19. Marium

Kaf. Ha. Ya. Ein. Sad.

(This is) a mention of the Mercy of thy Lordto His servant Zakariya.

Behold! he cried to his Lord in secret,

Praying: “O my Lord! infirm indeed are mybones, and the hair of my head doth glisten with gray: but never amI unblest, O my Lord, in my prayer to Thee!

“Now I fear (what) my relatives (andcolleagues) (will do) after me: but my wife is barren: so give me anheir as from Thyself,-

“(One that) will (truly) inherit me, andinherit the posterity of Jacob; and make him, O my Lord! one withwhom Thou art well-pleased!”

(His prayer was answered): “O Zakariya! Wegive thee good news of a son: His name shall be Yahy�: (John)on noneby that name have We conferred distinction before.”

He said: “O my Lord! How shall I have a son,when my wife is barren and I have grown quite decrepit from oldage?”

He said: “So (it will be) thy Lord saith,’That is easy for Me: I did indeed create thee before, when thouhadst been nothing!’ “

(Zakariya) said: “O my Lord! give me a Sign.””Thy Sign,” was the answer, “Shall be that thou shalt speak to noman for three nights, although thou art not dumb.”

So Zakariya came out to his people from himchamber. He told them by signs to celebrate Allah’s praises in themorning and in the evening.

(To his son came the command): “O John! takehold of the Book with might”: and We gave him Wisdom even as ayouth,

And pity (for all creatures) as from Us, andpurity: He was devout,

And kind to his parents, and he was notoverbearing or rebellious.

So Peace on him the day he was born, the daythat he dies, and the day that he will be raised up to life (again)!

Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary, whenshe withdrew from her family to a place in the East.

She placed a screen (to screen herself) fromthem; then We sent her Our angel, and he appeared before her as aman in all respects.

She said: “I seek refuge from thee to (Allah)Most Gracious: (come not near) if thou dost fear Allah.”

He said: “Nay, I am only a messenger from thyLord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a pure son.

She said: “How shall I have a son, seeingthat no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?”

He said: “So (it will be): thy Lord saith,’That is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign untomen and a Mercy from Us’. It is a matter (so) decreed.”

So she conceived him, and she retired withhim to a remote place.

And the pains of childbirth drove her to thetrunk of a palm-tree. She cried (in her anguish): “Ah! would that Ihad died before this! would that I had been a thing forgotten!”

But (a voice) cried to her from beneath the(palm-tree): “Grieve not! for thy Lord hath provided a rivuletbeneath thee;

“And shake towards thyself the trunk of thepalm-tree: It will let fall fresh ripe dates upon thee.

“So eat and drink and cool (thine) eye. Andif thou dost see any man, say, ‘I have vowed a fast to (Allah) MostGracious, and this day will I enter into no talk with any humanbeing'”

At length she brought the (babe) to herpeople, carrying him (in her arms). They said: “O Mary! truly astrange thing has thou brought!

“O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a manof evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!”

But she pointed to the babe. They said: “Howcan we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?”

He said: “I am indeed a servant of Allah. Hehath given me revelation and made me a prophet;

“And He hath made me blessed wheresoever Ibe, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live;

“(He hath made me) kind to my mother, and notoverbearing or unblest;

“So peace is on me the day I was born, theday that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life(again)”!

Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) astatement of truth, about which they (vainly) dispute.

It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allahthat He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! when He determines amatter, He only says to it, “Be”, and it is.

Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord: Himtherefore serve ye: this is a Way that is straight.

But the sects differ among themselves: andwoe to the Unbelievers because of the (coming) Judgment of an awfulDay!

How plainly will they see and hear, the Daythat they will appear before Us! but the unjust today are in errormanifest!

But warn them of the Day of Distress, whenthe matter will be determined: for (behold,) they are negligent andthey do not believe!

It is We Who will inherit the earth, and allbeings thereon: to Us will they all be returned.

(Also) mention in the Book (the story of)Abraham. He was a man of Truth, a prophet.

Behold, he said to his father: “O my father!Why worship that which heareth not and seeth not, and can profitthee nothing?

“O my father! to me hath come knowledge whichhath not reached thee: so follow me: I will guide thee to a Way thatis even and straight.

“O my father! serve not Satan: for Satan is arebel against (Allah) Most Gracious.

“O my father! I fear lest a Chastisementafflict thee from (Allah) Most Gracious, so that thou become toSatan a friend.”

(The father) replied: “Art thou shrinkingfrom my gods, O Abraham? If thou forbear not, I will indeed stonethee: Now get away from me for a good long while!”

Abraham said: “Peace be on thee: I will prayto my Lord for thy forgiveness: for He is to me Most Gracious.

“And I will turn away from you (all) and fromthose whom ye invoke besides Allah. I will call on my Lord: perhaps,by my prayer to my Lord, I shall be not unblest.”

When he had turned away from them and fromthose whom they worshipped besides Allah, We bestowed on him Isaacand Jacob, and each one of them We made a prophet.

And We bestowed of Our Mercy on them, and Wegranted them lofty honor on the tongue of truth.

Also mention in the Book (the story of)Moses: for he was specially chosen, and he was a messenger (and) aprophet.

And We called him from the right side ofMount (Sinai), and made him draw near to Us, for converse in secret.

And, out of Our Mercy, We gave him hisbrother Aaron, (also) a prophet.

Also mention in the Book (the story of)Ismail: He was (strictly) true to what he promised, and he was amessenger (and) a prophet.

He used to enjoin on his people prayer andcharity, and he was most acceptable in the sight of his Lord.

Also mention in the Book Idr�s: he was a manof truth (and sincerity), (and) a prophet:

And We raised him to a lofty station.

Those were some of the prophets on whom Allahdid bestow His Grace,- of the posterity of Adam, and of those who Wecarried (in the Ark) with Noah, and of the posterity of Abraham andIsrael of those whom We guided and chose. Whenever the Signs of(Allah) Most Gracious were rehearsed to them, they would fall downin prostrate adoration and in tears.

But after them there followed a posterity whomissed prayers and followed after lusts soon, then, will they faceDestruction,-

Except those who repent and believe, and workrighteousness: for these will enter the Garden and will not bewronged in the least,-

Gardens of Eternity, those which (Allah) MostGracious has promised to His servants in the Unseen: for His promisemust (necessarily) come to pass.

They will not there hear any vain discourse,but only salutations of Peace: And they will have therein theirsustenance, morning and evening.

Such is the Garden which We give as aninheritance to those of Our servants who guard against evil.

(The angels say:) “We descend not but bycommand of thy Lord: to Him belongeth what is before us and what isbehind us, and what is between: and thy Lord never doth forget,-

“Lord of the heavens and of the earth, and ofall that is between them; so worship Him, and be constant andpatient in His worship: knowest thou of any who is worthy of thesame Name as He?”

Man says: “What! When I am dead, shall I thenbe raised up alive?”

But does not man call to mind that We createdhim before out of nothing?

So, by thy Lord, without doubt, We shallgather them together, and (also) the Satans (with them); then shallWe bring them forth on their knees round about Hell;

Then shall We certainly drag out from everysect all those who were worst in obstinate rebellion against (Allah)Most Gracious.

And certainly We know best those who are mostworthy of being burned therein.

Not one of you but will pass over it: thisis, with thy Lord, a Decree which must be accomplished.

But We shall save those who guarded againstevil, and We shall leave the wrong-doers therein, (humbled) to theirknees.

When Our Clear Signs are rehearsed to them,the Unbelievers say to those who believe, “Which of the two sides isbest in point of position and fairer in assembly?”

But how many (countless) generations beforethem have We destroyed, who were even better in equipment and inglitter to the eye?

Say: “Whoever goes astray, (Allah) MostGracious extends (the rope) to them, until, when they see thewarning of Allah (being fulfilled) – either in punishment or in (theapproach of) the Hour,- they will at length realize who is worst inposition, and (who) weakest in forces!

“And Allah doth advance in guidance those whoseek guidance: and the things that endure, Good Deeds, are best inthe sight of thy Lord, as rewards, and best in respect of (their)eventual return.”

Hast thou then seen the (sort of) man whorejects Our Signs, yet says: “I shall certainly be given wealth andchildren?”

Has he penetrated to the Unseen, or has hetaken a contract with the Most Gracious?

Nay! We shall record what he says, and Weshall add and add to his punishment.

To Us shall return all that he talks of andhe shall appear before Us bare and alone.

And they have taken (for worship) gods otherthan Allah, to give them power and glory!

Instead, they shall reject their worship, andbecome adversaries against them.

Seest thou not that We have set the Satans onagainst the Unbelievers, to incite them with fury?

So make no haste against them, for We butcount out to them a (limited) number (of days).

The day We shall gather the righteous to(Allah) Most Gracious, like a band (presented before a king forhonors,)

And We shall drive the sinners to Hell, (likethirsty cattle driven down to water,-)

None shall have the power of intercession,but such a one as has received permission (or promise) from (Allah)Most Gracious.

They say: “The Most Gracious has begotten ason!”

Indeed ye have put forth a thing mostmonstrous!

At it the skies are about to burst, the earthto split asunder, and the mountains to fall down in utter ruin,

That they attributed a son for the MostGracious.

For it is not consonant with the majesty ofthe Most Gracious that He should beget a son.

Not one of the beings in the heavens and theearth but must come to the Most Gracious as a servant.

He does take an account of them (all), andhath numbered them (all) exactly.

And everyone of them will come to Him singlyon the Day of Judgment.

On those who believe and work deeds ofrighteousness, will the Most Gracious bestow love.

So have We made the (Quran) easy in thine owntongue, that with it thou mayest give Glad Tidings to the righteous,and warnings to people given to contention.

But how many (countless) generations beforethem have We destroyed? Canst thou find a single one of them (now)or hear (so much as) a whisper of them?