Maryam 19:26–30

But in the matter of their actual use the order was reversed i.e. eating was enjoined first and then drinking. It is perhaps because normally a person first makes arrangement for drinking water and then for food, specially such food as is more likely to produce thirst. But when it comes to their use the sequence gets reversed i.e. one eats first and then drinks water. (Ruh ul-Ma ani).

Commentary

فَأَتَتْ بِهِ قَوْمَهَا تَحْمِلُهُ

"Then she came to her people carrying him." - 19:27

These words suggest that when Sayyidah Maryam (علیہا السلام) was comforted by the super-natural indications that Allah Ta` ala will protect her from disgrace, she took the newborn baby with her to her house. As to the time when she returned home after giving birth to the child, Ibn ` Asa' akir has narrated through Ibn ` Abbas ؓ that she returned home to her people forty days after the birth of the child i.e. after the completion of the period of Nifas (the bleeding period after the birth of a child). (Ruh ul-Ma` ani)

شَيْئًا فَرِ‌يًّا (Something grave indeed - 19:27). The word فَرِی in Arabic language means to cut or to split, and is used to describe a task where a great deal of cutting and chopping is involved. However, Abu Hayyan has said that the word فَرِی means anything having preposterous and extraordinary significance, and may be used both in good and in bad sense. In the present context it is used to describe something monstrous, hence translated in the text as 'something grave'. Generally this word is used for things which are known to be bad and corrupt in the extreme.

يَا أُخْتَ هَارُ‌ونَ (0 sister of Harun - 19:28). Sayyidna Harun (علیہ السلام) ، who was the brother and companion of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) had died centuries before Sayyidah Maryam (علیہا السلام) time. It is obvious, therefore, that in verse 28 where Sayyidah Maryam (علیہا السلام) is addressed as the sister of Sayyidna Harun (علیہ السلام) cannot be in its literal sense. This is also corroborated by the incident that when The Holy Prophet ﷺ sent Sayyidna Mughirah Ibn Shu'bah ؓ as his ambassador to the people of Najran they questioned him that in the Qur’ an Sayyidah Maryam (علیہا السلام) has been referred to as the sister of Sayyidna Harun (علیہ السلام) whereas he had died long before her. Sayyidna Mughirah ؓ did not know the answer to this question. So, when he returned from the mission, he narrated the whole incident to The Holy Prophet ﷺ . On this The Holy Prophet ﷺ said why did you not tell them that it has been a common practice with the believers to adopt the names of the prophets in expectation of receiving their Barakah (blessings), and to claim relationship with them. (Ahmad, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i)

This saying of the Prophet ﷺ may be interpreted in two ways. One, that Sayyidah Maryam's (علیہا السلام) relationship with Sayyidna Harun (علیہ السلام) was mentioned because she was of his lineage, and it was customary with the Arabs to associate a person with their ancestors, for instance a man belonging to the tribe of Tamim would be called as Akha Tamim or Tamini's brother, or an Arab would be addressed as Akha Arab. The other meaning is that the name Harun does not refer to Sayyidna Harun (علیہ السلام) the companion / brother of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) but to the brother of Sayyidah Maryam (علیہا السلام) herself who was also named after Sayyidna Harun (علیہ السلام) out of reverence for the Prophet. In the second case the term Harun اُختَ ھَارُون (Sister of Harun) fits in very well with the literal meaning of the word اُخت (Sister).

مَا كَانَ أَبُوكِ امْرَ‌أَ سَوْءٍ

"Neither your father was a man of evil." - 19:28.

These words suggest that when someone who is descended from' righteous and pious ancestors commits a sin, then the sin is of greater magnitude compared to a sin committed by an ordinary person, because the sin brings bad name to the pious elders. It is for this reason that descendants of pious persons should make extra effort in the performance of righteous deeds, and fear Allah at all times.

إِنِّي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ ("I am the servant of Allah" - 19:30) There is a report that when her family members started berating and censuring Sayyidah Maryam (علیہا السلام) ، Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) was sucking milk. When he heard their accusations he stopped sucking milk and moved over to his left side facing them, and raising his index finger he said:إِنِّي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ i.e. I am the servant of Allah. In this way in his very first words Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) made it clear that although his birth was a miracle, he himself was not God, but only a servant of God. This was to eliminate forever the possibility of people worshipping him as God due to his miraculous birth.

آتَانِيَ الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلَنِي نَبِيًّا

"He has given me the Book and made me a prophet." - 19:30.

In these words, Sayyidna ` Isa I even in his infancy announced his future prophethood and the revelation to him of a sacred book from Allah Ta` ala. Since no prophet has been granted prophethood and a sacred book before the age of forty years, therefore this pre-announcement of his prophethood by Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہا السلام) here means to convey in advance that he would be bestowed prophethood and the Book at the proper time. In a similar manner The Holy Prophet ﷺ said that he was bestowed prophethood even before Adam (علیہ السلام) was yet in the process of his creation. This shows that the promise for granting prophethood to Sayyidna Muhammad Al-Mustafa ﷺ was firm and final. Here too, because of the certainty of occurrence, the grant of prophethood is referred to in the past tense. By announcing his future prophethood he (Sayyidna ` Isa علیہ السلام) dispelled peoples' doubts and exonerated his mother from the charge of fornication, because his being a Prophet was proof enough that his birth was free from any blemish.