Surah al-Anbiya' (The Prophets ) 21 : 91
Translations
Pickthall
Yusuf Ali
Qur'an Dictionary
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(21:91:1) wa-allatī And she who |
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(21:91:2) aḥṣanat guarded |
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(21:91:3) farjahā her chastity |
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(21:91:4) fanafakhnā so We breathed |
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(21:91:5) |
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(21:91:6) |
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(21:91:7) rūḥinā Our Spirit |
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(21:91:8) wajaʿalnāhā and We made her |
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(21:91:9) wa-ib'nahā and her son |
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(21:91:10) āyatan a sign |
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(21:91:11) lil'ʿālamīna for the worlds |
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Explanatory Note
Finally, Mary is mentioned along with her son. We note that Mary is not mentioned here by name, because the main reference in the chain of prophets is to her son, while she is second to him in this account. Reference is made to her main quality that is related to her son. Thus she is the one “who guarded her chastity,” keeping herself pure of all sexual contact. Normally, this expression of guarding one’s chastity is used to refer to marriage, because it protects against sin. Here it refers to its primary meaning, which is purity of all contact, whether legitimate or not. Thus, Mary is held innocent of all accusations levelled by the Jews against her and against Joseph the carpenter, who was with her in the service of the temple. The Gospels now in circulation claim that he married her but did not consummate the marriage and she remained a virgin.
So, Mary guarded her chastity, and God breathed into her of His spirit. The breathing is left general here, unlike Sūrah 66, The Prohibition, where its location is mentioned. We discussed this in our commentary on Sūrah 19, Maryam. In order to stick to the general atmosphere generated by the text of this sūrah, we prefer not to add any details here, confining ourselves only to what is directly mentioned.
We “caused her, together with her son, to become a sign to all mankind.” Indeed she was a unique sign, without similar example, whether in the past or in the future, a single such case in the history of mankind. Such a special case is worthy of our contemplation, for by doing so we recognize God’s power, unrestricted as it is by anything whatsoever. It is the power that designs natural laws and sets them in operation, but which is not subservient to them. It remains free of all restrictions.
3. Surah Overview
According to Ibn Attiyah and Qurtubi there is consensus on this Surah being a Makki Surah -
"Both the subject matter and the style of the Surah indicate that it was sent down in the third stage of the life of the Prophet at Makkah" [Ref: Mawdudi]
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11. Tafsir Zone
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الطبري - جامع البيان
ابن كثير - تفسير القرآن العظيم
القرطبي - الجامع لأحكام
البغوي - معالم التنزيل
ابن أبي حاتم الرازي - تفسير القرآن
ابن عاشور - التحرير والتنوير
ابن القيم - تفسير ابن قيّم
السيوطي - الدر المنثور
الشنقيطي - أضواء البيان
ابن الجوزي - زاد المسير
الآلوسي - روح المعاني
ابن عطية - المحرر الوجيز
الرازي - مفاتيح الغيب
أبو السعود - إرشاد العقل السليم
الزمخشري - الكشاف
البقاعي - نظم الدرر
الهداية إلى بلوغ النهاية — مكي ابن أبي طالب
القاسمي - محاسن التأويل
الماوردي - النكت والعيون
السعدي - تيسير الكريم الرحمن
عبد الرحمن الثعالبي - الجواهر الحسان
السمرقندي - بحر العلوم
أبو إسحاق الثعلبي - الكشف والبيان
الشوكاني - فتح القدير
النيسابوري - التفسير البسيط
أبو حيان - البحر المحيط
البيضاوي - أنوار التنزيل
النسفي - مدارك التنزيل
ابن جُزَيّ - التسهيل لعلوم التنزيل
علي الواحدي النيسابوري - الوجيز
السيوطي - تفسير الجلالين
المختصر في التفسير — مركز تفسير
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