Mary is one of the outstanding personalities and a distinguished woman in the Abrahamic religions. In Islam, Mary is considered as one of the four celestial women of Paradise, an exemplary role model and a leader of the women of the universe
In the Quran, no woman has been mentioned by her proper name except Mary, and interestingly, her name occurs 34 times in the Quran [i]. Also, a chapter of the Quran was named after her.
Mary was a daughter of Imran and Hannah. Imran, a progeny of Solomon son of David, was one of the leading religious scholars of his time. According to the reports, following a prayer request of Hannah for a child, they were blessed at old age with a baby girl named Mary. However, Imran died before the birth of Mary.
Meanwhile, according to a narration [1], it was said that Imran had informed his wife of a son who by Allah’s permission could heal the blind and raise the dead to life. Thus, Hannah has vowed to devote the child to the service of the Lord in the Sanctuary.
The Quran says:
“When the wife of Imran said, ‘My Lord, I dedicate to You in consecration what is in my belly. Accept it from me; indeed You are the All-hearing, the All-knowing” (3: 35)
Meanwhile, since the conceived child was a girl, who could not be allowed to serve in the sanctuary due to her weakness and menses, Hannah was amazed, and she exclaimed bashfully:
“When she bore her, she said, ‘My Lord, I have borne a female [child]’—and Allah knew better what she had borne, and the male [child she expected] was no match for the female [child she had borne] —‘and I have named her Mary…” (3: 36)
However, contrary to her expectation, Allah graciously accepted her vow by permitting her daughter; Mary to serve the Lord in the Sanctuary:
“Thereupon her Lord accepted her with a gracious acceptance, and made her grow up in a worthy fashion…” (3: 37)
After that, Hannah took her baby to the Sanctuary, and she handed her over to the custodians of the House of God while she returned home.
There were disputes among the custodians of the Sanctuary about taking charge of the guardianship of Mary. Every one of them wished to take the responsibility, but Zakariyya told them he was more worthy of her since her aunt was his wife.
They later agreed on casting a lot by throwing their pens with which they wrote the Torah in water to decide the guardianship of Mary. In line with a divine will, only the Zakariyya’s pen surfaced over the water while the remaining ones submerged. Thus, Zakariyyah finally took charge of the guardianship of Mary.
“…and He charged Zechariah with her care…” (3: 37)
When Mary attained puberty, a separate room was built for her in the temple so that she may have a maximum concentration on her devotions. Thus, none was allowed to see her or talk with her except Zakariyya, who made provisions for her needs. According to the Quranic report, every time Zakariyya entered her sanctuary to see her, he found some food in her room.
“…Whenever Zechariah visited her in the sanctuary, he would find provisions with her. He said, ‘O Mary, from where does this come for you?’ She said, ‘It comes from Allah. Allah provides whomever He wishes without any reckoning.” (3: 37)
One day, the Gabriel in the guise of a handsome man [ii] appeared to Mary but she was frightened, and she sought refuge from Allah against him. But he responded that he was a messenger of her Lord to give her a glad tiding of a pure boy.
“…We sent to her Our Spirit, and he became incarnate for her as a well-proportioned human. She said, ‘I seek the protection of the All-beneficent from you, should you be Godwary! He said, ‘I am only a messenger of your Lord that I may give you a pure son.” (19: 17-19)
However, Mary enquired on the possibility of having a child while not being touched by any man. The Gabriel told her that creating a child out of a virgin and without a father is not difficult for God [iii]. After that, Mary by the decree of Allah became pregnant of Jesus, who shall be a sign for the humankind and a mercy to the world. In order to avoid people’s accusations, Mary retreated to a remote place where no one could see her.
However, at the time of childbirth, apart from loneliness, she went through severe pains to such an extent that she aspired for death [iv]. Then, a voice called unto her to console her not to grieve, and she was commanded by Allah to eat from the fresh dates, drink from the spring water and to refresh her eyes by the newly born baby [v].
In addition, Mary was henceforth commanded by Allah to refrain from talking to people for a particular time, but her child would be allowed to speak on her behalf and defend her chastity. Finally, Mary brought her miraculous baby to her people while carrying him in her arms. Some of them accused her of adultery [vi], but in line with divine command, she remained silent while pointing to her new baby.
Thus, Jesus while in his cradle testified to the divinity of Allah, his servitude to Him and finally attested to the chastity of her mother [vii].
In Islam, Mary is held in high esteem, and she acquired an elevated status among the women of the world. She was considered a perfect personality for emulation by the women of the world.
However, Islam in a very strong term repudiates the belief in the divinity of Mary or her being considered a mother of God. She is indeed a chosen and purified servant of God, and she was chosen above the women of the world.
Notes:
[i] https://www.al-islam.org
[ii] (19: 17)
[iii] (19: 20-21)
[iv] (19: 23)
[v] (19: 24-26)
[vi] (19: 27-28)
[vii] (19: 30-33)
Reference:
- Majlisi, Muhammad-Baqir, “Bihar-ul-'Anwar” (Beirut Edition), Vol. 14, P. 203, Hadith 15.
Today, more than anything, people are concerned about what they eat and drink. And that is for a good reason; for you to live a fuller life, you need a healthy body alongside a healthy mind. And you can function better in the society as well. So a useful and practical food diet is the one which can guarantee both of these factors.
This is only one reason why Islam has forbidden drinking alcohol. Let’s regard this matter in depth.
There are many verses in the Quran that directly or indirectly prohibit Muslims from drinking alcohol and emphasize the disadvantages of this action, one of which is as follows:
“O you who have faith! Indeed wine, gambling, idols, and the divining arrows are abominations of Satan’s doing, so avoid them, so that you may be felicitous. Indeed Satan seeks to cast enmity and hatred among you through wine and gambling and to hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you, then, relinquish?” (5:90-91)
The above verse reveals two destructive effects of drinking alcohol. They are threatening to the society as well as each individual.
Morally speaking, it is evident in many instances that drinking alcohol lowers the brain’s function and makes it unclear [1] & [2]. Thus the person would lose his/her control over his/her actions and could exhibit any behavior out of the moral boundaries. A simple misunderstanding, then, may cause a serious clash between the members of the society, since they are not in their right mind and cannot reason well.
Moreover, many car accidents in the society are caused by the drivers who have been under the influence of alcohol. According to a study:
Consuming alcohol before driving greatly increases the risk of car accidents, highway injuries, and vehicular deaths. The higher the amount of consumed alcohol, the more likely to be involved in an accident. When alcohol is consumed, many of the skills that safe driving requires – such as judgment, concentration, comprehension, coordination, visual acuity, and reaction time – become impaired [3].
The one who consumes alcohol will be occupied with such jubilant feeling caused by alcohol that he/she will forget his/her duty toward Allah. One of the essential teachings of Islam is that a Muslim should be able to feel Allah in his/her heart in every breath and His presence in all his/her actions [i].
Through drinking alcohol, even in small quantities, your mind loses its sharpness and focus to fully attend to your necessary actions as a Muslim, e.g., daily prayer (Salat).
We are born to be free, to choose and to decide for ourselves. That is why we are endowed with the power of reason. The one who drinks alcohol voluntarily drops the guard of his/her reasoning down. He/she deprives him/herself of the ability to choose the right manners and have control over his/her life. With an unclear mind no one can practice his right to choose, thus is not free!
The holy Quran says: “They ask you concerning wine and gambling. Say, ‘There is a great sin in both of them and some profits for the people, but their sinfulness outweighs their profit.’…” (2:219).
Almost in all our decisions, we are careful to choose the way that is more profitable for ourselves, be it financially, physically or morally. According to the Quran and many scientific studies, drinking alcohol brings more negative effects than positive. Thus its loss is way more than its profit. So it would be more rational to avoid drinking alcohol than to bear its negative consequences.
On the other hand, a lot of research conducted by scientists from all over the world shows that alcohol consumption has many detrimental effects on human health [4], [5] & [6].
Brain and nervous system is the first part of the body that would be seriously harmed by drinking alcohol. According to research, “Heavy drinking can cause a form of nerve damage known as alcoholic neuropathy, which can produce a painful pins-and-needles feeling or numbness in the extremities as well as muscle weakness, incontinence, constipation, erectile dysfunction, and other problems” [1]. Moreover, some scientists believe that one of the leading causes of depression is alcohol consumption.
According to a study:
1. “If you drink regularly, you increase your risk of developing pancreatitis.
2. Over the long term, drinking alcohol increases your risk of serious illnesses, such as mouth, throat and breast cancer
3. One of the most significant of these was the 2007 European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study which established a clear link between excessive alcohol intake and bowel cancer.
4. Drinking alcohol can contribute to the conditions that cause diabetes.
5. Our brains rely on a delicate balance of chemicals and processes. Alcohol is a depressant, which means it can disrupt that balance, affecting our thoughts, feelings, and actions – and sometimes our long-term mental health.
6. Drinking alcohol at any stage during pregnancy can cause harm to your baby and the more you drink, the greater the risk. This is why the UK Chief Medical Officers' (CMO) alcohol unit guideline advice to pregnant women is that the safest approach is to not drink alcohol at all during pregnancy.
7. Drinking alcohol can increase your risk of developing liver disease and cause irreparable damage to this significant part of your body. In fact, alcohol is a major cause of the 25% increase in deaths from liver disease in England over the last decade (from 9,231 in 2001 to 11,575 in 2009)” [4] & [7]
Finally, you may say that all these health effects of Alcohol are probable. Or a day will come that scientists will find a way to drop these adverse effects. If we have accepted to be Muslim, to surrender to the will of Allah, and believe that He desires the best for us in this world, then we would easily trust Allah’s commands.
So, trust Him in eliminating what He calls disadvantageous for you. And keep in mind that there is always a rationale behind whatever Allah commands; whether this logic has been revealed to us or not.
Notes:
[i] Quran (33:41-42)
References:
As explained in the first part of the topic, Islam has spread much more quickly compared to other religions all over the world. The traits of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) were introduced as one of the reasons. Here, the effect of the scientific and social interactions with the rest of the world throughout the Islam's history is discussed.
As an introduction, it is good to know that Islam has adopted two types of regulations; confirmed rules and established ones. The Islamic approach regarding the confirmed rules -the regulations which existed before and were conserved or revised if needed- is one of the keys to the development and permanence of Islam. And, this will be the focus of this article.
The Islamic approach to the habits and rules that were common in the pre-Islamic era was that it neither opposed them totally nor accepted them entirely. In some cases, Islam has affirmed and preserved some rules. That was when those rules or customs were not in contradiction to the social order and the living facilities of humans or in case of the righteous customs and traditions that existed before the emergence of Islam; e.g., some of the rules on making contracts.
However, some of the useful regulations required to be revised and this was accomplished by adding some conditions. On the contrary, some customs and routines were opposed and removed due to the bugs and disadvantages or because they were manipulated or misused for personal benefits; e.g., usury (Riba) [1].
The rules conserved by Islam, such as those about the ownership and property, are called confirmed rules. On the other hand, the rules instituted by the Islamic jurisprudence which never existed before are called established rules [1]. This demonstrates that Islam has always been in constant interaction with the world, and the positive aspects of human societies are considered. Hence, the message of Islam and its framework have not been far from what people are familiar. This consequently has made it easier to accept Islam.
Islam has urged everyone to seek knowledge. The first verse of the Quran revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) enjoined reading which is the key to knowledge: “Read in the Name of your Lord who created” (96:1). Literacy and having knowledge are so important in Islam that Quran equals illiteracy to being in darkness. According to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP), seeking knowledge is obligatory (Wajib) for every Muslim and God loves those who seek knowledge [2].
Learning and seeking knowledge have been emphasized such that Muslims have been encouraged even to travel in order to learn things. Imam Ali (AS) recommended traveling to acquire privilege and named gaining knowledge as one of the achievements of traveling [3]. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) advised seeking knowledge even if for that purpose one should go to the lands far away [4].
The Holy Quran also addresses the believers as those who are not affected by the wrong behaviors of others since they have been guided. So, the believers can peacefully learn from the positive aspects of others. Another proof of the attention paid to knowledge in Islam is that Muslims used to release the prisoners of wars who taught literacy to a certain number of Muslims. All these emphases and recommendations have urged Muslims to travel to gain knowledge. As a result, Muslims who traveled to other places and countries were practically the messengers of Islam there, which, in consequence, accelerated the spread of Islam.
The actual advances all over the world are the outcomes of the efforts that various nations and civilizations have made in the course of time, among which are the Islamic civilizations [6]. Muslims in different countries, like Spain and Italy, have always been in interaction with other people; therefore, they could transfer the Islamic civilization and culture to others and also receive from them. As an instance, in the battle of the Trench (Khandaq), Salman Farsi proposed to dig a trench around Medina.
This was a tested strategy in Persia, and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) accepted it. Many of the important Arabic resources and books were translated into European languages, some of which were later on taught and used as references in scientific centers in non-Muslim countries. The bonds between Muslims and Christians through marriage [i] and social relationships were of other means to expose non-Muslims to Islam [7]. All these factors have helped the quick spread of Islam.
From what has been discussed, we can see that the Islamic approach of making regulations under the form of confirmed rules, the encouragement to obtain knowledge and literacy, and cultural exchanges with the rest of the world played significant roles in attracting many savants and people to the religion of Islam.
Notes:
[i] This kind of marriage named Interreligious marriage is permitted in Islam under the certain conditions.
References:
- spreading Islam
- “Misbah al-Shariah”, p. 13.
- M. Nuri, “Mustadrak al Wasail”, vol. 18, p. 115.
- “Misbah al-Shariah”.
- “Ghurar al-Hikam wa Durar al-Kalim”, p. 46, T. 188.
- history of Islam
- A. Velayati, “Dynamism of Islamic and Iranian Culture and Civilization”, vol. 1.