Surah Maryam (verses 30-36) ذَٰلِكَ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ

Maryam with Al-Masih before the People, Their Rejection of Her and His Reply to Them

Allah, the Exalted, informs of Maryam's situation when she was commanded to fast that day and not to speak to any human being. For verily, her affair would be taken care of and her proof would be established. Thus, she accepted the command of Allah and she readily received His decree. She took her child and brought him to her people, carrying him. When they saw her like this they made a big deal about her situation and they sternly protested against of it, and

قَالُواْ يمَرْيَمُ لَقَدْ جِئْتِ شَيْئاً فَرِيّاً

(They said: "O Mary! Indeed you have brought a thing Fariy.") Fariy means a mighty thing. This was said by Mujahid, Qatadah, As-Suddi and others. Ibn Abi Hatim reported from Nawf Al-Bikali that he said, "Her people went out searching for her, she was from a family that was blessed with prophethood and nobility. However, they could not find any trace of her. They came across a cow herder and they asked him, `Have you seen a girl whose description is such and such' He replied, `No, but tonight I saw my cows doing something that I've never seen them do before.' They asked, `What did you see' He said, `Tonight I saw them prostrating in the direction of that valley."' `Abdullah bin Ziyad said (adding to the narration), "I memorized from Sayyar that he (the cattle herder) said, `I saw a radiant light.' " So they went towards the direction that he told him, and Maryam was coming towards them from that direction. When she saw them she sat down and she was holding her child in her lap. They came towards her until they were standing over her.

قَالُواْ يمَرْيَمُ لَقَدْ جِئْتِ شَيْئاً فَرِيّاً

(They said: "O Mary! Indeed you have brought a mighty thing (Fariy).") This means it was a mighty thing that she had brought.

يأُخْتَ هَـرُونَ

(O sister of Harun!) This means, "O one resembling Harun (Aaron) in worship."

مَا كَانَ أَبُوكِ امْرَأَ سَوْءٍ وَمَا كَانَتْ أُمُّكِ بَغِيّاً

(Your father was not a man who used to commit adultery, nor your mother was an unchaste woman.) They meant, "You are from a good, pure family, well-known for its righteousness, worship and abstinence from worldy indulgence. How could you do such a thing" `Ali bin Abi Talhah and As-Suddi both said, "It was said to her,

يأُخْتَ هَـرُونَ

(O sister of Harun!) referring to the brother of Musa, because she was of his descendants. This is similar to the saying, `O brother of Tamim,' to one who is from the Tamimi tribe, and `O brother of Mudar,' to one who is from the Mudari tribe. It has also been said that she was related to a righteous man among them whose name was Harun and she was comparable to him in her abstinence and worship. Concerning Allah's statement,

فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ قَالُواْ كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِى الْمَهْدِ صَبِيّاً

(Then she pointed to him. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle") This is what took place while they were in doubt about her situation, condeming her circumstances, saying what they wanted to say. At that time they were slandering her and falsely accusing her of a horrendous act. On that day she was fasting and keeping silent. Therefore, she referred all speech to him (the child) and she directed them to his address and speech to them. They scoffed at her because they thought that she was mocking at them and playing with them. They said,

كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِى الْمَهْدِ صَبِيّاً

(How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle) Maymun bin Mahran said,

فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ

(Then she pointed to him.) "She indicated, `Speak to him.' They then said, `After she has come to us with this calamity, she now commands us to speak to one who is a child in the cradle!"' As-Suddi said, "When she pointed to him they became angry and said, `Her mocking us, to the extent of commanding us to speak to this child, is worse to us than her fornication.' "

قَالُواْ كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِى الْمَهْدِ صَبِيّاً

(They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle") This means, "How can someone speak who is in his cradle, in the state of infancy and a child" `Isa said,

إِنِّى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ

(Verily, I am a servant of Allah,) The first thing that he said was a declaration of the lofty honor of his Lord and His being free of having a child. Also, he affirmed that he himself was a worshipper of his Lord. Allah said,

ءَاتَانِىَ الْكِتَـبَ وَجَعَلَنِى نَبِيّاً

(He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet.) This was a declaration of innocence for his mother from the immorality that was attributed to her. Nawf Al-Bikali said, "When they said what they said to his mother, he (`Isa) was nursing from her breast. At their statement he released the breast from his mouth and reclined on his left saying,

إِنِّى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ ءَاتَانِىَ الْكِتَـبَ وَجَعَلَنِى نَبِيّاً

(Verily, I am a servant of Allah, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet.) And he continued speaking until he said,

مَا دُمْتُ حَيّاً

(as long as I live.)" Concerning his statement,

وَجَعَلَنِى مُبَارَكاً أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُ

(And He has made me blessed wherever I be,) Mujahid, `Amr bin Qays and Ath-Thawri all said that this means, "And He made me a teacher of goodness." In another narration from Mujahid, he said, "A person of great benefit." Ibn Jarir reported from Wuhayb bin Al-Ward, a freed slave of the Bani Makhzum tribe, that he said, "A scholar met another scholar who had more knowledge than himself. So he said to him, `May Allah have mercy upon you, what acts of mine should I perform openly' The other replied, `Commanding good and forbidding evil, for verily, it is the religion of Allah, which He sent His Prophets with to His servants.' The scholars have indeed agreed upon the statement of Allah,

وَجَعَلَنِى مُبَارَكاً أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُ

(And He has made me blessed wherever I be,) Then it was said, `What was his blessing' He (Wuhayb) replied, `Commanding good and forbidding evil wherever he was.' " His saying,

وَأَوْصَانِى بِالصَّلَوةِ وَالزَّكَوةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيّاً

(and He has enjoined on me Awsani Salah and Zakah, as long as I live.) This is similar to the statement of Allah to Muhammad ﷺ,

وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ

(And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty (i.e. death).) 15:99 `Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Qasim reported from Malik bin Anas that he commented on Allah's statement,

وَأَوْصَانِى بِالصَّلَوةِ وَالزَّكَوةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيّاً

(and He has enjoined on me Awsani Salah and Zakah, as long as I live.) He said, "Allah informed him of what would be of his affair until his death. This is the firmest evidence against the people who deny Allah's preordained decree." Concerning Allah's statement,

وَبَرّاً بِوَالِدَتِى

(And to be dutiful to my mother.) This means, "He (Allah) has commanded me to treat my mother well." He mentioned this after mentioning obedience to his Lord, Allah. This is because Allah often combines the command to worship Him with obedience to the parents. This is similar to Allah's statement,

وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ إِلاَّ إِيَّـهُ وَبِالْوَلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَـناً

(And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him and that you be dutiful to your parents.) 17:23 And He, the Exalted, said,

أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِى وَلِوَلِدَيْكَ إِلَىَّ الْمَصِيرُ

(Give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination.) 31:14 Concerning his statement,

وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْنِى جَبَّاراً شَقِيّاً

(and He made me not arrogant, unblessed.) This means, "He (Allah) has not made me too proud or arrogant to worship Him, obey Him and be dutiful to my mother, and thus be unblessed." Concerning Allah's statement,

وَالسَّلَـمُ عَلَىَّ يَوْمَ وُلِدْتُّ وَيَوْمَ أَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ أُبْعَثُ حَيّاً

(And Salam (peace) be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive!) This is his affirmation that `he is a worshipper of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, and that he is a creature created by Allah. He (`Isa) will live, die and be resurrected, just like the other creatures that Allah has created. However, he will have peace in these situations, which are the most difficult situations for Allah's creatures.' May Allah's peace and blessings be upon him.

Maryam with Al-Masih before the People, Their Rejection of Her and His Reply to Them

Allah, the Exalted, informs of Maryam's situation when she was commanded to fast that day and not to speak to any human being. For verily, her affair would be taken care of and her proof would be established. Thus, she accepted the command of Allah and she readily received His decree. She took her child and brought him to her people, carrying him. When they saw her like this they made a big deal about her situation and they sternly protested against of it, and

قَالُواْ يمَرْيَمُ لَقَدْ جِئْتِ شَيْئاً فَرِيّاً

(They said: "O Mary! Indeed you have brought a thing Fariy.") Fariy means a mighty thing. This was said by Mujahid, Qatadah, As-Suddi and others. Ibn Abi Hatim reported from Nawf Al-Bikali that he said, "Her people went out searching for her, she was from a family that was blessed with prophethood and nobility. However, they could not find any trace of her. They came across a cow herder and they asked him, `Have you seen a girl whose description is such and such' He replied, `No, but tonight I saw my cows doing something that I've never seen them do before.' They asked, `What did you see' He said, `Tonight I saw them prostrating in the direction of that valley."' `Abdullah bin Ziyad said (adding to the narration), "I memorized from Sayyar that he (the cattle herder) said, `I saw a radiant light.' " So they went towards the direction that he told him, and Maryam was coming towards them from that direction. When she saw them she sat down and she was holding her child in her lap. They came towards her until they were standing over her.

قَالُواْ يمَرْيَمُ لَقَدْ جِئْتِ شَيْئاً فَرِيّاً

(They said: "O Mary! Indeed you have brought a mighty thing (Fariy).") This means it was a mighty thing that she had brought.

يأُخْتَ هَـرُونَ

(O sister of Harun!) This means, "O one resembling Harun (Aaron) in worship."

مَا كَانَ أَبُوكِ امْرَأَ سَوْءٍ وَمَا كَانَتْ أُمُّكِ بَغِيّاً

(Your father was not a man who used to commit adultery, nor your mother was an unchaste woman.) They meant, "You are from a good, pure family, well-known for its righteousness, worship and abstinence from worldy indulgence. How could you do such a thing" `Ali bin Abi Talhah and As-Suddi both said, "It was said to her,

يأُخْتَ هَـرُونَ

(O sister of Harun!) referring to the brother of Musa, because she was of his descendants. This is similar to the saying, `O brother of Tamim,' to one who is from the Tamimi tribe, and `O brother of Mudar,' to one who is from the Mudari tribe. It has also been said that she was related to a righteous man among them whose name was Harun and she was comparable to him in her abstinence and worship. Concerning Allah's statement,

فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ قَالُواْ كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِى الْمَهْدِ صَبِيّاً

(Then she pointed to him. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle") This is what took place while they were in doubt about her situation, condeming her circumstances, saying what they wanted to say. At that time they were slandering her and falsely accusing her of a horrendous act. On that day she was fasting and keeping silent. Therefore, she referred all speech to him (the child) and she directed them to his address and speech to them. They scoffed at her because they thought that she was mocking at them and playing with them. They said,

كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِى الْمَهْدِ صَبِيّاً

(How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle) Maymun bin Mahran said,

فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ

(Then she pointed to him.) "She indicated, `Speak to him.' They then said, `After she has come to us with this calamity, she now commands us to speak to one who is a child in the cradle!"' As-Suddi said, "When she pointed to him they became angry and said, `Her mocking us, to the extent of commanding us to speak to this child, is worse to us than her fornication.' "

قَالُواْ كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِى الْمَهْدِ صَبِيّاً

(They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle") This means, "How can someone speak who is in his cradle, in the state of infancy and a child" `Isa said,

إِنِّى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ

(Verily, I am a servant of Allah,) The first thing that he said was a declaration of the lofty honor of his Lord and His being free of having a child. Also, he affirmed that he himself was a worshipper of his Lord. Allah said,

ءَاتَانِىَ الْكِتَـبَ وَجَعَلَنِى نَبِيّاً

(He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet.) This was a declaration of innocence for his mother from the immorality that was attributed to her. Nawf Al-Bikali said, "When they said what they said to his mother, he (`Isa) was nursing from her breast. At their statement he released the breast from his mouth and reclined on his left saying,

إِنِّى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ ءَاتَانِىَ الْكِتَـبَ وَجَعَلَنِى نَبِيّاً

(Verily, I am a servant of Allah, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet.) And he continued speaking until he said,

مَا دُمْتُ حَيّاً

(as long as I live.)" Concerning his statement,

وَجَعَلَنِى مُبَارَكاً أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُ

(And He has made me blessed wherever I be,) Mujahid, `Amr bin Qays and Ath-Thawri all said that this means, "And He made me a teacher of goodness." In another narration from Mujahid, he said, "A person of great benefit." Ibn Jarir reported from Wuhayb bin Al-Ward, a freed slave of the Bani Makhzum tribe, that he said, "A scholar met another scholar who had more knowledge than himself. So he said to him, `May Allah have mercy upon you, what acts of mine should I perform openly' The other replied, `Commanding good and forbidding evil, for verily, it is the religion of Allah, which He sent His Prophets with to His servants.' The scholars have indeed agreed upon the statement of Allah,

وَجَعَلَنِى مُبَارَكاً أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُ

(And He has made me blessed wherever I be,) Then it was said, `What was his blessing' He (Wuhayb) replied, `Commanding good and forbidding evil wherever he was.' " His saying,

وَأَوْصَانِى بِالصَّلَوةِ وَالزَّكَوةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيّاً

(and He has enjoined on me Awsani Salah and Zakah, as long as I live.) This is similar to the statement of Allah to Muhammad ﷺ,

وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ

(And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty (i.e. death).) 15:99 `Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Qasim reported from Malik bin Anas that he commented on Allah's statement,

وَأَوْصَانِى بِالصَّلَوةِ وَالزَّكَوةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيّاً

(and He has enjoined on me Awsani Salah and Zakah, as long as I live.) He said, "Allah informed him of what would be of his affair until his death. This is the firmest evidence against the people who deny Allah's preordained decree." Concerning Allah's statement,

وَبَرّاً بِوَالِدَتِى

(And to be dutiful to my mother.) This means, "He (Allah) has commanded me to treat my mother well." He mentioned this after mentioning obedience to his Lord, Allah. This is because Allah often combines the command to worship Him with obedience to the parents. This is similar to Allah's statement,

وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ إِلاَّ إِيَّـهُ وَبِالْوَلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَـناً

(And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him and that you be dutiful to your parents.) 17:23 And He, the Exalted, said,

أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِى وَلِوَلِدَيْكَ إِلَىَّ الْمَصِيرُ

(Give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination.) 31:14 Concerning his statement,

وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْنِى جَبَّاراً شَقِيّاً

(and He made me not arrogant, unblessed.) This means, "He (Allah) has not made me too proud or arrogant to worship Him, obey Him and be dutiful to my mother, and thus be unblessed." Concerning Allah's statement,

وَالسَّلَـمُ عَلَىَّ يَوْمَ وُلِدْتُّ وَيَوْمَ أَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ أُبْعَثُ حَيّاً

(And Salam (peace) be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive!) This is his affirmation that `he is a worshipper of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, and that he is a creature created by Allah. He (`Isa) will live, die and be resurrected, just like the other creatures that Allah has created. However, he will have peace in these situations, which are the most difficult situations for Allah's creatures.' May Allah's peace and blessings be upon him.

Maryam with Al-Masih before the People, Their Rejection of Her and His Reply to Them

Allah, the Exalted, informs of Maryam's situation when she was commanded to fast that day and not to speak to any human being. For verily, her affair would be taken care of and her proof would be established. Thus, she accepted the command of Allah and she readily received His decree. She took her child and brought him to her people, carrying him. When they saw her like this they made a big deal about her situation and they sternly protested against of it, and

قَالُواْ يمَرْيَمُ لَقَدْ جِئْتِ شَيْئاً فَرِيّاً

(They said: "O Mary! Indeed you have brought a thing Fariy.") Fariy means a mighty thing. This was said by Mujahid, Qatadah, As-Suddi and others. Ibn Abi Hatim reported from Nawf Al-Bikali that he said, "Her people went out searching for her, she was from a family that was blessed with prophethood and nobility. However, they could not find any trace of her. They came across a cow herder and they asked him, `Have you seen a girl whose description is such and such' He replied, `No, but tonight I saw my cows doing something that I've never seen them do before.' They asked, `What did you see' He said, `Tonight I saw them prostrating in the direction of that valley."' `Abdullah bin Ziyad said (adding to the narration), "I memorized from Sayyar that he (the cattle herder) said, `I saw a radiant light.' " So they went towards the direction that he told him, and Maryam was coming towards them from that direction. When she saw them she sat down and she was holding her child in her lap. They came towards her until they were standing over her.

قَالُواْ يمَرْيَمُ لَقَدْ جِئْتِ شَيْئاً فَرِيّاً

(They said: "O Mary! Indeed you have brought a mighty thing (Fariy).") This means it was a mighty thing that she had brought.

يأُخْتَ هَـرُونَ

(O sister of Harun!) This means, "O one resembling Harun (Aaron) in worship."

مَا كَانَ أَبُوكِ امْرَأَ سَوْءٍ وَمَا كَانَتْ أُمُّكِ بَغِيّاً

(Your father was not a man who used to commit adultery, nor your mother was an unchaste woman.) They meant, "You are from a good, pure family, well-known for its righteousness, worship and abstinence from worldy indulgence. How could you do such a thing" `Ali bin Abi Talhah and As-Suddi both said, "It was said to her,

يأُخْتَ هَـرُونَ

(O sister of Harun!) referring to the brother of Musa, because she was of his descendants. This is similar to the saying, `O brother of Tamim,' to one who is from the Tamimi tribe, and `O brother of Mudar,' to one who is from the Mudari tribe. It has also been said that she was related to a righteous man among them whose name was Harun and she was comparable to him in her abstinence and worship. Concerning Allah's statement,

فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ قَالُواْ كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِى الْمَهْدِ صَبِيّاً

(Then she pointed to him. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle") This is what took place while they were in doubt about her situation, condeming her circumstances, saying what they wanted to say. At that time they were slandering her and falsely accusing her of a horrendous act. On that day she was fasting and keeping silent. Therefore, she referred all speech to him (the child) and she directed them to his address and speech to them. They scoffed at her because they thought that she was mocking at them and playing with them. They said,

كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِى الْمَهْدِ صَبِيّاً

(How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle) Maymun bin Mahran said,

فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ

(Then she pointed to him.) "She indicated, `Speak to him.' They then said, `After she has come to us with this calamity, she now commands us to speak to one who is a child in the cradle!"' As-Suddi said, "When she pointed to him they became angry and said, `Her mocking us, to the extent of commanding us to speak to this child, is worse to us than her fornication.' "

قَالُواْ كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِى الْمَهْدِ صَبِيّاً

(They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle") This means, "How can someone speak who is in his cradle, in the state of infancy and a child" `Isa said,

إِنِّى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ

(Verily, I am a servant of Allah,) The first thing that he said was a declaration of the lofty honor of his Lord and His being free of having a child. Also, he affirmed that he himself was a worshipper of his Lord. Allah said,

ءَاتَانِىَ الْكِتَـبَ وَجَعَلَنِى نَبِيّاً

(He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet.) This was a declaration of innocence for his mother from the immorality that was attributed to her. Nawf Al-Bikali said, "When they said what they said to his mother, he (`Isa) was nursing from her breast. At their statement he released the breast from his mouth and reclined on his left saying,

إِنِّى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ ءَاتَانِىَ الْكِتَـبَ وَجَعَلَنِى نَبِيّاً

(Verily, I am a servant of Allah, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet.) And he continued speaking until he said,

مَا دُمْتُ حَيّاً

(as long as I live.)" Concerning his statement,

وَجَعَلَنِى مُبَارَكاً أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُ

(And He has made me blessed wherever I be,) Mujahid, `Amr bin Qays and Ath-Thawri all said that this means, "And He made me a teacher of goodness." In another narration from Mujahid, he said, "A person of great benefit." Ibn Jarir reported from Wuhayb bin Al-Ward, a freed slave of the Bani Makhzum tribe, that he said, "A scholar met another scholar who had more knowledge than himself. So he said to him, `May Allah have mercy upon you, what acts of mine should I perform openly' The other replied, `Commanding good and forbidding evil, for verily, it is the religion of Allah, which He sent His Prophets with to His servants.' The scholars have indeed agreed upon the statement of Allah,

وَجَعَلَنِى مُبَارَكاً أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُ

(And He has made me blessed wherever I be,) Then it was said, `What was his blessing' He (Wuhayb) replied, `Commanding good and forbidding evil wherever he was.' " His saying,

وَأَوْصَانِى بِالصَّلَوةِ وَالزَّكَوةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيّاً

(and He has enjoined on me Awsani Salah and Zakah, as long as I live.) This is similar to the statement of Allah to Muhammad ﷺ,

وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ

(And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty (i.e. death).) 15:99 `Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Qasim reported from Malik bin Anas that he commented on Allah's statement,

وَأَوْصَانِى بِالصَّلَوةِ وَالزَّكَوةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيّاً

(and He has enjoined on me Awsani Salah and Zakah, as long as I live.) He said, "Allah informed him of what would be of his affair until his death. This is the firmest evidence against the people who deny Allah's preordained decree." Concerning Allah's statement,

وَبَرّاً بِوَالِدَتِى

(And to be dutiful to my mother.) This means, "He (Allah) has commanded me to treat my mother well." He mentioned this after mentioning obedience to his Lord, Allah. This is because Allah often combines the command to worship Him with obedience to the parents. This is similar to Allah's statement,

وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ إِلاَّ إِيَّـهُ وَبِالْوَلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَـناً

(And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him and that you be dutiful to your parents.) 17:23 And He, the Exalted, said,

أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِى وَلِوَلِدَيْكَ إِلَىَّ الْمَصِيرُ

(Give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination.) 31:14 Concerning his statement,

وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْنِى جَبَّاراً شَقِيّاً

(and He made me not arrogant, unblessed.) This means, "He (Allah) has not made me too proud or arrogant to worship Him, obey Him and be dutiful to my mother, and thus be unblessed." Concerning Allah's statement,

وَالسَّلَـمُ عَلَىَّ يَوْمَ وُلِدْتُّ وَيَوْمَ أَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ أُبْعَثُ حَيّاً

(And Salam (peace) be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive!) This is his affirmation that `he is a worshipper of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, and that he is a creature created by Allah. He (`Isa) will live, die and be resurrected, just like the other creatures that Allah has created. However, he will have peace in these situations, which are the most difficult situations for Allah's creatures.' May Allah's peace and blessings be upon him.

Maryam with Al-Masih before the People, Their Rejection of Her and His Reply to Them

Allah, the Exalted, informs of Maryam's situation when she was commanded to fast that day and not to speak to any human being. For verily, her affair would be taken care of and her proof would be established. Thus, she accepted the command of Allah and she readily received His decree. She took her child and brought him to her people, carrying him. When they saw her like this they made a big deal about her situation and they sternly protested against of it, and

قَالُواْ يمَرْيَمُ لَقَدْ جِئْتِ شَيْئاً فَرِيّاً

(They said: "O Mary! Indeed you have brought a thing Fariy.") Fariy means a mighty thing. This was said by Mujahid, Qatadah, As-Suddi and others. Ibn Abi Hatim reported from Nawf Al-Bikali that he said, "Her people went out searching for her, she was from a family that was blessed with prophethood and nobility. However, they could not find any trace of her. They came across a cow herder and they asked him, `Have you seen a girl whose description is such and such' He replied, `No, but tonight I saw my cows doing something that I've never seen them do before.' They asked, `What did you see' He said, `Tonight I saw them prostrating in the direction of that valley."' `Abdullah bin Ziyad said (adding to the narration), "I memorized from Sayyar that he (the cattle herder) said, `I saw a radiant light.' " So they went towards the direction that he told him, and Maryam was coming towards them from that direction. When she saw them she sat down and she was holding her child in her lap. They came towards her until they were standing over her.

قَالُواْ يمَرْيَمُ لَقَدْ جِئْتِ شَيْئاً فَرِيّاً

(They said: "O Mary! Indeed you have brought a mighty thing (Fariy).") This means it was a mighty thing that she had brought.

يأُخْتَ هَـرُونَ

(O sister of Harun!) This means, "O one resembling Harun (Aaron) in worship."

مَا كَانَ أَبُوكِ امْرَأَ سَوْءٍ وَمَا كَانَتْ أُمُّكِ بَغِيّاً

(Your father was not a man who used to commit adultery, nor your mother was an unchaste woman.) They meant, "You are from a good, pure family, well-known for its righteousness, worship and abstinence from worldy indulgence. How could you do such a thing" `Ali bin Abi Talhah and As-Suddi both said, "It was said to her,

يأُخْتَ هَـرُونَ

(O sister of Harun!) referring to the brother of Musa, because she was of his descendants. This is similar to the saying, `O brother of Tamim,' to one who is from the Tamimi tribe, and `O brother of Mudar,' to one who is from the Mudari tribe. It has also been said that she was related to a righteous man among them whose name was Harun and she was comparable to him in her abstinence and worship. Concerning Allah's statement,

فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ قَالُواْ كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِى الْمَهْدِ صَبِيّاً

(Then she pointed to him. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle") This is what took place while they were in doubt about her situation, condeming her circumstances, saying what they wanted to say. At that time they were slandering her and falsely accusing her of a horrendous act. On that day she was fasting and keeping silent. Therefore, she referred all speech to him (the child) and she directed them to his address and speech to them. They scoffed at her because they thought that she was mocking at them and playing with them. They said,

كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِى الْمَهْدِ صَبِيّاً

(How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle) Maymun bin Mahran said,

فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ

(Then she pointed to him.) "She indicated, `Speak to him.' They then said, `After she has come to us with this calamity, she now commands us to speak to one who is a child in the cradle!"' As-Suddi said, "When she pointed to him they became angry and said, `Her mocking us, to the extent of commanding us to speak to this child, is worse to us than her fornication.' "

قَالُواْ كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِى الْمَهْدِ صَبِيّاً

(They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle") This means, "How can someone speak who is in his cradle, in the state of infancy and a child" `Isa said,

إِنِّى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ

(Verily, I am a servant of Allah,) The first thing that he said was a declaration of the lofty honor of his Lord and His being free of having a child. Also, he affirmed that he himself was a worshipper of his Lord. Allah said,

ءَاتَانِىَ الْكِتَـبَ وَجَعَلَنِى نَبِيّاً

(He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet.) This was a declaration of innocence for his mother from the immorality that was attributed to her. Nawf Al-Bikali said, "When they said what they said to his mother, he (`Isa) was nursing from her breast. At their statement he released the breast from his mouth and reclined on his left saying,

إِنِّى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ ءَاتَانِىَ الْكِتَـبَ وَجَعَلَنِى نَبِيّاً

(Verily, I am a servant of Allah, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet.) And he continued speaking until he said,

مَا دُمْتُ حَيّاً

(as long as I live.)" Concerning his statement,

وَجَعَلَنِى مُبَارَكاً أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُ

(And He has made me blessed wherever I be,) Mujahid, `Amr bin Qays and Ath-Thawri all said that this means, "And He made me a teacher of goodness." In another narration from Mujahid, he said, "A person of great benefit." Ibn Jarir reported from Wuhayb bin Al-Ward, a freed slave of the Bani Makhzum tribe, that he said, "A scholar met another scholar who had more knowledge than himself. So he said to him, `May Allah have mercy upon you, what acts of mine should I perform openly' The other replied, `Commanding good and forbidding evil, for verily, it is the religion of Allah, which He sent His Prophets with to His servants.' The scholars have indeed agreed upon the statement of Allah,

وَجَعَلَنِى مُبَارَكاً أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُ

(And He has made me blessed wherever I be,) Then it was said, `What was his blessing' He (Wuhayb) replied, `Commanding good and forbidding evil wherever he was.' " His saying,

وَأَوْصَانِى بِالصَّلَوةِ وَالزَّكَوةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيّاً

(and He has enjoined on me Awsani Salah and Zakah, as long as I live.) This is similar to the statement of Allah to Muhammad ﷺ,

وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ

(And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty (i.e. death).) 15:99 `Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Qasim reported from Malik bin Anas that he commented on Allah's statement,

وَأَوْصَانِى بِالصَّلَوةِ وَالزَّكَوةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيّاً

(and He has enjoined on me Awsani Salah and Zakah, as long as I live.) He said, "Allah informed him of what would be of his affair until his death. This is the firmest evidence against the people who deny Allah's preordained decree." Concerning Allah's statement,

وَبَرّاً بِوَالِدَتِى

(And to be dutiful to my mother.) This means, "He (Allah) has commanded me to treat my mother well." He mentioned this after mentioning obedience to his Lord, Allah. This is because Allah often combines the command to worship Him with obedience to the parents. This is similar to Allah's statement,

وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ إِلاَّ إِيَّـهُ وَبِالْوَلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَـناً

(And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him and that you be dutiful to your parents.) 17:23 And He, the Exalted, said,

أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِى وَلِوَلِدَيْكَ إِلَىَّ الْمَصِيرُ

(Give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination.) 31:14 Concerning his statement,

وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْنِى جَبَّاراً شَقِيّاً

(and He made me not arrogant, unblessed.) This means, "He (Allah) has not made me too proud or arrogant to worship Him, obey Him and be dutiful to my mother, and thus be unblessed." Concerning Allah's statement,

وَالسَّلَـمُ عَلَىَّ يَوْمَ وُلِدْتُّ وَيَوْمَ أَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ أُبْعَثُ حَيّاً

(And Salam (peace) be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive!) This is his affirmation that `he is a worshipper of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, and that he is a creature created by Allah. He (`Isa) will live, die and be resurrected, just like the other creatures that Allah has created. However, he will have peace in these situations, which are the most difficult situations for Allah's creatures.' May Allah's peace and blessings be upon him.

`Isa is the Servant of Allah and not His Son

Allah, the Exalted, says to His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, `This is the story which We have related to you about `Isa,' upon him be peace.

قَوْلَ الْحَقِّ الَّذِى فِيهِ يَمْتُرُونَ

((It is) a statement of truth about which they doubt.) lThis means that the people of falsehood and the people of truth are in disagreement, of those who believe in him and those who disbelieve believe in him. For this reason most of the reciters recited this Ayah with Qawlul-Haqq (statement of truth) as the subject, referring to `Isa himself. `Asim and `Abdullah bin `Amir both recited it Qawlal-Haqq (statement of truth) referring to the story in its entirety that the people differed about. It is reported from Ibn Mas`ud that he recited it as Qalal-Haqqa, which means that he (`Isa) said the truth. The recitation of the Ayah with the Qawlul-Haqq being the subject referring to `Isa, is the most apparent meaning grammatically. It has support for it in the statement of Allah after the story of `Isa,

الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلاَ تَكُنْ مِّن الْمُمْتَرِينَ

((This is) the truth from your Lord, so be not of those who doubt.) 3:60 When Allah mentioned that He created him as a servant and a Prophet, He extolled Himself, the Most Holy, by saying,

مَا كَانَ للَّهِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ مِن وَلَدٍ سُبْحَـنَهُ

(It befits not (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son. Glorified be He.) Means glory be unto Him, He is far exalted above that which these ignorant, wrongdoing, transgressing people say about Him.

إِذَا قَضَى أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ

(When He decrees a thing, He only says to it: "Be!" -- and it is.) Whenever He wants something, He merely commands it and it happens as He wills. This is as Allah says,

إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَى عِندَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ ءَادَمَ خَلَقَهُ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ - الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلاَ تَكُنْ مِّن الْمُمْتَرِينَ

(Verily, the likeness of `Isa before Allah is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then said to him: "Be" -- and he was. (This is) the truth from your Lord, so be not of those who doubt.) 3:59-60

`Isa commanded the Worship of Allah Alone, then the People differed after Him

Allah said;

وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَـذَا صِرَطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ

(And verily, Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him. That is the straight path.) Among those things which `Isa said to his people while he was in his cradle is that Allah was his Lord and their Lord, and he commanded them to worship Him alone. He said,

فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَـذَا صِرَطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ

(So worship Him. That is the straight path.) Meaning, "That which I have come to you with from Allah is the straight path." This means that the path is correct; whoever follows it will be rightly guided and whoever opposes it will deviate and go astray. Allah's statement,

فَاخْتَلَفَ الاٌّحْزَابُ مِن بَيْنِهِمْ

(Then the sects differed,) means that the opinions of the People of the Book differed concerning `Isa even after the explanation of his affair and the clarification of his situation. They disagreed about his being the servant of Allah, His Messenger, and His Word that He cast upon Maryam and a spirit from Himself. So a group of them -- who were the majority of the Jews (may Allah's curses be upon them) -- determined that he was a child of fornication and that his speaking in his cradle was merely sorcery. Another group said that it was Allah Who was speaking (not `Isa). Others said that he (`Isa) was the son of Allah. Some said that he was the third part of a divine trinity with Allah. Yet, others said that he was the servant of Allah and His Messenger. This latter view is the statement of truth, which Allah guided the believers to. A report similar with this meaning has been reported from `Amr bin Maymun, Ibn Jurayj, Qatadah and others from the Salaf (predecessors) and the Khalaf (later generations). Allah said,

فَوْيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن مَّشْهِدِ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ

(so woe unto the disbelievers from the meeting of a great Day.) This is a threat and severe warning for those who lie about Allah, invent falsehood and claim that He (Allah) has a son. However, Allah has given them respite until the Day of Resurrection, and He has delayed their term out of gentleness and confident reliance upon His divine decree overcoming them. Verily, Allah does not hasten the affair of those who disobey Him. This has been related in a Hadith collected in the Two Sahihs,

«إِنَّ اللهَ لَيُمْلِي لِلظَّالِمِ حَتَّى إِذَا أَخَذَهُ لَمْ يُفْلِتْه»

(Verily, Allah gives respite to the wrongdoer until He seizes him and he will not be able to escape Him.) Then, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited the Ayah,

وَكَذلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَا أَخَذَ الْقُرَى وَهِىَ ظَـلِمَةٌ إِنَّ أَخْذَهُ أَلِيمٌ شَدِيدٌ

(Such is the punishment of your Lord when He punishes the towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His punishment is painful, (and) severe.) 11:102 In the Two Sahihs it is also reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«لَا أَحَدَ أَصْبَرُ عَلَى أَذىً سَمِعَهُ مِنَ اللهِ، إِنَّهُمْ يَجْعَلُونَ لَهُ وَلَدًا وَهُوَ يَرْزُقُهُمْ وَيُعَافِيهِم»

(No one is more patient with something harmful that he hears than Allah. Verily, they attribute to Him a son, while He is the One Who provides them sustenance and good health.) Allah says,

وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَمْلَيْتُ لَهَا وَهِىَ ظَـلِمَةٌ ثُمَّ أَخَذْتُهَا وَإِلَىَّ الْمَصِيرُ

(And many a township did I give respite while it was given to wrongdoing. Then I punished it. And to me is the (final) return (of all).) 22:48 Allah, the Exalted, also says,

وَلاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ اللَّهَ غَـفِلاً عَمَّا يَعْمَلُ الظَّـلِمُونَ إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيهِ الأَبْصَـرُ

(Consider not that Allah is unaware of that which the wrongdoers do, but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror.)14:42 This is the reason that Allah says here,

فَوْيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن مَّشْهِدِ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ

(So woe unto the disbelievers from the meeting of a great Day.) referring to the Day of Resurrection. It has been related in an authentic Hadith that is agreed upon (in Al-Bukhari and Muslim), on the authority of `Ubadah bin As-Samit who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«مَنْ شَهِدَ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، وَأَنَّ عِيسَى عَبْدُاللهِ وَرَسُولُهُ وَكَلِمَتُهُ أَلْقَاهَا إِلَى مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِنْهُ، وَأَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ حَقٌّ وَالنَّارَ حَقٌّ، أَدْخَلَهُ اللهُ الْجَنَّةَ عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنَ الْعَمَل»

(Whoever testifies that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, Who has no partners, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, and that `Isa was Allah's servant and Messenger, and His Word that He cast upon Maryam, and a spirit from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are both real, then Allah will admit him into Paradise regardless of whatever he did.)

أَسْمِعْ بِهِمْ وَأَبْصِرْ يَوْمَ يَأْتُونَنَا لَـكِنِ الظَّـلِمُونَ الْيَوْمَ فِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ

`Isa is the Servant of Allah and not His Son

Allah, the Exalted, says to His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, `This is the story which We have related to you about `Isa,' upon him be peace.

قَوْلَ الْحَقِّ الَّذِى فِيهِ يَمْتُرُونَ

((It is) a statement of truth about which they doubt.) lThis means that the people of falsehood and the people of truth are in disagreement, of those who believe in him and those who disbelieve believe in him. For this reason most of the reciters recited this Ayah with Qawlul-Haqq (statement of truth) as the subject, referring to `Isa himself. `Asim and `Abdullah bin `Amir both recited it Qawlal-Haqq (statement of truth) referring to the story in its entirety that the people differed about. It is reported from Ibn Mas`ud that he recited it as Qalal-Haqqa, which means that he (`Isa) said the truth. The recitation of the Ayah with the Qawlul-Haqq being the subject referring to `Isa, is the most apparent meaning grammatically. It has support for it in the statement of Allah after the story of `Isa,

الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلاَ تَكُنْ مِّن الْمُمْتَرِينَ

((This is) the truth from your Lord, so be not of those who doubt.) 3:60 When Allah mentioned that He created him as a servant and a Prophet, He extolled Himself, the Most Holy, by saying,

مَا كَانَ للَّهِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ مِن وَلَدٍ سُبْحَـنَهُ

(It befits not (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son. Glorified be He.) Means glory be unto Him, He is far exalted above that which these ignorant, wrongdoing, transgressing people say about Him.

إِذَا قَضَى أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ

(When He decrees a thing, He only says to it: "Be!" -- and it is.) Whenever He wants something, He merely commands it and it happens as He wills. This is as Allah says,

إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَى عِندَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ ءَادَمَ خَلَقَهُ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ - الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلاَ تَكُنْ مِّن الْمُمْتَرِينَ

(Verily, the likeness of `Isa before Allah is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then said to him: "Be" -- and he was. (This is) the truth from your Lord, so be not of those who doubt.) 3:59-60

`Isa commanded the Worship of Allah Alone, then the People differed after Him

Allah said;

وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَـذَا صِرَطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ

(And verily, Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him. That is the straight path.) Among those things which `Isa said to his people while he was in his cradle is that Allah was his Lord and their Lord, and he commanded them to worship Him alone. He said,

فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَـذَا صِرَطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ

(So worship Him. That is the straight path.) Meaning, "That which I have come to you with from Allah is the straight path." This means that the path is correct; whoever follows it will be rightly guided and whoever opposes it will deviate and go astray. Allah's statement,

فَاخْتَلَفَ الاٌّحْزَابُ مِن بَيْنِهِمْ

(Then the sects differed,) means that the opinions of the People of the Book differed concerning `Isa even after the explanation of his affair and the clarification of his situation. They disagreed about his being the servant of Allah, His Messenger, and His Word that He cast upon Maryam and a spirit from Himself. So a group of them -- who were the majority of the Jews (may Allah's curses be upon them) -- determined that he was a child of fornication and that his speaking in his cradle was merely sorcery. Another group said that it was Allah Who was speaking (not `Isa). Others said that he (`Isa) was the son of Allah. Some said that he was the third part of a divine trinity with Allah. Yet, others said that he was the servant of Allah and His Messenger. This latter view is the statement of truth, which Allah guided the believers to. A report similar with this meaning has been reported from `Amr bin Maymun, Ibn Jurayj, Qatadah and others from the Salaf (predecessors) and the Khalaf (later generations). Allah said,

فَوْيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن مَّشْهِدِ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ

(so woe unto the disbelievers from the meeting of a great Day.) This is a threat and severe warning for those who lie about Allah, invent falsehood and claim that He (Allah) has a son. However, Allah has given them respite until the Day of Resurrection, and He has delayed their term out of gentleness and confident reliance upon His divine decree overcoming them. Verily, Allah does not hasten the affair of those who disobey Him. This has been related in a Hadith collected in the Two Sahihs,

«إِنَّ اللهَ لَيُمْلِي لِلظَّالِمِ حَتَّى إِذَا أَخَذَهُ لَمْ يُفْلِتْه»

(Verily, Allah gives respite to the wrongdoer until He seizes him and he will not be able to escape Him.) Then, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited the Ayah,

وَكَذلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَا أَخَذَ الْقُرَى وَهِىَ ظَـلِمَةٌ إِنَّ أَخْذَهُ أَلِيمٌ شَدِيدٌ

(Such is the punishment of your Lord when He punishes the towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His punishment is painful, (and) severe.) 11:102 In the Two Sahihs it is also reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«لَا أَحَدَ أَصْبَرُ عَلَى أَذىً سَمِعَهُ مِنَ اللهِ، إِنَّهُمْ يَجْعَلُونَ لَهُ وَلَدًا وَهُوَ يَرْزُقُهُمْ وَيُعَافِيهِم»

(No one is more patient with something harmful that he hears than Allah. Verily, they attribute to Him a son, while He is the One Who provides them sustenance and good health.) Allah says,

وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَمْلَيْتُ لَهَا وَهِىَ ظَـلِمَةٌ ثُمَّ أَخَذْتُهَا وَإِلَىَّ الْمَصِيرُ

(And many a township did I give respite while it was given to wrongdoing. Then I punished it. And to me is the (final) return (of all).) 22:48 Allah, the Exalted, also says,

وَلاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ اللَّهَ غَـفِلاً عَمَّا يَعْمَلُ الظَّـلِمُونَ إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيهِ الأَبْصَـرُ

(Consider not that Allah is unaware of that which the wrongdoers do, but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror.)14:42 This is the reason that Allah says here,

فَوْيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن مَّشْهِدِ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ

(So woe unto the disbelievers from the meeting of a great Day.) referring to the Day of Resurrection. It has been related in an authentic Hadith that is agreed upon (in Al-Bukhari and Muslim), on the authority of `Ubadah bin As-Samit who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«مَنْ شَهِدَ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، وَأَنَّ عِيسَى عَبْدُاللهِ وَرَسُولُهُ وَكَلِمَتُهُ أَلْقَاهَا إِلَى مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِنْهُ، وَأَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ حَقٌّ وَالنَّارَ حَقٌّ، أَدْخَلَهُ اللهُ الْجَنَّةَ عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنَ الْعَمَل»

(Whoever testifies that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, Who has no partners, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, and that `Isa was Allah's servant and Messenger, and His Word that He cast upon Maryam, and a spirit from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are both real, then Allah will admit him into Paradise regardless of whatever he did.)

أَسْمِعْ بِهِمْ وَأَبْصِرْ يَوْمَ يَأْتُونَنَا لَـكِنِ الظَّـلِمُونَ الْيَوْمَ فِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ

`Isa is the Servant of Allah and not His Son

Allah, the Exalted, says to His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, `This is the story which We have related to you about `Isa,' upon him be peace.

قَوْلَ الْحَقِّ الَّذِى فِيهِ يَمْتُرُونَ

((It is) a statement of truth about which they doubt.) lThis means that the people of falsehood and the people of truth are in disagreement, of those who believe in him and those who disbelieve believe in him. For this reason most of the reciters recited this Ayah with Qawlul-Haqq (statement of truth) as the subject, referring to `Isa himself. `Asim and `Abdullah bin `Amir both recited it Qawlal-Haqq (statement of truth) referring to the story in its entirety that the people differed about. It is reported from Ibn Mas`ud that he recited it as Qalal-Haqqa, which means that he (`Isa) said the truth. The recitation of the Ayah with the Qawlul-Haqq being the subject referring to `Isa, is the most apparent meaning grammatically. It has support for it in the statement of Allah after the story of `Isa,

الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلاَ تَكُنْ مِّن الْمُمْتَرِينَ

((This is) the truth from your Lord, so be not of those who doubt.) 3:60 When Allah mentioned that He created him as a servant and a Prophet, He extolled Himself, the Most Holy, by saying,

مَا كَانَ للَّهِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ مِن وَلَدٍ سُبْحَـنَهُ

(It befits not (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son. Glorified be He.) Means glory be unto Him, He is far exalted above that which these ignorant, wrongdoing, transgressing people say about Him.

إِذَا قَضَى أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ

(When He decrees a thing, He only says to it: "Be!" -- and it is.) Whenever He wants something, He merely commands it and it happens as He wills. This is as Allah says,

إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَى عِندَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ ءَادَمَ خَلَقَهُ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ - الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلاَ تَكُنْ مِّن الْمُمْتَرِينَ

(Verily, the likeness of `Isa before Allah is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then said to him: "Be" -- and he was. (This is) the truth from your Lord, so be not of those who doubt.) 3:59-60

`Isa commanded the Worship of Allah Alone, then the People differed after Him

Allah said;

وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَـذَا صِرَطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ

(And verily, Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him. That is the straight path.) Among those things which `Isa said to his people while he was in his cradle is that Allah was his Lord and their Lord, and he commanded them to worship Him alone. He said,

فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَـذَا صِرَطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ

(So worship Him. That is the straight path.) Meaning, "That which I have come to you with from Allah is the straight path." This means that the path is correct; whoever follows it will be rightly guided and whoever opposes it will deviate and go astray. Allah's statement,

فَاخْتَلَفَ الاٌّحْزَابُ مِن بَيْنِهِمْ

(Then the sects differed,) means that the opinions of the People of the Book differed concerning `Isa even after the explanation of his affair and the clarification of his situation. They disagreed about his being the servant of Allah, His Messenger, and His Word that He cast upon Maryam and a spirit from Himself. So a group of them -- who were the majority of the Jews (may Allah's curses be upon them) -- determined that he was a child of fornication and that his speaking in his cradle was merely sorcery. Another group said that it was Allah Who was speaking (not `Isa). Others said that he (`Isa) was the son of Allah. Some said that he was the third part of a divine trinity with Allah. Yet, others said that he was the servant of Allah and His Messenger. This latter view is the statement of truth, which Allah guided the believers to. A report similar with this meaning has been reported from `Amr bin Maymun, Ibn Jurayj, Qatadah and others from the Salaf (predecessors) and the Khalaf (later generations). Allah said,

فَوْيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن مَّشْهِدِ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ

(so woe unto the disbelievers from the meeting of a great Day.) This is a threat and severe warning for those who lie about Allah, invent falsehood and claim that He (Allah) has a son. However, Allah has given them respite until the Day of Resurrection, and He has delayed their term out of gentleness and confident reliance upon His divine decree overcoming them. Verily, Allah does not hasten the affair of those who disobey Him. This has been related in a Hadith collected in the Two Sahihs,

«إِنَّ اللهَ لَيُمْلِي لِلظَّالِمِ حَتَّى إِذَا أَخَذَهُ لَمْ يُفْلِتْه»

(Verily, Allah gives respite to the wrongdoer until He seizes him and he will not be able to escape Him.) Then, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited the Ayah,

وَكَذلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَا أَخَذَ الْقُرَى وَهِىَ ظَـلِمَةٌ إِنَّ أَخْذَهُ أَلِيمٌ شَدِيدٌ

(Such is the punishment of your Lord when He punishes the towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His punishment is painful, (and) severe.) 11:102 In the Two Sahihs it is also reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«لَا أَحَدَ أَصْبَرُ عَلَى أَذىً سَمِعَهُ مِنَ اللهِ، إِنَّهُمْ يَجْعَلُونَ لَهُ وَلَدًا وَهُوَ يَرْزُقُهُمْ وَيُعَافِيهِم»

(No one is more patient with something harmful that he hears than Allah. Verily, they attribute to Him a son, while He is the One Who provides them sustenance and good health.) Allah says,

وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَمْلَيْتُ لَهَا وَهِىَ ظَـلِمَةٌ ثُمَّ أَخَذْتُهَا وَإِلَىَّ الْمَصِيرُ

(And many a township did I give respite while it was given to wrongdoing. Then I punished it. And to me is the (final) return (of all).) 22:48 Allah, the Exalted, also says,

وَلاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ اللَّهَ غَـفِلاً عَمَّا يَعْمَلُ الظَّـلِمُونَ إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيهِ الأَبْصَـرُ

(Consider not that Allah is unaware of that which the wrongdoers do, but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror.)14:42 This is the reason that Allah says here,

فَوْيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن مَّشْهِدِ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ

(So woe unto the disbelievers from the meeting of a great Day.) referring to the Day of Resurrection. It has been related in an authentic Hadith that is agreed upon (in Al-Bukhari and Muslim), on the authority of `Ubadah bin As-Samit who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«مَنْ شَهِدَ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، وَأَنَّ عِيسَى عَبْدُاللهِ وَرَسُولُهُ وَكَلِمَتُهُ أَلْقَاهَا إِلَى مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِنْهُ، وَأَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ حَقٌّ وَالنَّارَ حَقٌّ، أَدْخَلَهُ اللهُ الْجَنَّةَ عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنَ الْعَمَل»

(Whoever testifies that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, Who has no partners, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, and that `Isa was Allah's servant and Messenger, and His Word that He cast upon Maryam, and a spirit from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are both real, then Allah will admit him into Paradise regardless of whatever he did.)

أَسْمِعْ بِهِمْ وَأَبْصِرْ يَوْمَ يَأْتُونَنَا لَـكِنِ الظَّـلِمُونَ الْيَوْمَ فِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ