The Holy Qur'an (Maulana Muhammad Ali)/19. Mary

19. Mary (Maryam)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

Sufficient, Guide, Blessed, Knowing, Truthful God. 

A mention of the mercy of thy Lord to His servant Zacharias -- 

When he called upon his Lord, crying in secret. 

He said: My Lord, my bones are weakened, and my head flares with hoariness, and I have never been unsuccessful in my prayer to Thee, my Lord. 

And I fear my kinsfolk after me, and my wife is barren, so grant me from Thyself an heir 

Who should inherit me and inherit of the Children of Jacob, and make him, my Lord, acceptable (to Thee). 

O Zacharias, We give thee good news of a boy, whose name is John: We have not made before anyone his equal. 

He said: My Lord, how shall I have a son, and my wife is barren, and I have reached extreme old age? 

<section begin="19:9"/>He said: So (it will be). Thy Lord says: It is easy to Me, and indeed I created thee before, when thou wast nothing. <section end="19:9"/>

<section begin="19:10"/>He said: My Lord, give me a sign. He said: Thy sign is that thou speak not to people three nights, being in sound health. <section end="19:10"/>

<section begin="19:11"/>So he went forth to his people from the sanctuary and proclaimed to them: Glorify (Allah) morning and evening. <section end="19:11"/>

<section begin="19:12"/>O John, take hold of the Book with strength. And We granted him wisdom when a child, <section end="19:12"/>

<section begin="19:13"/>And kind-heartedness from Us and purity. And he was dutiful, <section end="19:13"/>

<section begin="19:14"/>And kindly to his parents, and he was not insolent, disobedient. <section end="19:14"/>

<section begin="19:15"/>And peace on him the day he was born and the day he died, and the day he is raised to life <section end="19:15"/>

<section begin="19:16"/>And mention Mary in the Book. When she drew aside from her family to an eastern place; <section end="19:16"/>

<section begin="19:17"/>So she screened herself from them. Then We sent to her Our spirit and it appeared to her as a well made man. <section end="19:17"/>

<section begin="19:18"/>She said: I flee for refuge from thee to the Beneficent, if thou art one guarding against evil. <section end="19:18"/>

<section begin="19:19"/>He said: I am only bearer of a message of thy Lord: That I will give thee a pure boy. <section end="19:19"/>

<section begin="19:20"/>She said: How can I have a son and no mortal has yet touched me, nor have I been unchaste? <section end="19:20"/>

<section begin="19:21"/>He said: So (it will be). Thy Lord says: It is easy to Me; and that We may make him a sign to men and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter decreed. <section end="19:21"/>

<section begin="19:22"/>Then she conceived him; and withdrew with him to a remote place. <section end="19:22"/>

<section begin="19:23"/>And the throes of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said: Oh, would that I had died before this, and had been a thing quite forgotten! <section end="19:23"/>

<section begin="19:24"/>So a voice came to her from beneath her: Grieve not, surely thy Lord has provided a stream beneath thee. <section end="19:24"/>

<section begin="19:25"/>And shake towards thee the trunk of the palm-tree, it will drop on thee fresh ripe dates. <section end="19:25"/>

<section begin="19:26"/>So eat and drink and cool the eye. Then if thou seest any mortal, say: Surely I have vowed a fast to the Beneficent, so I will not speak to any man to-day. <section end="19:26"/>

<section begin="19:27"/>Then she came to her people with him, carrying him. They said: O Mary, thou hast indeed brought a strange thing! <section end="19:27"/>

<section begin="19:28"/>O sister of Aaron, thy father was not a wicked man, nor was thy mother an unchaste woman! <section end="19:28"/>

<section begin="19:29"/>But she pointed to him. They said: How should we speak to one who is a child in the cradle? <section end="19:29"/>

<section begin="19:30"/>He said: I am indeed a servant of Allah. He has given me the Book and made me a prophet: <section end="19:30"/>

<section begin="19:31"/>And He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoined on me prayer and poor-rate so long as I live. <section end="19:31"/>

<section begin="19:32"/>And to be kind to my mother; and He has not made me insolent, unblessed. <section end="19:32"/>

<section begin="19:33"/>And peace on me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I am raised to life. <section end="19:33"/>

<section begin="19:34"/>Such is Jesus son of Mary a statement of troth about which they dispute. <section end="19:34"/>

<section begin="19:35"/>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. <section end="19:35"/>

<section begin="19:36"/>And surely Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so serve Him. This is the right path. <section end="19:36"/>

<section begin="19:37"/>But parties from among them differed; so woe to those who disbelieve, because of their presence on a grievous day! <section end="19:37"/>

<section begin="19:38"/>How clearly will they hear and see on the day when they come to Us but the wrongdoers are to-day in manifest error. <section end="19:38"/>

<section begin="19:39"/>And warn them of the day of Regret, when the matter is decided. And they are (now) in negligence and they believe not. <section end="19:39"/>

<section begin="19:40"/>Surely We inherit the earth and those thereon, and to Us they are returned. <section end="19:40"/>

<section begin="19:41"/>And mention Abraham in the Book. Surely he was a truthful man, a prophet. <section end="19:41"/>

<section begin="19:42"/>When he said to his sire O my sire, why worshippest thou that which hears not, nor sees, nor can it avail thee aught? <section end="19:42"/>

<section begin="19:43"/>O my sire, to me indeed has come the knowledge which has not come to thee; so follow me, I will guide thee on a right path. <section end="19:43"/>

<section begin="19:44"/>O my sire, serve not the devil. Surely the devil is disobedient to the Beneficent. <section end="19:44"/>

<section begin="19:45"/>O my sire, surely I fear lest a punishment from the Beneficent should afflict thee, so that thou become a friend of the devil. <section end="19:45"/>

<section begin="19:46"/>He said: Dislikest thou my gods, O Abraham? If thou desist not, I will certainly drive thee away. And leave me for a time. <section end="19:46"/>

<section begin="19:47"/>He said: Peace be to thee! I shall pray my Lord to forgive thee. Surely He is ever Kind to me. <section end="19:47"/>

<section begin="19:48"/>And I withdraw from you and that which you call on beside Allah and I call upon my Lord. Maybe I shall not remain unblessed in calling upon my Lord. <section end="19:48"/>

<section begin="19:49"/>So, when he withdrew from them and that which they worshipped besides Allah, We gave him Isaac and Jacob. And each (of them) We made a prophet. <section end="19:49"/>

<section begin="19:50"/>And We gave them of Our mercy, and We granted them a truthful mention of eminence. <section end="19:50"/>

<section begin="19:51"/>And mention Moses in the Book. Surely he was one purified, and was a messenger, a prophet. <section end="19:51"/>

<section begin="19:52"/>And We called to him from the blessed side of the mountain, and We made him draw nigh in communion. <section end="19:52"/>

<section begin="19:53"/>And We gave him out of Our mercy his brother Aaron, a prophet. <section end="19:53"/>

<section begin="19:54"/>And mention Ishmael in the Book. Surely he was truthful in promise, and he was a messenger, a prophet. <section end="19:54"/>

<section begin="19:55"/>And he enjoined on his people prayer and almsgiving, and was one in whom his Lord was well pleased. <section end="19:55"/>

<section begin="19:56"/>And mention Idris in the Book. Surely he was a truthful man, a prophet, <section end="19:56"/>

<section begin="19:57"/>And We raised him to an elevated state. <section end="19:57"/>

<section begin="19:58"/>These are they on whom Allah bestowed favours, from among the prophets, of the seed of Adam, and of those whom We carried with Noah, and of the seed of Abraham and Israel, and of those whom We guided and chose. When the messages of the Beneficent were recited to them, they fell down in submission, weeping. <section end="19:58"/>

<section begin="19:59"/>But there came after them an evil generation, who wasted prayers and followed lusts, so they will meet perdition, <section end="19:59"/>

<section begin="19:60"/>Except those who repent and believe and do good such will enter the Garden, and they will not be wronged in aught: <section end="19:60"/>

<section begin="19:61"/>Gardens of perpetuity which the Beneficent has promised to His servants in the Unseen. Surely His promise ever comes to pass. <section end="19:61"/>

<section begin="19:62"/>They will hear therein no vain discourse, but only, Peace! And they have their sustenance therein, morning and evening. <section end="19:62"/>

<section begin="19:63"/>This is the Garden which We cause those of Our servants to inherit who keep their duty. <section end="19:63"/>

<section begin="19:64"/>And we descend not but by the command of thy Lord. To Him belongs what is before us and what is behind us and what is between these, and thy Lord is never forgetful. <section end="19:64"/>

<section begin="19:65"/>Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, so serve Him and be patient in His service. Knowest thou any one equal to Him? <section end="19:65"/>

<section begin="19:66"/>And says man: When I am dead, shall I truly be brought forth alive? <section end="19:66"/>

<section begin="19:67"/>Does not man remember that We created him before, when he was nothing? <section end="19:67"/>

<section begin="19:68"/>So by thy Lord! We shall certainly gather them together and the devils, then shall We bring them around hell on their knees. <section end="19:68"/>

<section begin="19:69"/>Then We shall draw forth from every sect those most rebellious against the Beneficent. <section end="19:69"/>

<section begin="19:70"/>Again, We certainly know best those who deserve most to be burned therein. <section end="19:70"/>

<section begin="19:71"/>And there is not one of you but shall come to it. This is an unavoidable decree of thy Lord. <section end="19:71"/>

<section begin="19:72"/>And We shall deliver those who guard against evil, and leave the wrongdoers therein on their knees. <section end="19:72"/>

<section begin="19:73"/>And when Our clear messages are recited to them, those who disbelieve say to those who believe: Which of the two parties is better in position and better in assembly? <section end="19:73"/>

<section begin="19:74"/>And how many a generation have We destroyed before them, who had better possessions and appearance! <section end="19:74"/>

<section begin="19:75"/>Say: As for him who is in error, the Beneficent will prolong his length of days; until they see what they were threatened with, either the punishment or the Hour. Then they will know who is worse in position and weaker in forces. <section end="19:75"/>

<section begin="19:76"/>And Allah increases in guidance those who go aright. And deeds that endure, the good deeds, are, with thy Lord, better in recompense and yield better return. <section end="19:76"/>

<section begin="19:77"/>Hast thou seen him who disbelieves in Our messages and says: I shall certainly be given wealth and children? <section end="19:77"/>

<section begin="19:78"/>Has he gained knowledge of the unseen, or made a covenant with the Beneficent? <section end="19:78"/>

<section begin="19:79"/>By no means! We write down what he says, and We shall lengthen to him the length of the chastisement <section end="19:79"/>

<section begin="19:80"/>And We shall inherit from him what he says, and he will come to Us alone. <section end="19:80"/>

<section begin="19:81"/>And they have taken gods besides Allah, that they should be to them a source of strength -- <section end="19:81"/>

<section begin="19:82"/>By no means! They will soon deny their worshipping them, and be their adversaries. <section end="19:82"/>

<section begin="19:83"/>Seest thou not that We send the devils against the disbelievers, inciting them incitingly? <section end="19:83"/>

<section begin="19:84"/>So make no haste against them. We only number out to them a number (of days). <section end="19:84"/>

<section begin="19:85"/>The day when We gather the dutiful to the Beneficent to receive honours, <section end="19:85"/>

<section begin="19:86"/>And drive the guilty to hell, as thirsty beasts. <section end="19:86"/>

<section begin="19:87"/>They have no power of intercession, save him who has made a covenant with the Beneficent. <section end="19:87"/>

<section begin="19:88"/>And they say: The Beneficent has taken to Himself a son. <section end="19:88"/>

<section begin="19:89"/>Certainly you make an abominable assertion! <section end="19:89"/>

<section begin="19:90"/>The heavens may almost be rent thereat, and the earth cleave asunder, and the mountains fall down in pieces, <section end="19:90"/>

<section begin="19:91"/>That they ascribe a son to the Beneficent! <section end="19:91"/>

<section begin="19:92"/>And it is not worthy of the Beneficent that He should take to Himself a son. <section end="19:92"/>

<section begin="19:93"/>There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes to the Beneficent as a servant. <section end="19:93"/>

<section begin="19:94"/>Certainly He comprehends them, and has numbered them all. <section end="19:94"/>

<section begin="19:95"/>And every one of them will come to Him on the day of Resurrection, alone. <section end="19:95"/>

<section begin="19:96"/>Those who believe and do good deeds, for them the Beneficent will surely bring about love. <section end="19:96"/>

<section begin="19:97"/>So We have made it easy in thy tongue only that thou shouldst give good news thereby to those who guard against evil, and shouldst warn thereby a contentious people. <section end="19:97"/>

<section begin="19:98"/>And how many a generation before them have We destroyed! Canst thou see any one of them or hear a sound of them? <section end="19:98"/>