19. [Maryam, Mecca 44]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قَالَ رَبِّ
أَنَّى يَكُونُ
لِي غُلَامٌ
وَكَانَتِ
امْرَأَتِي
عَاقِرًا...
19: 8. He said:
"O my Lord! how shall I have a son, when my wife is barren
...وَقَدْ بَلَغْتُ مِنَ الْكِبَرِ عِتِيًّا ﴿٨﴾
and I have grown quite decrepit from old age?"
19: 9. He said: "So (it will be):
C2462. Who is the "He" in this clause?
As I have construed it, following the majority of Commentators, it means the angel who brought the message from Allah.
Cf. 19:21 below.
But some Commentators construe it to refer to Zakariya. In that case the meaning will be:
Zakariya after a little reflection said (in his wonder) "So!", i.e., "Can it really be so?
Can I really have a son in my old age?"
The speech following." Thy Lord saith," etc., will then be that of the angel-messenger.
... قَالَ رَبُّكَ هُوَ عَلَيَّ هَيِّنٌ...
thy Lord saith, 'That is easy for Me:
...وَقَدْ خَلَقْتُكَ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَمْ تَكُ شَيْئًا ﴿٩﴾
I did indeed create thee before, when thou hadst been nothing!' "
C2463. Every man was nothing just before he was created, i.e., his personality was called into being by Allah. Even if there are material processes in forming the body, in accordance with the laws of nature, the real creative force is the power of Allah.
But here there is a subtler meaning. John was the harbinger of Jesus, preparing the way for him; and this sentence also prepares us for the more wonderful birth of Jesus himself, see verse 21 below.
Everything is possible with Allah.
قَالَ رَبِّ
اجْعَل لِّي
آيَةً...
19: 10. (Zakariya) said "O my Lord! give me a Sign."
C2464. The "Sign", was in order to convince Zakariya that the Lord's promise was true, for he had faith; but it was a symbol by which he was to show in his conduct that he was to conform to his new destiny as the father of Yahya who was to come.
Yahya was to take up the work, and Zakariya was to be silent, although the latter was sound in body and there was nothing to prevent him from speaking.
...قَالَ آيَتُكَ أَلَّا تُكَلِّمَ النَّاسَ ثَلَاثَ لَيَالٍ سَوِيًّا ﴿١٠﴾
"Thy Sign," was the answer, "shall be that thou shalt speak to no man for three nights, although thou art not dumb."
C2465. Compare this verse with 3:41.
The variations are interesting. Here it is "for three nights": there it is "for three days".
The meaning is the same, for a day is a period of 24 hours. But the point of view is different in each case.
- There it was from the point of view of the Ummah or Congregation, among whom he worked by day;
- here the point of view is that of his individual soul, which spent the nights in prayer and praise.
Notice again that at the end of the next verse, we have here, "In the morning and the evening", and at the end of 3:41, "In the evening and in the morning" - showing again that the point of view is reversed.
فَخَرَجَ
عَلَى قَوْمِهِ
مِنَ الْمِحْرَابِ
فَأَوْحَى
إِلَيْهِمْ
أَن سَبِّحُوا
بُكْرَةً
وَعَشِيًّا ﴿١١﴾
19: 11. So Zakariya came out to his people from his chamber: he told them by signs to celebrate Allah's praises in the morning and in the evening.
يَا يَحْيَى
خُذِ الْكِتَابَ
بِقُوَّةٍ...
19: 12. (To his son came the command):
"O Yahya! take hold of the Book with might":
C2466. Time passes. The son is born. In this section of the Surah the centre of interest is Yahya, and the instruction is now given to him.
'Keep fast hold of Allah's revelation with all your might':
for an unbelieving world had either corrupted or neglected it, and Yahya (John the Baptist) was to prepare the way for, Jesus, who was coming to renew and re-interpret it.
...وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْحُكْمَ صَبِيًّا ﴿١٢﴾
and We gave him wisdom even as a youth.
C2467. Hukm, translated Wisdom, implies something more than Wisdom;
it is the Wisdom or Judgment that is entitled to judge and command, as in the matter of denouncing sin.
وَحَنَانًا
مِّن لَّدُنَّا
وَزَكَاةً
وَكَانَ تَقِيًّا ﴿١٣﴾
19: 13. And pity (for all creatures) as from Us, and purity: he was devout,
C2468. John the Baptist did not live long. He was imprisoned by Herod, the tetrarch (provincial ruler under the Roman Empire), whom he had reproved for his sins, and eventually beheaded at the instigation of the woman with whom Herod was infatuated. But even in his young life, he was granted,
- wisdom by Allah, for he boldly denounced sin;
- gentle pity and love for all Allah's creatures, for he moved among the humble and lowly, and despised "soft raiment";
- and purity of life, for he renounced the world and lived in the wilderness.
All his work he did in his youth. These things showed themselves in his conduct, for he was devout, showing love to Allah and to Allah's creatures, and more particularly to his parents (for we are considering that aspect of his life): this was also shown by the fact that he never used violence, from an attitude of arrogance, nor entertained a spirit of rebellion against divine Law. (R).
وَبَرًّا
بِوَالِدَيْهِ
وَلَمْ يَكُن
جَبَّارًا
عَصِيًّا ﴿١٤﴾
19: 14. And kind to his parents, and he was not overbearing or rebellious.
وَسَلَامٌ
عَلَيْهِ يَوْمَ
وُلِدَ وَيَوْمَ
يَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ
يُبْعَثُ حَيًّا ﴿١٥﴾
19: 15. So Peace on him the day he was born, the day that he dies, and the day that he will be raised up to life (again)!
C2469. This is spoken as in the life-time of Yahya. Peace and Allah's Blessings, were on him when he was born; they continue when he is about to die an unjust death at the hands of a tyrant; and they will be specially manifest at the Day of Judgment.
19: 8
Asad [Zachariah] exclaimed: “O my Sustainer! How can I have a son when my wife has always been barren and I have become utterly infirm through old age?”
Pickthall He said: My Lord! How can I have a son when my wife is barren and I have reached infirm old age?
Transliteration Qa_la rab bi an na_ yaku_nu li ghula_muw wa ka_natim ra ati 'a_qiraw wa qad balaghtu minal kibari 'itiy ya_
19: 9
Asad Answered [the angel]: “Thus it is; [but] thy Sustainer says “This is easy for Me – even as I have created thee aforetime out of nothing.’”
Pickthall He said: So (it will be). Thy Lord saith: It is easy for Me, even as I created thee before, when thou wast naught.
Transliteration Qa_la kadza_lik qa_la rab buka huwa 'alay ya hay yinuw wa qad khalaqtuka min qablu wa lam taku sai a_
[ Ruby’s note: This verse is stressing the truth about the ultimate origin of a human being or of anything else for that matter. This word “nothing” is related to the material existence of anything and everything: all material existence was non existent one time and God created the reality out of that state of “nothingness”.
This incomprehensible fact has been indicated in other verses: where it says God just says ‘Be” and “it is”. He is the PRIMARY Creator, his creation is not transforming something out of other things in existence. A human being is just a part of that reality.
A human being may seem to originate from a sperm and an egg coming together. However, the components of these two and the law they abide by to transform this union into a human were created out of an absolutely state of nothingness themselves. In the truest sense then a human being and all other things has its origin with God and finally will be returning to God.]
19: 10
Asad [Zachariah] prayed: “O my Sustainer! Appoint a sing for me!” Said [the angel]: :Thy sign shall be that for full three nights [and days] thou wilt not speak unto men.” [see 3:41 and the corresponding note29]
Pickthall He said: My Lord! Appoint for me some token. He said: Thy token is that thou, with no bodily defect, shalt not speak unto mankind three nights.
Transliteration Qa_la rab bij'al li a_yah qa_la a_yatuka al la_ tukal liman na_sa tsala_tsa laya_lin sawiy ya_
19: 11
Pickthall Then he came forth unto his people from the sanctuary, and signified to them: Glorify your Lord at break of day and fall of night.
Transliteration Fakhraja 'ala_ qaumihi minal mihra_bi fa auha_ ilaihim an sab bihu_ bukrataw wa asyiy ya_
19: 12
Asad [And when the son was born and grew up, he was told,] “O John! Hold fast unto the divine writ with [all thy] strength!” - - for We granted him wisdom while he was yet a little boy,
Pickthall (And it was said unto his son): O John! Hold the Scripture. And We gave him wisdom when a child.
Transliteration Ya_ yahya_ khudzil kita_ba biquw wah wa a_taina_hul hukma sabiy ya_
19: 13
Asad as well as, by Our grace, [the gift of] compassion and purity; and he was [always] conscious of Us.
Pickthall And compassion from Our presence, and purity; and he was devout,
Transliteration Wa hana_nam mil ladun na_ wa zaka_h wa ka_na taqiy ya_
19: 14
Asad and full of piety towards his parents; and never was he haughty or rebellious.
Pickthall And dutiful toward his parents. And he was not arrogant, rebellious.
Transliteration Wa bar ran biwa_lidaihi wa lam yakun jab bara_n ashiy ya_
19: 15
Asad Hence, [God’s] peace was upon him on the day when he was born, and on the day of his death, and will be [upon him] on the day when he shall be raised to life [again].
Pickthall Peace on him the day be was born, and the day he dieth and the day he shall be raised alive!
Transliteration Wa sala_mun 'alaihi yauma wulida wa yauma yamu_tu wa yauma yub'atsu hay ya_
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