Maryam, Daughter of Imran: Timeless Important Lessons from Allah's Chosen Woman

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

One of my favorite Surahs in the Qur'an is Surah Maryam. It was the Surah that made me first fell in love with the Qur'an. It was not the content at first, it was how soothing the words were, but I didn't understand a word at that time except the proper names. Until one day, while I was studying the Fath ul-Bari with my children from a Shaykh (may Allah shower him with mercy), he pointed out, in passing, how Surah Maryam is attractive and soothing to the listener even babies-- because of the lullaby rhythm of the verses in the Surah. My curiosity engulfed me, and I began learning the Surah.

Maryam (peace be upon her) is a very central character in the Qur'an. She is the only woman whose name is explicitly mentioned in the Qur'an. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said that she was among the four greatest women to have ever walked the face of this earth.

The Qur'an actually says that she was chosen over all the women of this world. She is also, importantly, a single mother and raised one of the five greatest prophets on earth, Prophet Isa (peace be upon him.) Therefore the lessons we can take from her are important, timeless and countless.

وَإِذْ قَالَتِ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ يَـٰمَرْ‌يَمُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰكِ وَطَهَّرَ‌كِ وَٱصْطَفَىٰكِ عَلَىٰ نِسَآءِ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ﴿٤٢﴾ يَـٰمَرْ‌يَمُ ٱقْنُتِى لِرَ‌بِّكِ وَٱسْجُدِى وَٱرْ‌كَعِى مَعَ ٱلرَّ‌ٰ‌كِعِينَ ﴿٤٣

And [mention] when the angels said, "O Maryam (Mary,) indeed Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds. (42) O Mary, be devoutly obedient to your Lord and prostrate and bow with those who bow [in prayer]." (43) [Qur'an, AleImran 3:42-43]

Allah has chosen, and the chosen should devote themselves to Him.

Muslims are minority on this earth, about 1/5 of the earth population, and among them an even smaller minority are trying to practice the religion of Allah and come close to Him. If you are reading this article you are part of that very small fraction, the fraction of the world population who has been directed by Allah to this article. Allah has chosen you. And because of the immense favor of Allah upon you, it is very important that you devote yourself to the worship of Allah. Very few people on earth are given the gift of being able to have a relationship with Allah. You and I have been blessed with it. How will we use this gift?

Greatness is based on our relationship with Allah. Our relationship with Allah is based on salah:

It is due to her great devotion in worship that Maryam (peace be upon her) was chosen and granted such a special place in the Qur'an. However, the most important devotion that Allah mentions in the Qur'an is an order from Him: Prostrate yourself in worship, bow down with those who bow.

Our prayers are the most important worship in our lives. It is the first thing that we will be questioned about on the Day of Judgement. It was the last thing that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered before he passed away. It has been mentioned nearly 700 times in the Qur'an. If we look at the lives of the prophets, all of them are distinguished for their prayers. Greatness lies in the greatness of our prayers. To help us achieve this greatness, Allah tells us to be with people who take prayers seriously. So pray with proper recitation and understanding of the meanings of what you utter. Learn how to pray and recite Quran properly from qualified teachers.

Allah breaks stereotypes:

The greatest woman on earth was a single mother. Allah breaks lots of the stereotypes we have in our societies in the Qur'an. The Queen of Sheba was a lady who was in authority and yet praised in the Qur'an. Most of the prophets were shepherds, a profession we often look down upon.

Worship during ease, helps us during hardship:

This ayah talks about Allah’s orders to Maryam (peace be upon her) when she was still young. Allah knows of the difficulties that will come in her life and orders her to establish a relationship with Allah.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘Remember Allah in times of ease, and He will remember you in times of difficulty.’ [Narrated by Tirmidhi].

Our acts of worship often ease up during times of ease. However, it is our relationship with Allah during times of ease that ensure that we are in good stead when hardships may come along.

Remember Allah in adversity:

When the angel appeared to Maryam, she did not know it was an angel. She thought it was an evil person who had come to hurt her. And yet in that time she remembered Allah.

فَٱتَّخَذَتْ مِن دُونِهِمْ حِجَابًا فَأَرْ‌سَلْنَآ إِلَيْهَا رُ‌وحَنَا فَتَمَثَّلَ لَهَا بَشَرً‌ۭا سَوِيًّا ﴿١٧﴾ قَالَتْ إِنِّىٓ أَعُوذُ بِٱلرَّ‌حْمَـٰنِ مِنكَ إِن كُنتَ تَقِيًّا ﴿١٨﴾ قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ رَ‌سُولُ رَ‌بِّكِ لِأَهَبَ لَكِ غُلَـٰمًا زَكِيًّا ﴿١٩

And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen. Then We sent to her Our Angel, and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man. (17) She said, "Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, [so leave me], if you should be fearing of Allah." (18) He said, "I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy." (19) [Qur'an, Maryam 19:17-19]

Among the characteristics of the righteous is that they remember Allah in times of difficulty and in ease. In Surah Baqarah, Allah mentions that immediately in the aftermath of difficulty they say, inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raaji'un (most certainly we belong to Allah and most certainly to Him is our return).

Remind people of Allah’s mercy, even if they are sinning:

Among the great disasters in our da'wah is that we have become an ummah that seems to jump on the bandwagon of sending people to hell. Yet the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, Give good news and do not repulse. Make things easy and do not make things difficult . . . [Narrated by Abu Dawood]

In the eyes of Maryam (peace be upon her) the angel in the form of a man was at first someone who had come to harass her. And yet, even in such a delicate situation, she reminded him of Allah’s Mercy. She mentioned the mercy of Allah and not His punishment.

Whatever Allah gives, we accept even if it is difficult:

Maryam (peace be upon her) was made pregnant by Allah’s will. It was something that was difficult for her. She had never been with a man, and she was not married. This would bring unnecessary scrutiny and slander. Moreover, she was alone during the really difficult time of childbirth. And yet she did not for once question the decree of Allah. She knew that Allah has decided and no matter how difficult it looks now, there has to be goodness in it.

Extreme pain can drive one to despair— that doesn’t take away from their piety:

Maryam (peace be upon her) had extreme pain and that made her feel as if it would have been better for her to die. However, she did not question Allah’s decree, nor did she blame Allah. All she said was that it would have been easier if she had died before that. But she still persevered. Muslims are forgiven for their thoughts. It is their actions for which they’ll be questioned.

With hardship comes relief:

Despite the immense pain, Allah made things easy. She had a child, and Allah also provided her a flowing stream in the middle of the desert and dates from a date palm tree. There will be times of hardship, but Allah will bring ease.

وَرَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَ ﴿٤﴾ فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا ﴿٥﴾ إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا ﴿٦﴾

For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. (5) Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. (6) [Quran, Ash-Sharh 94:5-6]

Allah asked Maryam to shake a date palm tree. Even 10 healthy male athletes will struggle to move a date tree. Imagine how difficult it must have been for a woman in labor! And yet Allah asked her to do it and she obeyed.

Then miraculously Allah brought for her dates and provided for her a stream. Our actions are not really of much use. It is Allah who brings the results. Our job is to do what He orders even if we do not understand His wisdom. And if we obey Him in times of darkness, He will shine His light from places we never imagined.

فَحَمَلَتْهُ فَٱنتَبَذَتْ بِهِۦ مَكَانًا قَصِيًّا ﴿٢٢﴾ فَأَجَآءَهَا ٱلْمَخَاضُ إِلَىٰ جِذْعِ ٱلنَّخْلَةِ قَالَتْ يَـٰلَيْتَنِى مِتُّ قَبْلَ هَـٰذَا وَكُنتُ نَسْيًا مَّنسِيًّا ﴿٢٣﴾ فَنَادَىٰهَا مِن تَحْتِهَآ أَلَّا تَحْزَنِى قَدْ جَعَلَ رَ‌بُّكِ تَحْتَكِ سَرِ‌يًّا ﴿٢٤﴾ وَهُزِّىٓ إِلَيْكِ بِجِذْعِ ٱلنَّخْلَةِ تُسَـٰقِطْ عَلَيْكِ رُ‌طَبًا جَنِيًّا ﴿٢٥

So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a remote place. (22) And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, "Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten." (23) But he called her from below her, "Do not grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream. (24) And shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates. (25) [Quran, Maryam 19:22-25]

May Allah make us His best obedient slaves and grant us steadfastness in His worship. Ameen.

And Allah knows best and He alone grant success.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

Wassalaam