THE BIRTH OF MARYAM AND THE WAY SHE WAS RAISED
 Maryam,
who was chosen to give birth to Jesus (as), was born at a
time of disorder when the Children of Israel placed all their
hopes on a Messiah's coming. Allah specially chose Maryam
for this blessed duty and brought her up accordingly. Maryam
came from a noble family, the family of 'Imran. Allah chose
this family over the rest of all people.
The members of the family of 'Imran were known
to be people having deep faith in Allah. They turned to Him
while doing all their deeds and meticulously observed His
limits. When 'Imran's wife learned that she was pregnant,
she turned to her Creator and prayed, and she devoted what
was in her womb to the service of Allah. Allah gives an account
of this in the Qur'an:
Remember when the wife of 'Imran said, "my Lord,
I have pledged to You what is in my womb, devoting it to Your
service. Please accept my prayer. You are the All-Hearing,
the All-Knowing." When she gave birth, she said,
"My Lord! I have given birth to a girl" - and Allah
knew very well what she had given birth to, male and female
are not the same - "and I have named
her Maryam and placed her and her children in Your safekeeping
from the accursed shaytan." (Surah Al 'Imran: 35-36)
When Maryam was born, Imran's wife sought only
the good pleasure of Allah. She turned to Allah and placed
Maryam and her children in His safekeeping from the accursed
Shaytan. In return for her sincerity and prayer, Allah gave
Maryam noble virtues. In the Qur'an, Allah explains how Maryam
was brought up under His protection and meticulous care.
"Her Lord accepted her with approval and made her grow in
health and beauty." (Surah Al 'Imran: 37) Zakariyya
(Zachariah) became Maryam's guardian and during the time she
spent with him, he realised that she was favoured with exceptional
qualities. Moreover, Allah showed her many favours "without
any reckoning":
…Every time Zakariyya visited her in the
Upper Room, he found food with her. He said, "Maryam, how
did you come by this?" She said, "It is from Allah. Allah
provides for whomever He wills without any reckoning." (Surah
Al 'Imran: 37)
Just as Allah chose the family of 'Imran, He also
chose Maryam, a member of 'Imran's family, and provided her
with an exceptional upbringing. Allah purified Maryam and
chose her over all other women. This attribute of hers is
stated in the Qur'an as follows:
And when the angels said, "Maryam, Allah
has chosen you and purified you. He has chosen you over all
other women. Maryam, obey your Lord and prostrate and bow
with those who bow." (Surah Al 'Imran: 42-43)
In the community in which she lived, Maryam became
a person known for the loyalty and sincerity she showed to
Allah. She is especially distinguished as a woman "who guarded
her chastity." In Surat at-Tahrim, it is informed in the Qur'an
as below:
(Allah has made an example
for those who believe) Maryam, the daughter of 'Imran, who
guarded her chastity - We breathed Our Spirit into her and
she confirmed the Words of her Lord and His Book and was one
of the obedient. (Surat at-Tahrim: 12)
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