Surah Ali 'Imran 3:44

The Virtue of Maryam Over the Women of Her Time

Allah states that the angels spoke to Maryam by His command and told her that He chose her because of her service to Him, because of her modesty, honor, innocence, and conviction. Allah also chose her because of her virtue over the women of the world. At-Tirmidhi recorded that `Ali bin Abi Talib said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say,

«خَيْرُ نِسَائِهَا مَرْيَمُ بِنْتُ عِمْرَانَ، وَخَيْرُ نِسَائِهَا خَدِيجَةُ بِنْتُ خُوَيْلِد»

(The best woman (in her time) was Maryam, daughter of `Imran, and the best woman (of the Prophet's time) is Khadijah (his wife), daughter of Khuwaylid.)"

The Two Sahihs recorded this Hadith. Ibn Jarir recorded that Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«كَمُلَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ كَثِيرٌ، وَلَمْ يَكْمُلْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ إِلَّا مَرْيَمُ بِنْتُ عِمْرَانَ وَ آسِيَةُ امْرَأَةُ فِرْعَوْن»

(Many men achieved perfection, but among women, only Maryam the daughter of `Imran and Asiah, the wife of Fir`awn, achieved perfection.)

The Six -- with the exception of Abu Dawud - recorded it. Al-Bukhari's wording for it reads,

«كَمُلَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ كَثِيرٌ، وَلَمْ يَكْمُلْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ إِلَّا آسِيَةُ امْرَأَةُ فِرْعَوْنَ، وَمَرْيَمُ بِنْتُ عِمْرَانَ، وَإِنَّ فَضْلَ عَائِشَةَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ كَفَضْلِ الثَّرِيدِ عَلى سَائِرِ الطَّعَام»

(Many men reached the level of perfection, but no woman reached such a level except Asiah, the wife of Fir`awn, and Maryam, the daughter of `Imran. The superiority of `A'ishah (his wife) to other women, is like the superiority of Tharid (meat and bread dish) to other meals.)

We mentioned the various chains of narration and wordings for this Hadith in the story of `Isa, son of Maryam, in our book, Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah, all the thanks are due to Allah.

Allah states that the angels commanded Maryam to increase acts of worship, humbleness, submission, prostration, bowing, and so forth, so that she would acquire what Allah had decreed for her, as a test for her. Yet, this test also earned her a higher grade in this life and the Hereafter, for Allah demonstrated His might by creating a son inside her without male intervention. Allah said,

يمَرْيَمُ اقْنُتِى لِرَبِّكِ وَاسْجُدِى وَارْكَعِى مَعَ الرَكِعِينَ

("O Maryam! Submit yourself with obedience (Aqnuti) and prostrate yourself, and bow down along with Ar-Raki`in.")

As for Qunut (Aqnuti in the Ayah), it means to submit with humbleness. In another Ayah, Allah said,

بَل لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ كُلٌّ لَّهُ قَـنِتُونَ

(Nay, to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth, and all surrender with obedience (Qanitun) to Him.) 2:116

Allah next said to His Messenger after He mentioned Maryam's story,

ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَنبَآءِ الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيْكَ

(This is a part of the news of the Ghayb which We reveal.) "and narrate to you (O Muhammad ), "

وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يُلْقُون أَقْلَـمَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ يَكْفُلُ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يَخْتَصِمُونَ

(You were not with them, when they cast lots with their pens as to which of them should be charged with the care of Maryam; nor were you with them when they disputed.) meaning, "You were not present, O Muhammad, when this occurred, so you cannot narrate what happened to the people as an eye witness. Rather, Allah disclosed these facts to you as if you were a witness, when they conducted a lottery to choose the custodian of Maryam, seeking the reward of this good deed."

Ibn Jarir recorded that `Ikrimah said, "Maryam's mother left with Maryam, carrying her in her infant cloth, and took her to the rabbis from the offspring of Aaron, the brother of Musa. They were responsible for taking care of Bayt Al-Maqdis (the Masjid) at that time, just as there were those who took care of the Ka`bah. Maryam's mother said to them, `Take this child whom I vowed to serve the Masjid, I have set her free, since she is my daughter, for no menstruating woman should enter the Masjid, and I shall not take her back home.' They said, `She is the daughter of our Imam,' as `Imran used to lead them in prayer, `who took care of our sacrificial rituals.' Zakariyya said, `Give her to me, for her maternal aunt is my wife.' They said, `Our hearts cannot bear that you take her, for she is the daughter of our Imam.' So they conducted a lottery with the pens with which they wrote the Tawrah, and Zakariyya won the lottery and took Maryam into his care."'. `Ikrimah, As-Suddi, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, and several others said that the rabbis went into the Jordan river and conducted a lottery there, deciding to throw their pens into the river. The pen that remained afloat and idle would indicate that its owner would take care of Maryam. When they threw their pens into the river, the water took all the pens under, except Zakariyya's pen, which remained afloat in its place. Zakariyya was also their master, chief, scholar, Imam and Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him and the rest of the Prophets.

Ayat ini ditutup dengan mengarahkan pembicaraan kepada Nabi Muhammad bahwa cerita itu termasuk cerita yang belum diketahuinya, sedang hal itu sesuai dengan isi Kitab Taurat.

Allah menyatakan dalam ayat ini bahwa apa yang telah dikisahkan, yaitu kisah Maryam dan Zakaria adalah kisah-kisah yang tidak pernah disaksikan oleh Nabi Muhammad saw, atau keluarganya, dan tidak pula Muhammad pernah membacanya dalam suatu kitab, serta tidak pula diajarkan oleh seorang guru. Itulah wahyu, yang diturunkan Allah kepadanya dengan perantara Ruhul-Amin, untuk menjadi bukti atas kebenaran kenabiannya, dan untuk mematahkan hujjah (argumentasi) orang yang mengingkarinya.

Kemudian Allah menyatakan pula bahwa Nabi Muhammad, belum ada dan tentu saja tidak menyaksikan mereka ketika mengadakan undian di antara Zakaria dengan mereka, untuk menetapkan siapa yang akan mengasuh Maryam.

Nabi Muhammad saw tidak hadir dalam perselisihan mereka untuk mengasuh Maryam. Mereka terpaksa mengadakan undian untuk menyelesai-kan perselisihan itu. Mereka yang berselisih adalah orang-orang terkemuka yakni para pendeta mereka. Perselisihan itu semata-mata didorong oleh keinginan yang besar untuk mengasuh dan memelihara Maryam. Boleh jadi keinginan ini disebabkan karena bapaknya yaitu Imran adalah pemimpin mereka, sehingga mereka mengharapkan akan mendapatkan berkah dari tugas mengasuh Maryam. Boleh jadi pula disebabkan mereka mengetahui dalam kitab-kitab agama, bahwasanya kelak akan terjadi peristiwa besar bagi Maryam dan putranya. Atau mungkin disebabkan mereka berpendapat bahwa mengasuh bayi perempuan itu adalah suatu kewajiban agama, karena bayi itu dinazarkan untuk mengabdi di Baitulmakdis.

Ayat ini diletakkan sesudah menerangkan kisah Maryam tersebut, adalah untuk menjelaskan bahwa Nabi Muhammad tidak pernah membaca cerita keluarga Imran (Bani Israil), karena beliau seorang ummi. Lagi pula beliau tidak pernah mendengar dari seseorang sebab beliau juga hidup waktu itu di tengah-tengah orang yang ummi.

Tidak ada jalan bagi Nabi, untuk mengetahui seluk beluk cerita ini kecuali dengan jalan menyaksikan dengan mata kepala sendiri, atau dengan jalan wahyu. Menyaksikan dengan mata kepala sendiri adalah suatu hal yang mustahil, karena peristiwa itu terjadi pada zaman sebelum lahirnya Nabi Muhammad saw. Kalau demikian tentulah Nabi Muhammad mengetahuinya dengan jalan wahyu.

Para Ahli Kitab yang mengingkari Al-Qur'an mengatakan bahwa isi Al-Qur'an yang sesuai dengan isi Kitab mereka itu adalah berasal dari kitab mereka, sedang yang bertentangan dengan isi kitab mereka itu mereka katakan tidak benar. Isi Al-Qur'an yang tidak terdapat dalam Kitab mereka juga dianggap tidak benar. Sikap demikian itu hanyalah karena sifat sombong dan sifat permusuhan mereka.

Kaum Muslimin meyakini bahwa segala yang diterangkan Al-Qur'an adalah benar. Karena cukup dalil-dalil yang membuktikan bahwa Muhammad saw adalah seorang nabi. Ayat Al-Qur'an yang bertentangan dengan kitab-kitab terdahulu dipandang sebagai koreksi terhadap kesalahan-kesalahan yang terdapat pada kitab-kitab itu, karena sudah diubah-ubah atau tidak sesuai lagi dengan kemaslahatan umat.