the Qur’an and introduced remote and obscure inferences to confuse the people in order to put forward their conjecture and false theories.

v  As mentioned in Baqarah: 2:117; Ali Imran 3:40; Nahl 16:40; Bani Israil 17:35 and Ya Sin 36:28 THE WILL OF ALLAH (SWT) TAKES IMMEDIATE EFFECT WITHOUT ANY TIME GAP. HIS WILL IS INDEPENDENT OF ANY CAUSATIVE FACTOR, NOR IS IT NECESSARY FOR ALLAH (SWT) EVEN TO SAY THE WORD "BE", BECAUSE AS SOON AS HIS WILL ACTIVATES THAT WHICH IT WILLS COMES INTO BEING OR TAKES PLACE WITH OR WITHOUT A CAUSATIVE EFFECT AT ONCE WITHOUT A DELAY IN TERMS OF TIME OR SPACE.

From the cradle Isa says: "ALLAH (SWT) has given me a book (Injil) and made me a prophet." Compare the Qur’an's declaration that [1] Isa was a prophet of ALLAH (SWT) from the day he was born AND [2] the Injil was revealed to him simultaneously with the opinions of the majority of Muslim scholars and their followers about the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) mentioned in the commentary of verse 12 of this surah and al Baqarah 2:97.

v  The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) said:

"I was a prophet of ALLAH (SWT) when Adam was yet in the making."

Like Isa, Ali ibne Abi Talib was also a believer in ALLAH (SWT) from the day he was born in Ka-bah, and was the first person to believe in the prophethood of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), and never worshipped a ghayrallah. Refer to the commentary al Baqarah 2:124; Ali Imran 3:52 and 53 and Bara-at 9:100.

°          In verse 30 Isa declares at the very outset that he is a servant of ALLAH (SWT), thus negating the false notion that he was ALLAH (SWT) or the son of ALLAH (SWT). Refer to the commentary of al Baqarah 2:255 and Ali Imran 3:2 and 3.

°          Isa said: "I am Jesus, son of Mary, of the seed of David, a man that is mortal and fears ALLAH (SWT)," Ragg's "The Gospel of Barnabas")

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:29) (In answer to this) Mary merely pointed towards the infant. The people said, "How shall we talk with him, who is but an infant in the cradle" *20?

*20 People who misinterpret the Qur'an translate this verse as: "How shall we talk with him, who is but a child of yesterday?"They attribute these words to the elderly people of the Jews, who said years later, when Jesus was a grown up boy, that they could not have any useful dialogue with a mere kid. But the person who keeps the whole context in view, will realize that this interpretation is absurd and has been given merely to avoid the miracle. As a matter of fact, the dialogue took place when the people were condemning Mary who being unmarried, had brought forth a child, and not when the child had grown up into manhood. V. 46 of AI-i-`Imran (III) and v. 110 of Al-Ma'idah (V) also support the view that Prophet Jesus had uttered these words as a baby in the cradle and not when grown up. In the first verse, the angel while giving the good news of a son to Mary, says: "He will speak to the people alike when in the cradle and when grown up"; in the other verse, Allah Himself says to Prophet Jesus: ".......you talked to the people even in the cradle as you talked when you were grown up." 

قَالَ إِنِّي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ آتَانِيَ الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلَنِي نَبِيًّا {19:30}

[Q19:30] Qaala innee 'abdullaahi aataaniyal Kitaaba wa ja'alanee Nabiyyaa; 
[Q19:30] He said: Surely I am a servant of ALLAH (SWT); He has given me the Book and made me a prophet;

[Q19:30] Dia menjawab: Sesungguhnya aku ini hamba ALLAH (SwT); Dia telah memberikan kepadaku Kitab (Injil) dan Dia telah menjadikan daku seorang Nabi. 

NOTE HERE THAT JESUS, WHILE YET A BABY IN THE CRADLE, CLAIMED TO BE **AN APOSTLE OF ALLAH (SWT) AND TO **HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE BOOK (Injeel, i.e., Evangel).

»    Compare this to the story of the experience of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) with the Messenger Angel (See note to verse 12 (verse 13:7)). Whereas the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) says: “I was an Apostle of ALLAH (SWT) when Adam was yet between the clay and water (i.e., yet in the making).”

»    As Jesus was from the very birth a believer in ALLAH (SWT) and His devotee, the First Holy Imam Ali ibne Abi Talib, was born in the Holy Ka’bah and never in his life worshipped any one besides ALLAH (SWT) and was the first to believe in the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad).

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(19:30) Whereupon the child spoke out, "I am a servant of Allah: He has given me the Book and He has appointed me a Prophet,