Maryam 19:21
Mary · Juz 16 · Page 306
قَالَ كَذَٰلِكِ قَالَ رَبُّكِ هُوَ عَلَيَّ هَيِّنٞۖ وَلِنَجۡعَلَهُۥٓ ءَايَةٗ لِّلنَّاسِ وَرَحۡمَةٗ مِّنَّاۚ وَكَانَ أَمۡرٗا مَّقۡضِيّٗا ٢١
He said, "Thus [it will be]; your Lord 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.'"
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 19:16–21
Mary, in accordance with her mother’s pledge, was placed in the service of the Haykal (Solomon’s Temple). The eastern part of the Haykal of ancient times was set apart for women. Mary hung a curtain in a corner in this part to segregate herself from others and devote herself entirely to worship. Soon thereafter, she found a strong healthy man standing before her. It was only natural that this made her suddenly afraid. But the stranger said that he was an angel and that he had come from God to perform the miracle of giving Mary a son. This miraculous birth of Jesus was a great sign from God. The purpose of this was to leave the people in no doubt as to his having been sent by God, so that they should accept whatever he said on His behalf. But, in spite of such clear signs, they refused to accept him.
Page 306
19:12
يَٰيَحۡيَىٰ خُذِ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ بِقُوَّةٖۖ وَءَاتَيۡنَٰهُ ٱلۡحُكۡمَ صَبِيّٗا ١٢
[Allāh said], "O John, take the Scripture [i.e., adhere to it] with determination." And We gave him judgement [while yet] a boy
19:13
وَحَنَانٗا مِّن لَّدُنَّا وَزَكَوٰةٗۖ وَكَانَ تَقِيّٗا ١٣
And affection from Us and purity, and he was fearing of Allāh
19:14
وَبَرَّۢا بِوَٰلِدَيۡهِ وَلَمۡ يَكُن جَبَّارًا عَصِيّٗا ١٤
And dutiful to his parents, and he was not a disobedient tyrant.
19:15
وَسَلَٰمٌ عَلَيۡهِ يَوۡمَ وُلِدَ وَيَوۡمَ يَمُوتُ وَيَوۡمَ يُبۡعَثُ حَيّٗا ١٥
And peace be upon him the day he was born and the day he dies and the day he is raised alive.
19:16
وَٱذۡكُرۡ فِي ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ مَرۡيَمَ إِذِ ٱنتَبَذَتۡ مِنۡ أَهۡلِهَا مَكَانٗا شَرۡقِيّٗا ١٦
And mention, [O Muḥammad], in the Book [the story of] Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east.
19:17
فَٱتَّخَذَتۡ مِن دُونِهِمۡ حِجَابٗا فَأَرۡسَلۡنَآ إِلَيۡهَا رُوحَنَا فَتَمَثَّلَ لَهَا بَشَرٗا سَوِيّٗا ١٧
And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen. Then We sent to her Our Angel [i.e., Gabriel], and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man.
19:18
قَالَتۡ إِنِّيٓ أَعُوذُ بِٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ مِنكَ إِن كُنتَ تَقِيّٗا ١٨
She said, "Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, [so leave me], if you should be fearing of Allāh."
19:19
قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ رَسُولُ رَبِّكِ لِأَهَبَ لَكِ غُلَٰمٗا زَكِيّٗا ١٩
He said, "I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy [i.e., son]."
19:20
قَالَتۡ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِي غُلَٰمٞ وَلَمۡ يَمۡسَسۡنِي بَشَرٞ وَلَمۡ أَكُ بَغِيّٗا ٢٠
She said, "How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?"
19:21
قَالَ كَذَٰلِكِ قَالَ رَبُّكِ هُوَ عَلَيَّ هَيِّنٞۖ وَلِنَجۡعَلَهُۥٓ ءَايَةٗ لِّلنَّاسِ وَرَحۡمَةٗ مِّنَّاۚ وَكَانَ أَمۡرٗا مَّقۡضِيّٗا ٢١
He said, "Thus [it will be]; your Lord 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.'"
19:22
۞ فَحَمَلَتۡهُ فَٱنتَبَذَتۡ بِهِۦ مَكَانٗا قَصِيّٗا ٢٢
So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a remote place.
19:23
فَأَجَآءَهَا ٱلۡمَخَاضُ إِلَىٰ جِذۡعِ ٱلنَّخۡلَةِ قَالَتۡ يَٰلَيۡتَنِي مِتُّ قَبۡلَ هَٰذَا وَكُنتُ نَسۡيٗا مَّنسِيّٗا ٢٣
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."
19:24
فَنَادَىٰهَا مِن تَحۡتِهَآ أَلَّا تَحۡزَنِي قَدۡ جَعَلَ رَبُّكِ تَحۡتَكِ سَرِيّٗا ٢٤
But he1 called her from below her, "Do not grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream.
1 translator’s note
- There is a difference of opinion among scholars as to whether "he" refers to the baby or to the angel. ↩
19:25
وَهُزِّيٓ إِلَيۡكِ بِجِذۡعِ ٱلنَّخۡلَةِ تُسَٰقِطۡ عَلَيۡكِ رُطَبٗا جَنِيّٗا ٢٥
And shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates.