We are narrating the story of Hazrat Maryam (e.s.) as told in Surah Aal-Imran. This is Part 2.

Disclaimer: We will only talk about what Quran tells us, and the scope is Surah Aal-imran. There are multiple places where Hazrat Maryam (e.s.) is mentioned, yet we will stick to this particular Surah.

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(Continuing from part 1)

When Hazrat Hanna (e.s.) fell pregnant, shortly afterwards, her husband, Imran (e.s.) passed away. Without thinking of who will be by her side, and believing Allah Azzawajall to be her sole provider, Hazrat Hanna (e.s.) pledged to offer her unborn child to the Solomon’s Temple upon birth.

She was still pregnant, and did not know the gender of the child. It was a custom that only boys were to be dedicated for this noble custom. While she waited for the birth, she kept asking Allah to accept her deed. This showed her immense humility in front of her Creator despite being known as a woman of faith and righteousness.

When the child was born, she found out it was a girl.

Allah says in Surah Aal-Imran, ayat 36,

But when she delivered her, she said, “My Lord, I have delivered a female.” And Allah was most knowing of what she delivered, And the male is not like the female. “And I have named her Maryam, and I seek refuge for her in You and [for] her descendants from Satan, the expelled [from the mercy of Allah ].”

Hazrat Hanna (e.s) was perplexed. She had delivered a female. Since the Solomon’s Temple would only accept, as a custom, boys for its service, she did not know what to do. She had made a pledge to Allah to offer the child for the temple’s service, and yet, the child was a girl.

She was not one to differentiate between the two genders, other than the only concern being that she had given her word to Allah. Allah, the Most Gracious and All Knowing, says in this ayah that Allah knew all along that she was going to deliver a girl and then, Allah says, a male is not like a female.

Subhanallah! The power and authority with which Allah gives stature to women in the Quran is amazing! By saying that a male is not like a female can have several meanings:

1. Allah Azzawajall has raised the status of women by saying that what women have and can do, cannot be same as men.

2. Allah knew that Hanna (e.s.) was to deliver a girl, and He knew exactly how this girl was to deliver Hazrat Eesa (e.s.) when she grows up. That is something a male could not have done.

Hazrat Hanna (e.s.) named the baby, “Maryam”. Maryam meant, pious, the one who worships Allah with obedience, the one who submits to Allah.

After naming the child Maryam, Hazrat Hanna (e.s.) made dua’a for her child and the offspring of her child to be protected from shytaan and all evil. Allah Azzawajall loved her dua’a so much that He recorded it in the Quran for all of us to learn also.

(This dua’a is present in Ayat 36 of Surah Aal-Imran and it is a good practice to make this dua’a when a Muslim child is born.)

Hazrat Hanna (e.s.) knew that she could not back out on her promise, and so, having faith in Allah’s grand plan, she decided to send the child to Solomon’s Temple and submit to Allah’s decree.

But how did young Maryam (e.s.) manage at the Solomon’s Temple? Who was there who took care of her, being the only girl there? How did Allah nurture her?

TO BE CONTINUED.

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In today’s part, we learnt the following:

• Hazrat Hanna (e.s.) was upset to find out that she had delivered a girl because it was a custom to send only boys to Solomon’s Temple for worship and service.

• Allah says that a male cannot be like a female. It is His ultimate Hikmat of why he blesses some with boys and some with girls. We need to trust His wisdom.

• Hazrat Hanna (e.s.) named her baby “Maryam” and made dua’a to Allah Azzawajall to protect Maryam and her offsprings from shytaan.