Birth of Jesus son of Mary
Birth of Jesus son of Mary: Allah says, “When the angels said, O Maryam, surely Allah gives you good news with a word from Him (of one) whose name is Messiah ‘Isa son of Maryam, worthy of regard in this world and the Hereafter and of those who are made near (to Allah).” (3:45)
‘Isa is called ‘word’ because he was born with the Divine Word ‘kun’ (Be) without a father, or Allah guided people through his words. And he is called ‘Messiah’ because he was as a Divine bounty, given a treatment of ‘Masah’ (caress) by the Mercy of Allah and thus purified (from sins), or as olive oil was applied to his body after his birth or Archangel Gabriel touched him with his wing so that he might remain safe from mischief of Satan or as he used to caress his head with his hands or as the blind could see through his touch and the sick were healed. It is said that in the Hebrew language it was ‘Messiaha’ which became ‘Messiah’ in Arabic.
“And he shall speak to the people when in cradle and when of old age, and (he shall) be one of the good ones.” (3:46)
“She said, My Lord, how shall there be a son (born) to me when man has not touched me?” He (the angel) said, “Even so, Allah creates what He pleases. When He has decreed a matter He only says to it ‘Be’ and it is. He will teach him the Book and the Torah and the Injeel and (make him) an apostle to the children of Israel. That I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I determine for you out of dust like the form of a bird, then breathe into it and it becomes a bird with Allah’s permission and I heal the blind and the leprous and bring the dead to life with Allah’s permission and I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses; most surely there is a sign in this for you, if you are a believer.”
And a verifier of that which is before me of the Torah and that I may allow you part of that which has been forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a sign from your Lord therefore be careful of (your duty to) Allah and obey me.
Surely Allah is my Lord and your Lord, therefore serve Him; this is the right path. (3:47-51)
The Almighty also says, Surely the likeness of ‘Isa is with Allah as the likeness of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, “Be”, and he was. (3:59)
In yet another place the Qur’an says: “And mention Maryam in the Book when she drew aside from her family to an eastern place.” (19:16)
‘Ali ibn Ibrahim narrates that Archangel Gabriel blew into the neckline of Maryam thus passing air into her belly. It resulted in conception of ‘Isa the same night and she delivered the next morning. The time of this pregnancy was only nine hours that became equal to the period of nine months required by other women. Imam al-Baqir is reported to have said that Archangel Gabriel blew into the neckline of Maryam holding her garment and it resulted in instant perfection of ‘Isa in her womb the same way offspring develop in their mother’s wombs in nine months. Then she came out of the bathing place with a child’s burden like those ladies who have completed their period of pregnancy and who are on the verge of delivery. When her aunt saw her she became astonished. Feeling ashamed Maryam went away from Zakariyya and his wife as mentioned by Allah, “So she conceived him; then withdrew herself with him to a remote place.” It is mentioned in a reliable tradition of Imam as-Sadiq that a child born after six months pregnancy does not remain alive, but ‘Isa and Imam al-Husayn did live though both were born within six months of pregnancy.[131]
“And the throes (of child birth) compelled her to betake herself to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, “Oh, would that I had died before this, and had been a thing quite forgotten.” She desired death fearing that people would misunderstand her.
Imam as-Sadiq is reported to have said that any good, wise person might not attribute a wrong thing to her. ‘Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated that when Maryam came out due to labor pains to find shelter somewhere it was market day and the place was full of tradesmen. Maryam passed by the weavers. In those days weaving was a prestigious profession. The weavers were atop donkeys. Maryam inquired from them whereabouts of the old palm tree. But the weavers made a mockery of her and spoke with contempt. So Maryam angrily prayed to Allah that He may degrade their profession and dishonor them among the people. Then she saw a group of businessmen and asked them whereabouts of the palm tree. They gave her the correct information. She wished good for them praying to Allah for progress of their trade and for making people eager for them. When she reached the tree ‘Isa was born. Immediately on seeing ‘Isa she exclaimed, “Would that I had died before the arrival of this day. Now what shall I say to my aunt and what will be my answer to the questions of The Israelites?”
Then (the child) called out from beneath her: “Grieve not, surely your Lord has made a stream to flow beneath you” (19:24)
‘Isa called out from beneath or Archangel Gabriel told Maryam from the hillock do not grieve because your Lord has made a stream flow beneath you or made ‘Isa a great personality. Imam al-Baqir is reported to have said that the stream where was born was dry for years but Allah made it flow afresh since that moment. Then the Lord said, “(Maryam) Shake the trunk of the palm tree which is towards you, it will drop on you fresh ripe dates.”
Imam al-Baqir is reported to have said that nothing is more beneficial to a woman in confinement after childbirth than dates because Allah had made it the food for Maryam after delivery and he (the Imam) also said that tree had dried up and had no fruits, because had it been full of fruits Allah would not have asked Maryam to shake it and she herself would have fulfilled her desired. It was the winter season when trees have no fruits. Therefore, Allah, in order to show His miracle, instantly made leaves and fruits grow on that old dry tree.
Ibn ‘Abbas has narrated that when Maryam experienced labor pains and became restless, she came out and walked towards a hillock. When she climbed it she saw the trunk of a dried palm tree that had neither leaves nor fruits. She sat down beneath that tree and ‘Isa was born there. When Maryam desired death Archangel Gabriel called out to her from beneath the hillock neither to fear nor to grieve as Allah had already provided water for her in the stream so that she may drink and purify herself by bathing and to shake the tree for causing the dates to drop.
“So eat and drink and refresh the eye. Then if you see any mortal say: Surely I have vowed a fast to the Beneficent Allah, so I shall not speak to any man today.” (19:26)
Perhaps she was allowed to speak this much or to convey it by gestures. In their shari‘ah a fast meant to remain silent or it (silence) might have been a part of fasting. These things were said by ‘Isa. ‘Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated that when Maryam became grief-stricken and sorrowful after the birth of ‘Isa and longed for death, ‘Isa spoke from near her feet to tell her not to grieve (as described) and when Maryam extended her hand toward the palm tree the ripe fruits dropped down into her hands. Seeing this she became very pleased then miraculously ‘Isa told her, “Roll me up in a cloth.” He (‘Isa told her whatever was necessary and also told her, “If you meet with anyone tell him that you are fasting.” (Etc as described).
It is recorded in reliable sources that Imam Ja‘far as-Sadiq said, “A fast does not mean refraining from food and drink. Do you not know that Maryam said, ‘I have vowed to fast’ meaning ‘I will keep silent except uttering the Names of Almighty Allah and remembering Him.’” And it is mentioned in reliable traditions that the tree from which Maryam had eaten dates was Ajwah dates which was of the best quality palm tree.
Ibn Babawayh has narrated from Wahab bin Munabbah that when Maryam approached the palm tree she was shivering due to cold. So Yusuf Najjar gathered wood around her and made a fire. Thus Maryam got warmth. He also gave her seven walnuts from his packsaddle. It was because of this that the Christians light up fires in the birth night of ‘Isa and play with walnuts.
And she came to her people, carrying him (with her). They said, “O MaryMaryam! Surely you have done a strange thing.” (You have brought a child without having a husband, you have committed a bad deed). “O sister of Harun! Your father was not a bad man, nor was your mother an unchaste woman.”
‘Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated that when the people did not find Maryam in the hall of worship they went out in search of her and Zakariyya also began to look for her. Then they saw her coming with a ‘Isa in arms. The women of The Israelites gathered, taunted her and spat on her. Maryam did not pay any attention to them and entered the niche of the Masjid. Zakariyya and the people of The Israelites came to her and said, “O Maryam! You have done a wrong deed. What a grave disgrace you have brought on The Israelites.” They addressed her as ‘sister of Harun’ by a way of taunting her. Harun was a debaucher criminal very notorious. Some say Harun was a very good person and people used to name him in the matter of good deeds. Some have said that Harun was the maternal uncle of Maryam. Reportedly Imam al-Baqir has said that seventy women had made allegations against Maryam and said, “Surely you have done a strange thing.” So Allah gave ‘Isa the power of speech. He addressed the women, “Woe unto you for making false allegations against my mother. I am a slave (creation) of Allah. He has made me His Messenger and has given me the Book. By Allah! I will prosecute you.” He did punish them for libel after becoming a (grown-up) Prophet. She pointed out to him and they said, “How should we speak to one who is a child in the cradle.” He said, “I am a servant of Allah; He has given me the Book and made me a Prophet. He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoined on me prayer and Zakat (poor-rate) As long as I live.” It is reported that Imam Ja‘far as-Sadiq said (it meant) “I have been made beneficent because people will benefit from me as I have knowledge and perfection and an ability to heal the ill and to raise those who have died outwardly and inwardly.” “And he has enjoined on me prayer and charity as long as I live and dutiful to my mother. He has not made me insolent and unblessed. He has protected me from becoming a disobedient, unworthy son my mother. Peace be on me the day I was born and on the day I die and on the day I am raised to life. When this miracle occurred and ‘Isa spoke about all these things, the people realized that Maryam was pure and was never involved in the things imagined by them and that these were the signs of Allah’s Might.
Reportedly Imam al-Baqir has said how Maryam was given good tidings of ‘Isa: One day she was sitting in the prayer room of the house of worship when Archangel Gabriel came down in form of a man and dropped his saliva into the collar of her frock. She at once conceived ‘Isa who was born the same day. Till that time, on the surface of the earth there was no tree which did not have fruits and also no tree had thorns until the sinner offspring of Adam attributed wife and son to Allah made the earth shiver. Fruits disappeared from the trees and thorns came up in place of fruits. ‘Isa appeared from the trees and thorns came up in place of fruits. Shaitans gathered around their chief Iblis and said, “Tonight a child is born because of whom every idol in the world has toppled down.” Hearing this, the accursed Iblis became worried. He went from east to west to find the child but could not find any trace of him until he approached a Monastery. There he saw that the angels had encircled that house. The accursed Satan tried to enter the house but the angels ordered him to go away from there. He asked who the father of the newborn child was. They said his case was an example of Adam whom Allah had created without a father. Iblis retorted “I will destroy four out of five parts of human population due to this son.”
Through reliable sources Shaykh al-Tusi had narrated a tradition from Imam Zayn al-‘abidin that the place described as a far-off place by Allah where Maryam had moved for delivering ‘Isa is Karbala. Maryam had covered a long distance from Damascus to Karbala in a split second; ‘Isa was born at a point near the grave of Imam al-Husayn and she returned to Damascus that same night.
al-Qutb al-Rawandi has with authentic proofs, narrated from Yahya bin ‘Abdullah that, “I was with Imam as-Sadiq in Heerah. One day we went riding and reached a village in the vicinity of Nasirah and came near river Euphrates.” Imam said, ‘Here it is, Here it is’ and then dismounted, prayed two Rak’ahs of prayers and asked me, ‘Do you know where ‘Isa was born?’ I said, ‘No.’ He said ‘It is here, where I am now sitting.’ Then he said, ‘Where was the palm tree which was shaken by Maryam for its fruits?’
I replied that I did not know. He pointed to his back with his hand and said it was at this spot. Thereafter he asked me whether I knew the meaning of Rabawah, mentioned in the Divine Ayat of Holy Qur’an reading “And we made the son of Maryam and his mother a sign, and we gave them shelter on a lofty ground (rabwah) having meadows and springs.’ This means we sheltered ‘Isa and his mother on a high ground that we turned into a living place with abundance of fruits and populace and running streams of water. I said I did not know. He pointed to his right with his hand toward Najaf and said this is that hill. Then he said the ‘Maaum Maeen’ mentioned by the Lord is the river Euphrates and added when the pregnancy of Maryam became apparent she was in that valley where five hundred virgin girls were busy praying to Allah and that her (Maryam’s) period of pregnancy was nine hours. When she suffered labor pains she came out of the worship place and came home that was her monastery. Therefrom she approached the palm tree that was old. ‘Isa was born there. She carried him and came to her people. They became fearful on seeing her in that condition and were astonished. The Israelites fell in dispute about ‘Isa. Some said, ‘He is the son of Allah’ some other said ‘He is a servant of Allah and His Messenger’ and the Jews said Allah forbid. “He is the fruit of adultery” and that palm tree was Ajwah.”
Several other reliable traditions have been recorded explaining this holy verse of the Graceful Qur’an saying Rabwah is the other end of al-Kufah and its sawad (outskirt) is Karbala or Najaf and the Qaraar (meadow) is the mosque of al-Kufah and ‘Maeen’ (spring) is the river Euphrates.
It is mentioned in authentic hadith of Imam Musa al-Ka¨im that Archangel Gabriel had brought heavenly dates for Maryam — ‘Safran’. When she ate them she became pregnant.
It is mentioned in other reliable records that a Christian scholar once approached Imam al-Ka¨im. Imam asked him whether he knew which river (spring) is one by which ‘Isa was born? He replied in negative whereupon Imam said it is river Euphrates.
Another similar hadith quotes that once, giving them proofs told Christian scholars that the name of the mother of Maryam was Murtaa, which meant ‘waheebah’ in Arabic. The day was Friday and time was zawaal (afternoon) when Archangel Gabriel had come to Maryam and she conceived ‘Isa and that day was ever since a day of ‘Id (rejoicing or celebration), and the day when ‘Isa was born was a Tuesday and his birth took place at half past four, and the river on the bank of which he was born was river Euphrates. On that day he was not permitted by Allah to talk. When the king of those days came to know about this event he started for that place with his son and his courtiers with an intention of harming ‘Isa. He called the family of ‘Imran (family members of ‘Imran) so that they may see Maryam in that extraordinary condition until all that came to pass which has been described in the holy Qur’an (that is, he spoke from the cradle).
Reliable traditions have recorded that, according to Imam Muhammad al-Baqir ‘Isa was born on the night of 25th Dhu’l-Qa’dah.
Kulaini has, with authentic narrations said that hafs bin Giyath has said, “I have seen Imam as-Sadiq in the gardens of al-Kufah. When he came near a particular palm tree he offered two Rak’ahs of prayers with bowing and prostration and I counted that he had recited Tasbih (sanctified Allah five hundred times) then he continued to recite Dua for a long time and then said, “O Rafas! By Allah! This is the tree about which is mentioned in the holy Qur’an. Allah had asked Maryam to shake it so as to cause its fruits to fall for her.”
Through a good authority it is reported that Imam as-Sadiq said, “On the night of Me’raj (ascension of the holy Prophet) Archangel Gabriel had, at one point, requested the holy Prophet to alight from his heavenly horse flying at supersonic speed and to offer prayers.” The Prophet offered prayers and asked what place it was. Archangel Gabriel replied that it was Mount Sinai where Allah has conversed with Musa. From there they went further. After some time Archangel Gabriel again requested the holy Prophet to get down and pray. He inquired about that place whereupon he was informed that it was Bethlehem where ‘Isa was born.
In other reliable tradition the same person has recorded that various parts of the earth began to feel proud over one another, Ka‘bah thought it was superior to the ground of Karbala. But Allah silenced it saying do not think like that because Karbala is the place where We (Allah) conversed with Musa. Rabwah is the same place where We made Maryam and Messiah reside and that is the junction where the Holy head of husayn was washed and it is the same spot where ‘Isa was given a wash after he was born.
It is recorded in reliable sources that Imam Zayn al-‘abidin said, “When ‘Ali was returning from Nahrawan after fighting the Kharijites, he camped in Buratha Masjid near Baghdad. There was a monastery. When that monk observed the impressive features and great virtues of Imam about which he had read in earlier scriptures, he became a Muslim and said, “I have read your virtues and praise in Injeel wherein it is mentioned that you will camp in Buratha Masjid which is the House of Maryam and the land of ‘Isa.” Then ‘Ali went to a spot near that monastery and kicked the ground. Instantly clear water spring gushed out from there. ‘Ali said, “This is the spring that gushed out for Maryam .” Then he said, “Take a measurement of seven arm lengths from here and dig the ground.” When people complied with Imam ’s commandment there appeared a white rock. said this is the rock on which Maryam put ‘Isa after taking him down from her lap. Then he offered prayers there and said, “This ground of Buratha is the house of Maryam ”[132]
It has been, reliably noted that Imam as-Sadiq said, “When ‘Isa was born, Allah kept him hidden from the eyes of people, because when Maryam conceived she had gone into isolation at a distant place out of habitation as described by Allah. Zakariyya and the aunt of Maryam went in search of her. They reached Maryam when she had already delivered ‘Isa. At that time Maryam was longing for death due to a feeling of shame. Allah made ‘Isa speak and concluded the arguments for her. When ‘Isa appeared, the enemies of religion had increased their harassment and hardship on The Israelites. Cruel kings of that time rose up to torture and finish them until ‘Isa went up to the heaven and Shamoun and his followers went into hiding for fear. They hid themselves in one of the islands of a river and stayed there for quite a long time. Allah issued springs of sweet water for them and caused all kind of fruits, and created four-footed and other animals. He also sent a fish called Amad which did not have flesh and bones only skin and blood. Allah ordered the fish to come to the surface, then honeybees settled on her back and it carried them to that island. The bees built honeycombs in the trees of the island. In this way ample honey was provided for the residents of that island. News about ‘Isa continued to reach them.
Ibn Tawus has noted from Ibn Babawayh’s book An Nabuwwah that when ‘Isa was born a group of great men from Gabar came to pay their respects to ‘Isa and Maryam. They said, “We have the knowledge of the movements of stars. When this boy was born we observed a kingly star rise in the heavens. After pondering over it we understood that the kingdom of this child is a Prophet-related kingdom that will never be stripped from him until Allah raises him up to the heavens. When the world comes to an end his kingdom will turn into another worldly eternal kingdom. We come from the east and have reached here with the guidance of the said star. After arriving here we observed that that star stayed right above the head of this child of yours. We have brought some presents to be showered upon him. These things were never before gifted to anyone else because we considered them worthy of this child only. Here they are: gold and myrrh and mandar. Gold is a worldly wealth and your son is the best man in this world. Myrrh is a medicine useful for curing wounds and illness and madness. Since your son will be a healer of the sick, this thing will be suitable for him, and kandar is an essence the smoke of which reaches up to the sky. No other smoke rises so high. As your child will be ascending to heavens this thing is appropriate for him.
It is written in reliable traditions that Abu-Basir asked Imam as-Sadiq why Allah created ‘Isa without a father. He replied, “So that people may understand his perfection and realize that Allah is able to do everything.”
It is recorded in many authentic traditions that the spirit which was blown into ‘Isa was created by Him (Allah) and it was superior to and higher than other spirits.
It is narrated in many hadiths by Sunnis as well as Shi‘ah sources that the holy Prophet told Amir al-Mu’minin, “You are similar to ‘Isa son of Maryam about whom many indulged in extremism. They began to call him Allah and Allah’s son. Some became his enemies to such an extent that (Allah forbid) they called him an illegitimate born and alleged that he was the son of Yusuf Najjar. Both these groups went to Hell. The group that considered him a slave and a Prophet of Allah remained in his religion. Likewise, O ‘Ali one group will call you God and another (Allah forbid) will call you ‘Kafir’ (unbeliever). Both these groups will go to Hell. Those who consider you a slave and a caliph of his Prophet will attain salvation.”