Surah Maryam
Contents
K.H.Y.S. [19:1]
A recitation of the mercy of your Lord on the devotee Zacharias. [19:2]
He called on his Lord with a secret cry, [19:3]
saying, “My Lord, my bones have become feeble, and my hair has turned white, but I have never been disappointed in praying to You. [19:4]
“Now I fear my relatives after me, as my wife is barren. So give me a son from You, [19:5]
“who will be my heir, and succeed to the lineage of Jacob. And, my Lord, make him acceptable. [19:6]
“O Zacharias: We bring you good news of a son, whose name will be John — Yahya, ‘He Lines’— We have not attributed it as a namesake before.” [19:7]
He said, “My Lord, how will I have a son when my wife is barren and I have become decrepit with age?” [19:8]
“It will be so: your Lord says that is easy for Me, since I created you before, when you had been nothing.” [19:9]
“My Lord, give me a sign.” “Your sign shall be that you not speak to people for three nights in a row.” [19:10]
Then he came out from his prayer niche to his people and told them to praise God in the morning and the evening. [19:11]
“John, hold strongly to scripture.” And We gave him wisdom, even as a boy; [19:12]
and compassion from Us, and innocence. And he was conscientious, [19:13]
and kind to his parents; and he was not insolent or defiant. [19:14]
So peace upon him the day he was born and the day he dies, and the day he will be resurrected, alive. [19:15]
And mention Mary in the Book: when she withdrew from her people to a place in the East, [19:16]
and secluded herself from them, We sent her Our spirit, which appeared to her just like a man. [19:17]
She said, “I take refuge from you with the Benevolent One, if you are conscientious.” [19:18]
He said, “I am only a messenger from your Lord, to give you a sinless son.” [19:19]
She said, “How will I have a son, when no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?” [19:20]
He said, “It will be so.” He said, “Your Lord says, ‘It is easy for Me; and We intend to make him a sign for humankind, and a mercy from Us.’ So the matter is decided.” [19:21]
So she carried him, secluding herself with him in a far away place. [19:22]
Then labor pains impelled her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, “Would that I had died before this and been completely forgotten!” [19:23]
Then he called to her from below, saying, “Do not grieve; your Lord has put a stream beneath you, [19:24]
“and shake the trunk of the palm toward you to let fresh ripe dates fall by you. [19:25]
“Then eat and drink and be of good cheer: but if you see any man, say, ‘I have dedicated a fast to the Benevolent One, so I shall not talk to any human being today.’” [19:26]
Finally she carried him to her people: they said, “Mary, you sure have done an unheard-of thing! [19:27]
“O sister of Aaron, your father was not a bad man, and your mother was not a whore.” [19:28]
Now she pointed to him. They said, “How can we talk to one who is an infant in the cradle?” [19:29]
He said, “I am indeed the servant of God, who has given me scripture and made me a prophet, [19:30]
“and made me blessed wherever I am; and has prescribed prayer and charity for me as long as I live, [19:31]
“and kindness to my mother as well; and did not make me an arrogant malcontent. [19:32]
“And peace is upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I am resurrected, alive.” [19:33]
That was Jesus, Son of Mary, a word of truth about which they doubt. [19:34]
Having a son is not attributable to God, who is beyond that, and when having determined something merely says to it “Be,” and it is. [19:35]
And God is in fact my Lord and your Lord— so serve God: this is a straight path. [19:36]
But the sects differ among themselves; and woe to those who have refused to believe, for the meeting of a distressing day [19:37]
when they will hear better and see better, the day they come to Us. But those who do wrong are in evident error today. [19:38]
So warn them of a day of sorrow, when the matter will be decided, as they are heedless and do not believe. [19:39]
It is We who will inherit the earth and everyone on it, as it is to Us that they will be returned. [19:40]
And mention Abraham in the Book, for he was truly veracious, a prophet. [19:41]
Remember how he said to his father, “Why do you worship what does not hear or see, father, and is of no use to you? [19:42]
“Father, knowledge that never reached you has come to me, so follow me and I will guide you on a straight path. [19:43]
“Father, do not worship Satan, for Satan is a rebel against the Benevolent. [19:44]
“Father, I fear that a punishment from the Benevolent may strike you, and you may become a friend of Satan.” [19:45]
He said, “Do you detest my gods, Abraham? If you don’t restrain yourself, I’ll stone you. Now leave me alone for a long time.” [19:46]
Abraham said, “Peace be upon you. I will seek forgiveness for you of my Lord, who has been gracious to me. [19:47]
“And I will keep away from you all and whatever you pray to instead of God; and I will pray to my Lord; perhaps I may not be disappointed by prayer to my Lord.” [19:48]
Then when he had withdrawn from them and what they worshipped besides God, We gave him Isaac and Jacob; and We made each one a prophet. [19:49]
And We gave to them of Our mercy, and gave them a lofty reputation for truth. [19:50]
And mention Moses in the Book; he was one chosen, and was a messenger, a prophet. [19:51]
We called him from the right side of Mt. Sinai, and We drew him near to entrust a secret. [19:52]
And We gave him, out of Our mercy, his brother Aaron, a prophet. [19:53]
And mention Ishmael in the Book, for he was true to his promise and was a messenger, a prophet. [19:54]
He used to enjoin prayer and charity on his people, and he was acceptable to his Lord. [19:55]
And mention Idris in the Book, for he was a man of truth, a prophet, [19:56]
and We raised him to a high position. [19:57]
Those were some of the prophets whom God graced, from the descendants of Adam, and from those We carried along with Noah, and from the offspring of Abraham and Israel, from among those We guided and chose. Whenever the signs of the Benevolent One were related to them, they would fall down, prostrate and weeping. [19:58]
But a generation came after them who neglected prayer and followed cravings; and they will meet with perdition, [19:59]
except whoever repents and believes and acts with integrity— those will enter the garden, and will not be wronged at all: [19:60]
everlasting gardens, which the Benevolent has promised to devotees, in the unseen; for the divine promise is sure to come about. [19:61]
They will hear no nonsense there, but only greetings of peace. And they will have their provision there, morning and evening. [19:62]
That is the garden We bequeath to those of Our servants who were conscientious. [19:63]
“We angels do not descend except by order of your Lord, to whom belongs what is before us and what is behind us and what is between that. And your Lord is not forgetful, [19:64]
“being Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them: so serve God, and persevere in worship of God. Do you know anyone equal to God?” [19:65]
Man says, “Will I really be resurrected when I have died?” [19:66]
Doesn’t man remember that We created him before, when he had been nothing? [19:67]
So, by your Lord, We will round them up, along with the devils, and then We will bring them to the vicinity of hell on their knees. [19:68]
Then We will snatch from every sect those of them who were hardest in obstinacy toward the Benevolent One. [19:69]
Then We will know best who are the ones most deserving of burning for that. [19:70]
There is not one of you but will come to that point; it is a determined necessity for God: [19:71]
then We will rescue those who were conscientious, and leave the wrongdoers on their knees. [19:72]
When Our clear signs are read to them, those who scoff say to those who believe, “Which of the parties is better in standing and superior in influence?” [19:73]
But how many generations have We destroyed before them who were wealthier and more impressive! [19:74]
Say, “If any go astray, the Benevolent One grants an extension until they see what they are promised, be it the agony or the end of time: then they will know who was in the worse position and weaker in forces. [19:75]
“And God increases the guidance of those who accept guidance. And the things that endure, the good deeds, are better, with your Lord, in terms of reward; and better in terms of return.” [19:76]
Have you seen the one who scoffs at Our signs and yet says, “I will surely be given property and children”? [19:77]
Has he beheld the unseen, or made a contract with the Benevolent One? [19:78]
By no means! We will record what he says, and extend the agony for him. [19:79]
And everything he speaks of will be left to Us, and he will come to Us alone. [19:80]
And they have adopted deities other than God so that they might have power: [19:81]
By no means! They will repudiate their worship, and become opposed to them. [19:82]
Don’t you see that We have sent the devils against the atheists in order to excite them? [19:83]
So do not hurry against them, for We are just counting a countdown for them. [19:84]
One day We will gather the conscientious to the Benevolent One, like an embassy to a royal court. [19:85]
And We will herd the sinners into hell, like animals to water. [19:86]
No one has the power to intercede, except someone who has an agreement with the Benevolent One. [19:87]
And yet they say, “The Benevolent One has begotten a son.” [19:88]
You have certainly come up with a terrible thing! [19:89]
The skies are nearly rent asunder from it, the earth nearly splits, and the mountains nearly crumble, [19:90]
that they should assign a son to the Benevolent One: [19:91]
for it is not appropriate for the Benevolent One to beget a son: [19:92]
it is only as a servant that every being in the heavens and on earth, without exception, comes to the Benevolent One, [19:93]
who has counted and numbered them; [19:94]
and to whom each of them will come alone on the day of resurrection. [19:95]
As for those who believed and acted with integrity, the Benevolent One will give them love. [19:96]
So We have simply made it easy, in your own language, for you to give good news to the conscientious thereby, and for you to give warning to contentious people thereby. [19:97]
And how many generations have We annihilated before them— do you see a single one of them, or hear a whisper of them? [19:98]