MARYAM BINT IMRAN Mother of Prophet Isa A.S.

(Jesus)

Maryam’s birth and her guardianship

The Quran has covered the birth of Maryam in Surah Al Imran’s verse number 35 and 36. In
Tafsir ibn Kathir, ibn Kathir has elaborated on these two verses (through narrations from others)
and provided information about Maryam’s parents. According to him, the name of Maryam’s
father was ‘Imran’. He was an imam (prayer leader) in Bayt Al-Maqdis (Al-Aqsa) Bayt Al-
Maqdis at that time was under the care of the descendants of Prophet Harun (Aron), the brother of
Prophet Moosa (Moses). Imran was a very pious man and well respected by those who took care
of religious affairs in Bayt Al-Maqdis. The name of Imran’s wife was Hannah bint Faqudh.
(Tafsir Ibn Kathir, p 771).
According to Ibn Kathir, Hannah didn’t have any children before Maryam. One day, she saw a
bird feeding its chick. Seeing that, her longing for a child grew intense and thus she made a
sincere prayer to Allah to grant her an offspring. In that prayer she made a promise to Allah that if
He gave her an offspring, she would dedicate her child to His worship and in taking care of the
holy places in Bayt Al-Maqdis. Hannah’s prayers were accepted, and soon she became pregnant.
The Quran narrates her response in the following verse: O my Lord! 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 (Surah Aal-e-Imran, Verse 35)
And after giving birth Hannah said (as narrated in the Quran): Then when she gave birth to her
[child Maryam (Mary)], she said: “O my Lord! I have given birth to a female child,” – and
Allah knew better what she brought forth, – “And the male is not like the female, and I have
named her Maryam (Mary), and I seek refuge with you (Allah) for her and for her offspring from
Shaitan (Satan), the outcast”. Surah Aal-e-Imran, Verse 36
After the birth of Maryam, Hannah decided that she would fulfill her promise and give the newly
born child to the service of Bayt-Al Maqdis. Hannah left with Maryam, carrying her in her infant
cloth, and took her to the rabbis from the offspring of Aaron, the brother of Prophet Moses. They
were responsible for taking care of Bayt Al-Maqdis at that time, just as there were those who took
care of the Kaabah. Maryam’s mother said to them, “Take this child whom I vowed – to serve
the Masjid, I have set her free, since she is my daughter, for no menstruating woman should enter
the Masjid, and I shall not take her back home.” They said, “She is the daughter of our Imam,
as Imran used to lead them in prayer, “who took care of our sacrificial rituals.” Zakariyya said,
“Give her to me, for her maternal aunt is my wife.” They said, “Our hearts cannot bear that
you take her, for she is the daughter of our Imam.” So they conducted a lottery with the pens
with which they wrote the Tawrah, and Zakariyya won the lottery and took Maryam into his care
Life of Maryam
Maryam’s guardian Zakariyya (who was the husband of Maryam’s maternal aunt) was a very
pious man and took good care of Maryam and raised her well. As Maryam became older, she
devoted herself to the worship of Allah. Maryam fulfilled the promise of her mother and dedicated
her life to the worship of Allah. She was modest, honorable, innocent, and dedicated to her task of
worship.
The Prophet Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬said The best woman (in her time) was Maryam, daughter of Imran,
and the best woman (of the Prophet’s time) is Khadijah (his wife), daughter of Khuwaylid
Maryam’s piety did not remain unobserved by Zakariyya. According to the Quran, whenever
Zakariyya went to visit Maryam, he found her with food and supplies and he wondered about its
source and asked her about it to which she used to respond that the food came from Allah. The
Quran confirms this through the following verse: “So her Lord (Allah) accepted her with goodly
acceptance. He made her grow in a good manner and put her under the care of Zakariyya. Every
time he entered Al-Mihrab to (visit) her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: “O
Maryam (Mary)! From where have you got this?” She said, “This is from Allah.” Verily, Allah
provides sustenance to whom He wills, without limit” Surah Aal-e-Imran, Verse 37.
Birth of Prophet Isa A.S. (Jesus)
As Maryam grew, she found out about her status of the chosen one. It was revelaed in the Quran
in Surah Aal-e-Imran Verses 42-43:
42. And (remember) when the angels said: “O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allah has chosen you,
purified you (from polytheism and disbelief), and chosen you above the women of the ‘Alamin
(mankind and jinn) (of her lifetime).
43. O Mary! Submit yourself with obedience to your Lord (Allah, by worshipping none but Him
Alone) and prostrate yourself, and Irkai (bow down) along with Ar-Rakiun (those who bow
down).
Maryam could not fully comprehend or interpret the meaning of this news. But soon she found out
that she was pregnant. This astonished her because she had never been touched by a man. This
obviously upset Maryam greatly and to avoid any embarrassment she withdrew from her family
and the public’s eye and went to a place east of Jerusalem. It was here that Allah sent angel Jibril
(Gabriel) in the form of a man. This made Maryam afraid but then he gave her the news that she
was about to give birth to a child named ‘Eesa’ (Jesus) and that the child would be among
those who are loved and blessed by Allah. Maryam was also foretold by Allah that this child
would speak from his cradle.
As is obvious, Maryam was upset to know that she was pregnant. And when the angel told her
about this child she asked: She said: “How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor
am I unchaste?” Surah Maryam, Verses 20.
Allah stated the answer of the Angel in Surah Maryam: He said: “So (it will be), your Lord said:
‘That is easy for Me (Allah): And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy
from Us (Allah), and it is a matter (already) decreed, (by Allah)’” Surah Maryam, Verses 21
Although this could have caused Maryam some agony, Allah kept her safe and filled with
provisions and food. Furthermore, Allah told her not to talk to anyone about the matter and to keep
quiet.
Then Allah revealed to her – “Oh Maryam strike the base of the palm tree and fresh ripe dates
will fall down for you. Eat of them and sooth your eyes with them.” She ate them and it gave her
strength to cope with what was to come. She placed them over her eyes and they did indeed cool
her swollen tearful eyes.
Maryam comes back to Jerusalem
After giving birth to Prophet Isa A.S., Maryam came back to Jerusalem with her child. Since she
was widely considered to be a pure and pious woman, the people of Jerusalem were amazed to see
a child with Maryam. They asked her about his father but she said nothing and pointed to the
child. This further confused the people because there was no point in asking an infant about his
birth.
In his book “Stories of Prophets”, Ibn Kathir describes how Maryam came back and the Jews
started asking her questions: It was said that Joseph the Carpenter was greatly surprised when he
knew the story, so he asked Mary: “Can a tree come to grow without a seed?” She said: “Yes,
the one which Allah created for the first time.” He asked her again: “Is it possible to bear a
child without a male partner?” She said: “Yes, Allah created Adam without male or female!”
Jesus speaks from the cradle
While the people were taunting Maryam asking her about the child’s father, a miracle happened.
The infant which was still in cradle started speaking to the Jews. The Quran mentions the words of
the infant in Surah Maryam, Verses 30-33:
30. He [Isa (Jesus)] said: “Verily I am a slave of Allah, He has given me the Scripture and made
me a Prophet;
31. and He has made me blessed wheresoever’s I be, and has enjoined on me Salat (prayer), and
Zakat, as long as I live.
32. “And dutiful to my mother, and made me not arrogant, unblest.
33. And Salam (peace) be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be
raised alive!”
So Allah (S.W.T.) protected her, aided her, fed her, clothed her and gave her honour when the
people vilified her and gave her no food or water.
Maryam, may Allah exalt her mention, is a role model for all Muslim women because she
maintained her impeccable character throughout her life. Allah raised her status and chose her
from among the women of the entire world. Indeed, many verses and many Ahadeeth clarified her
great status.

I. Answer the following-

a) Mention her status with evidences mentioned above.
b)Describe the birth of Jesus (a.s) and the trials that followed it.
c) Talk about her early childhood.

ASMA BINT ABI BAKR R.A. The One with the Two Belts

She was Asma bint Abi Bakr As-Siddiq. The mother of1 Abdullah bin Az-Zubair. She is the
mother of Al-Khalifah Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr and a sister to the Mother of Believers, A'ishah
and the last of the emigrants to die. She was older than Aishah by about ten years. She made the
hijrah while she was pregnant with Abdullah. She witnessed the campaign of Yarmuk along with
her husband Az-Zubair. She along with her father, her grandfather, her son Ibn Az-Zubair – all
four - were Companions (of the Prophet).
The Day of the Hljrah
Among the days that she witnessed in her life was the "Day of the Hijrah." She narrates to us
regarding that herself: "I prepared the food for the journey of the Prophet in Abu Bakr's house
when he intended to emigrate (to Madinah). I did not find anything with which to tie the food
container and the water skin. So, I said to my father: 'I cannot find anything to tie (these things)
with except my waist belt.' He said, ‘Cut it into two pieces and tie the water-skin with one piece
and the food-container with the other.1 He (the sub-narrator) added1 It is for that reason she was
named Dhatun-Nitaqain1 (i.e. The woman with the two belts).
She also said R.A.: ”When the Prophet went out of Makkah1 Abu Bakr took along his entire
wealth worth five or seven thousand. Then my grandfather1 Abu Quhafah came to me and at that
time he had gone blind. He said: This one (i.e. Abu Bakr) has deprived you of his wealth and of
himself.So I said to him: 'Rather, he has left for us a good sum (of money).' Then I proceed to
gather stones in a port hole in the house and I covered it with a cloth then I held his hand and
placed it on the cloth. I said: “Here is what he left for us. He said: 'If he has left this for you, then
he has done well.”
Bearing the Burden of Marital Life
Asma R.A. provides us a lesson with her good spousal relationship with her husband and
attending to his concerns. She narrates: When Az-Zubayr married me, he had nothing other than
his horse. I used to tend it and feed it (with fodder). I used to grind date stones for his camel. I
used to draw water and prepare the dough. I used to carry the date stones on my head from Az-
Zubair's land allotted to him by Allah's Messenger and this land was two third Farsakh (about two
miles) from my house.
One day, I met Allah's Messenger along with some people. He called me and then said: "lkh! Ikh!"
(directing his camel to kneel down) so that I might ride behind him (on his camel). I felt shy (to
ride with the men) and I also remembered AzZubair and his sense of gheerah (Joealousy). Allah's
Messenger noticed that I felt shy, so he proceeded. When I got home, I informed Az Zubair (of the
incident) and he said: "By Allah, your carrying the date stones (and you being seen by the Prophet
in such a state) is more shameful to me than your riding with him."
She continued: "(I continued serving in this way) till Abu Bakr sent me a servant to look after the
horse. It was as if he had set me free."
Observe dear readers, this text and look with deep insight, tending a horse, carrying date stones on
her head, the Prophet seeing her, pitied her but he did not disapprove of her actions. In spite of her
fatigue she did not forget the affairs of her home. She said: "I draw water and I prepare dough!"
What else is desired from the women of our time?
Connecting the Ties of Kinship
Ibn Az-Zubayr narrated: This verse was revealed about Asma. Her mother, called Qutaylah, came
to her hoping (for a favor) and she did not accede to her request until she asked the Prophet. Then
Allah revealed: "Allah does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not
against you on account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allah loves
those who deal with equity." (Mumtahanah:8) In the Sahih, Asma said: "0 Messenger of Allah, my
mother is seeking for a favor, may I treat her kindly?" He replied, "Yes. Treat your mother well."
Unwavering Determination
When the war broke out between the forces of' Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr and the forces of Hajjaj
ath-Thaqafi ... after the killing of Ibn Az-Zubayr, Al-Hajjaj crucified his corpse in the Sacred
Mosque Al-Hajjaj.
Mansur bin Safiy reported from his mother who said: "Ibn 'Umar was informed that Asma was at
the side of the mosque. That was when Ibn Az-Zubayr was crucified. So he went toward her and
said to her: 'This is a mere corpse, it is nothing. The soul is already with Allah, so feru· Allah and
be patient.' She responded: 'What will prevent me hom exercisil1g patience when the head of
Yahya bin Zakariyyah, Allah be pleased with them both was presented as a gift to an adulteress
from among the prostitutes of the Children of Jsrael."
Ibn Abi Mulaykah narrated: I visited Asma after the killing of Ibn Az-Zubayr and she said: "It has
reached me that he has crucified 'Abdullah: 0 Allah, do not take my life until he is brought to me."
So I embalmed and shrouded him and brought him to her thereafter. She began to embalm him
with her hands and enshroud him and that was after her sight had gone. "She prayed over him and
another Jumu'ah did not meet her alive after that."
Ibn Sa'd said: She died a few nights after her son's death. His killing occurred on the 17th of
Jumada Al-Uula in the year 73 AH. Adh-Dhahabi said: She is the last of the Muhajirun and the
Muhajirat (male and female emigrants). May Allah be pleased with her.

Answer the following-

1) Write about some of the extra ordinary qualities Asma possessed.
2) Mention the lessons derived from her life.