In the name of Allāh,
the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Peace and Blessings of Allāh on Mohammad.
DEDICATED TO
Allāh–the Glorious and the High,
Lord of the worlds
AND TO
Mohammad–who brought the world
to our feet and eternity to our arms
*
- Mary and Miriam error
- Jesus spoke while a baby in cradle.
1. MARY AND MIRIAM ERROR
In the Qur’an 19:28-29 Mary, the mother of Jesus is addressed as “sister of Aaron,” and in Qur’an 66:12 she (Mary) is called “daughter of Imran.” There is no error here. Mary, addressed as “sister of Aaron” is not to be “confused” with Miriam the sister of Moses.
In Qur’an 3:34 it is not Mary, the mother of Jesus who is termed “woman of Imran” but rather Mary’s mother, Anna or Hannah; as verse 35 makes it clear by stating that she (Hannah) brought forth a female; (whereas Mary, the mother of Jesus brought forth a male). As noted, Mary, the mother of Jesus, is termed “daughter” of Imran, not “woman” of Imran. Muhammad Ali:
“Imra’at means a woman and also a wife. I take imra’at ‘Imran as meaning a woman of the family of Amran, because the name of a great ancestor is frequently used to indicate the nation which has sprung from him. Thus Kedar stands for the Ishmaelites and Israel for the Israelites. This interpretation is in perfect accord with what is said in the previous verse (3:32) as to the election of the descendants of Amran. The general statement is follow-ed by a particular instance. The second instance also refers to one of the descendants of Amran, viz. John the Baptist, who was also of “priestly descent through both parents” (Bib. Dic., Cambridge University Press). Though we know very little regarding the parentage of Mary, yet the fact that she was, according to the only tradition that we have about her, devoted to the Temple from three to twelve years of age, shows clearly that she belonged to the priestly class. She is elsewhere called the sister of Aaron (19:28) and not a sister of Moses, for priesthood was an exclusive prerogative of the descendants of Aaron. In the Semitic languages the words ab (father), umm (mother), akh (brother), and ukht (sister) are used in a broad sense, and do not necessarily imply the very close relations of real mother, father, brother, and sister. Thus we have a saying of the Prophet in which he speaks of himself as the prayer of my father Abraham. (The Prophet Mohammad also refers to himself as the “brother of Joseph”–see comm. #1252). Jesus was also addressed as “son of David”. According to tradition, however, ‘Imran was the name of Mary’s father, and therefore the words imra’t ‘Imran may mean the wife of ‘Imran.” (Comm. 412).
Regarding Mary, the mother of Jesus being addressed as “sister of Aaron” and as “daughter of Imran, Muhammad Ali notes: “In the Semitic languages the words ab (father), umm (mother), akh (brother), and ukht (sister) are used in a broad sense, and do not necessarily imply the very close relations of real mother, father, brother, and sister. Thus we have a saying of the Prophet in which he speaks of himself as the prayer of my father Abraham. Jesus was also addressed as “son of David.” According to tradition, however, ‘Imran was the name of Mary’s father…”
The Prophet Mohammad, upon his conquest of Makkah, refers to himself as brother of Joseph. (M. Ali, comm. 412, 1252, respectively).
2. JESUS SPOKE WHILE A BABY
QUR’AN 19:16-36 LIFE OF JESUS
In Qur’an chapter 19 verses 16-36 Allah recounts the birth and life of Jesus. This account is not to be taken as having occurred with one event immediately following the other. They are statements on the main points in Jesus’ life. The Qur’an does not relate stories in all their details.
Verses 16-21 recounts Mary’s dedication to the Temple and the Annunciation (of the birth of Jesus).
Verses 22 relates her conception. This does not mean that Mary immediately and miraculously conceived Jesus and that there was no process of her getting married.
That Jesus had a father, is how the Prophet explained the birth of Jesus to the Christians of Najran, as noted by Khwaja Nazir Ahmad in his Jesus in Heaven on Earth, (pp. 174-176, the occasion being the discussion between the Prophet and the Christians of Najran, the topic being the divinity of Jesus). Says the noble Messenger of Allah to the Christians:
“Don’t you know that Jesus was conceived by a woman just as any other woman conceives a child, then she gave birth to him like every other woman gives birth to a child, he was then reared up like other children, then he used to eat and drink and answer the calls of nature like other human beings?” (For the full discussion and the Christians response see Christians of Najran & Prophet Mohammad).
Clearly, as the Prophet Mohammad is said to have pointed out, Jesus was conceived by a woman “just as any other woman conceives a child.” And a woman conceives a child through the mixture of sperm and ovum –mating. And as Jesus was conceived “as any other woman conceives a child,” (See also Jesus birth in Bible & Qur’an)
Verses 23-26 speak about Mary giving birth.
Verses 27-28 relates about Mary bringing Jesus and the people saying she “has brought a strange thing” and that her father was not a wicked man nor was her mother unchaste, this, though implying that Mary had a child out of wedlock, it is not a charge of sexual misconduct. Charge of sexual misconduct against Mary was made a hundred years later, in the “second century.”
If this was a charge of unchasteness, it is strange that Mary and/or the one with her did not relate to their people the visit by the angels announcing the birth of Jesus –miracles were not a novelty to the Jews– but instead the reply was given: “He said: I am indeed a servant of Allāh. He has given me the Book and made me a prophet”–(19:30): agreeably, this reply was not an appropriate response to a charge of adultery or unchasteness.
Charge of adultery against Mary was made a century later. During Jesus’ lifetime there was no suspicion as to the manner of his birth. The Jews, as Khwaja Nazir Ahmad notes in his Jesus in Heaven on Earth, held that Mary had intimate relations with one Pandera, a Roman soldier. However, as noted, this charge against Mary was made, not during the time of Jesus’ birth, or lifetime, but a century later. Jesus was given Divine status a hundred years after his birth. At which time the Pagans responded with the charge of illegitimate birth.
Khwaja Nazir Ahmad notes:
“So long as the early Christians did not assert the virgin birth of Jesus, none of his contemporaries challenged his legitimacy. But the moment Jesus was raised to the pedestal of Godhead, the imaginations of the hagiographers had full scope to indulge in the most affecting or foolish fabrications accorded to their literary skill. In the second century they attributed supernatural birth to Jesus. The Pagans retorted with the charge of illegitimacy. The Christian legendary cult has to thank itself for this calumny against Jesus and Mary. Josephus had provided the Pagans with a parallel–(Josephus, Antiq; XVIII: 3-4) for he records that Mundus, a Roman knight, won Paulina, the chaste knight of a Roman noble, to his wishes by causing her to be invited by a priest of Isis into the temple of the goddess under a pretext that the god Anubis desired to embrace her. In the innocence of faith Paulina resigned herself and would perhaps have afterwards believed that she gave birth to the son of this god had not the intriguer, with bitter scorn, soon after disclosed to her the true state of affairs.
The Pagans substituted Mary for Paulina and Joseph (for) Pandera, a soldier, for the Roman knight mentioned by Josephus.
This calumny was taken up by the Jews of the second century, and found a place in the Talmud. Jesus was then styled as ben Pandera. (i.e. son of Pandera). It is this calumny of which Celsus accuses Jews and which is referred to by Origen–(Orig; C: Celsus, I:32) but of which the Jews of the time of Jesus were ignorant and innocent.”
Mary’s people’s apprehension was during the time of Mary and Jesus, and not in the second century; and therefore could not be about adultery. If Mary’s people had viewed her as being guilty of sexual misconduct, they would have stoned her, as the Jewish law required.
The strange thing that Mary brought was Jesus, then a 12-year old boy, arguing/discussing with the elders of Israel-(Luke 2:41-48): “And all that heard him was astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed.”
It was a “strange thing” for a boy to be arguing with elders and moreover to possess knowledge equal to or surpassing that of his elders.
Verse 29, Mary pointing to Jesus and the people saying “How should we speak to one who is a child in a cradle”. Child in a cradle is euphemism for a young person. Mary pointing to Jesus indicates she also was amazed at her son’s eloquence and knowledge and gestures for the people to ask Jesus about it -let him answer. It is absurd to believe Jesus spoke while yet a literal infant in a literal cradle. (See next verse).
Verse 30, that Jesus says, “I am indeed a servant of Allah. He has given me the Book and made me a prophet.” It is absurd to say that Jesus not spoke as an infant and moreover was cognizance that he was a servant of Allah and was also given a Book and also then a prophet.
This statement of Jesus was made at his trial -(Luke 22:66-71; 23:1-5). Jesus denied their charge that he was Son of God telling them “Ye say that I am,” (you are saying that I am) and also denied that he claimed to be King of the Jews, telling them “Thou sayest it” (you are the one saying it).
Verse 31 Jesus continues: “And He (Allah) has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoined on me prayer and poor rate so long as I live”.
Again, it is absurd that an infant in the cradle would speak about being enjoined prayer and charity. These clearly are the words of a grown person who is cognizant of his status and mission.
Verse 34 states “Such is Jesus son of Mary -a statement of truth about which they dispute”.
It would be poor cerebration to take Jesus speaking as a babe in the cradle to be the life-story of Jesus about which they dispute. The next verse casts more light on this point.
Verse 35 says: “It beseems not Allah that He should take to Himself a son. Glory be to Him! When He decrees a matter He only says to it, Be, and it is”
Evidently, what they disputed about is that Jesus is son of God (as the trial of Jesus shows).
And in verse 36, Allah recounts what Jesus clearly taught “And surely Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so serve Him. This is the right path.” This is what Jesus preached to his people and to the Devil:
-“Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord”-(Mark 12:29).
-“Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and HIM only shalt thou serve”-(Matthew 4:10).
To restate, in Qur’an 19:16-36 Allah recounts only the main aspects of Jesus’ life. Muhammad Ali has dealt in detail with these verses. His translation of the Qur’an can be viewed/downloaded at www.muslim.org.
See also Allah vs. Historians – Jesus not killed on cross