Maryam (19:27-29)

Issues Discussed Herein:

There are differing accounts:

1. Reported from Wahb: The agony of childbirth made her forget what she had heard from the angels—the glad tidings concerning Jesus (peace be upon him). When she spoke to them (her people), the confirmation of that news arrived (i.e., the child spoke), and she carried him and approached her people with him.
2. Reported from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him): Joseph took Mary to a cave and kept her there for forty days until she purified herself from post-natal bleeding. Then she came to her people carrying him, and Jesus spoke to her on the way, saying: "O Mother, rejoice! I am the servant of Allah and His Messiah."

Both of these views are plausible, and the Qur'an does not specify which occurred.

• "Fariyy" means something novel or unprecedented. It is derived from fara al-jild (to flay the skin).
• It is narrated that when they saw her with Jesus (peace be upon him), they said to her: \text{{لقد جئتِ شيئًا فَرِيًّا}}.
  • Interpretation 1: It means something astonishing, outside the norm, without any implication of blame or censure.
  • Interpretation 2: It means something immense and reprehensible, implying blame from them. This interpretation is more apparent due to their subsequent statement: \text{{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), as this statement clearly implies reproach.

Regarding Aaron (Hārūn): There are four opinions:

1. A righteous man among the Children of Israel: Anyone known for righteousness was attributed to him. The meaning is: "You were in asceticism like Aaron, so how did you become like this?" This is the view of Qatadah, Ka'b, Ibn Zayd, and Al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah. It is mentioned that forty thousand people, all named Aaron out of reverence for him and his name, followed the funeral of this righteous Aaron.
2. Aaron, the brother of Moses (peace be upon him): The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said they meant the Prophet Aaron. She was considered his sister in the sense that one says, "O brother of Hamdan," meaning, "O one of them."
3. A man known for open immorality: The attribution is by way of resemblance (to his character), not by actual lineage.
4. She had a brother named Aaron among the righteous of the Children of Israel, and she was reproached by association with him. This view is the closest for two reasons:
   • The default in speech is to assume literal truth; the apparent meaning of the verse should be taken literally if she had a brother named Aaron.
   • She was attributed to him, and her parents were described with righteousness. In this case, the reproach becomes more severe, as the commission of sin is more heinous from one whose father, mother, and brother held such high status.

The famous recitation is: \text{{مَا كَانَ أَبُوكِ امْرَأَ سَوْءٍ}} (Your father was not a man of evil). 'Amr ibn Rajā' al-Tamīmī recited: \text{{مَا كَانَ أَبَاكِ امْرُؤُ سَوْءٍ}} (Your father was not a man of evil).

When they exaggerated their reprimand, she remained silent and pointed to him (Jesus, peace be upon him), indicating: "He is the one who will answer you if you speak to him."

According to Al-Suddī, when she pointed to him, they became intensely angry and said: "Her mockery of us is worse than her fornication!" It is narrated that he was suckling. When he heard this, he stopped suckling, turned his face toward them, leaned on his left side, and pointed with his index finger.

• Another narration: He spoke to them then, but did not speak again until he reached the age when children begin to speak.
• Another narration: Zachariah (peace be upon him) came to her during her debate with the Jews and said to Jesus (peace be upon him): "Speak your proof, if you were commanded to do so." At that point, Jesus (peace be upon him) said: \text{{إِنِّي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ}} (I am the servant of Allah) (Maryam: 30).

Question: How did Mary know that Jesus (peace be upon him) would speak? Answer: Gabriel (peace be upon him) or Jesus himself called to her from beneath (or near) her, saying, "Do not grieve," and commanded her to remain silent when people approached. This served as a notification to her that Jesus (peace be upon him) was the respondent. Or perhaps she knew through divine inspiration given to Zachariah, or perhaps she knew through inspiration granted to her as a miracle (karāmah).

Two further points remain here:

First Inquiry: The meaning of \text{{كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِي الْمَهْدِ صَبِيًّا}}$ (How shall we speak to one who is in the cradle, a child?)

This means: "How shall we speak to one who has come into existence in the cradle?" The word kāna here means "to be present" or "to exist," which is the closest interpretation of this phrase, although others have mentioned different meanings.

Second Inquiry: The meaning of "the Cradle" (al-Mahd)

It is said that it was her lap. This is based on the narration that she took him wrapped in a cloth and brought him to her people. When they saw her, they said what they said, and she pointed to him while he was in her lap, as she did not have a prepared dwelling place where a cradle could be set up. Or, the meaning is: How shall we speak to a child whose custom is to sleep in a cradle?