Holy Islamville

Concerning the Return of Mary with her son Jesus to her people, after delivery.

Then, indeed, a party from among her people (made trouble for her) after Allah (exalted be He) had settled the affair of his handmaiden, and had made easy for her the means of delivery (the Jews always made trouble for the Prophets of Allah). Allah said (to her): “Eat, O Mary, of the ripe dates and drink of the cool water, cool your eyes and compose your spirit, and should you see any man who might question you about your child, or censure you on his account, then say: ‘I have vowed to the Merciful a fast, a vow of silence.’” (Holy Qur’an 19:26,27)

Al-Kalbi says that Joseph the carpenter took Mary and Jesus (peace be upon them) to a cave where he made them remain for forty days until she rose from her confinement. Then he brought her (home), and Mary (peace be upon her) came carrying him, after the forty days, and Jesus (peace be upon him) talked with her on the way saying: “O Mother, rejoice, for I am a servant of Allah and His Messiah.”

Now when she came to her parents with the child they wept and grieved, for they were pious people. They said, “O Mary thou hast come with a strange thing” (Holy Qur’an 19:27) i.e., a great abomination. “O sister of Aaron” (Holy Qur’an 19:28). Qata said that this Aaron (peace be upon him) was a pious man of the God-fearing among the Children of Israel, and is not the Aaron (peace be upon him) the brother of Moses (peace be upon him). They relate that there followed this bier on the day of his death forty thousand Israelites all of them named Aaron. Wahb says that this Aaron was one of the most debauched of the Israelites and the most renowned for evil ways, so they likened her to him: “Thy father Imran was no man of wickedness, nor was thy mother unchaste,” i.e., a harlot, “So from whence have you this child?” (Holy Qur’an 19:28) Then Mary made a sign, pointing them to Jesus (peace be upon him), that they should speak with him. But they got angry and said, “How shall we speak with one who is in the cradle a babe?” (Holy Qur’an 19:29)

Wahb says that Zacharia (peace be upon him) came to her as she was disputing with the Jews, and said to Jesus (peace be upon him), “Speak in defense of yourself, if you are authorized to do so,” whereupon Jesus (peace be upon him) though he was only forty days old, (spoke up) and said: “Truly I am a servant of Allah, He has given me the Book…” (Holy Qur’an 19:30). He thus confessed to the fact that he was but a servant the first time he spoke thus giving proof that he was neither a god nor the son of Allah.

Amr bin Maimun says that when Mary came to her people with Jesus (peace be upon her) they took up stones desiring to stone her, (in accordance with the law), but when Jesus (peace be upon him) spoke up they left her. It is said that he did not speak again after that until he was the age of other children. But Allah knows best.