Overview (Verses 33 - 37)

God’s Chosen Servants

God raised Adam and Noah, and the House of Abraham and the House of `Imrān above all mankind. They were the offspring of one another. God hears all and knows all. `Imrān’s wife said: My Lord, I vow to You that which is in my womb, to be devoted to Your service. Accept it from me. You alone are the One Who hears all and knows all. “When she had given birth she said: “My Lord, I have given birth to a female.” — God well knew to what she would give birth. — “The male is not like the female. I have named her Mary and I seek Your protection for her and her offspring against Satan, the accursed. “Her Lord graciously accepted her. He made her grow up a goodly child, and placed her in the care of Zachariah. Whenever Zachariah visited her in the sanctuary he found her provided with food. He would say: ‘Mary, where has this come to you from?” She would answer: “It is from God. God gives sustenance to whom He wills, beyond all reckoning.” (Verses 33-37)
 
The narration begins with mentioning God’s chosen servants whom He has selected for the task of conveying the one message of the single faith preached from the beginning of creation. They are the leaders of the procession of believers in all its phases and throughout history. We are told that these people form a continuous chain or a lineage. However, this does not necessarily mean a family lineage, even though they have all descended from Adam and Noah. Rather the tie which groups them together is that they have been chosen by God and that they belong to the same faith: “God raised Adam and Noah, and the House of Abraham and the House of `Imrān above all mankind.” (Verse 33)
 
This verse mentions two individuals, Adam and Noah, and two families, the House of Abraham and the House of `Imrān. It is, thus, made clear that Adam and Noah have been exalted as individuals, while Abraham and `Imrān were favoured along with their descendants, on that basis which was firmly established in the preceding sūrah al-Baqarah, with regard to Abraham’s seed. This confirms that the inheritance of prophethood and blessings is not determined by the relationship of blood, but by that of faith: “When his Lord tested Abraham with certain commandments and he fulfilled them, He said: I have appointed you a leader of mankind.’ Abraham asked: And what of my descendants?’ God said: ‘My covenant does not apply to the wrong doers.’” (2: 124)

Some reports suggest that `Imrān belonged to the House of Abraham. He is, then, mentioned here by name for a particular purpose which pertains to the stories of Mary and Jesus. We also note that this sūrah makes no mention of Moses or Jacob, who also belonged to the House of Abraham because the occasion does not require such a reference to answer the arguments raised about Jesus, son of Mary, or about Abraham.
 
A Child Dedicated to Divine Service
 
The opening verse in this section is a declaration: “God raised Adam and Noah, and the House of Abraham and the House of `Imrān above all mankind.” This serves as a preparatory announcement and an introduction to the story which immediately follows, giving information about the House of `Imrān. Its events begin to unfold with the birth of Mary.
 
The vow made by `Imrān’s wife reveals to us the fact that she is a woman with a heart full of faith. She looks up to her Lord making an offering of the dearest thing to her, namely, the child she is bearing. She dedicates the child to her Lord, free of all conditions and all partnerships, free of all claims which may be made by anyone other than God. The Arabic term used here to denote that the offering is made absolutely purely to God is derived from the root meaning “freedom” or “liberation”. This in itself is very significant. No one is truly free unless he devotes himself totally to God, liberating himself from servitude to anyone, anything, or any value.
 
When submission to God alone is total, it indicates total freedom. Any other situation is a form of slavery although it may appear in the guise of freedom.
 
This shows that to believe in God as the only Lord is perfect freedom. No human being is truly free if he recognises any degree of authority which belongs to anyone other than God. When Islam preaches the Oneness of God, it preaches the only true form of human freedom.
 
The devoted prayer `Imrān’s wife addresses to her Lord to accept her offering is an indication of her total submission to God. She appears to us free from all shackles. Her only motivation is to seek God’s pleasure and acceptance: “My Lord, I vow to You that which is in my womb, to be devoted to Your service. Accept it from me. You alone are the One Who hears all and knows all.” (Verse 35)
 
She is, however, delivered of a daughter, not a son: “When she had given birth she said: ’My Lord, I have given birth to a female. ’ — God well knew to what she would give birth. — ‘The male is not like the female, I have named her Mary and I seek Your protection for her and her offspring against Satan, the accursed.’” (Verse 36) She was hoping for a male child, because only male children were devoted for service in temples, so that they may free themselves from any preoccupation with anything other than worship and prayer. When she discovered that she had given birth to a daughter, she addressed her Lord in a sorrowful tone: “My Lord, I have given birth to a female.” — She realises that God is fully aware of the fact. She, however, makes the offering with what she has, and appears to apologize for not having a male child who might have been better able to fulfil the mission for which the baby was devoted: “The male is not like the female.” In this particular consideration, a female cannot fulfil the tasks for which the male is better suited. “I have named her Mary.”
 
This address sounds close, familiar, made by one who feels to be having a private conversation with her Lord, explaining what is on her mind and making her offering gently and directly. This is the type of relationship which God’s chosen people have with their Lord: it is a relationship of friendship, closeness and simple address, free of all complications. They feel they are speaking with the One Who is near, loving and certain to respond.
 
“I seek Your protection for her and her offspring against Satan, the accursed.” These are the final words spoken by the mother as she gives up her offering to her Lord, entrusting her baby to His care and seeking His protection for her and her offspring against Satan. They are words which express the desire of a devoted heart. No mother could wish for her new-born baby anything better than protection by God from Satan.
 
“Her Lord graciously accepted her. He made her grow up a goodly child.” (Verse 37) This acceptance is given in return for the dedication which fills the mother’s heart and motivates her to make such a dedicated vow. God’s gracious acceptance of Mary also serves as a preparation for her to receive the breathing of God’s spirit and His word so that she will be able to give birth to Jesus in a way which is totally unfamiliar to human beings.
 
God “placed her in the, care of Zachariah.” (Verse 37) He made Zachariah, the chief of-tie Jewish temple, the custody of which was entrusted to Aaron’s priestly descendants, Mary’s guardian.
 
Mary was a blessed child, enjoying a state of Abundance. God ensured that she would always have an Abundance of everything: “Whenever Zachariah visited her in the sanctuary he found her provided with food. He would say:’ Mary, where has this come to you from?’ She would answer: ‘It is from God. God gives sustenance to whom He wills, beyond all reckoning.’” (Verse 37)
 
We do not wish to indulge in any discussion of the nature of the provisions made available to Mary as others have done. It is sufficient for us to know that she was a blessed child whose blessings benefited others around her. She had more than she needed of everything which may be termed as “provisions”. Her guardian, himself a Prophet, wondered at this Abundance and asked her how and where she got it from. A humble servant of God as she was, she would acknowledge God’s grace, saying no more than: “It is from God. God gives sustenance to whom He wills, beyond all reckoning.”
 
Her answer is indicative of the relationship between a believer and her Lord. She keeps to herself the secret which exists between Him and her, referring to it with modesty, and without any trace of boastfulness.
 
This unfamiliar aspect which makes Zachariah wonder serves as a prelude to the forthcoming wonders associated with the birth of John and with the birth of Jesus.