The Story of Maryam
by Jamil Momand



Once there was a woman named Hannah who was married to a man named Imran. They were good people and faithful servants to Allah.

One day Hannah found out she was going to have a baby. She made a special prayer to Allah and dedicated her unborn child to His service.

When Hannah delivered her baby girl she named her Maryam. Allah answered Hannah's prayer and Maryam grew up to be a very beautiful, righteous and good person.


Maryam's uncle, Zakariya, was a priest in the Jewish Temple. Since Maryam had dedicated her life to the service of Allah Zakariya took care of her. Sometimes Zakariya would go to Maryam's room to see her.

One time he went in and found her eating some food. Zakariya was puzzled because he knew that no one had brought her food recently. He said, "O Maryam! How did you get this food?"

"From Allah," Maryam answered, "For Allah provides sustenance without measure to whom He pleases."


One day when Maryam was grown up, she went away from her family to be alone for many days. She would sit and think about Allah.

Once Allah sent to her an angel disguised as a man. She was frightened at first but the angel said,

"I am here to give you news that you will give birth to a holy son. His name will be Isa. Isa will be an important prophet for Allah and will be honored in this world and in the Hereafter. Isa will be able to talk even as a baby."

Maryam was perplexed and confused. She asked the angel how she could have a son without a husband.
The angel replied, "Allah creates as He wills. When He makes a plan all Allah has to do is to say "Be" and the plan works." After saying this, the angel walked away.


Maryam went back home, packed up a few of her belongings and left her family and her city to have baby Isa. She knew that no one would understand her situation. To have a baby without a husband was a very serious offense.


"(Remember) when the wife of Imran 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."
[Surah ali' Imran; 3: 35]


A few months later, when the baby was ready to be born, Maryam began to feel labor pains. She saw a palm tree that cast a long cool shadow that was sure to be comforting in the heat of the day. She made her way to the tree and laid down to rest herself. It was very hard to have a baby alone in the desert. She became sad and lonely and wished she had never been born.


From out of the ground there came a voice! It said, "Don't be sad, for your Lord has provided you with a little stream to help you."

When she looked down, she saw a little stream of water trickling beside her. The water was cold and pure. She could use it to clean herself and quench her thirst.

Then the voice told her to shake the tree. When she did, fresh dates fell. With the water and the dates Maryam felt better and the pains of childbirth lessened for a time.

The voice then told Maryam to make a promise to Allah not to talk to anyone. Maryam promised and the voice became silent.


Maryam gave birth to baby Isa all alone. When she had regained her strength, she gathered the baby in her arms and walked with him toward the city. The people saw her for the first time in many months and crowded around her. They thought that Maryam had committed a crime because she had a baby without a husband. They started to became angry with her and said that her parents were righteous people and feared Allah. They said that she had dishonored her parents and all the rest of her people.


Maryam wanted to tell the people that she was innocent and had committed no crime but, instead, she remembered her promise to Allah not to talk to anyone. She prayed silently to Allah to help her.


Meanwhile more and more people gathered around her shouting at her and asking how she got the baby. Finally, she laid baby Isa down in a cradle and pointed at him.

The people laughed and said, "How can we talk to a baby in the cradle?"

Prophet Isa (alayhis salam) looked out over the people. Then he opened his mouth and said, "I am indeed a servant of Allah. He has given me revelation and made me a prophet and He has blessed me wherever I may go and has instructed me to give prayer and charity as long as I live. Allah has made me kind to my mother and not overbearing or miserable. Therefore, there is peace on me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I shall be raised to life again on the Day of Judgment."


After that there was complete silence. Everyone realized that a miracle had taken place and that Isa was a prophet from Allah. Isa was a prophet from the day he was born. He performed, many miracles with Allah's permission and tried to show the people the right path. But the people turned away from Isa (alayhis salam) just as they had turned away from other prophets.


This was the story of one of the most righteous woman of all time, Maryam.
Her life was devoted to serving Allah. Allah protected her from the people and helped her through many hardships. He performed a great miracle by giving Maryam a son that was a prophet.

May peace and blessings be showered upon Maryam for all her righteous deeds.
Ameen.


The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "The superiority of 'Aisha to other ladies is like the superiority of Tharid (i.e. meat and bread dish) to other meals. Many men reached the level of perfection, but no woman reached such a level except Mary, the daughter of Imran and Asia, the wife of Pharaoh."
[Sahih al-Bukhari 4.643]



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