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.
Related Ayahs
إِن يَمْسَسْكُمْ قَرْحٌ فَقَدْ مَسَّ ٱلْقَوْمَ قَرْحٌ مِّثْلُهُۥ ۚ وَتِلْكَ ٱلْأَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنكُمْ شُهَدَآءَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
If a wound should touch you - there has already touched the [opposing] people a wound similar to it. And these days [of varying conditions] We alternate among the people so that Allāh may make evident those who believe and [may] take to Himself from among you martyrs - and Allāh does not like the wrongdoers -
۞ لَتُبْلَوُنَّ فِىٓ أَمْوَٰلِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ وَلَتَسْمَعُنَّ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوٓا۟ أَذًى كَثِيرًا ۚ وَإِن تَصْبِرُوا۟ وَتَتَّقُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ ٱلْأُمُورِ
You will surely be tested in your possessions and in yourselves. And you will surely hear from those who were given the Scripture before you and from those who associate others with Allāh much abuse. But if you are patient and fear Allāh - indeed, that is of the matters [worthy] of resolve.
يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِىٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَتِ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةُ وَٱلْإِنجِيلُ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦٓ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
O People of the Scripture, why do you argue about Abraham while the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed until after him? Then will you not reason?
لَن تَنَالُوا۟ ٱلْبِرَّ حَتَّىٰ تُنفِقُوا۟ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ ۚ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا۟ مِن شَىْءٍ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمٌ
Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the way of Allāh] from that which you love. And whatever you spend - indeed, Allāh is Knowing of it.