Imran (pbuh) was the father of Mary and a great worshipper of the children of Israel. He was a descendant of Prophet David (pbuh) from an immaculate and pure house. Mary’s mother, who was a barren old women, deeply desired to have a son and she, therefore, vowed to Allah that if she fell pregnant she would make her son be dedicated to serving Allah. He would be confined to the service of the Baitul Maqdis, the mosque of the Sacred House (in Jerusalem). }35. (Remember) when the wife of ‘Imrân said: “O my Lord! I have vowed to You what (the child that) is in my womb to be dedicated for Your services (free from all worldly work; to serve Your Place of worship), so accept this, from me. Verily, You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knowing.” 36. Then when she delivered her [child Maryam (Mary)], she said: “O my Lord! I have delivered a female child,” - and Allâh knew better what she delivered, - “And the male is not like the female, and I have named her Maryam (Mary), and I seek refuge with You (Allâh) for her and for her offspring from Shaitan (Satan), the outcast.”}(Âl-’Imrân:37)
Allah accepted that vow from Mary’s mother. {“So her Lord (Allâh) accepted her with goodly acceptance. He made her grow in a good manner”}(Âl-’Imrân:37)
She was beautiful and pleasant, and she took the path of the happy and righteous. Allah, therefore, says: {and put her under the care of Zakariyâ (Zachariya).}(Âl-’Imrân:37)
Allah also graced her by placing her under the guardianship of a prophet, Zackariah. It was said that he was her aunt’s husband or her sister’s husband. {Every time Zakariyâ (Zachariya) entered Al-Mihrâb to (visit) her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: “O Maryam (Mary)! From where have you got this?” She said, “This is from Allâh.” Verily, Allâh provides sustenance to whom He wills, without limit.”}(Âl-’Imrân:37)
This was an honor and support from Allah. Her Lord honored, chose, purified, perfected and ordered her to worship Him. {42. And (remember) when the angels said: “O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allâh has chosen you, purified you (from polytheism and disbelief), and chosen you above the women of the ‘Alamîn (mankind and jinns) (of her lifetime).” 43. O Mary! “Submit yourself with obedience to your Lord (Allâh, by worshipping none but Him Alone) and prostrate yourself, and Irkâ’i (bow down etc.) along with Ar-Râki’ûn (those who bow down etc.).”}(Âl-’Imrân:42-43)
Then, when Allah willed the birth of Jesus (pbuh), Mary withdrew and secluded herself from her family. }16. And mention in the Book (the Qur’ân, O Muhammad [sal-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam], the story of) Maryam (Mary), when she withdrew in seclusion from her family to a place facing east. 17. She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our Ruh [angel Jibrael (Gabriel)], and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects.{ (Maryam:16-17)
She was afraid of him and thought that he wanted to be indecent with her. {18. She said: “Verily! I seek refuge with the Most Beneficent (Allâh) from you, if you do fear Allâh.” 19. (The angel) said: “I am only a Messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a righteous son.”}(Maryam:18-19)
The virgin Mary was amazed at this. {She said: “How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I unchaste?”}(Maryam:20)
The angel said to her that this is the decision of Allah, and that this infant will be a sign and a proof from Allah, Who is Most Able to do whatever He wills. {He said: “So (it will be), your Lord said: ‘That is easy for Me (Allâh): And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us (Allâh), and it is a matter (already) decreed, (by Allâh).’ “}(Maryam:21)
Thus, the Will of Allah proceeded in creating the sign of the virgin birth of Jesus (pbuh), who was born from a chaste woman who had not fallen into adultery or sin, and he was without a father. This is a mercy from Allah, and what He had pre-ordained came into effect. Jesus’s birth was a miracle, and a sign and proof, similar to the creation of Adam with neither a father nor a mother. {59. Verily, the likeness of ‘Iesa (Jesus) before Allâh is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then (He) said to him: “Be!” - and he was. 60. (This is) the truth from your Lord, so be not of those who doubt.}(Âl-’Imrân:59-60)
When she conceived him, she isolated herself from her people. {So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place (i.e. Bethlehem valley about 4-6 miles from Jerusalem).}(Maryam:22)
She felt the intense pains of labor. {And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a date-palm. She said: “Would that I had died before this, and had been forgotten and out of sight!”}(Maryam:23)
Here another miracle occurred to Prophet Jesus (pbuh). {24. Then [the babe ‘Iesa (Jesus) or Jibrael (Gabriel)] cried unto her from below her, saying: “Grieve not! Your Lord has provided a water stream under you;” 25. “And shake the trunk of date-palm towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe-dates upon you.” 26. “So eat and drink and be glad, and if you see any human being, say: ‘Verily! I have vowed a fast unto the Most Beneficent (Allâh) so I shall not speak to any human being this day.’”}(Maryam:24-26)
When she returned to her people, the meeting was tough on the pure chaste Mary (may Allah be pleased with her). {27. Then she brought him (the baby) to her people, carrying him. They said: “O Mary! Indeed you have brought a thing Fariya (an unheard mighty thing). 28. “O sister (i.e. the like) of Hârûn (Aaron) [not the brother of Mûsa (Moses), but he was another pious man at the time of Maryam (Mary)]! Your father was not a man who used to commit adultery, nor your mother was an unchaste woman.”{ (Maryam:27-28)
She did not answer them. {Then she pointed to him. !}(Maryam:29)
They disapproved of that and said: {29. They said: “How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?” 30. “He [‘Iesa (Jesus)] said: Verily! I am a slave of Allâh, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet;” 31. “And He has made me blessed wheresoever I be, and has enjoined on me Salât (prayer), and Zakât, as long as I live.” 32. “And dutiful to my mother, and made me not arrogant, unblest.”33. “And Salâm (peace) be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive!”}(Maryam:29-33)
However, a group of Jews did not believe her, and falsely accused and slandered the virgin Mary: {And because of their (Jews) disbelief and uttering against Maryam (Mary [‘alayhas-salâm]) a grave false charge (that she has committed illegal sexual intercourse);}(An-Nisâ’:156)
They accused her of adultery, but Allah acquitted her and said about her: {His mother [Maryam (Mary)] was a Siddiqah [i.e. she believed in the words of Allâh and His Books].}(Al-Mâ’idah:75)
She believed in the prophet-hood and the message of Jesus, and that he was truthful;
and Allah blessed his servant and His messenger Jesus and his mother: {(Remember) when Allâh will say (on the Day of Resurrection). “O ‘Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Remember My Favour to you and to your mother when I supported you with Rûh¬ul¬Qudus [Jibrael (Gabriel)] so that you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and when I taught you writing, Al¬Hikmah (the power of understanding), the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)}(Al-Mâ’idah:110)
Allah supported him with miracles and signs. {110. “and when you made out of the clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My Permission, and you breathed into it, and it became a bird by My Permission, and you healed those born blind, and the lepers by My Permission, and when you brought forth the dead by My Permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from you (when they resolved to kill you) since you came unto them with clear proofs, and the disbelievers among them said: ‘This is nothing but evident magic.’” 111. “And when I (Allâh) put in the hearts of Al-Hawârîeen (the disciples) [of ‘Iesa (Jesus)] to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: ‘We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims.’”}(Al-Mâ’idah:110-111)
Subsequently, it happened that the disciples asked Jesus (pbuh) to call upon the Lord to send down to them a table from the sky. Allah says: {(Remember) when Al-Hawârîûn (the disciples) said: “O ‘Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Can your Lord send down to us a table spread (with food) from heaven?”{ (Al-Mâ’idah:112-113)
He was afraid that they would not give due thanks for it. {112. ‘Iesa (Jesus) said: “Fear Allâh, if you are indeed believers.” 113. They said: “We wish to eat thereof and to be stronger in Faith, and to know that you have indeed told us the truth and that we ourselves be its witnesses.”}(Al-Mâ’idah:112-113)
He called on his Lord: {114. ‘Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: “O Allâh, our Lord! Send us from heaven a table spread (with food) that there may be for us - for the first and the last of us - a festival and a sign from You; and provide us sustenance, for You are the Best of sustainers.” 115. Allâh said: “I am going to send it down unto you, but if any of you after that disbelieves, then I will punish him with a torment such as I have not inflicted on anyone among (all) the ‘Alamîn (mankind and jinns).”}(Al-Mâ’idah:114-115)
Some of those upon which the table descended disbelieved.
As for the Jews of the Children of Israel who had denied Jesus, the prophet of Allah, there disbelief, discredit and cunning against him continued: {And they (disbelievers) plotted [to kill ‘Iesa (Jesus)], and Allâh planned too. And Allâh is the Best of the planners.}(Âl-’Imrân:54)
Allah told him about their cunning plan, and how Allah would save him from them. {And (remember) when Allâh said: “O ‘Iesa (Jesus)! I will take you and raise you to Myself and clear you [of the forged statement that ‘Iesa (Jesus) is Allâh’s son] of those who disbelieve, and I will make those who follow you (Monotheists, who worship none but Allâh) superior to those who disbelieve [in the Oneness of Allâh, or disbelieve in some of His Messengers, e.g. Muhammad [sal-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam], ‘Iesa (Jesus), Mûsa (Moses), etc., or in His Holy Books, e.g. the Taurât (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel), the Qur’ân] till the Day of Resurrection. Then you will return to Me and I will judge between you in the matters in which you used to dispute.”}(Âl-’Imrân:55)
When they continued to breach the covenants, and continued to kill the prophets of Allah and falsely accuse pure and noble Mary, Allah says: {155. Because of their breaking the covenant, and of their rejecting the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allâh, and of their killing the Prophets unjustly, and of their saying: “Our hearts are wrapped (with coverings, i.e. we do not understand what the Messengers say)” - nay, Allâh has set a seal upon their hearts because of their disbelief, so they believe not but a little. 156. And because of their (Jews) disbelief and uttering against Maryam (Mary ) a grave false charge (that she has committed illegal sexual intercourse); 157. And because of their saying (in boast), “We killed Messiah ‘Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), the Messenger of Allâh,”}(An-Nisâ’: 155-157)
However, Allah rescued him from them. {but they killed him not, nor crucified him}(An-Nisâ’:157)
Instead they killed someone who looked like him. {157. but the resemblance of ‘Iesa (Jesus) was put over another man (and they killed that man), and those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no (certain) knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely; they killed him not [i.e. ‘Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)]: 158. But Allâh raised him [‘Iesa (Jesus)] up (with his body and soul) unto Himself (and he is in the heavens). And Allâh is Ever All¬-Powerful, All¬-Wise.}(An-Nisâ’:157-158)
Allah saved his slave and messenger Jesus, and raised him up above. {And there is none of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), but must believe in him [‘Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), as only a Messenger of Allâh and a human being], before his [‘Iesa (Jesus) or a Jew’s or a Christian’s] death (at the time of the appearance of the angel of death). And on the Day of Resurrection, he [‘Iesa (Jesus)] will be a witness against them.}(An-Nisâ’:159)
Thus, this is the reality of the story of Jesus, the son of Mary. }34. Such is ‘Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). (It is) a statement of truth, about which they doubt (or dispute). 35. It befits not (the Majesty of) Allâh that He should beget a son [this refers to the slander of Christians against Allâh, by saying that ‘Iesa (Jesus) is the son of Allâh]. Glorified (and Exalted be He above all that they associate with Him). When He decrees a thing, He only says to it, “Be!” and it is.}(Maryam:34-35)
Allah makes it clear that it is not befitting for Allah to have children because He is the Creator and the Owner of all things; everything is in dire need of Him, and is submissive and servile to Him. All of the heavens and the earth are His servants and He is their Lord, there is no other god but Him.
