Surah Al-Anbiyaa
Chapter 21 · Verse 91 · Revealed in Makkah
“And [mention] the one who guarded her chastity, so We blew into her [garment] through Our angel [Gabriel], and We made her and her son a sign for the worlds.”
Translation: Saheeh International
Listen to recitation
Mishary Rashid Alafasy
Reflection — Ibn Kathir
`Isa and Maryam the True Believer
Here Allah mentions the story of Maryam and her son `Isa, just after mentioning Zakariyya and his son Yahya, may peace be upon them all. He mentions the story of Zakariyya first, followed by the story of Maryam because the one is connected to the other. The former is the story of a child being born to an old man of advanced years, from an old woman who had been barren and had never given birth when she was younger. Then Allah mentions the story of Maryam which is even more wondrous, for in this case a child was born from a female without (the involvement of) a male. These stories also appear in Surah Al `Imran and in Surah Maryam. Here Allah mentions the story of Zakariyya and follows it with the story of Maryam, where He says:
وَالَّتِى أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا
Reflection — Maarif ul Quran
Commentary
This verse directs the Holy Prophet ﷺ to tell his people the story of the pious lady who controlled her passions and then through Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) Allah had breathed His Spirit into her and she gave birth to a son (Sayyidna ` Isa علیہ السلام) who was a symbol of Allah's Divine Power that He can cause babies to be born without a father, and also without both the parents as in the case of Sayyidna 'Adam (علیہ السلام)
What does this verse bring up for you today?