Surah Maryam: Introduction and Thematic Explanation

This article is an excerpt from The Endless Banquet: A Thematic Explanation of the Qur’an by Shaykh Hamzah Abdul Malik.

Juz 16: “True Stories”

Ayat 1-34

In Surah al-Kahf, Allah presented examples of how He delivered aid to a variety of people who followed His guidance. In Surah Maryam, we will see how this Divine assistance is deployed to the Prophets themselves.

In this section, Allah narrates the story of Prophet Zakariyya. In his story we learn that his miracle was initiated by a du’a, similar to how the story of Maryam was initiated by the duʿa’ of her mother. This is a recurring theme among the stories of the Prophets, where supernatural events are predicated upon supplications of the righteous. This story is no different.

It is a recurring theme among the stories of the Prophets, that supernatural events are predicated upon supplications of the righteous.

Overall, this story sets the tone for the rest many of the stories that follow: a person is sincere in their worship and makes a du’a, Allah gives them a sign to follow, and then a miracle happens. In this case, Prophet Zakariyya made a du’a – and where he made it was mentioned in Surah Al ʿImran – and Allah gave him a sign to follow, through which he received the miracle of his wife’s pregnancy.

IGI’s Morning and Evening Invocations is a collection of du’a selected from the Qur’an, Hadith, and the statements of righteous scholars.

A similar pattern occurred with Maryam: she isolated herself to worship in seclusion, Allah sent her an angel, and there she was given her miracle in the form of Prophet ʿIsa.

Ayat 33-58

The historical events told in this story demonstrate the supreme attributes of Allah and His ability to do whatever He wills with His creation. It is illogical for such miracles to lead a person to worship His creation, like the manner in which people worship Prophet ‘Isa عليه السلام. Rather, these miracles should give a person greater conviction in the power of Allah, and the appreciation that nothing could ever compare to Him and His authority.

This is why we are brought to the story of Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام, who was born into a society where idolatry was widespread. Upon observing the stubbornness of his people, and their refusal to abandon disbelief, he leaves them to worship in peace. Allah gives Ibrahim his own miracles through the lives of his sons Isma’il عليه السلام and Isḥaq عليه السلام. This section then goes on to list numerous other Prophets, and how they were all aided and guided by Allah.

Ayat 59-98

Now that Allah has established the true accounts of how His Prophets upheld their guidance, He turns our attention towards the Hereafter, expressing how the believers will flourish while the disbelievers will have to face the stark reality of being held accountable for their deeds. All the lies and arguments that the disbelievers made against Allah will be turned against them. Even their leaders and the devils who aided them will be brought forth, and they will all be made to answer for their crimes against Allah. Amongst the worst of these crimes is attributing a son to Him.

The story of the Prophet Zakariyya sets the tone for the rest many of the stories that follow in this Surah: a person is sincere in their worship and makes a duʿa’, Allah gives them a sign to follow, and then a miracle happens.

As the surah comes to a close, Allah provides explicit detail of how lonely every person who has not followed Prophet Muhammad ﷺ will feel on the Day of Judgment. He also makes it clear that this guidance is the only way to salvation, and He will accept no other path except the path that He has provided.

Those who believe and follow the correct path will find the salvation that they were promised, just as the Prophets in this surah were promised. And those who reject it will be made to experience the consequences: the same devastating results as their disbelieving predecessors, in this life and in the next.

Connections Between Surah Maryam and Other Surahs In the Qur’an

Imam al-Suyuti writes in Inner Dimensions from the Order of the Surahs in the Qur'an:

This passage is excerpted from Imam Ghazali Publishing’s translation of Imam al-Suyuti’s *Asrar Tartib al-Qur’an*, which will be published soon as *Inner Dimensions from the Order of the Surahs in the Qur’an*.

It occurred to me that the way that this surah corresponds to the preceding one is that they both comprised a number of amazing occurrences.

Surah al-Kahf describes:

The story of the People of the Cave and their remaining a very long time without food or drink
The story of Musa with Khidhr and the miracles it contained
The story of Dhu al-Qarnayn

Surah Maryam contains [the story of] two amazing occurrences: the birth of Yahya, son of Zakariyya, and the story of the birth of ‘Isa. Thus, it is appropriate that they be successive.

Also, it has been said that the companions of the Cave will be raised before the establishment of the Hour, and that they will perform Hajj with ‘Isa, son of Maryam, when he descends. If this fact is confirmed, the placement of Surah Maryam after the surah that mentions the companions of the Cave is evident correspondence. It has also been said that they were from among the people of ‘Isa and that their story occurred during the interval [between ‘Isa (‘alayhi al-salam) and the Prophet ﷺ].

So, it is appropriate that the surah that contains their story is followed up by the surah that contains the story of their Prophet.