بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
22nd Shawwaal 1438
The Theme of Surah Maryam:
a) Mercy of Allah
b) How Allah treats His slaves with His mercy - The more you are a slave of Allah, the more He will deal with you with His mercy.
These are both mentioned in the beginning of the Surah; in Verse 2:
"(This is) a mention of the mercy of your Lord to His slave Zakariya (Zachariah)."
Division of the Surah:
Part #1 - Verses 1 to 15 - The Mercy of Allah upon Zakariya and Yahya عليهما السلام
Part #2 - Verses 16 to 40 - The Mercy of Allah upon Maryam and her Son عليه السلام
Part #3 - Verse 41 to 50 - The Mercy of Allah upon Ibrahim عليه السلام
Part #4 - Verse 51 to 58 - The Mercy of Allah upon Musa, Harun, Ismaeel, Idris عليهم السلام
Part #5 - Verse 59 to 65 - The Description of the Way to Salvation (Repentance, Faith, and Good Deeds)
This way should be through revelation, which is why the descending of the Angels by the order of Allah is mentioned.
Part #6 - Verse 66 to 95 - Five Claims and Doubts of the Disbeliever and Their Refutal
Part #7 - Verse 96 to 98 - End of Surah
Connection between the Beginning and End of the Surah:
#1 - Beginning: Verse 2:
"(This is) a mention of the mercy of your Lord to His slave Zakariya (Zachariah)."
End: Verse 97:
"So We have made this (the Quran) easy in your own tongue (O Muhammad), only that you may give glad tidings to the Muttaqun (pious and righteous persons - See V.2:2), and warn with it the Ludda (most quarrelsome) people."
In the beginning, Allah said "ذكر" (This is a mention). In the end, Allah mentions the wisdom behind this ذكر - to give glad tidings and warning.
#2 - Beginning: Verse 1:
"Kaf- Ha-Ya-'Ain-Sad. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Quran, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings]."
End: Verse 97:
"So We have made this (the Quran) easy in your own tongue (O Muhammad), only that you may give glad tidings to the Muttaqun (pious and righteous persons - See V.2:2), and warn with it the Ludda (most quarrelsome) people."
Allah began the Surah with these miraculous letters. In the end, Allah said that He made this Quran easy. The Qur'an is the Words of Allah, and He made it easy for us to say it and understand it.
#3- Beginning: Verse 2:
"(This is) a mention of the mercy of your Lord to His slave Zakariya (Zachariah)."
End: Verse 98:
"And how many a generation before them have We destroyed! Can you (O Muhammad) find a single one of them or hear even a whisper of them?"
Allah began the Surah praising Zakariya عليه السلام and reminding of His mercy with him and ended the Surah with the opposite picture;- Allah destroyed so many nations, no need to mention their names. They reached the utmost in wealth, technology, medicine, etc. The People of Egypt reached heights in medicine which we have not reached nowadays. There were so many nations who lived for 2000 or 3000 years. Their bodily strength was strong. But Allah destroyed them and erased their traces, because they were disbelievers. And Allah increased the remembrance of the believers.
Continuation: Part #1 - Verses 1 to 15
The Mercy of Allah upon Zakariya and Yahya عليهما السلام
Verse 12:
"(It was said to his son): "O Yahya (John)! Hold fast the Scripture [the Taurat (Torah)]." And We gave him wisdom while yet a child."
"يا يحي خذ الكتاب بقوة" - O Yahya (John)! Hold fast the Scripture [the Taurat (Torah)].
Allah ordered Yahya عليه السلام to hold fast to the scripture, and the scripture was the Torah.
"و آتَيْنَاه الحكم صبيا" - And We gave him wisdom while yet a child.
Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما said that Allah made him a Prophet when he was 7 years old.
Verse 13:
"And (made him) sympathetic to men as a mercy (or a grant) from Us, and pure from sins [i.e. Yahya (John)] and he was righteous,"
"حنان مِن لدنا" - And (made him) sympathetic to men as a mercy (or a grant) from Us
This is one of the mercies of Allah to him. Some said everyone who saw him loved him, others said everyone who saw him honoured and respected him. He was merciful to the people.
"زكاة" - and pure from sins
Yahya عليه السلام was pure from committing sins.
"و كان تقيا" - and he was righteous
He had Taqwa; he would perform the obligations and stay away from what Allah made prohibited.
Verse 14:
"And dutiful towards his parents, and he was neither an arrogant nor disobedient (to Allah or to his parents)."
He fulfilled the rights of Allah and the rights of the people.
Verse 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)!"
The most critical three situations for each person are these three situations:
a) When you are coming to this world
b) When you die
c) When you are raised up from your grave on the Day of Judgement
Al-Qurtubi رحمه الله said,
وَحَيَّاهُ فِي الْمَوَاطِنِ الَّتِي الْإِنْسَانُ فِيهَا فِي غَايَةِ الضَّعْفِ وَالْحَاجَةِ وَقِلَّةِ الْحِيلَةِ وَالْفَقْرِ إلى الله تعالى عظيم الحول.
Life in these positions are where man is most weak and most in need and poor to Allah. Allah gave peace to Yahya عليه السلام during these three stages when a person is most weak and in need.
When you are dying your family may be all around you, but no one can help you, except Allah. Ask Allah to give you peace when you die and when you are resurrected - اللهم اجعل يوم أموت سلام علي و يوم أبعث حيّا
The Prophet ﷺ would invoke according to the verses in the Qur'an. When Allah revealed Surah An-Nasr [110:3]:
"So glorify the Praises of your Lord, and ask for His Forgiveness. Verily, He is the One Who accepts the repentance and forgives."
He ﷺ would say:
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا وَبِحَمْدِكَ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي
Glory to You, O Allah, our Lord, and praise be to You. O Allah, forgive me.
Also, the Angels will say to the People of Paradise (as mentioned in Surah Qaf [50:34]):
"Enter you therein in peace and security; this is a Day of eternal life!"
You can ask Allah: اللهم ادخلني في الجنة بسلام
You want Allah to enter you into Paradise directly; without entering Hellfire, without questioning, etc.
Or when you pass by a palace, say as the wife of Pharoah said (as mentioned in Surah Tahrim [66:11]):
"And Allah has set forth an example for those who believe, the wife of Fir'aun (Pharaoh), when she said: "My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Paradise, and save me from Fir'aun (Pharaoh) and his work, and save me from the people who are Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers and disbelievers in Allah)."
Allah makes you see these things to remind you of the Day of Judgement; the real life. Live for the Hereafter.
Benefits from this Part:
1) The invocation of Zakariya عليه السلام teaches us to have manners when we supplicate. It should be done in secret, as it is more conducive for sincerity.
2) Keep a memory of the previous gifts and blessings of Allah upon you and use it for your invocation. When Zakariya عليه السلام invoked to Allah, he said, "و لم أكن بدعائك ربي شقيا" (And I have never been wretched in my invocation to You)
3) The virtue of remembering Allah. When Zakariya عليه السلام asked for a sign, was not able to say anything, save the remembrance of Allah.
4) Make Da'wah regardless of the time, place, people, circumstances around you. Zakariya عليه السلام was unable to speak yet he signaled to his people to remember Allah. "فأوحى إليهم أن سبحوا" (And he signaled to them to glorify..)
Umar رضي الله عنه was stabbed in the abdomen and on his death bed, he told a young man who visited him to shorten his garment. You do not know how Allah will benefit people by your word. Perhaps that word you say will cause Allah to be pleased with you and enter you into Paradise.
5) If you want to increase in knowledge, hold fast to the Qur'an. "يا يحي خذ الكتاب بقوة" (O Yahya, hold fast to the Book)
6) Knowledge should be coupled with action. If you read the biographies of the four Imams, Abu Hanifa رحمه الله would recite the entire Qur'an in one Rak'ah, Ash-Shafi'i رحمه الله would complete the Qur'an both in the day and night in Ramadan, Imam Ahmed رحمه الله would pray 300 voluntary Rak'ahs every day. They used to have knowledge as well as worship.
Part #2 - Verses 16 to 40
The Mercy of Allah upon Maryam and her Son عليه السلام
Verse 16:
"And mention in the Book (the Quran, O Muhammad , the story of) Maryam (Mary), when she withdrew in seclusion from her family to a place facing east."
"واذكر" - And mention
This is repeated. It was said at the beginning of the story of Zakariya عليه السلام, and now at the beginning of the story of Maryam.
"في الكتاب" - in the Book
Which Book? This Qur'an.
"مريم" - Maryam (Mary)
Allah always mentioned the Story of Zakariya عليه السلام and Maryam together, in Surah Maryam, Surah Aal-Imran, and Surah Al-Anbiya. Allah wants to show us that He is able to give you when the means are weak (as in the story of Zakariya), or even when there are no means at all (as in the Story of Maryam). If you want anything, do not lose hope, if you really believe in Allah and that He is your Lord.
"إذ انتبذت من أهلها مكانا شرقيا" - when she withdrew in seclusion from her family to a place facing east.
She was one of the righteous and she isolated herself from people in order to worship Allah.
Verse 17:
"She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our Ruh [angel Jibrael (Gabriel)], and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects."
"فاتخذت مِن دونهم حجابا" - She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them
She screened herself from the people so she would get distracted or busy with anything other than her worship.
Allah said in Surah Aal-Imran [3:42]:
"And (remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allah has chosen you, purified you (from polytheism and disbelief), and chosen you above the women of the 'Alamin (mankind and jinns) (of her lifetime)."
"فأرسلنا إليها روحنا فتمثل لها بشرا سويا" - then We sent to her Our Ruh [angel Jibrael (Gabriel)], and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects.
Allah named Jibreel "روح" (soul) because the basis of the Religion is revelation; it is the soul of the Religion, and Jibreel عليه السلام is the one bringing the revelation. Allah honoured Jibreel عليه السلام with this Name.
Jibreel عليه السلام came in the form of a handsome man, and she was alone. She was thirteen years old and she was afraid. Because she was a worshipper and a righteous woman, the first thing she said was:
Verse 18:
"She said: "Verily! I seek refuge with the Most Beneficent (Allah) from you, if you do fear Allah.""
"قالت إني أعوذ" - She said: "Verily! I seek refuge
This is the first thing the believer should say when he feels afraid: أعوذ بالله
Isti'aadhah (Seeking refuge) is a form of worship which should be directed to Allah alone.
"بالرحمن" - with the Most Beneficent
She chose the right name, because she knew Allah very well. She knew Allah الرحمن, that's why Allah gave her from His mercy.
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