Stories
Honoured in the Qur'an
A mother alone in labour, holding on to a palm tree.
7 min, Intro, Draft written with AI help: awaiting scholar review
Part 1 of 5
Before she was born, Mary was dedicated to God. She was raised in the temple under Zechariah's care, and whenever he visited her, he found her provided for. She is the only woman named in the Qur'an.
Qur'an 3:42
وَإِذۡ قَالَتِ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ يَٰمَرۡيَمُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصۡطَفَىٰكِ وَطَهَّرَكِ وَٱصۡطَفَىٰكِ عَلَىٰ نِسَآءِ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٤٢
42 And [remember] when the angels said, “O Mary, Allah has chosen you, purified you, and chosen you over all women.
Lesson
Mary is the only woman the Qur'an names, and a surah carries her name.
Part 2 of 5
An angel announces that Mary will bear a son without a husband. Alone, in the pains of labour, she holds a palm tree and wishes she had died. She is told to shake the tree for dates and drink from a stream below.
Qur'an 19:23
فَأَجَآءَهَا ٱلۡمَخَاضُ إِلَىٰ جِذۡعِ ٱلنَّخۡلَةِ قَالَتۡ يَٰلَيۡتَنِي مِتُّ قَبۡلَ هَٰذَا وَكُنتُ نَسۡيࣱا مَّنسِيࣱّا ٢٣
23 The pains of labor drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, “Oh, would that I had died before this and had been completely forgotten!”
The passage continues in Read.
Lesson
The Qur'an's nativity: a mother alone, comforted by God.
Part 3 of 5
Mary returns carrying the baby, and her people accuse her. She points to him. The infant speaks: I am the servant of God; He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet.
Qur'an 19:29-30
فَأَشَارَتۡ إِلَيۡهِۖ قَالُواْ كَيۡفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِي ٱلۡمَهۡدِ صَبِيࣱّا ٢٩ قَالَ إِنِّي عَبۡدُ ٱللَّهِ ءَاتَىٰنِيَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَجَعَلَنِي نَبِيࣱّا ٣٠
29 Thereupon she pointed to him. They said, “How can we talk to someone who is still a baby in the cradle?”
30 Jesus said, “I am a slave of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet.
Lesson
Jesus's first words in the Qur'an were "I am the servant of God."
Part 4 of 5
The baby who spoke from the cradle is called the Messiah in the Qur'an. It lists his miracles: healing the blind and the leper, raising the dead, and breathing life into a bird of clay, each by God's permission.
Qur'an 3:49
وَرَسُولًا إِلَىٰ بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ أَنِّي قَدۡ جِئۡتُكُم بِـَٔايَةࣲ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ أَنِّيٓ أَخۡلُقُ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلطِّينِ كَهَيۡـَٔةِ ٱلطَّيۡرِ فَأَنفُخُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونُ طَيۡرَۢا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۖ وَأُبۡرِئُ ٱلۡأَكۡمَهَ وَٱلۡأَبۡرَصَ وَأُحۡيِ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰ بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۖ وَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا تَأۡكُلُونَ وَمَا تَدَّخِرُونَ فِي بُيُوتِكُمۡۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةࣱ لَّكُمۡ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ ٤٩
49 And [will send him as] a messenger to the Children of Israel, ‘I have come to you with a sign from your Lord that I make for you from clay the figure of a bird, then breathe into it, and it will become a bird by Allah’s permission; and I heal the blind and the leper, and bring the dead to life by Allah’s permission; and I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. There is a sign in this for you, if you are believers.
A long ayah: scroll within the card.
Lesson
In the Qur'an, every miracle of Jesus came "by God's permission".
Part 5 of 5
How did the life of Jesus end? Most Muslims read the Qur'an as saying he was not killed or crucified, but raised up by God, and will return before the end. Christians believe he was crucified and rose again. Lantern states both plainly.
Qur'an 4:157
وَقَوۡلِهِمۡ إِنَّا قَتَلۡنَا ٱلۡمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ٱبۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ رَسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَٰكِن شُبِّهَ لَهُمۡۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱخۡتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ لَفِي شَكࣲّ مِّنۡهُۚ مَا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنۡ عِلۡمٍ إِلَّا ٱتِّبَاعَ ٱلظَّنِّۚ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينَۢا ١٥٧
157 and for their saying, “We killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.” But they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it was made to appear to them so. Even those who dispute it are in doubt about it; they have no certain knowledge other than conjecture. But they certainly did not kill him.
The passage continues in Read.
A long ayah: scroll within the card.
Lesson
A deep difference between Muslims and Christians, stated honestly on both sides.
Reflect, just for you
Seen by lamplight. It gives more each time.
A mother alone in labour, holding on to a palm tree.