Tafseer of The Family of Imraan · Aal-i-Imraan · 3:36
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]."
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The discourse on the explanation of His statement, exalted is His praise: فَلَمَّا وَضَعَتْهَا قَالَتْ رَبِّ إِنِّي وَضَعْتُهَا أُنْثَى وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا وَضَعَتْ وَلَيْسَ الذَّكَرُ كَالأُنْثَى وَإِنِّي سَمَّيْتُهَا مَرْيَمَ
(So when she had given birth to her, she said: "My Lord, I have given birth to her, a female" — and Allah knows best what she bore — "and the male is not like the female; and I have named her Maryam.")
Abū Jaʿfar said: He, exalted is His praise, means by His statement "So when she had given birth to her": when Ḥanna gave birth to the consecrated one (al-nadhīra) — and that is why He used the feminine form. Had the "hā" (her) referred back to the "mā" (that which) in His statement إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لَكَ مَا فِي بَطْنِي مُحَرَّرًا (I have consecrated to You what is in my womb, set free), then the expression would read: "So when she had given birth to him, she said: My Lord, I have given birth to him, a female."
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The meaning of His statement "she bore her" (waḍaʿathā) is: she brought her forth. From this one says: "the woman gave birth (waḍaʿat), she gives birth (taḍaʿu), with the giving birth (waḍʿan)".
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"She said: My Lord, I have given birth to her, a female," that is to say: I have given birth to the consecrated one as a female. "And Allah knows best what she bore."
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The reciters differ over the reading of it.
Most of the reciters read it as ( وَضَعَتْ ) (she bore), as a report from Allah, mighty and exalted is He, about Himself: that He is the Knowing of what she bore, separate from her statement "My Lord, I have given birth to her, a female."
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And some of the earlier scholars read it as ( وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا وَضَعْتُ ) (and Allah knows best what I bore), by way of a report about that from the mother of Maryam, that it is she who says: "and Allah knows best what I have brought forth from myself."
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Abū Jaʿfar said: and the correct of the two readings is the one transmitted by the widespread and compelling transmission, whose reading is clear and which is not refuted as to its correctness. That is the reading of the one who reads "and Allah knows best what she bore," and the anomalous (shādhdh) reading is not brought against it.
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The explanation of the statement is then: and Allah knows, better than all His creatures, what she bore. Then He, exalted is His mention, returned to the report about her statement, and that she said — by way of excusing herself to her Lord for what she had promised and consecrated during her pregnancy for the service of her Lord —: "and the male is not like the female," because the male is stronger in the service and performs it better, and because the female in some conditions is not fit to enter the sanctuary and perform the service of the church, on account of what befalls her of menstruation and postpartum bleeding. "And I have named her Maryam," as:
6877 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to me, he said: Salama related to us, on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar ibn al-Zubayr: "So when she had given birth to her, she said: My Lord, I have given birth to her, a female — and Allah knows best what she bore — and the male is not like the female," that is to say: when I made her one set free, consecrated to Him.
6878 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, he said: Salama related to us, he said: Ibn Isḥāq related to me: "and the male is not like the female," because the male is stronger for that than the female.
6879 — Bishr related to us, he said: Yazīd related to us, he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: "and the male is not like the female," the woman could not be made for that — that is to say: set free for the church, to be placed therein, to attend to it and sweep it and not forsake it — on account of what befalls her of menstruation and discomfort. Therefore she said: "the male is not like the female."
6880 — Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, he said: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, he said: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda: "She said: My Lord, I have given birth to her, a female" — and they used to set free only the boys — he said: "and the male is not like the female; and I have named her Maryam."
6881 — Al-Muthannā related to me, he said: Isḥāq related to us, he said: Ibn Abī Jaʿfar related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ, he said: the wife of ʿImrān had set free for Allah what was in her womb, and she was hoping that He would grant her a boy, because the woman is not capable of that — that is to say: attending to the church, not forsaking it, and sweeping it — on account of what befalls her of discomfort.
6882 — Mūsā related to me, he said: ʿAmr related to us, he said: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: that the wife of ʿImrān supposed that what was in her womb was a boy, so she gave him to Allah. But when she gave birth, behold, it was a female, and she said, excusing herself to Allah: "My Lord, I have given birth to her, a female, and the male is not like the female," she says: one sets free only the boys. Allah says: "and Allah knows best what she bore," and she said: "I have named her Maryam."
6883 — Al-Qāsim related to us, he said: al-Ḥusayn related to us, he said: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of al-Qāsim ibn Abī Bazza, that he informed him on the authority of ʿIkrima — and Abū Bakr, on the authority of ʿIkrima —: "So when she had given birth to her, she said: My Lord, I have given birth to her, a female," "and the male is not like the female," that is to say: concerning menstruation, and it is not fitting that a woman be among the men — her mother says that.
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The discourse on the explanation of His statement, exalted is His praise: وَإِنِّي أُعِيذُهَا بِكَ وَذُرِّيَّتَهَا مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ (3:36)
(And I seek refuge for her and her offspring in You from the accursed Satan. (3:36))
Abū Jaʿfar said: she means by her statement "and I seek refuge for her and her offspring in You": and I make her refuge and the refuge of her offspring from the accursed Satan with You.
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The root meaning of "the refuge" (al-maʿādh) is: the place of refuge, the place of resort, and the stronghold.
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And Allah answered her, and Allah provided refuge for her and her offspring from the accursed Satan, and gave him no way over them.
6884 — Abū Kurayb related to us, he said: ʿAbda ibn Sulaymān related to us, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq, on the authority of Yazīd ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Qusayṭ, on the authority of Abū Hurayra, he said: the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "There is no soul of a newborn that is born, but Satan inflicts upon it that stab, on account of which the child cries out, except in the case of Maryam the daughter of ʿImrān; for when her mother gave birth to her, she said: 'My Lord, I seek refuge for her and her offspring in You from the accursed Satan,' so a partition was placed before her, and he stabbed at it."
6885 — Abū Kurayb related to us, he said: Yūnus ibn Bukayr related to us, he said: Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq related to me, on the authority of Yazīd ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Qusayṭ, on the authority of Abū Hurayra, he said: the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Every newborn of the children of Ādam has a stab from Satan, on account of which the child cries out, except in the case of Maryam the daughter of ʿImrān and her child; for her mother said, when she gave birth to her: 'I seek refuge for her and her offspring in You from the accursed Satan,' so a partition was placed before the two of them, and he stabbed at the partition."
6886 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, he said: Salama related to us, he said: Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq related to me, on the authority of Yazīd ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Qusayṭ, on the authority of Abū Hurayra, on the authority of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, something similar.
6887 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, he said: Hārūn ibn al-Mughīra related to us, on the authority of ʿAmr, on the authority of Shuʿayb ibn Khālid, on the authority of al-Zuhrī, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyab, he said: I heard Abū Hurayra say: I heard the Prophet ﷺ say: "There is no newborn of the children of Ādam that is born, but Satan touches him when he is born, so that he bursts out crying through his touch, except Maryam and her son." Abū Hurayra said: recite, if you wish: "I seek refuge for her and her offspring in You from the accursed Satan."
6888 — Yūnus related to me, he said: Ibn Wahb informed us, he said: Ibn Abī Dhiʾb informed me, on the authority of ʿAjlān, the freedman of al-Mushmaʿill, on the authority of Abū Hurayra, he said: the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Every newborn that is born of the children of Ādam is touched by Satan with his finger, except Maryam and her son."
6889 — Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Wahb related to me, he said: my uncle ʿAbd Allāh ibn Wahb related to me, he said: ʿAmr ibn al-Ḥārith informed me: that Abū Yūnus Sulaym, the freedman of Abū Hurayra, related to him, on the authority of Abū Hurayra, on the authority of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he said: "Every child of Ādam is touched by Satan on the day his mother gives birth to him, except Maryam and her son."
6890 — Yūnus related to me, he said: Ibn Wahb informed us, he said: ʿImrān informed me, that Abū Yūnus related to him, on the authority of Abū Hurayra, on the authority of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the same.
6891 — Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to me, he said: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, he said: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of al-Zuhrī, on the authority of Ibn al-Musayyab, on the authority of Abū Hurayra, he said: the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "There is no newborn that is born, but Satan touches him, so that he bursts out crying through the touch of Satan, except Maryam and her son." Then Abū Hurayra said: recite, if you wish: "And I seek refuge for her and her offspring in You from the accursed Satan."
6892 — Al-Muthannā related to me, he said: al-Ḥimmānī related to me, he said: Qays related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Abū Ṣāliḥ, on the authority of Abū Hurayra, he said: the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "There is no newborn that is born, but Satan has pinched him, once or twice, except ʿĪsā the son of Maryam and Maryam." Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited: "I seek refuge for her and her offspring in You from the accursed Satan."
6893 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, he said: Hārūn ibn al-Mughīra related to us, on the authority of ʿAmr ibn Abī Qays, on the authority of Simāk, on the authority of ʿIkrima, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, he said: no newborn was born, but he burst out crying, except the Masīḥ the son of Maryam; Satan gained no power over him and did not strike him.
6894 — Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, he said: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, he said: al-Mundhir ibn al-Nuʿmān al-Afṭas informed us: that he heard Wahb ibn Munabbih say: when ʿĪsā was born, the devils came to Iblīs and said: "The idols have bowed down their heads this morning!" He said: "This is due to an event that has occurred!" And he said: "Stay where you are!" Then he flew off until he reached the two ends of the earth, but he found nothing; then he came to the seas, but he found nothing; then he flew off again, and he found ʿĪsā, who had been born by a manger of a donkey, and behold, the angels had gathered around him. He returned to them and said: "Truly, tonight a prophet has been born; no woman has ever been pregnant or given birth without my being present with her, except this one!" So they gave up hope that the idols would be worshipped after this night. "But he approaches the children of Ādam by the way of frivolity and haste."
6895 — Bishr related to us, he said: Yazīd related to us, he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: "And I seek refuge for her and her offspring in You from the accursed Satan," and it was related to us that the prophet of Allah ﷺ used to say: "At every child of Ādam Satan stabbed in his side, except ʿĪsā the son of Maryam and his mother; between the two of them and him a partition was placed, and the stab struck the partition and did not penetrate to them." And it was related to us that the two of them committed no sins as the rest of the children of Ādam commit them. And it was related to us that ʿĪsā walked upon the sea as he walked upon the land, on account of the certainty and the sincerity that Allah, exalted is He, had granted him.
6896 — Al-Muthannā related to me, he said: Isḥāq related to me, he said: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Jaʿfar related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ: "And I seek refuge for her and her offspring in You from the accursed Satan," he said: truly, the prophet of Allah ﷺ said: "At every human being Satan stabbed in his side, except ʿĪsā and his mother; the two of them committed no sins as the children of Ādam commit them." He said: and ʿĪsā ﷺ said, while praising his Lord: "He provided refuge for me and my mother from the accursed Satan, and he gained no way over us."
6897 — Al-Rabīʿ ibn Sulaymān related to us, he said: Shuʿayb ibn al-Layth related to us, he said: al-Layth related to us, on the authority of Jaʿfar ibn Rabīʿa, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Hurmuz, that he said: Abū Hurayra said: the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "At every child of Ādam Satan stabs in his side when his mother gives birth to him, except ʿĪsā the son of Maryam; he went to stab, but he stabbed at the partition."
6898 — Al-Rabīʿ related to us, he said: Shuʿayb related to us, he said: al-Layth informed us, on the authority of Jaʿfar ibn Rabīʿa, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Hurmuz, that he said: Abū Hurayra said: "Have you seen this scream that the child lets out when his mother gives birth to him? That comes from there."
6899 — Aḥmad ibn al-Faraj related to me, he said: Baqiyya ibn al-Walīd related to us, he said: al-Zubaydī related to us, on the authority of al-Zuhrī, on the authority of Abū Salama, on the authority of Abū Hurayra, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "There is no newborn of the children of Ādam, but Satan touches him when he is born, so that he bursts out crying."