Surah Maryam

Mention in the book the story of Mary. She withdrew from her family and secluded herself in the east. We sent our angel to appear before her in the shape of a normal man. She said, “I seek the Lord of Mercy’s protection from you if you fear him, do not approach me.” He answered, “I am merely a messenger from your Lord, come to announce to you the gift of a holy son." She said, “How can I have a son, when no man has touched me? I have not been unchaste." And he replied, “Your lord has said: ‘This is easy for Me – he shall be a sign to all people, a blessing from us. This has been decreed.”’ And so she conceived him and withdrew with him to a far off place. And the throes of childbirth came upon her by the trunk of a date-palm. She cried out, “Would that I had died before this, and been forgotten and out of sight!" But a voice called to her from below, ‘Grieve not! Your Lord has provided a stream at your feet and, if you shake the trunk of the palm tree towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe-dates upon you. So eat, drink, and calm your mind. And if you see anyone who questions you, say, “I have vowed a fast to the Lord of Mercy and I will not speak to anyone this day.” So she brought the babe back to her people, carrying him in her arms. And they said to her, “O Mary, you have done a strange thing. Sister of Aaron, your father was not a bad man, nor your mother unchaste.” She pointed to him and they said, “How can we converse with an infant in the cradle? Whereupon the child said, “I am a servant of God. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet commanded me to pray, to give alms and to look after my mother as long as I live. He has not made me arrogant or graceless. And the peace of God was upon me the day I was born, and will be on the day I die, and the day I shall be raised to life!” This was Jesus, the son of Mary. --- Surah Maryam - Paul Kelly and Waleed Aly