Tafsir of Al Imran 3:35

This is a confirmation of the choosing [of the family of ‘Imran], explaining the manner of it. The circumstantial term (idh - "when") is in the accusative case as the object of an implied verb; that is: "Mention to them the time of her saying." It is also said that it is in the accusative case due to being an adverbial to what precedes it—namely, (sami‘un ‘alim)—by way of mutual governance (tanaazu‘), or [governed by] Al-Sami‘ (The All-Hearing) specifically. The separation between them by an extraneous element causes no harm, due to the breadth of usage regarding adverbials. It is also said that it is an adverbial to the meaning of "choosing" indicated by the aforementioned istafa (He chose), as if it were said: "And He chose the family of ‘Imran when the wife of ‘Imran said..." This would make it a conjunction of sentences to sentences, rather than nouns to nouns, which requires that the choosing of the entire family occurred at that specific time.

The "wife of ‘Imran" is Hannah, daughter of Faqudha, as narrated by Ishaq ibn Bishr from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both), and by Al-Hakim from Abu Hurayrah. She is the grandmother of ‘Isa (peace be upon him). She had a sister named Ishya’, who was married to Zakariyya (peace be upon him) and was the mother of Yahya (John). Thus, ‘Isa is the son of the daughter of Yahya’s maternal aunt, as mentioned by more than one historian. This is complicated by what the two Shaykhs (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) recorded in the Hadith of the Mi‘raj: "Then I found the two maternal cousins, ‘Isa ibn Maryam and Yahya ibn Zakariyya." The author of Al-Taqrib responded that the Hadith is interpreted metaphorically, as a man often uses the term "maternal cousin" for the daughter of his maternal aunt due to her honor in his sight. The objective is that between the two (peace be upon them both) exists this degree of kinship, which is the maternal side. Others say that Ishya’ was the sister of Hannah through the mother, and the sister of Maryam through the father, on the premise that ‘Imran first married the mother of Hannah, who bore him Ishya’, and then married Hannah—based on the permissibility of marrying step-daughters in their law—and she bore him Maryam. Thus, Ishya’ was the sister of Maryam through the father and her maternal aunt through the mother (as she was the sister of Hannah through the mother). However, this contradicts what Yahya al-Sunnah mentioned, that Ishya’ and Hannah were both daughters of Faqudha; furthermore, it is far-fetched due to the absence of transmission for either matter.

Ibn ‘Asakir recorded from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both) that Hannah, the wife of ‘Imran, had been barren, neither bearing children nor menstruating. One day, while in the shade of a tree, she saw a bird feeding its chick, which stirred her desire for a child. She prayed to Allah the Almighty to grant her a son, and she began to menstruate at that very moment. When she became pure, her husband approached her. Once she was certain of the pregnancy, she said: "If Allah saves me and I deliver what is in my womb, I shall dedicate him to be muharrar (freed for service)." In that era, only boys were dedicated. Her husband asked her, "Have you considered if what is in your womb is a girl? A girl is ‘awrah (vulnerable/to be kept concealed); what will you do then?" She was distressed by this, and at that moment she said: "My Lord, I have vowed to You what is in my womb as a muharrar, so accept it from me." In reality, this is a solicitation for a male child because a female would not be accepted [in that capacity]; the meaning is: "My Lord, I have vowed to You what is in my womb, so make it a male," similar to the phrase "Free your slave on my behalf." Some scholars considered this a confirmation of her vow, moving it from the form of a condition to a state of fulfillment.

The lam in (laka - "to You") is for causal purpose, the intended meaning being: "for the service of Your house." A muharrar is one who does not work for the world, does not marry, is devoted to the works of the Hereafter, worships Allah the Almighty, and is in the service of the temple. This was stated by Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both). Mujahid said: "A muharrar is a servant of the temple." In another report from him: "The pure one, in whom nothing of worldly affairs is mixed." Muhammad ibn Ja‘far ibn al-Zubayr said: "She wanted a pure one, dedicated solely to Your obedience, not to be spent on my needs." In any case, it derives from freedom (hurriya), which is of two types: that no law of captivity applies to him, and that he is not possessed by base characteristics or worldly vices.

Its accusative case as a circumstantial qualifier (hal) for (ma - "what") is governed by nadhartu (I vowed). It is also said that it is from the pronoun in the prepositional phrase (laka), in which case the governor is the implied "stability" (istaqarra). The preference for the first view is evident. The circumstantial state is either prospective or simultaneous. Abu Hayyan permitted that it be in the accusative as an infinitive (masdar)—that is, tahriran (a dedication)—because it is synonymous with a vow. The emphasis of the sentence is to signify the intensity of her desire for its content. The fronting of the prepositional phrase (laka) is for the perfection of concern regarding it. The expression of the child with ma ("what") is to shroud its status in ambiguity and set it apart from the rank of rational beings.

Taqabbal (Accept) is to take a thing in a manner of satisfaction; its origin is receiving something with a reward. Taqabbal here means "accept."

(Innaka anta al-sami‘u) (Indeed, You are the All-Hearing) of all that can be heard, so You hear my supplication. (Al-‘alim) (The All-Knowing) of what was and what will be, so You know my intention. This is a rationale for requesting acceptance, as His (Almighty) knowledge of the sincerity of her intention and her devotion requires this through grace and benevolence. The emphasis of the sentence is for the sake of the strength of her certainty in its content. The restriction of the attributes of hearing and knowing to Him (the Almighty) is for the purpose of narrowing the focus of her supplication and cutting the rope of her hope from anyone else, as an exaggeration in supplication and pleading; this was stated by the Shaykh al-Islam. The attribute of "Hearing" is presented first because, although the objects of hearing are infinite, they are not equal in quantity to the objects of the attribute of "Knowledge."