19MaryamMaryسُورَةُ مريم

Kāf-Hā-Yā-‘Ayn-Ṣād [K-H-Y-‘-Ṣ].

[This is] a [cognizant] account of your Sustainer’s mercy pertaining to His subject Zakarīyā.

As he called upon his Sustainer in a discreet manner;

He said, “[O] my Sustainer! In truth, frail are my bones and [the hair on] my head is blazing grey, yet [despite my age] I have never been disheartened in my prayer to You.

“Now, actually, I am anxious for my kith and kin in the time after I am gone [for they may renege on their commitment to You, as I have left no one to assume my responsibilities, and] my wife has always been infertile. So, grant me, out of Your bearing a surrogate [or replacement],

“Who will become heir to me as well as heir to [the shared responsibilities of] the Kindred Spirits of Ya‘qūb [Jacob]; and make him, O my Sustainer, amenable to You.”

[Said Allah], “O Zakarīyā! We [now] break good news to you concerning [the birth of] a boy whose name shall be Yaḥyā: a designation [name] We have not given to anyone before him.”

He [Zakarīyā] exclaimed, “[But] my Sustainer! How can I have a boy when my wife has [always] been infertile, and I have reached an advanced age of frailness?”

He [Allah] said, “And so it is; your Sustainer says, ‘It is easy for Me — for, indeed, I have created you earlier and you were nothing.’”

He [Zakarīyā] said, “My Sustainer! Attune a demonstration of Your power and authority for me. He [Allah] said, “[My power] demonstration to you is that for three consecutive nights [and days], you will not speak to people.”

Thereupon he came forth and appeared to his people from the sanctuary and gestured to them that they should extol [Him] early in the day and at night.

[And when Yaḥyā grew up, We said], “O Yaḥyā! Be firm in assuming [the responsibilities of] scripture” — for We imparted wisdom upon him at a young age;

And [We gave him] compassion [emanating] from Our aura and purity — and he was always aware [of Our authority and power];

And he was very respectful to his parents, never being condescending or disobedient.

Hence, [Allah’s] peace be upon him the day he was born, and the day he dies, and the day he is brought back to life.

And bear in mind, within [the reading of this] Scripture, Maryam, as she disengaged from her folks to a place eastward,

And then, secluded herself from them, whereupon We sent to her Our life-force whose manifestation appeared to her in the form of a picture-perfect human.

She said, “I seek the Mercy-Giver’s protection from you! [Stay away from me] if you are conscious [of Allah’s power and authority]!”

He [the picture-perfect human] said, “But I am your Sustainer’s emissary, [whose will it is] for me to award you a boy who is exemplary.”

Said she, “How can I have a son when no man has ever touched me [emotionally aroused me]? — for never was I [morally] unrestrained!”

He said, “So be it [It is what it is] — for your Sustainer says, ‘It is easy for Me [to do], and We shall make him [your son] a demonstration [of Our power and authority] for people [to see] and a mercy from Us.’” And thus was the matter decreed [by Allah].

Then, while she [Maryam] was pregnant with him [‘Īsā/Jesus], she retreated with him [away from her folks] to a distant location.

And then the pangs of birth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree, [whereupon] she said, “O how I wish I would have died before this [had to happen to me], and [how I wish] I was an unknown forgotten [being].

Accordingly, he [‘Īsā/Jesus, the newborn] called out to her from below her, “Do not grieve! Your Sustainer has positioned below you a sire [nobleman].

“And shake the trunk of the palm-tree toward you: it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon you.

“Eat, then, and drink and let the waft of the breeze comfort your eyes. And if you see any person, say, ‘I have vowed to the Mercy-Giver to desist from my urge [to speak out]. Therefore, I will not speak to any mortal being today.’”

Subsequently, she approached her people carrying him [baby Jesus]. They exclaimed, “O Maryam! You have come [to us] with something outrageous.

“O sister of Hārūn [Aaron]!1 Your father was not a philanderer, nor was your mother promiscuous.”

Thereupon she [Maryam] pointed to him [‘Īsā/ Jesus as the one to speak to]. They exclaimed, “But how do we speak to a baby in a crib?”

He [‘Īsā/Jesus] said, “I am Allah’s subject. He has assigned me the book [of scripture] and has rendered me a prophet,

“And He has entitled me with blessings wherever I may be, and He counseled me to maintain communion and purity [of life] as long as I am alive,

“And [He has endowed me with] politeness toward my mother; and He has not made me to be condescending or brazen.

“Hence, peace be upon me on the day I was born, and the day I shall die, and on the day when I will be resurrected.”

That is ‘Īsā, the son of Maryam, speaking the truth about that which they [who say they are Christians] contentiously dispute.

It is inconceivable for Allah to ascribe a [biological] son to Himself [even if he is of miraculous birth]; exalted is He [above such ascriptions] — for, when He decrees a matter, He but says to it “Be” — and it becomes!

And [thus it was that Jesus always said], “Allah is my Sustainer and your Sustainer, so conform to Him [alone]: this is the straightforward path [in human affairs].”

And yet, factions from among them [the followers of ‘Īsā] had their differences [concerning his nature]. Woe, then, to all those who deny the truth when [the scenario] of that Epic Day dawns.

How well will they listen and comprehend on a Day when they come before Us! But, as for today, the wrongdoers remain in evident error:

Also, warn them [O Prophet] of the Day of Regret when all is said and done — for as yet, they are still lapsing into negligence and they are not committing [to Allah].

For certain, it is We who inherit the earth and everything therein — and to Us they [all] shall return.

And by means of scripture, be mindful of Ibrāhīm — he was a man of truth and a prophet —

When he said to his family elder, “O my dear father [or respected uncle]! Why do you devotedly adapt yourself to whatever neither hears nor perceives and cannot avail you of anything?!

“My dear father [or respected uncle]! I assure you there has come to me [from on high] information that has not yet come to you; therefore, follow me and I will guide you to a well-adjusted pathway [in life, and onward].

“My dear father [or respected uncle]! Do not be servile to Satan; undoubtedly, Satan has always been a conflictarian vis-à-vis the Mercy-Giver.

“My dear father [or respected uncle]! I fear that you may be exposed to an infliction from the Mercy-Giver that will drive you to become a collaborator of Satan.”

Replied he, “Do you [O Ibrāhīm] incline away from my gods? [Tell me] O Ibrāhīm! If you do not desist I will assault you with speeches and stones. So go away and stay away!”

Said [Ibrāhīm], “Peace be upon you; I will ask my Sustainer to forgive you: for, behold, He has always been very kind [and attentive] to me.

“And I, herewith, withdraw from you and from all that you invoke to the exclusion of Allah and I plead with Him in the hope that my plea [for you] shall not infringe [upon His right to punish those who deserve punishment].”

So when he [Ibrāhīm] withdrew from them and from all they had been venerating to the exclusion of Allah We gifted him with Isḥāq [Isaac] and Ya‘qūb [Jacob], and both We appointed as prophets,

And We conferred upon them of Our mercy and We effected for them a high standard of expressing the truth.

And be thoughtful of Mūsā [as you read] in this divine Writ — he was preferentially selected and he was a messenger, a prophet —

And We called on him from the easily accessible side of the foothill and drew him into [Our] confidence,

And We gifted him out of Our mercy his brother Hārūn [Aaron] as a prophet.

And be aware of Ismā‘īl [as he is mentioned] in this divine Writ — he certainly was true to his word and he was a messenger, a prophet —

And [recall how] he instructed his folks to commune [with Allah] and to spend [for Allah]: for he was by his Sustainer’s acclaim contented.

And remember Idrīs [as you read] in this divine Writ — he was in truth a man of his word, a prophet —

And [call to mind how] We raised him to a sublime status.

Those are the ones whom Allah blessed to be prophets from the progeny of Adam and from those We delivered [from the deluge] with [Prophet] Nūḥ and from the progeny of Ibrāhīm and Isrā’īl [Jacob] and from among [all whom] We guided and preferentially selected [to be prophets]: whenever the demonstrations of the Mercy-Giver’s power and authority were correlated for them, they would fall down to their knees and forehead and weep [in awe of Allah].2

Ensuing after them [the prophets] were successive generations who forfeited ṣalāh and went after [their] lusts; consequently, they will encounter disenchantment —

Except for those who repent and feel sorry, and commit themselves to [Allah] and do what is right: those are the ones who will enter Paradise and will not be wronged in any way —

[A paradise of] gardens of bliss that were promised by the Mercy-Giver to His subjects from a realm beyond: verily, His promise is destined to fulfillment.

No idle talk will they hear — nothing there but peace. In it they will have their sustenance [offered to them] early and late [in the day]:

That is the garden we bequeath to Our subjects — whomever of them was [in worldly life] ever conscious [of Our power and authority].

And [the angels say], “We do not come into [your] realm except by your Sustainer’s command: to Him belongs all that is ahead [to come] and all that is behind us [has elapsed] and whatever lies in between. And your Sustainer is never oblivious [of the affairs of people] —

The Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and everything between them; therefore, conform to Him and be enduring in conforming to Him. Do you know of any [that is worthy of being identified with] His appellation?

As it were, a social being says, “You mean to tell me that if I die, I will be resurrected and brought back to life?”

Cannot this social being recollect that We created him aforetime when he was nothing?

And so, your Sustainer asserts [the following]: We will definitely amass them with the satanic forces [that impelled them in life] and then We will bring them around Hell in a kneeling position;

And then We will extract from every faction [of them] the ones who [in worldly life] were most recalcitrant toward the Mercy-Giver —

For it is We, indeed, who are most knowledgeable about those who deserve to be smoldered.

Not one of you will be excluded from approaching it [Hell]: this [approach] is by your Sustainer’s [decree] an inevitable fulfillment.

After that, We will rescue [from Hell] those who were on guard [in their worldly life, avoiding the negative consequences of invoking My power and authority for justice] and leave the justice-violators to kneel down [there in Hell].

And if Our demonstrations of power and authority were to be arranged for them as clear evidences, the deniers [of Allah’s power and authority] would say to those who affirm [Allah’s power and authority], “Which of our two groups has a more favorable status and greater social cohesion?”

How many previous generations that were better equipped and better in appearance have We destroyed before them?

Say [O Muhammad], “As for he who is in [a lifelong] error, may the Mercy-Giver give him an extension [of life, to do whatsoever he chooses] — until the time when [people] will see what they were promised: either infliction [in this world] or [the coming of] the [Final] Hour. At that time they will know whose status is worse and who is lacking conscripts [that is, lacking in power].

And Allah augments those who are guided with yet more guidance; and [their] good deeds with lasting results are better in the sight of your Sustainer — better [in terms of] rewards and better [in their] aftereffects.

Have you [O Muhammad] considered he who denies Our wondrous power illustrations and says, “I will certainly be boosted [and buttressed] with wealth and fecundity [procreation and reproduction].”

Has he had access to what is beyond the scope of human knowledge? Or has he a [granted] promise to be fulfilled by the Mercy-Giver?

Of course not. We shall record what he says and We shall extensively extend his infliction,

And We shall make him heir to what he was saying [during his time of free speech on earth], for he will approach Us [on the Day of Judgement] as an unaccompanied individual [with none to advocate on his behalf].

And they [the mushriks], to the exclusion of Allah, designated [others] as gods so that they [the mushriks] may gain pride and status [from such gods].

Not all all. They [the mushriks] will [eventually] renounce that form of [contrived] divinity, and they will turn against them [false gods].

Have you [O Muhammad] not seen that We, categorically, have unleashed the demons [satanic forces] against the kāfirs — [demons] that will impel and propel them [toward sin].

Hence, do not wish [for Allah’s punishment to be] expedited upon them: for We have been preparing for them in a measured way.

On the Day when We will gather those actively conscious [of Allah’s power and authority] unto the Mercy-Giver as a delegation [of honor],

And We will drive the criminals to Hell — each one desperate and in ruin —

[On that Day] none will have [the benefit of any] mediation and complementarity except for he who has, during his lifetime, engaged the Mercy-Giver in a pledge [of fealty].

And they [the Christians, and maybe others] say “The Mercy-Giver has assumed a son!”

[By saying such a thing] you have brought forth something scandalous [and outrageous],

[Due to which] the heavens are on the verge of bursting out and the earth is on the verge of rupturing, and the mountains may collapse in downright ruin!

That is because they [those claiming to belong to Jesus] attributed a [created] son to the Mercy-Giver,

[Even though] it does not behoove the Mercy-Giver to espouse a [biological] son.

No one in the heavens and earth will approach the Mercy-Giver except as a subordinate subject:

He, indeed, has tallied them and counted them, one by one;

And of all of them, each will come to Him on the Day of Resurrection as an unaccompanied individual.

Verily, as for those who committed themselves [to Allah] and did what is right, the Mercy-Giver will exchange [what they did and endured in worldly life] with affection and fondness:

[And only to this end] have we facilitated it [this Qur’an] in your language so that you [Muhammad] can break the good news to those who avoid my inevitable power to address injustice with dire consequences [in their lives] and so that you may warn people who harbor severe animosity,

For, how many generations have We destroyed in times preceding them? Do you sense any one of them [who were destroyed] to be around [now]? Or can you hear a whisper coming from them?