Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim.

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. All the praises and thanks be to Allâh, the Lord of the 'Alamîn . The Only Owner of the Day of Recompense. You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help. Guide us to the Straight Way. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray.

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19: (Maryam)- Mary

Surah Maryam, (Mary)
(Revealed in Mecca)
No. 19
98 verses in 6 sections

Surah Maryam, as arranged in the Book, is the nineteenth Surah of the holy Quran. It contains 98 verses which have been revealed in Mecca.

Similar to other Meccan Suras, the content of this Surah is mostly about matters concerning the Hereafter, the end of the evil-doers, the rewards of the good-doers, and part of the account of the lives of Zakariyya (Zachariah), Mary, Jesus, Yahya (John), Abraham, Ishmael and Idris (Enoch).

It is recorded in Tafsir-i-Al-Mizan that, in the last few verses of Surah Maryam, Allah says that the purpose of revealing this Surah is to give 'glad tidings and warnings', and this aim has been followed in the beautiful form of the story of the prophets' lives.

Allah has mentioned no woman in the Qur'an directly by her proper name except Mary, and the name 'Mary' occurs 34 times in the Qur'an. The only Surah, which has been entitled by the name of a woman in the Qur'an, is this very Surah, Surah Mary.

For the virtue of studying this Surah, it has been cited that whoever continues reciting this Surah (whenever he can), he will not die save that Allah will suffice him in life, wealth and children.

There is no doubt, of course, that the one will make himself free from want from others by means of practicing the contents of this Surah.

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Virtues's

The Qur'an is a book of guidance sent to not just Muslims but to mankind. It is the duty of Muslims not only to understand The Qur'an but, to share the wisdom and virtues within The Qur'an. Each story in The Qur'an has a virtue that can vary from person to person, which just one of the many beauties of The Qur'an. Taking two ayats from Surah Maryam, I look to extract two concepts I have found which are patience and humility.

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He said: "So (it will be). Your Lord says; It is easy for Me. Certainly I have created you before, when you had been nothing!"

This is one of first ayats that that pulls me into Surah Maryam. When Zakariya is asking how his wife can possibly give birth to a child when she has been barren for years and he himself is in old age. The angel responds by saying, "Your Lord says; it is easy for Me". The angel goes on to say that Allah says "I created you before when you had been nothing".

This is a two-part statement because first it establishes Allah as the creator and the giver of life which is an essential theme throughout the Qur'an. What is said next is a reminder to us that, once we were nothing and now we find ourselves alive. This should be a statement that not only humbles us but, also makes us think. At one point we were non-existent and then we find ourselves alive and breathing.

The fact is some of us get arrogant in this world and Allah reminds us that we have no control over when or where we are born. Not only that, but we also go through this life wondering when and how we will leave this world. So in actuality what is there to be arrogant about when ultimate knowledge is with Allah?

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He said: "So (it will be), your Lord said: 'That is easy for Me (Allah): And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us (Allah), and it is a matter (already) decreed, (by Allah).' "

Again we see a servant of Allah, this time Maryam in conversation with The Divine through an angel. The angel brings word to Maryam that she will be gifted with a righteous son. Maryam responds by saying, she has never been unchaste so how could this be? Once again on behalf of Allah the angel reminds the servant, like with Zakariah, "That is easy for me". This is two times in one surah Allah is telling us that what seems impossible is easy for Him. To not worry when things seem completely hopeless because everything is easy for Allah.

These two ayats are also both a situation where Maryam and Zakariah showed extreme patience and trust in Allah through their lives. Zakariah was old and still without a son and yet kept making dua for a son and Maryam devoted herself to a chaste life from a very young age and never broke that covenant to Allah. As a reward she was "gifted" with a righteous son.

This also goes back to ultimate knowledge being with Allah. "And it is a matter already decreed" the angel says. As all matters are decreed before they happen including our births and deaths. This is central in Islamic thought that Allah wills as he wishes and us as the creation must learn to adjust. It can be hard to fathom that even our thoughts and actions may be written before we even think them.

We, just like Maryam and Zakariah will find ourselves in situations that seem like a dead end or even incomprehensible. But, there is always an Islamic answer to our problems in this world. We may not be in conversation with an angel to give us such clear cut answers but, there is a alternative. We must be in constant conversation with The Qur'an, The Sunnah and with ourselves to be able to read Allah's signs and receive guidance.

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Benefits

There are a number of benefits of Surah Maryam. Some of the benefits are mentioned below:

Keeping this Surah written somewhere in the house ensures protection and safety of life, wealth and property from thieves.There is a continuous stream of blessings onto the households who keep this Surah written somewhere.It is said to be true that whosoever recites it for a purpose of having beautiful children, he/she gets so.Moreover, the women also does not face any issues regarding her pregnancy.If you keep the Surah Maryam with you, you'll have good dreams.If this Surah is hung on the wall, the frightened people will feel safe and calm.One of the benefits of reciting this Surah is that you start gaining spiritualism also called as Rohaaniat.There is a spiritual relief in reciting this Surah.

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Lessons 

"The best woman in her time was Maryam" 

1. The Strength of a Woman: 

It is so eloquently put by Allah that women are made so strong emotionally and physically have been given the ability to bear the strength of carrying and giving birth to children. This lies at the center of the story surrounding Maryam (as) and is poignantly a reminder of the miracle of birth and life itself. That Allah Alone has the Power to create us. Not only do we see the strength of Maryam (as) in her devotion and servitude to Allah before she is given the glad tidings of Isa(as), even during child birth (one of the most difficult periods of a woman's life) when she is alone and relies on Allah do we see the strength of her faith. This lesson for me is so profound in today's day and age where women are portrayed deceptively as being weak yet Allah tells us through all the righteous women who have led in Islam that the strength of a woman to bear and raise the next generation is an immense gift endowed upon the woman alone.

2. Always Under Allah's Providential Care: 

Maryam (as) was raised as a righteous child herself, devoted to His Service by her mother from birth which not only demonstrates the strong faith of her mother in Allah but also her own willingness to live a life of piety. Most women today can find that no one is to be relied on except Allah, because it is He who gives them the strength to carry what they do and He is the One Who always cares for you and Helps you in hardship. Particularly at that time when Maryam (as) was going through labor, Allah did not just leave her rather, He Provides for her through the fruits of dates and water to give her body the energy she needed to endure such atrial.Allah does everything to protect her from being slandered by her people after giving her the gift of Isa (as). When Maryam (as) comes back to the people in Bethlehem, the people are the first to slander her and accuse her of being unchaste wrongfully. This taught me how strong she must have had to be to deal with this test. Allah had given her the solution to her problem, making Isa(as) the person to speak to them and demonstrated His Power to do all things.

3. Have Few Worldly Expectations: 

One of the modern parenting challenges we face not only in certain cultures but across generations is the high expectations of parents of their children, from educational attainment to success in wealth. The pressure of how children turn out seems to suffocate some families and is one of the biggest problems in building a peaceful home today. Yet in the story of Maryam (as)and many other Prophetic traditions, we see the parents ask Allah only for their children to be raised with one expectation in sight: that they will be good Muslims and devoted servants to Allah. This is because they understood the true gift of children who will do actions, which will outlast them as the parents get old and pass on, so the generation of children can be righteous leaders. From this, we can learn not to pressurize our children to pursue careers or goals simply for worldly gains but for a far more noble pursuit in serving the Ummah.

4. Children are Allah's Gifts: 

One of the many hidden gifts from Allah to us is that of answering our supplications. We are all tested and trailed in life through different things, in some people's instances it is with the ability to have children. Perhaps one of the hardest experiences a woman will go through is to want children and not be able to bear them. Yet Allah reminds us in this chapter of His Power and that if you supplicate, Allah will not return you empty handed or deprive you of what you so earnestly want the gift of children.

Sometimes Allah deprives us of something, and when it's something we want so deeply like having children He is certainly not doing it out of punishment but rather He gives in others ways. Maryam (as) was the daughter given to her parents and she was devoted in the service of Allah,as such we are reminded to turn to Allah to ask Him for the best of gifts. Also in several places in the Quran Allah mentions that children are a 'gift' given from His Mercy, this is something parents need to be reminded of as they struggle with the modern day challenges faced in raising their children. To look after and care for them just as they would of any precious gift.

5. Righteousness is the Best of Provision:

Righteousness and devotion is enough as provision Allah tells us through the examples of Maryam (as) who isn't raised to chase after some worldly goals, but rather for that of eternal success. It is due to her piety, consciousness of Allah that she is endowed with the good news of raising a Prophet and leader in the Ummah: (The angel) said: "I am only a Messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a righteous son." [Quran 19:19] This also reflects that parents themselves need to practice the deen to the best of their ability to lead by example in action rather than by words. We see from the story of Maryam (as) the need to always maintain respect and adab with parents as ultimately Allah blesses those who take care of the people who raise them with love, mercy and care whilst He provides for us infinitely.

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Hadith's

1. Hadith on women: 4 best women in Paradise

Ibn Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "The best of women among the people of Paradise are Khadija bint Khuwaylid, Fatimah bint Muhammad, Maryam bint 'Imran, and 'Asiyah bint Muzahim, the wife of Pharaoh."

Source: Musnad Aḥmad 2896

Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Albani

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2. Ibn Mas'ud on Quran: Middle chapters are my old treasures

Ibn Yazid reported: Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said about Surat Bani Isra'il, Al-Kahf, Maryam, Ta Ha, and Al-Anbiya', "They were among the first chapters I learned and they are my old treasures."

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4431

Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Bukhari

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3. Hadith on women: Greatwomen like Marym, Asiyah and Aisha

Abu Musa reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "There were many men who achieved perfection, and none were perfect among women but Asiyah, the wife of Pharaoh, and Mary, the daughter of 'Imran. Verily, the virtue of Aisha over other women is like the virtue of a fine stew over all other foods."

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3230, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2431

Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi (authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim

Ibn Hajar said, "It is inferred by this limitation (to Asiyah and Mary) that they were both prophets, as the most perfect of human beings are the prophets, then the saints, the truthful, and the martyrs. If they were not both prophets, it must be that there is neither sainthood, nor truthfulness, nor martyrdom among women. The reality is that these characteristics are found in many of them, so it is as if the Prophet said that none among women achieved prophecy except these two."

Source: Fatḥ al-Bārī 5102

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4. Hadith on Maryam: Why mary is called the sister of aaron

Mughira ibn Shu'ba reported: When I came to Najran, the Christian monks asked me, "You recite the verse, 'O sister of Aaron,' (19:28) but Moses was born long before Jesus by many years." When I came back to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, I asked him about it and he said, "Verily, they would name people with the names of prophets and righteous people who had passed before them."

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2135

Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Muslim

Ibn Kathir said, "This is like saying to somebody from the Tamimi tribe: O brother of Tamim, or to somebody from the Mudari tribe: O brother of Mudar."

Source: Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr 19:28

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