إِذْ قَالَتِ ٱمْرَأَتُ عِمْرَٰنَ رَبِّ إِنِّى نَذَرْتُ لَكَ مَا فِى بَطْنِى مُحَرَّرًا فَتَقَبَّلْ مِنِّىٓ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ 35
Translations
[Mention, O Muḥammad], when the wife of ʿImrān said, "My Lord, indeed I have pledged to You what is in my womb, consecrated [for Your service], so accept this from me. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing."
Transliteration
Idh qalat imra'atu 'Imrana Rabbi inni nadhartu laka ma fi batni muharraran fataqabbal minni innaka anta al-Samee'u al-'Aleem
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah records the prayer of Maryam's mother (the wife of 'Imran) as she vowed to dedicate her unborn child to the service of Allah's House, seeking His acceptance. According to classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir, this vow was made during pregnancy, and she sought to offer her child for religious devotion. The response to this vow is mentioned in the next ayah (3:36), where Allah accepted her supplication, though the child born was a daughter (Maryam) rather than the son she may have anticipated.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Ali 'Imran's narrative about the birth and virtues of Maryam (Mary), the mother of 'Isa (Jesus), establishing her honored status in Islam. The context begins the story of how Maryam came to be dedicated to the service of Allah's House in Jerusalem, setting the foundation for understanding her exceptional position as the only woman mentioned by name in the Quran.
Related Hadiths
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: 'The best of women is Maryam bint 'Imran, and the best of women [among his ummah] is Khadijah.' (Sahih Bukhari 3769). Additionally, the Prophet ﷺ mentioned that Maryam was one of the four best women: 'The best of the women of the world are: Maryam bint 'Imran, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Fatimah bint Muhammad, and Asiyah the wife of Pharaoh.' (Tirmidhi 3843)
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us the power of sincere intention and earnest supplication to Allah, demonstrating how parents can dedicate their children to righteous purposes while trusting in Allah's wisdom and acceptance. It reminds us that our plans may differ from God's plans, yet His wisdom supersedes our expectations—as evidenced by Allah sending a blessed daughter instead of the anticipated son.
Related Ayahs
وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِحَبْلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا۟ ۚ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَآءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِۦٓ إِخْوَٰنًا وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ
And hold firmly to the rope of Allāh all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allāh upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allāh make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.
رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ مَن تُدْخِلِ ٱلنَّارَ فَقَدْ أَخْزَيْتَهُۥ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ
Our Lord, indeed whoever You admit to the Fire - You have disgraced him, and for the wrongdoers there are no helpers.
لَـٰكِنِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوْا۟ رَبَّهُمْ لَهُمْ جَنَّـٰتٌ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا نُزُلًا مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَمَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِّلْأَبْرَارِ
But those who feared their Lord will have gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding eternally therein, as accommodation from Allāh. And that which is with Allāh is best for the righteous.
أَوَلَمَّآ أَصَـٰبَتْكُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَدْ أَصَبْتُم مِّثْلَيْهَا قُلْتُمْ أَنَّىٰ هَـٰذَا ۖ قُلْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ أَنفُسِكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Why [is it that] when a [single] disaster struck you [on the day of Uḥud], although you had struck [the enemy in the battle of Badr] with one twice as great, you said, "From where is this?" Say, "It is from yourselves [i.e., due to your sin]." Indeed, Allāh is over all things competent.