Quran shares Nativity

Muslims taught to love Jesus

An unmarried teenager, named Mary, becomes pregnant and bears a child at full term. This becomes the talk of the town among the Jews living in the Roman-held Palestine. Despite her being renowned for her chastity and righteousness, she was treated with extreme cruelty by the people around. Mary belonged to a highly respected priest family of the Jews — from the seed of David and Aaron — and was dedicated to the service of the temple. It wasn’t easy for her to bear such torture.

The Holy Quran starts the story of the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, from a prophetic vantage point, whereby it declares certain individuals and families as destined to gain worldwide respect and fame. It mentions Prophets Adam and Noah and the families of Abraham and Amram as those who are uniquely distinguished among the nations of the world. Amram was the father of Moses and Aaron.

Chapter 3 of the Holy Quran, named after Amram (Al-‘Imran in Arabic), says:

Allah did choose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of ‘Imran (Amram) above all peoples — A race, co-related with one another. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. Remember when the woman of Amram (Hanna, mother of Mary) said, “My Lord, I have vowed to Thee what is in my womb to be dedicated to Thy service. So, do accept it of me; verily, Thou alone art All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” But when she was delivered of it, she said, “My Lord, I am delivered of a female” — and Allah knew best what she had brought forth; the male she had in mind was not at all like the female she had brought forth — “and I have named her Mary, and I commit her and her offspring to Thy protection from Satan, the rejected.” So, her Lord accepted her (Mary) with a gracious acceptance and caused her to grow an excellent growth and made Zachariah her guardian. Whenever Zachariah visited her in the chamber, he found with her provisions. He once asked, “O Mary, whence hast thou this?” She replied, “It is from Allah.” Surely, Allah gives to whomsoever He pleases without measure.

— Holy Quran 3: 34-38 Continuing with the story of the angels giving Mary blessings from on high the Quran says:

And remember when the angels said, “O Mary, Allah has chosen thee and purified thee and chosen thee above the women of all peoples. O Mary, be obedient to thy Lord and prostrate thyself and worship God alone with those who worship.”

— Holy Qur’an 3: 43-44

In chapter 19 of the Holy Quran, which is named after Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, Allah says:

And relate the story of Mary as mentioned in the Book. When she withdrew from her people to a place to the east and screened herself off from them, We sent Our angel to her, and he appeared to her in the form of a perfect man. She said, “I seek refuge with the Gracious God from thee if indeed thou dost fear Him.” He replied, “I am only a Messenger of thy Lord, that I may bestow on thee a righteous son.” She said, “How can I have a son when no man has touched me, neither have I been unchaste?” He replied, “Thus it is.” But says thy Lord, “It is easy for Me; and We shall do so that We may make him a Sign unto men, and a mercy from Us, and it is a thing decreed.”

So, she conceived him, and withdrew with him to a remote place. And the pains of childbirth drove her unto the trunk of a palm-tree. She said, “O! would that I had died before this and had become a thing quite forgotten!” Then the voice of an angel reached her from below, saying, “Grieve not. Thy Lord has

placed a rivulet below. Pull towards thyself the trunk of the palm-tree; it will cause fresh ripe dates to fall upon thee. So, eat and drink, and cool thy eyes. And if thou seest anyone, say, ‘I have vowed a fast to the Gracious God; I will therefore not speak this day to any human being.’

Later, she carried him to her people. They said, “O Mary, thou hast brought forth a strange thing. O sister of Aaron, thy father was not a wicked man nor was thy mother an unchaste woman!” She just pointed toward him. They said, “How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?”

— Holy Quran 19: 18-30 According to these and other verses in the Quran, Mary lived a very pious and chaste life. She is presented elsewhere in the Quran as a role model of chastity for the Muslims to follow (Holy Quran 66:12-13). She conceives without the agency of a male and delivers Jesus, the Messiah for the Jews. When confronted by the people Mary presented Jesus’ future high station as the proof of her chastity.

According to the Quranic story of Nativity, however, Jesus was born in the summer months when the date palms are ready with ripe fruit. The Biblical story of the baby in the manger out

in the open also indicates summer months rather than the bitter cold month of December in Palestine (Luke 2:8-9).

Muslims throughout the world have thus been taught

by the Holy Prophet Muhammad to love and respect Jesus Christ and his mother Mary. He was sent by God Almighty to spread peace and love among peoples, no matter what race they

belonged to. Muslims pay homage to him as do the Christians.

Let us join hands this Christmas and make peace as “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be

called the children of God (Matthew 5:9).”