Surah Maryam (19): Read Online and Download - English Translation

يَوْمَ الْحَسْرَ‌ةِ (the Day of Remorse) in verse 39 refers to the Day of Judgment and has been called the Day of Remorse because on that day persons consigned to Hell as punishment for their evil deeds will regret their disregard of the righteous way of life, and wish that if they had lived the life of true believers, they too would have been in Paradise instead of being punished in Hell. Even those who have been rewarded with Paradise will feel a different kind of remorse. Al-Tabarani and Abu Ya` la have quoted the following saying of the Prophet ﷺ on the authority of Sayyidna Mu'adh ؓ .

"The people of Paradise will regret only one thing, namely those moments which were spent without the remembrance of Allah."

And Al-Baghawi (رح) has narrated quoting Abu Hurairah ؓ that The Holy Prophet ﷺ said:

"Everyone will experience remorse and regret after death."

The companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ asked him what would be that remorse and regret about? Then The Holy Prophet ﷺ explained that those who acted righteously will regret not having performed more righteous deeds which would have helped them attain a higher position in Paradise. On the other hand, the evil doers will repent their evil actions and sins. (Mazhari)

Commentary

Meaning of Siddiq

صِدِّيقًا نَّبِيًّا (Siddiq (a man of truth), a prophet - 19:41) The word صِدِّيقً (Siddiq) is a Qur'anic term which has been defined differently by different scholars. Some say it is applied to one who has never told a lie in his life. Others describe Siddiq (صِدِّيقً ) as one who is truthful in his beliefs, words and deeds. In other words his utterances truly reflect his beliefs, and his actions in turn match with his beliefs and words. Ruh ul-Ma` ani and Mazhari have adopted the latter meaning of the word. Then there are different degrees of صِدِّیقِیَت (Truthfulness) i.e. those who fall within this definition are placed at different pedestals. Only a prophet (نَبِی یَا رَسُول ) can be a true صِدِّيقً. While every prophet is gifted with this attribute, not everyone who has it is a prophet. A believer who follows in the footsteps of his prophet and attains this exalted position of صِدِّيقً (truthfulness) can also be called Siddiq. The Holy Qur'an itself has given the title of صِدِّيقًہ to Sayyidah Maryam (علیہا السلام) ، despite the view of the overwhelming, majority that she was not a prophet, and that a woman cannot be a prophet.

How to give counsel to elders.

يَا أَبَتِ (My dear father - 19:42) In Arabic language this word conveys deep respect and intense love for one's father. Allah Ta` ala had combined in the person of Sayyidna Khalilullah (علیہ السلام) the noble qualities and attributes, and his address to his father is a perfect example of moderation and restraint on the one hand, and the balancing of the opposites on the other. He finds his father living a life of unbelief and polytheism, and also calling upon other people to follow him in a life of sin - the very things which he was sent to eradicate. At the same time there is the filial love and respect which he feels towards his father. Now, the thing to note is, how well he combines the two conflicting feelings together. In the first place he uses the word يَا أَبَتِ , which is the mark of love and respect for his father, in the beginning of each sentence of the address. Then there is not a single derogatory word in his address which could hurt the feelings of his father, and words such as infidel or sinner have been carefully avoided. Instead, guided by prophetic wisdom he merely invited his father's attention to the helplessness and insensitivity of his idols, so that he might himself realize the fallacy of his beliefs. In the second sentence he made a mention of the prophetic knowledge that was granted to him by Allah Ta’ ala. Then in the third and fourth sentences he warned him against the Divine wrath, which would surely fall on him as a punishment for infidelity and idolatry. Even to these respectful entreaties his father did not pay any heed and, instead of giving any thought to what was said to him and adopting a gentle attitude, he addressed him ina very harsh language. Whereas Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) had addressed him with the loving words of يَا أَبَتِ , which should have called for a soft and tender response, such as یَا بُنَیَّ (My dear son) he chose to call him by his name and said يَا إِبْرَ‌اهِيمُ , and not only threatened to stone him to death but also asked him to leave his house. How Sayyidna Khalilullah' (علیہا السلام) responded to this threat is worthy of deep reflection.

سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكَ (Peace on you) Here the word (Peace) may carry two meanings. One, that the word سَلَام is used to signify severance of relations in a polite manner so as not to cause hurt to his father. This practice has been described in the Holy Qur'an as an attribute of good and pious people. An example in point are the words.

وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا

"When ignorant people speak to them, they reply peacefully." (25:63)

It means that when the ignorant people say foolish things to them they simply say 'Salami (peace) instead of getting involved into an argument with them. This is a way of conveying to them that though I do not agree with your views I will not harm you. The second explanation is that the word سَلَام has been used in the conventional sense. But here the problem is that The Holy Prophet ﷺ has forbidden the believers to be the first to greet an infidel with the word سَلَام on meeting him. The following saying of The Holy Prophet ﷺ has been reported in Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ .

لَا تَبدأ والیھود و النصاریٰ بالسَّلَام

"Do not be the first to greet Jews and Christians with the word سَلَام

On the other hand Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim have also reported through Sayyidna Usamah ؓ ' that The Holy Prophet ﷺ had greeted first a group of people with the word in which infidels, polytheists and Muslims were all present.

This explains the differences which have developed among jurists on the question of propriety or otherwise of this practice. By their words and actions eminent companions (of the Holy Prophet ﷺ), their followers and leaders of religious thought have expressed different views on this issue. Qurtubi has treated this subject in great detail while explaining this verse in his book Ahkam ul-Qur’ an. Imam An-Nakha` i has ruled that when one meets an infidel, a Jew or a Christian on a religious or a worldly need, then there is no harm in taking lead in greeting him with the word سَلَام ، but one should avoid greeting first when there is no need to meet him. Thus both the sayings of the Prophet ﷺ (حَدِیث) have been reconciled.

سَأَسْتَغْفِرُ‌ لَكَ رَ‌بِّي (I shall seek forgiveness for you from my Lord - 19:47). Here again the problem is that to ask for forgiveness for the sins of an infidel is prohibited and unlawful by Islamic laws, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had said to his uncle Abu Talib واللہ لاستغفرنّ لک مالم انہ عنہ ، that is;

"By God I shall keep on praying to Allah for your forgiveness until I am forbidden to do so by Him."

On this the following verse was revealed:

مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَن يَسْتَغْفِرُ‌وا لِلْمُشْرِ‌كِينَ

"It is not for the Prophet and the believers to seek forgiveness for the Mushriks." (9:113)

After the revelation of this verse he stopped seeking forgiveness for his uncle.

The answer to this confusion is that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) had promised his father to seek Divine Mercy for him before such a prayer was forbidden. The prohibition was imposed after this event. Allah Ta` ala has mentioned this event in Surah Mumtahinna where this exception is clearly indicated.

إِلَّا قَوْلَ إِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ لَأَسْتَغْفِرَ‌نَّ لَكَ

Except that Ibrahim said to his father "Certainly I shall ask pardon for you". - 60:4.

This is more clear in Surah Taubah in the verse following the verse.

مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَن يَسْتَغْفِرُ‌وا لِلْمُشْرِ‌كِينَ

"It is not for the Prophet and the believers to seek forgiveness for the Mushriks." - 9:114.

وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ‌ إِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ إِلَّا عَن مَّوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَا إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِّلَّـهِ تَبَرَّ‌أَ مِنْهُ

"And the prayer of Ibrahim for the forgiveness of his father was not but due to a promise he had made to him. Later, when it became clear to him that he was an enemy of Allah, he withdrew himself from him." - 9:114.

This shows that Sayyidna Ibrahim's (علیہ السلام) promise to his father to invoke Allah's Mercy for him was made before the latter's firm adherence to infidelity, and his hostility to Allah became clearly evident. When the position was no longer in doubt Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) announced his dissociation from his father.

وَأَعْتَزِلُكُمْ وَمَا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّـهِ وَأَدْعُو رَ‌بِّي

And go away from you and what you invoke besides Allah. And I shall invoke my Lord." - 19:48.

On the one hand Sayyidna Khalilullah (علیہ السلام) went to the extreme to show his respect and love for his father, which has been described above, and on the other hand he did not allow the slightest doubt to be cast on his expression of the universal truth (حق) or on his total belief in it. He accepted willingly his father's orders to leave the house and also made it known that he had totally dissociated himself from his (father's) idols and addressed his prayers only to Allah.

فَلَمَّا اعْتَزَلَهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّـهِ وَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ

"So, when he went away from them and what they worshipped besides Allah, We blessed him with Ishaq and Ya` qub." - 19:49.

In the sentence preceding this sentence Hadhrat Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) had expressed the hope that on account of his prayers and devotion Allah Ta` ala would not abandon him. This hope, in fact, was a prayer to Allah to protect him from the pain of loneliness after he left his house and family. The sentence reproduced above describes the manner in which his prayer was granted. When Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) left his home and family and their idols, Allah Ta` ala rewarded him with a son, Ishaq (علیہ السلام) to compensate him for his loss. It was further revealed to him that this son would have long life and also beget a son by the name of Ya` qub. Granting of a son is proof that he (Ibrahim) was married by then. In brief it means that he was granted a better family, which consisted of prophets and pious people after he had left his father's family.

Commentary

كَانَ مُخْلَصًا (Indeed he was a chosen one - 19:51) مُخْلَصً : means a person whom Allah Ta` ala has chosen for himself i.e. someone who will not devote himself to anyone but Allah, and whose only desire is to win Allah's benevolence. This special position is enjoyed by the prophets only as mentioned in the Qur’ an at another place.

إِنَّا أَخْلَصْنَاهُم بِخَالِصَةٍ ذِكْرَ‌ى الدَّارِ‌

"We purified them with a quality most pure, the remembrance of the Abode." - 38:46.

Those among the followers of prophets who attain perfection are also granted a place of distinction, which makes them immune to committing sins and evil deeds through Divine dispensation. They remain in Allah's protection all the time.