Life-Lessons: Juz 3

Goodness comes from the purity of Intentions 

Surah Ale-Imran, Verse # 35-45

The story of the mother of Maryam and Maryam A.S is the central theme of Surah Ale-Imran and any mother can relate to it as they worry a lot about the upbringing of their children. In this surah, we see a unique side of motherhood and womanhood.

When mother of Maryam A.S got pregnant, she prayed to Allah subhana wa ta’la

إِذْ قَالَتِ ٱمْرَأَتُ عِمْرَٰنَ رَبِّ إِنِّى نَذَرْتُ لَكَ مَا فِى بَطْنِى مُحَرَّرًا فَتَقَبَّلْ مِنِّىٓ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ

[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.” (Surah Ale-Imran: 35)

This ayah makes one think about how big the mother was thinking for her unborn child. She made a sincere dua to pledge the life of her child graciously in the way of Allah. In-depth, she urged her Creator to protect the faith of a child and raised it as a righteous being. It shows pure intentions and sacrifice of motherhood and the power of dua because when you are eager to do something, it manifests from the beginning. In that respect, we should follow the mother of Maryam’s footsteps and help our children to do good and to assist them to follow and dedicate themselves to the path of Allah(subhana wa ta’la). We should work on ourselves so that we can help our children do the same, rather than expecting them to do all the efforts by themselves. 

فَلَمَّا وَضَعَتْهَا قَالَتْ رَبِّ إِنِّى وَضَعْتُهَآ أُنثَىٰ وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا وَضَعَتْ وَلَيْسَ ٱلذَّكَرُ كَٱلْأُنثَىٰ ۖ وَإِنِّى سَمَّيْتُهَا مَرْيَمَ وَإِنِّىٓ أُعِيذُهَا بِكَ وَذُرِّيَّتَهَا مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ

But when she delivered her, she said, “My Lord, I have delivered a female.” And Allah 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 Allah].” (Surah Ale-Imran: 36)

In order to understand, what the mother of Maryam A.S was going to do with her pledged child, we have to know that the elite Raba’i scholarship belonged only to the males in the temple of Solomon. Historians and scholars have mentioned that Imran, Maryam’s father was also a noble person of Israel. When Maryam was born, her father had died, and a number of the rabbis disputed over her guardianship, for they were all keen to sponsor the daughter of their senior rabbi. To fulfill the vow, it was essential that she would be given a righteous upbringing. So, they drew lots for that, and the lot fell to Zakariyah who was an honorable Prophet. So, her mother dedicated Maryam to the worship of Allah and she was selected to be in the chambers of the Temple under the guardianship of Zakariyah A.S while at that time women were not part of that elite group of Rabbis. Therefore, when the mother of Maryam stated it is a girl. Allah subhana wa ta’la already knew that and had stated clearly ‘the male is not like the female’. It implies that the task a woman is going to perform cannot be done by a man. Here, Allah subhana wa ta’la is reminding us that gender role are different but it does not do anything with spiritual status or nobility. 

فَتَقَبَّلَهَا رَبُّهَا بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ وَأَنۢبَتَهَا نَبَاتًا حَسَنًا وَكَفَّلَهَا زَكَرِيَّا   

So, her Lord accepted her with good acceptance and caused her to grow in a good manner and put her in the care of Zakariah….. (Surah Ale-Imran: 37)

Now, the issue of guardianship is solved and Maryam A.S was learning and spending her life in the temple. Do you imagine how difficult it would be for a mother to go through this process and separate from her little child? How grand the sacrifice was? Pleading the life of your child means now mother has nothing to do with her child, no responsibilities of house or family are on Maryam A.S. Her mother released her from her responsibilities. This was the pledge of the mother. And Allah subhana wa ta’la said “So, her Lord accepted her with good acceptance…” doing something great and magnificent means nothing if it does not have devotion and sincerity, and Allah subhana wa ta’la rejects it. So, He accepted it from the mother of Maryam A.S because this grand sacrifice was based upon pure and sincere intentions.

The story of these noble women does not end here, it was just the beginning of new events.  Piety and Iman of Maryam A.S became the inspiration for Prophet Zakariyah A.S. 

 كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا زَكَرِيَّا ٱلْمِحْرَابَ وَجَدَ عِندَهَا رِزْقًا ۖ قَالَ يَـٰمَرْيَمُ أَنَّىٰ لَكِ  هَـٰذَا ۖ قَالَتْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَآءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ 

Every time Zakariyah entered upon her in the prayer chamber, he found with her provision. He said, “O Mary, from where is this [coming] to you?” She said, “It is from Allah. Indeed, Allah provides for whom He wills without account.” (Surah Ale-Imran: 37)

Looking at her conviction and commitment to Iman, Zakariyah A.S inspired to pray to Allah for offspring regardless of his old age. And Allah accepted his dua and granted him a pious son Yahya A.S (Biblical name John) who became a great leader, chaste, and a prophet among the righteous (Surah Ale-Imran: 38-41).  

Not only that, Allah subhana wa ta’la chose Maryam A.S over the women of her time and selected her for another task. Her status was increased and she became the virgin mother of Prophet Isa A.S (Biblical name; Jesus). 

وَإِذْ قَالَتِ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ يَـٰمَرْيَمُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰكِ وَطَهَّرَكِ وَٱصْطَفَىٰكِ عَلَىٰ نِسَآءِ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

And [mention] when the angels said, “O Mary, indeed Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds. (Surah Ale-Imran: 42)

Life-Changing Lessons

So now let’s review what we have learned so far from these verses. 

Juz 2 – He is really close, call upon Him

• Firstly, goodness comes when one has a pure intention to do something only for attaining the pleasure of Allah, just like the mother of Maryam, who wanted to dedicate her child in the way of Allah.
• 2ndly, the roles of both men and women are equally important and their gender does not mean anything when it comes to the path of Jannah because when a person is completely focused and persistent for the sake of Allah, the doors of Jannah are equally open. That is ultimate gender equality in Islam. 
• Moreover, one woman and her dedication changed the rules of scholarship in the Temple of Solomon. Her dua led to good deeds one after the other. Allah blessed her family with Maryam, Yahya, Isa, and in the generations of Yahya and Isa, more prophets came and the world changed with the descent of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. It is the best lesson, that never underestimates your worth by the standards of people and never take the power of dua lightly. 
• Lastly, do not think about what today’s world is dictating, just play your part regardless of your gender or any weakness. Focus on your strengths, and iman and leave remaining on Allah subhana wa ta’la who is the Controller of everything.

Juz 1 – Evils of Pride  | Juz 2 – He is really near, Call upon Him | Juz 3 – Purity of Intentions

Juz 4 – The Burdens of Sins | Juz 5 – Bounties in the Obedience of Prophet ﷺ | Juz 6 – Be Just |

Juz 7- Beware of Shaitan’s Plan | Juz 8 – Heart Epicenter of Eman | Juz 9 – Dunya over Deen?? |

Juz 10 – Strive in the way of Allah | Juz 11 – Allah is All-Powerful | Juz 12 – Fruits of Patience |

Juz 13 – Peace in Remembrance of Allah | Juz 14 – Don’t be Distressed… |

Juz 15 – Being good to your Parents |Juz 16 – Acceptable Deeds | Juz 17 – Hold on to the Hope |

Juz 18 – Do not Waste your Time | Juz 19 – Family is our Comfort Zone | Juz 20 – Do all Duas get Accepted |

Juz 21 – Sabr | Juz 22 – Rizq | Juz 23 – Transformation | Juz 24 – Humans are Selfish |

Juz 25 – What Am I leaving Behind | Juz 26 – Evil Characteristics | Juz 27 – Racing Extra Milestones

Juz 28 – Best Gift | Juz 29 – Raghbah | Juz 30 – Criteria of Nobility