Wary then continued, "All the praise is due to Allah, Who has guided us to His straight path. We seek His forgiveness and we seek refuge in Him from the evil of our own selves and our bad deeds. O my brothers and sisters, the words of man are for his own vantage. What man command, can be extreme or mild, can be added and can be reduced, depending on what background it is ordered. While the Kalima of Allah, is for the good of man. What Allah commands, both by His Kalimas or by His Prophet (ﷺ), that's what we should do, without adding or subtracting it."
Wary paused, and said, "Allah had sent down a same message with all of the prophets: a description of the way of life which Allah has established for people to follow during their life on earth. All of the prophets had tried their best, to convey the correct creed to their peoples. Prophet ‘Isa, was also among those upright Messengers who strove hard to guide his people to the Truth, but most of them followed their whims and desires and thus went astray. Believing in the Oneness of Allah is a basic fundamental in Islam. This belief establishes the relationship between human beings and their Rabb. As Muslims, we firmly believe that Allah is our Creator, Sustainer and the true God; only He has the right to be worshipped. There is no partner with Him. He has the free hand in the disposal of all affairs."
Sparrow said, "O Wary, please continue your story about Maryam!" Wary said, "We already know that Prophet Zechariah, alayhissalam, became Maryam's guardian. When Maryam was born, as she was a girl, the question of her guardianship posed a problem for the elders. This was a child of their late and beloved leader, and everyone was eager to take care of her. Zechariah said to the elders, "I am the husband of her maternal aunt and her nearest relation in the temple; therefore, I will be more mindful of her than all of you." As it was their custom to draw lots to solve disagreements, they followed this course. Each one was given a reed to throw into the river. They had agreed that whoever's reed remained afloat would be granted guardianship of the girl. All the reeds sank to the bottom except Zechariah's. With this sign, they all surrendered to the will of Allah and made him the guardian.
To ensure that no one had access to Maryam, Zechariah built a separate room for her in a mihrab. As she grew up, she spent her time in devotion to Allah. Zechariah visited her daily to see to her needs, and so it continued for many years. One day, he was surprised to find fresh fruit, which was out of season in her room. As he was the only person who could enter her room, he asked her how the fruit got there. She replied that these provisions were from Allah, as He gives to whom He wills. Zechariah understood by this that Allah had raised Maryam's status above that of other women.
Allah Ta'ala said,
وَمَرْيَمَ ابْنَتَ عِمْرَانَ الَّتِي أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهِ مِنْ رُوحِنَا وَصَدَّقَتْ بِكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّهَا وَكُتُبِهِ وَكَانَتْ مِنَ الْقَانِتِينَ
"And [the example of] Maryam, the daughter of 'Imran, who guarded her chastity, so We blew into [her garment] through Our angel, and she believed in the words of her Lord and His scriptures and was of the devoutly obedient." – (QS.66:12)
Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn ‘Abbas said, “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) drew four lines on the ground and said, "Do you know what these lines represent ?" They said, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best!" He (ﷺ) said, "The best among the women of Paradise are Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Fatimah bint Muhammad, Maryam bint ‘Imran and Asiyah bint Muzahim, wife of Fir'awn."
Allah also said,
وَالَّتِي أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهَا مِنْ رُوحِنَا وَجَعَلْنَاهَا وَابْنَهَا آيَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ
"And [mention] the one who guarded her chastity, so We blew into her [garment] through Our angel [Gabriel], and We made her and her son a sign for the worlds." – (QS.21:91)
وَجَعَلْنَا ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُ آيَةً وَآوَيْنَاهُمَا إِلَى رَبْوَةٍ ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ وَمَعِينٍ
"And We made the son of Maryam and his mother a sign and sheltered them within a high ground having level [areas] and flowing water." - (QS.23:50)
Allah tells us about His servant and Messenger, ‘Isa ibn Maryam, alaihimassalam, and that He made them as a sign for mankind, i.e., definitive proof of His ability to do what He wills. For He created Adam without a father or a mother, He created Hawwa’ from a male without a female, and He created Isa from a female without a male, and He created the rest of mankind from both male and female.
Ali, radhiyallahu 'anhu, narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said,
خَيْرُ نِسَائِهَا خَدِيجَةُ بِنْتُ خُوَيْلِدٍ وَخَيْرُ نِسَائِهَا مَرْيَمُ ابْنَةُ عِمْرَانَ
"The best of its (the world's) women is Khadijah bint Khuwailid (in her lifetime), and the best of its women is Maryam bint 'Imran (in her lifetime)." [HR At-Tirmidhi; Sahih]
Thereafter, Zechariah spent more time with her, teaching and guiding her. Maryam grew to be a devotee of Allah, glorifying Him day and night.
While Maryam was praying in her temple, an angel in the form of a man appeared before her. Filled with terror, she tried to flee. Allah said,
وَاذْكُرْ فِي الْكِتَابِ مَرْيَمَ إِذِ انْتَبَذَتْ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا مَكَانًا شَرْقِيًّا
"And mention, [O Muhammad], in the Book [the story of] Maryam, when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east." – (QS.19:16)
فَاتَّخَذَتْ مِنْ دُونِهِمْ حِجَابًا فَأَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهَا رُوحَنَا فَتَمَثَّلَ لَهَا بَشَرًا سَوِيًّ
"And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen. Then We sent to her Our Angel, and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man." – (QS.19:17)
قَالَتْ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِالرَّحْمَنِ مِنْكَ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَقِيًّ
"She said, 'Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, [so leave me], if you should be fearing of Allah.'" – (QS.19:18)
قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَنَا رَسُولُ رَبِّكِ لأهَبَ لَكِ غُلامًا زَكِيًّا
"He said, 'I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy.'" – (QS.19:19)
قَالَتْ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لِي غُلامٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِي بَشَرٌ وَلَمْ أَكُ بَغِيًّا
"She said, 'How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?'" – (QS.19:20)
قَالَ كَذَلِكِ قَالَ رَبُّكِ هُوَ عَلَيَّ هَيِّنٌ وَلِنَجْعَلَهُ آيَةً لِلنَّاسِ وَرَحْمَةً مِنَّا وَكَانَ أَمْرًا مَقْضِيًّا
"He said, 'Thus [it will be]; your Rabb says, 'It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter [already] decreed.' " – (QS.19:21)
Allah also said,
إِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلائِكَةُ يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ مِنْهُ اسْمُهُ الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَجِيهًا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ وَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ
"[And mention] when the angels said, 'O Maryam, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Maryam - distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allah ].'" – (QS.3:45)
وَيُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِي الْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلا وَمِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
"He will speak to the people in the cradle and in maturity and will be of the righteous." – (QS.3:46)
قَالَتْ رَبِّ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لِي وَلَدٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِي بَشَرٌ قَالَ كَذَلِكِ اللَّهُ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ إِذَا قَضَى أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ
"She said, 'My Rabb, how will I have a child when no man has touched me?' [The angel] said, 'Such is Allah ; He creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is.'" – (QS.3:47)
وَيُعَلِّمُهُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَالتَّوْرَاةَ وَالإنْجِيلَ
"And He will teach him writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel." – (QS.3:48)
وَرَسُولا إِلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَنِّي قَدْ جِئْتُكُمْ بِآيَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ أَنِّي أَخْلُقُ لَكُمْ مِنَ الطِّينِ كَهَيْئَةِ الطَّيْرِ فَأَنْفُخُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونُ طَيْرًا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَأُبْرِئُ الأكْمَهَ وَالأبْرَصَ وَأُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَأُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا تَأْكُلُونَ وَمَا تَدَّخِرُونَ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَةً لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ
"And [make him] a messenger to the Children of Israel, [who will say], 'Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I design for you from clay [that which is] like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allah . And I cure the blind and the leper, and I give life to the dead - by permission of Allah . And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers." – (QS.3:49)
وَمُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَلأحِلَّ لَكُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِي حُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَجِئْتُكُمْ بِآيَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ
"And [I have come] confirming what was before me of the Torah and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. And I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear Allah and obey me." – (QS.3:50)
إِنَّ اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَذَا صِرَاطٌ مُسْتَقِيمٌ
Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is the straight path." – (QS.3:51)
The angel's visit, caused Maryam great anxiety, which increased as the months went by. How could she face giving birth to a child without having a husband? Later, she felt life kicking inside her. With a heavy heart, she left the temple and went to Nazareth, the city in which she had been born where she settled in a simple farm house to avoid the public. But fear and anxiety did not leave her. She was from a noble and pious family. Her father had not been an evil man nor was her mother an impure woman. How could she prevent tongues from wagging about her honor?
After some months, she could not bear the mental strain any longer. Burdened with a heavy womb, she left Nazareth, not knowing where to go to be away from this depressing atmosphere. She had not gone far, when she was overtaken by the pains of childbirth. She saw down against a dry palm tree, and here she gave birth to a son. Looking at her beautiful baby, she was hurt that she had brought him into the world without a father. She exclaimed: "I wish I had died before this happened and had vanished into nothingness!"
Allah said,
فَحَمَلَتْهُ فَانْتَبَذَتْ بِهِ مَكَانًا قَصِيًّا
"So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a remote place." – (QS.19:22)
فَأَجَاءَهَا الْمَخَاضُ إِلَى جِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ قَالَتْ يَا لَيْتَنِي مِتُّ قَبْلَ هَذَا وَكُنْتُ نَسْيًا مَنْسِيًّا
"And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, 'Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten.'" – (QS.19:23)
فَنَادَاهَا مِنْ تَحْتِهَا أَلا تَحْزَنِي قَدْ جَعَلَ رَبُّكِ تَحْتَكِ سَرِيًّ
"But he called her from below her, "Do not grieve; your Rabb has provided beneath you a stream.'" – (QS.19:24)
وَهُزِّي إِلَيْكِ بِجِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ تُسَاقِطْ عَلَيْكِ رُطَبًا جَنِيًّا
"And shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates." – (QS.19:25)
فَكُلِي وَاشْرَبِي وَقَرِّي عَيْنًا فَإِمَّا تَرَيِنَّ مِنَ الْبَشَرِ أَحَدًا فَقُولِي إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لِلرَّحْمَنِ صَوْمًا فَلَنْ أُكَلِّمَ الْيَوْمَ إِنْسِيًّا
"So eat and drink and be contented. And if you see from among humanity anyone, say, 'Indeed, I have vowed to the Most Merciful abstention, so I will not speak today to [any] man." – (QS.19:26)
For a while she was comforted by Allah's miracle, for it was a sure sign of her innocence and purity.
Maryam decided to return to the city. However, her fears also returned. What was she going to tell the people? As if sharinhis mother's worry, the baby began to speak, "If you meet any person say: 'I have vowed to fast for The Beneficent and may not speak to any human today.'" With this miracle, Maryam felt at ease.
As she had expected, her arrival in the city with a newborn baby in her arms aroused the curiosity of the people. They scolded her, "This is a terrible sin that you have committed." She put her finger to her lips and pointed to the child. They asked, "How can we speak to a newborn baby?" To their total amazement, the child began to speak clearly, "I am Allah's servant. Allah has given me the Book, and has made me a prophet, and has blessed me wherever I may be, and has enjoined on me prayers and alms-giving as long as I live. Allah has made me dutiful towards she who had borne me. He has not made me arrogant nor unblessed. Peace unto me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive."
Most of the people realized that the baby was unique, for it Allah wills something, He merely says "Be" and it happens. Of course, there were some who regarded the baby's speech as a strange trick, but at least Maryam could now stay in Nazareth without being harassed.
Allah said,
فَأَتَتْ بِهِ قَوْمَهَا تَحْمِلُهُ قَالُوا يَا مَرْيَمُ لَقَدْ جِئْتِ شَيْئًا فَرِيًّ
"Then she brought him to her people, carrying him. They said, "O Maryam, you have certainly done a thing unprecedented." – (QS.19:27)
يَا أُخْتَ هَارُونَ مَا كَانَ أَبُوكِ امْرَأَ سَوْءٍ وَمَا كَانَتْ أُمُّكِ بَغِيًّا
O sister of Aaron, your father was not a man of evil, nor was your mother unchaste." – (QS.19:28)
It is said that Aaron, not Prophet Musa's brother, was a very piuos and righteous man in the family of Maryam in previous year. He also very famous.
فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ قَالُوا كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَنْ كَانَ فِي الْمَهْدِ صَبِيًّا
So she pointed to him. They said, "How can we speak to one who is in the cradle a child?" – (QS.19:29)
قَالَ إِنِّي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ آتَانِيَ الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلَنِي نَبِيًّا
"['Isa] said, "Indeed, I am the servant of Allah . He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet." – (QS.19:30)
وَجَعَلَنِي مُبَارَكًا أَيْنَ مَا كُنْتُ وَأَوْصَانِي بِالصَّلاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيًّا
"And He has made me blessed wherever I am and has enjoined upon me prayer and zakah as long as I remain alive." – (QS.19:31)
وَبَرًّا بِوَالِدَتِي وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْنِي جَبَّارًا شَقِيًّا
"And [made me] dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me a wretched tyrant." – (QS.19:32)
وَالسَّلامُ عَلَيَّ يَوْمَ وُلِدْتُ وَيَوْمَ أَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ أُبْعَثُ حَيًّا
"And peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive." – (QS.19:33)
ذَلِكَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ قَوْلَ الْحَقِّ الَّذِي فِيهِ يَمْتَرُونَ
"That is 'Isa, the son of Maryam - the word of truth about which they are in dispute." – (QS.19:34)
مَا كَانَ لِلَّهِ أَنْ يَتَّخِذَ مِنْ وَلَدٍ سُبْحَانَهُ إِذَا قَضَى أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ
"It is not [befitting] for Allah to take a son; exalted is He! When He decrees an affair, He only says to it, "Be," and it is." – (QS.19:35)
وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَذَا صِرَاطٌ مُسْتَقِيمٌ
"['Isa said], 'And indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path.'" – (QS.19:36)
When the people heard such words of wisdom from the tongue of a suckling young baby, they were astonished and they realised that Mariam was cleared of all suspicious of immoral behaviour. They realized that her son was a sign from Allah.
This news was not such a thing that could remain a secret. The strange happenings of his birth caused wonderment near and after. All places people were astonished at the events of 'Isa' s birth. From the very beginning people took up various position regarding the holy personality of 'Isa. The pious ones looked upon his coming as a sign of the coming of good fortune while those inclined towards evil looked upon it as a sign of bad luck and ill-fortune. And in this manner they became filled with hatred and jealousy. In such an opposing atmosphere Allah took charge of the bringing up of the young child and his protection, so that one day at his hands the dead hearts of the Children of Israel could be granted new life, and so that their tree of spiritual development could bear fruit once again.
Allah said,
وَجَعَلْنَا ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُ آيَةً وَآوَيْنَاهُمَا إِلَى رَبْوَةٍ ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ وَمَعِينٍ
"And We made the son of Maryam and his mother a sign and sheltered them within a high ground having level [areas] and flowing water." – (QS.23:50)
Allah also said,
إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَى عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ آدَمَ خَلَقَهُ مِنْ تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ
"Indeed, the example of 'Isa to Allah is like that of Adam. He created Him from dust; then He said to him, 'Be,' and he was." - (QS.3:59)
الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ فَلا تَكُنْ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ
"The truth is from your Rabb, so do not be among the doubters." - (QS.3:60)
The likeness of 'Isa before Allah regarding Allah’s ability, since He created him without a father, is the likeness of Adam, for Allah created Adam without a father or a mother. Rather He created him from dust, then He said to him, "Be!" and he was. Therefore, He Who created Adam without a father or a mother is able to create Isa, as well, without a father. If the claim is made that Isa is Allah’s son because he was created without a father, then the same claim befits Adam even more. However, since such a claim regarding Adam is obviously false, then making the same claim about ‘Isa is even more false.
Furthermore, by mentioning these facts, Allah emphasizes His ability, by creating Adam without a male or female, Hawa from a male without a female, and 'Isa from a mother without a father, compared to His creating the rest of creation from male and female.
According to Ibn Jarir, Joseph, the Carpenter, was the first to censure Maryam's pregnancy. He was distressed by what he saw, horrified, and knew not what to ascribe it to. When Joseph was ready to accuse her, he remembered that she was pious and innocent, that she had never absented herself from him. When he wanted to exonerate her, he observed what had happened to her. When this began to oppress him, he spoke to her. First he said to her, "A thought has occurred to me about you, and I have tried hard to still and conceal it; but it has overcome me, and I have decided to talk about it to calm my heart ." She said, "Say a pleasant word;" whereupon he replied, "That is all I wanted to say; tell me, does a field grow without a seed? " She replied, "Yes." He said, "Does a tree grow without rain striking it?" She said, "Yes." "Can there be a child without intercourse ?" he asked. "Yes," she replied, "Do you not know that Allah made the field sprout on the day of creation without any seed; rather, the seed was from the field which Allah made sprout without seed. Do you not know that Allah made the tree grow without the rain, and that with the same power he produced the rain for the life of the tree, after he had created each of the two separate? Or do you think Allah could not make the tree grow without using water upon it? Or, were it not for the water He could not make the tree grow?" Joseph said to her, "I do not say that. I know that it is within Allah's power to act as it pleases Him. He only has to say 'Be, and it is."' Maryam then said to him, "Do you not know that Allah created Adam and his wife without male or female?" "Certainly," he replied.
Sparrow asked, "What is the description of Prophet 'Isa, alayhissalam?" Wary said, "According to the Hadith on the Mi'raaj of Rasoolullah (ﷺ), he (ﷺ) was reported to have said, 'I met 'Isa, and I found him to be of moderate height, being reddish, white in colour. His body appeared so clean as if he had just stepped out of the bathroom after a shower.' According to another report it is mentioned that his locks of hair used to hang onto his shoulders. Other reports mention that his color was that of wheat."
The Jewish priests felt this baby 'Isa was dangerous, for they felt that the people would turn their worship to Allah the Almighty Alone, displacing the existing Jewish tenets. Consequently, they would lose their authority over the people. Therefore, they kept the miracle of 'Isa's speech in infancy as a secret and accused Maryam of a great misdeed.
