The Birth of Jesus
On the onset of her labor, she was in extreme pain, both
mentally and physically. How could a woman of such piety and nobility bear a
child out of wedlock? We should mention here that Mary had a normal pregnancy
which was no different than other women, and delivered her child as others do.
In Christian belief, Mary did not suffer the pains of childbirth, for
Christianity and Judaism regard menstruation and labor to be a curse upon women
for the sin of Eve. Islam
neither upholds this belief, nor the theory of ‘Original Sin’, but rather
strongly emphasizes that none shall burden the sin of others:
“…No person earns any (sin) except against himself (only), and
no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another...” (Quran 6:164)
Not only that, but neither the Quran nor the Prophet
Muhammad, may God praise him, ever mention that is was Eve who ate from the
tree and enticed Adam. Rather, the Quran places the blame on either Adam
alone, or on them both:
“Then Satan whispered suggestions to them both…So he
misled them with deception. Then when they tasted of the tree,
that which was hidden from them of their shame (private parts) became manifest
to them” (Quran 7:20-22)
Mary, due to her anguish and pain wished that she had never
been created, and exclaimed:
“Would that I had died before this, and become something
forgotten.” (Quran 19:23)
After delivering the child, and when her distress could
not be any more severe, the newborn babe, Jesus, may the mercy and blessings of
God be upon him, cried out miraculously from beneath her, appeasing her and
reassuring her that God will protect her:
“And he called to her from beneath her, ‘Do not grieve; your
Lord has provided beneath you a stream. And shake toward you the trunk of the
palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates. So eat and drink and be
contented. And if you see from among humanity anyone, say, ‘Indeed, I have
vowed to the Most Merciful abstention, so I will not speak today to (any)
person.’” (Quran 19:24-26)
Mary felt reassured. This was the first miracle
performed at the hands of Jesus. He spoke reassuringly to his mother upon his birth,
and once again when people saw her carrying her newborn baby. When they saw
her, they accused her saying:
“O Mary, truly a strange thing you have brought!...” (Quran
19:27)
She merely pointed to Jesus, and he miraculously spoke,
just as God had promised her upon annunciation.
“He shall speak to people while still in the cradle, and in
manhood, and he shall be from the righteous.” (Quran 3:46)
Jesus said to the people:
“I am indeed a slave of God. He has given me the Book and
made me a Prophet, and He has made me blessed wherever I may be. And He has
enjoined upon me prayers, and to pay the alms, as long as I live and (He has
made me) kind to my mother, and He has not made me insolent, unblessed. And
may Peace be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and on the Day I
shall be raised to life.” (Quran 19:30-33)
From here starts the episode of Jesus, his lifelong
struggle to call people to the worship of God, evading the plots and plans of
those Jews who would strive to kill him.
Mary in Islam
We have already discussed the great status which Islam
gives to Mary. Islam gives her the status of being the most perfect of women
created. In the Quran, no woman is given more attention than Mary even though
all the prophets, with the exception of Adam, had mothers. Of the Quran’s 114
chapters, she is among the eight people who have a chapter named after them, the
nineteenth chapter “Maryam”, which is Mary in Arabic. The third chapter in the
Quran is named after her father, Imran (Heli). Chapters Maryam and Imran are
among the most beautiful chapters in the Quran. In addition, Mary is the only
woman specifically named in the Quran. The Prophet Muhammad said:
“The best women of the world are four: Mary the daughter of
Heli, Aasiyah the wife of Pharaoh, Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid (The wife of the
Prophet Muhammad), and Fatimah, the daughter of the Muhammad, the Messenger of
God.” (Al-Tirmidhi)
Despite all these merits which we have mentioned, Mary
and her son Jesus were only human, and they had no characteristics which were
beyond the realm of humanity. They were both created beings and both ‘born’
into this world. Although they were under the special care of God from
committing grave sins (total protection - as other prophets - in the case of
Jesus, and partial protection as other righteous persons in case of Mary, if we
take the position that she was not a prophetess), they still were prone to make
mistakes. Unlike Christianity, which holds Mary to be faultless,
none are given this quality of perfection except God Alone.
Islam commands the belief and implementation of strict
monotheism; that none have any supernatural powers other than God, and that He
alone deserves worship, devotion and adoration. Even though miracles may have
occurred at the hands of the prophets and righteous people during their lives,
they have no power to help themselves, let alone others, after their death.
All humans are slaves of God and are in need of His help and mercy.
The same holds true for Mary. Although many miracles
occurred in her presence, all this ceased after her death. Any claims people have
made that they saw apparitions of the Virgin, or that people were saved from
harm after invoking her, like those mentioned in apocryphal literature such as
“Transitus Mariae”, are mere apparitions made by Satan to steer people away
from the worship and devotion to the One True God. Devotions such as 'the Hail
Mary' praised upon the rosary and other acts of magnification, such as the
devotion of churches and specification of feasts to Mary, all lead people to
magnify and glorify others besides God. Due to these reasons, Islam has
strictly forbidden innovations of any kind, as well as building places of
worship over graves, all to preserve the essence of all religions sent by God,
the pristine message to worship Him alone and to leave the false worship of all
other besides Him.
Mary was a maidservant of God, and she was the purest of
all women, specially chosen to bear the miraculous birth of Jesus, one of the
greatest of all prophets. She was known for her piety and chastity, and she
will continue to be held in this great regard throughout the ages to come. Her
story has been related in the Glorious Quran since the advent of the Prophet
Muhammad, and will continue to be so, unchanged in its pristine form, until the
Day of Judgment.
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