(Sayyidah Maryam [‘alaihas salaam] – Part Seven)

Sayyidah Maryam (‘alaihas salaam) bore Nabi ‘Isa (‘alaihis salaam) for the normal period of pregnancy. Thereafter, when her labour commenced, she went alone to the jungle, far away from people, to give birth to her child. As it was difficult for her to sit or stand, due to the severe labour pains, she used a date palm as a support.

This was indeed a great test for Sayyidah Maryam (‘alaihas salaam). She was all alone with nobody to assist her. She was in pain, had no food or drink with her, and she anticipated that people would accuse her of being unchaste and committing fornication. In this state of desperation, she exclaimed, “If only I had died before this and was totally forgotten!” To console her, Allah Ta‘ala sent Jibreel (‘alaihis salaam) to her. He stood away from her, on an area lower than where she stood and said, “Do not grieve! Allah Ta‘ala has provided a stream below you. Shake the trunk of the date palm and it will drop fresh dates for you.”

In this manner, Allah Ta‘ala made divine arrangements for Sayyidah Maryam (‘alaihas salaam). On her command, the stream would flow, and on her command, it would cease. Similarly, another miracle was that the date palm bore fruit for her to eat, although it was not the season for dates.

After the period of nifaas (postnatal bleeding) had elapsed, approximately forty days later, Sayyidah Maryam (‘alaihas salaam) returned to the people carrying Nabi ‘Isa (‘alaihis salaam). As soon as they saw her, they began to rebuke and chastise her, as she had born a child out of wedlock. They questioned how she could have stooped to such behaviour, whereas she hailed from the most pious of families.

Placing her complete reliance on Allah Ta‘ala, Sayyidah Maryam (‘alaihas salaam) remained silent and gestured towards her infant child. The people thought that she was mocking them, as a baby cannot speak. However, as a miracle, Allah Ta‘ala allowed Nabi ‘Isa (‘alaihis salaam) to speak and he informed them that he was the Nabi of Allah Ta‘ala. In this manner, the name and reputation of Sayyidah Maryam (‘alaihas salaam) was preserved.

(Al-Bidaayah wan Nihaayah vol. 2, pgs. 74-78, Tafseerul Madaarik vol. 2, pg. 37 and Ma‘aariful Quraan vol. 6, pgs. 22-28)

Lessons:

1. When people possessed shame and modesty, they frowned on indecent behaviour. Today, with the surge of immodesty, people regard dating and other illicit relationships to be the norm. This shows how far we have drifted from the values of Islam. Sayyidah Maryam (‘alaihas salaam) preferred to be dead rather than to be accused of indecent and unchaste behaviour.

2. When a believer leads a life of piety and chastity, has a strong link and relationship with Allah Ta‘ala and places his reliance and trust in Him, then Allah Ta‘ala assists him in his hour of need and comes to his rescue.