The Birth of Christ in the Quran

[arthra]

Greetings .
Today ,I’ll be showing you an extract from the Quran dealing with the annunciation and the birth of Jesus the Messiah ( “المسيح عيسى ابن مريم” = "Almasih Isa ibn Maryam ) and how an Angel appeared to his Mother Mary .
This verses are from the “Chapter of Mary” (“سورة مريم” = suratu Maryam )

بســـــم الله الرحــــــمن الرحــــــيم
In the Name of God , the most Beneficent , the most Merciful

16 And mention Mary in the Book. When she drew aside from her family to an eastern place;
17 So she screened herself from them. Then We sent to her Our spirit and it appeared to her as a well made man.
18 She said: I flee for refuge from thee to the Beneficent, if thou art one guarding against evil.
19 He said: I am only bearer of a message of thy Lord: That I will give thee a pure boy.
20 She said: How can I have a son and no mortal has yet touched me, nor have I been unchaste?
21 He said: So (it will be). Thy Lord says: It is easy to Me; and that We may make him a sign to men and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter decreed.
22 Then she conceived him; and withdrew with him to a remote place.
23 And the throes of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said: Oh, would that I had died before this, and had been a thing quite forgotten!
24 So a voice came to her from beneath her: Grieve not, surely thy Lord has provided a stream beneath thee.
25 And shake towards thee the trunk of the palm-tree, it will drop on thee fresh ripe dates.
26 So eat and drink and cool the eye. Then if thou seest any mortal, say: Surely I have vowed a fast to the Beneficent, so I will not speak to any man to-day.
27 Then she came to her people with him, carrying him. They said: O Mary, thou hast indeed brought a strange thing!
28 O sister of Aaron, thy father was not a wicked man, nor was thy mother an unchaste woman!
29 But she pointed to him. They said: How should we speak to one who is a child in the cradle?
30 He said: I am indeed a servant of Allah. He has given me the Book and made me a prophet:
31 And He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoined on me prayer and poor-rate so long as I live.
32 And to be kind to my mother; and He has not made me insolent, unblessed.
33 And peace on me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I am raised to life.

Thanks for sharing the Qur’anic story of the birth of Jesus!

When I first read the Surih Maryam years ago I was deeply impressed by the very human experience of Mary in the verses above:

23 And the throes of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said: Oh, would that I had died before this, and had been a thing quite forgotten!

Also the ridicule she suffered from her own people:

Then she came to her people with him, carrying him. They said: O Mary, thou hast indeed brought a strange thing!
28 O sister of Aaron, thy father was not a wicked man, nor was thy mother an unchaste woman!

I believe the Qur’an as a revelation is both accurate and trustworthy.

 

[MartinJordan]

The Qur’an is too much removed from the life of Jesus’ mother to be accurate or to honour her in a just and fitting manner.

MJ

 

[MartinJordan]

I see Surah (19:23) " Would that I had died before this and was a thing forgotten, utterly forgotten!”

This is unacceptable and I’m getting even more disappointed as it seems to obfuscate the Birth of Christ to Mary.

How can this be? The actual fact was Mary accepted her role and to give birth even though being a Virgin.

She loved God so much that she accepted. Not like the way the Qur’an seems to make it sound that Mary was in a desolate situation after giving birth.

Really I must say this cannot be right and is unjustifiable.

MJ

 

[MartinJordan]

Even Mary being fatalistic like the Qur’an puts forth make her even lacking in her Trusting fully in God. She pondered her life. Life giving Faith rather than cultivating death and despair in her being.

MJ

 

[Ridgerunner]

I believe our letters are formed from the Arabic, can’t be sure.

Oh no. Our letters are from Roman script; totally unrelated to Arabic.

Possibly you’re thinking about Arabic numerals. Arabs derived the numbers we use today from Indian numerals. Europe adopted them from Arabs.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Oh no. Our letters are from Roman script; totally unrelated to Arabic.

Possibly you’re thinking about Arabic numerals. Arabs derived the numbers we use today from Indian numerals. Europe adopted them from Arabs.

I am sure that is what he had confused the letters with.

 

[arthra]

Thanks for sharing the Qur’anic story of the birth of Jesus!

When I first read the Surih Maryam years ago I was deeply impressed by the very human experience of Mary in the verses above:

23 And the throes of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said: Oh, would that I had died before this, and had been a thing quite forgotten!

Also the ridicule she suffered from her own people:

Then she came to her people with him, carrying him. They said: O Mary, thou hast indeed brought a strange thing!
28 O sister of Aaron, thy father was not a wicked man, nor was thy mother an unchaste woman!

I believe the Qur’an as a revelation is both accurate and trustworthy.

I see a parallel between the Qur’anic verses quoted above about the birth of Jesus to the story of Hagar in the wilderness found in Genesis:

16:7 And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.

16:8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.

16:9 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.

16:10 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.

16:11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, **Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.

**

Being alone in the wilderness bearing a child… has got to be one of the most harrowing frightening experiences!

*And the labour pains came upon her at the trunk of a palm tree, and she said, ‘O that I had died before this, and been forgotten out of mind!’ and he called to her from beneath her **'Grieve not, for thy Lord has placed a stream beneath thy feet, and shake towards thee the trunk of the palm tree, it will drop upon thee fresh dates fit to gather; so eat, and drink, and cheer thine eye;

---

(The Qur'an (E.H. Palmer tr), Sura  19 - Mary)

Again a parallel is found in Genesis:

*21:15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

21:16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bow shot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.

21:17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, **What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.

21:18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.

21:19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.***

 

[MartinJordan]

St. Paul reminded us 1900 years ago with consistent Faith in Christ Jesus :

21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.

24 These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:

“Be glad, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband.”[e]

28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. 30 But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”[f] 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

The Qur’an is way off the mark (about Mary Mother of Christ Jesus). Very disappointing.

MJ

 

[MartinJordan]

I forgot to state that Book and Chapter:

Galatians : 4

Plus the verses just before 21:

8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces[d]? **Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? **10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.

12 I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. 13 As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, 14 and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. 15 Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

17 Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. 18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you. 19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!

So Christ Son of Mary is of Isaac. Free not under Slavery.

MJ

 

[arthra]

Martin…

What you brought is interesting as apparently there is controversy about the texts of Galations 4:25

Verse 25. - For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia. This clause has been the subject of much conflicting opinion. The reading of the Greek text is itself much debated, and in the original authorities (manuscripts, versions, and Fathers) it appears in a great variety of forms. A detailed discussion of the latter point would be out of place here; and for the premisses from which the critical judgment is to be drawn, the reader is referred to Alford, and to a detached note which Bishop Lightfoot adds in his ’ Commentary,’ at the end of this fourth chapter. Only the main result needs to be stated. There are two forms of the text, between which the choice lies. One is that of the Textus Receptus, namely, Τὸ γὰρ Ἄγαρ Σινᾶ ὄρος ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ Ἀραβίᾳ,"** For the word Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia.**" This is maintained by Meyer, Alford, Ellicott, and San-day. The other, omitting the word Ἄγαρ, runs thus: Τὸ γὰρ Σινᾶ ὄρος ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ Ἀραβία, "For Sinai is a mountain in Arabia." This is accepted by Bentley, Lachmann, Tregelles, Tischendorf (latterly), Bengel, De Wette, Windischmann, Howson, and Lightfoot.

biblehub.com/galatians/4-25.htm

I still think it’s interesting that Hagar and Ishmael in Genesis parallel Maryam and Isa in the desert in the Qur’an.

 

[MartinJordan]

Martin…

What you brought is interesting as apparently there is controversy about the texts of Galations 4:25

Verse 25. - For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia. This clause has been the subject of much conflicting opinion. The reading of the Greek text is itself much debated, and in the original authorities (manuscripts, versions, and Fathers) it appears in a great variety of forms. A detailed discussion of the latter point would be out of place here; and for the premisses from which the critical judgment is to be drawn, the reader is referred to Alford, and to a detached note which Bishop Lightfoot adds in his ’ Commentary,’ at the end of this fourth chapter. Only the main result needs to be stated. There are two forms of the text, between which the choice lies. One is that of the Textus Receptus, namely, Τὸ γὰρ Ἄγαρ Σινᾶ ὄρος ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ Ἀραβίᾳ,"** For the word Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia.**" This is maintained by Meyer, Alford, Ellicott, and San-day. The other, omitting the word Ἄγαρ, runs thus: Τὸ γὰρ Σινᾶ ὄρος ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ Ἀραβία, "For Sinai is a mountain in Arabia." This is accepted by Bentley, Lachmann, Tregelles, Tischendorf (latterly), Bengel, De Wette, Windischmann, Howson, and Lightfoot.

biblehub.com/galatians/4-25.htm

I still think it’s interesting that Hagar and Ishmael in Genesis parallel Maryam and Isa in the desert in the Qur’an.

In order to honor Mary, knowing about her true Faith (no fatalistic disposition), is the first basic step. The events closest to the Birth of Christ put forth in the Scriptures by people influenced by the Holy Spirit which is the Bible, is one of the ways. The other is the Church that gave the Scriptures that you are privileged to read.

Plus did you read what I provided from Galatians? Paul clearly teaches what the Old Testament said "But what does Scripture say? :

“Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.”

Look at Galatians 5: 1 : **It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
**

May the Peace of Christ be with you.

MJ

 

[MartinJordan]

More on Mary’s Faith :

Mary’s response to the angel, known as her “fiat,” illustrates true faith. She invited God’s will to be done, welcoming all the blessings and challenges that would accompany it. Her whole-hearted acceptance of God’s plan for her life would later be reflected by Christ, as he knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane, praying to his Heavenly Father, “not my will but yours be done.” By following in the footsteps of Mary, we can grow in faith. We can ask questions to deepen our understanding of Church teaching, and we can trust God and embrace His will, even when we do not fully understand His plan.

**Mary’s fiat at the Annunciation was affirmed throughout her life. **At the Presentation in the Temple, Simeon predicted that a sword of sorrow would one day pierce her heart. At the Crucifixion, she stood at the foot of the cross, watching her Son suffer and die. Mary responded to these moments with faith and trust, just as she did at the Annunciation. She embraced God’s will in every circumstance of her life, and in doing so, she provided us with an example of true faith.

See here : catholicnewsagency.com/cw/post.php?id=443

MJ

 

[arthra]

Martin …

Notice the “Annunciation” in the Qur’an cited above:

Then We sent to her Our spirit and it appeared to her as a well made man.
18 She said: I flee for refuge from thee to the Beneficent, if thou art one guarding against evil.
19 He said: I am only bearer of a message of thy Lord: That I will give thee a pure boy.
20 She said: How can I have a son and no mortal has yet touched me, nor have I been unchaste?
21 He said: So (it will be). Thy Lord says: It is easy to Me; and that We may make him a sign to men and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter decreed.
22 Then she conceived him; and withdrew with him to a remote place.

 

[arthra]

I only have twenty minutes to edit a post… but this is also what I wanted to say … The letter of the Galatians was to a Celtic people that Paul visited…

See:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galatia

Jewish Christians had also visited and wanted to impress on the Galatians Jewish rites… so Paul wanted to direct his focus on comparing the Jewish rites to the bond woman Hagar and a connection to Sanai…so this was in reality an issue between Hellenized Christians and Jewish Christians.

At least that’s how I see it.

The issue of whether or not Jewish customs should be visited on Hellenized Christians.

The issue however of the Qur’an goes further in my view as there are parallels between the Bible and the Qur’an that come to the fore…such as

Hagar and Mary in the desert

The Annunciation in the Qur’an and the Gospel…

The virgin birth of Jesus, etc.

 

[MartinJordan]

Martin …

Notice the “Annunciation” in the Qur’an cited above:

Then We sent to her Our spirit and it appeared to her as a well made man.
18 She said: I flee for refuge from thee to the Beneficent, if thou art one guarding against evil.
19 He said: I am only bearer of a message of thy Lord: That I will give thee a pure boy.
20 She said: How can I have a son and no mortal has yet touched me, nor have I been unchaste?
21 He said: So (it will be). Thy Lord says: It is easy to Me; and that We may make him a sign to men and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter decreed.
22 Then she conceived him; and withdrew with him to a remote place.

Verse 23 what happened then? After God said it is easy for him? Mary said or rather shouted what?

MJ

 

[MartinJordan]

I only have twenty minutes to edit a post… but this is also what I wanted to say … The letter of the Galatians was to a Celtic people that Paul visited…

See:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galatia

Jewish Christians had also visited and wanted to impress on the Galatians Jewish rites… so Paul wanted to direct his focus on comparing the Jewish rites to the bond woman Hagar and a connection to Sanai…so this was in reality an issue between Hellenized Christians and Jewish Christians.

At least that’s how I see it.

The issue of whether or not Jewish customs should be visited on Hellenized Christians.

The issue however of the Qur’an goes further in my view as there are parallels between the Bible and the Qur’an that come to the fore…such as

Hagar and Mary in the desert

The Annunciation in the Qur’an and the Gospel…

The virgin birth of Jesus, etc.

You need to see further back than the 1800s. Hellenized Christians in the Quran or Islamic sources?

Whatever it is, I can’t force you to understand how much our Prayers and spiritual life help us Love Mary more and more each day. She is Our Model for Faith.

MJ

 

[Vico]

I believe our letters are formed from the Arabic, can’t be sure.

The English alphabet came from a combination of Latin and the Old English runic alphabet. The Latin from Greek and the Greek from Canaanite-Phoenician alphabet (Byblos 1000 B.C.).

 

[Captain_America]

I appreciate that the OP has a keen religious faith and is willing to stray over to Christians to proselytize for Islam.

I just think Islam’s phony. Based on confused notions of Christianity and then added to Arabic cultural values, which include some extraordinarily anti-human values.

I expect that the more muslims learn about Christianity, the more Christians there will be.

I encourage the OP to read the New Testament. It’s easy to find and is fascinating stuff.

There is One God, with Three Faces: God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Our God is a loving God who treats all persons equally as his children.

 

[Vico]

Verse 23 what happened then? After God said it is easy for him? Mary said or rather shouted what?

MJ

Quran

**Yusuf Ali:**23 And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree: She cried (in her anguish): “Ah! would that I had died before this! would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!”

Old Testament

“Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child” (Isa 66:7)

St. Augustine, Sermon on Nativity: “In conceiving thou wast all pure, in giving birth thou wast without pain”

Roman Catechism of the Council of Trent of 1566 (“The Creed” Article III)
“To Eve it was said: ‘In pain you shall bring forth children’ (Gen. 3:16). Mary was exempt from this law, for preserving her virginal integrity inviolate, she brought forth Jesus the Son of God, without experiencing, as we have already said, any sense of pain.”

 

[MartinJordan]

Quran

**Yusuf Ali:**23 And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree: She cried (in her anguish): “Ah! would that I had died before this! would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!”

Old Testament

“Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child” (Isa 66:7)

St. Augustine, Sermon on Nativity: “In conceiving thou wast all pure, in giving birth thou wast without pain”

Roman Catechism of the Council of Trent of 1566 (“The Creed” Article III)
“To Eve it was said: ‘In pain you shall bring forth children’ (Gen. 3:16). Mary was exempt from this law, for preserving her virginal integrity inviolate, she brought forth Jesus the Son of God, without experiencing, as we have already said, any sense of pain.”

Beautiful. Tks.

As I said countless times in several threads the lack of tracing the events written by those who were closest to the Birth of Jesus makes the Qur’anic stories of the same untenable. All the more llinking Mary to Hagar has no depth whatsoever.

MJ