The usual beginning:
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy…
This sura is so named because it tells of Mary the mother of Jesus, but tells her story with some similarities to the Biblical Gospel accounts but also some interesting differences. I will share Muhammad’s account in detail in a moment, but first I will mention others that he cites in this sura. It is very common for him to make reference to Biblical characters and stories.
After Mary he discusses Abraham, and describes a scene in which he is chiding his father for worshipping pagan gods, which are really nothing (19:42), and which really are from Satan (19:44). Because Abraham was willing to leave his people with their pagan gods he was blessed with his son Isaac and grandson Jacob who became prophets of the true God. Moses is cited as a messenger of God and prophet, who communed with God on the mountain. He was granted to have his brother Aaron serve as a prophet as well (in the Bible he becomes the high priest).
Ishmael, the other son of Abraham through Hagar, was “true to his promise” and was a messenger and prophet. “He commanded his household to pray and give alms and his Lord was well-pleased with him.” (19:55) “Idris” is mentioned and said to be a man of truth and a prophet: “We raised him to a high position.” (19:57) Islamic tradition holds Idris to be the second prophet after Adam and equivalent to the Biblical Enoch. He is only mentioned twice in the Quran, so most information about him comes from Muslim literature.
Idris (top right) looking down on Paradise and Hell
He mentions Adam and Noah as well and then goes on to his usual warnings about unbelievers being judged and burning in Hell while the believers will go into “the Gardens of Lasting Bliss.” (19:70, 61) But let’s get to what Muhammad says about Mary.
Mary (actually Maryam in the Qur’an, as it would also have been in Hebrew or Aramaic) is frequently mentioned in the Quran and is highly regard in Islam. Muhammad actually begins the story as the Gospel of Luke does: with the birth of John the Baptizer. As in Luke Muhammad says Zachariah and his wife are elderly and childless. The Lord answers their prayers and promises a son. In Luke’s account Zachariah doubts, so he is made mute until John is born. Muhammad says Zachariah specifically asks for a sign of this miraculous news, and therefore is made mute for three days. Very similar, though not exactly the same.
Then he switches to Mary. It is easiest just to include what the Qur’an says about her, and then to look at one of the points Muhammad makes about Jesus’ birth.
16 Mention in the Quran the story of Mary. She withdrew from her family to a place to the east 17 and secluded herself away; We sent Our Spirit to appear before her in the form of a perfected man. 18 She said, ‘I seek the Lord of Mercy’s protection against you: if you have any fear of Him [do not approach]!’ 19 but he said, ‘I am but a Messenger from your Lord, [come] to announce to you the gift of a pure son.’ 20 She said, ‘How can I have a son when no man has touched me? I have not been unchaste,’ 21 and he said, ‘This is what your Lord said: “It is easy for Me– We shall make him a sign to all people, a blessing from Us.”’ 22 And so it was ordained: she conceived him. She withdrew to a distant place 23 and, when the pains of childbirth drove her to [cling to] the trunk of a palm tree, she exclaimed, ‘I wish I had been dead and forgotten long before all this!’ 24 but a voice cried to her from below, ‘Do not worry: your Lord has provided a stream at your feet 25 and, if you shake the trunk of the palm tree towards you, it will deliver fresh ripe dates for you, 26 so eat, drink, be glad, and say to anyone you may see: “I have vowed to the Lord of Mercy to abstain from conversation, and I will not talk to anyone today.”’ 27 She went back to her people carrying the child, and they said, ‘Mary! You have done something terrible! 28 Sister of Aaron! Your father was not an evil man; your mother was not unchaste!’ 29 She pointed at him. They said, ‘How can we converse with an infant?’ 30 [But] he said: ‘I am a servant of God. He has granted me the Scripture; made me a prophet; 31 made me blessed wherever I may be. He commanded me to pray, to give alms as long as I live, 32 to cherish my mother. He did not make me domineering or graceless. 33 Peace was on me the day I was born, and will be on me the day I die and the day I am raised to life again.’ 34 Such was Jesus, son of Mary. (19:16-34)
Mary and Jesus, in a Persian manuscript
Note that there is no mention of Joseph at all. And the baby Jesus can talk! That will shut up the doubters, those who cast aspersions on Mary!
As in the Bible Muhammad says God caused Mary to get pregnant. So is he admitting that Jesus is the “Son of God?” No, not at all! Muhammad is insistent throughout the Quran that God does not have offspring (he also takes to task Arabs who claim angels are daughters of God). Note that he first mentioned the miraculous birth of John to his parents in their old age. God intervened and caused this, but that did not make John a “Son of God.” In a similar way God intervenes and causes Mary to conceive this special child Jesus, but that does not automatically make Jesus a “Son of God.” This is a fair point: there are various times in the Bible where God seems to cause pregnancy, but we do not refer to those offspring as “sons of God.” (Note that in the Bible when God causes a woman to get pregnant the child is always a special boy. Hmmm…) For example, Abraham and Sarah were too old to have children, but God allowed them to have Isaac. Isaac’s wife Rebekah was barren until God allowed her to conceive her twins. Samson’s mother was barren until an angel paid her a visit. (Judges 13) In 1st Samuel we read of Hannah who is barren, but God allows her to have a child (granted, in that case it does say she had relations with her husband). And then the case of John, which Muhammad leads off with in this sura. So, even though God seems to induce these pregnancies we do not give these men the title “Son of God.” And so Muhammad says:
[This is] a statement of the Truth about which they are in doubt: it would not befit God to have a child. He is far above that: when He decrees something, He says only, ‘Be,’ and it is. (19:34, 35)
So, God can just command something, and it happens. In this case God says Mary will have a baby, and she does. But that doesn’t make the child an actual offspring of God. Again, I think this is a fair point. Obviously, Christianity has more to say on this subject, and holds that Jesus indeed is the literal and spiritual “Son of God.” I think this is an interesting area of discussion, but of course the subject usually leads to dissension and hostility rather than discussion. That’s a shame. (In Bible post #7 I ruminate on how God could create a pregnancy, with its scientific and philosophical implications.)
At the close of the sura Muhammad says something else that I think Jews, Christians and Muslims could discuss in peace:
“But the Lord of Mercy will give love to those who believe and do righteous deeds.” (19:96) Muhammad often says this throughout the Qur’an. It is very similar to what Jesus said, quoting the Torah is doing so: the two greatest commandments are to love God and to love one another. (Mark 12:29-31) If only religion were kept that simple. But there are always those add-ons… <sigh> And hence all the wrangling and fighting.
What do you think of Muhammad’s take on Mary and the birth of Jesus? I hope you find it interesting at least; perhaps thought-provoking. Is it worth fighting over? What about his summary, to ‘believe and do righteous deeds?’ Can religion ever be that simple? Why not?
(Be sure to leave your comments and questions below.)
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