فَلَمَّا وَضَعَتْهَا قَالَتْ رَبِّ إِنِّى وَضَعْتُهَآ أُنثَىٰ وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا وَضَعَتْ وَلَيْسَ ٱلذَّكَرُ كَٱلْأُنثَىٰ ۖ وَإِنِّى سَمَّيْتُهَا مَرْيَمَ وَإِنِّىٓ أُعِيذُهَا بِكَ وَذُرِّيَّتَهَا مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ 36
Translations
But when she delivered her, she said, "My Lord, I have delivered a female." And Allāh was most knowing of what she delivered, and the male is not like the female. "And I have named her Mary, and I seek refuge for her in You and [for] her descendants from Satan, the expelled [from the mercy of Allāh]."
Transliteration
Falamma wadat-ha qalat rabbi inni wadat-ha untha wallahu a'lamu bima wadat wa laysa adh-dhakaru ka-al-untha wa inni sammaytu-ha maryama wa inni u'eedhuka wa dhurriyyata-ha mina ash-shaytan ar-rajeem
Tafsir (Explanation)
When Maryam's mother gave birth to her, she was disappointed at first because she had vowed to dedicate a son to the service of the Temple, yet Allah blessed her with a daughter instead. Despite her initial disappointment, she recognized that Allah knows best what is intended, and immediately sought Allah's protection for Maryam and her descendants from Satan's temptations. Ibn Kathir notes that this demonstrates the mother's trust in Divine wisdom and her commitment to raising her daughter in righteousness, which Allah honored by making Maryam the greatest woman of all creation.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Maryam's birth (3:33-37) within the broader context of Surah Ali 'Imran, which discusses the lineage of prophets and emphasizes Allah's guidance through chosen families. The context illustrates how Allah's wisdom transcends human expectations, as Maryam became a sign for all humanity despite not being the son her mother had anticipated.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'When a child is born, Satan tries to harm it, except for Maryam and her son (Jesus)' - related in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. This hadith directly confirms the protection mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to embrace Allah's plans even when they differ from our own expectations, and to seek Allah's protection for our children through sincere du'a (supplication), trusting that Allah's wisdom always exceeds our understanding and is best for us and our families.