Tarikh (al-Tabari) 307
The story of ʿĪsā b. Maryam (peace be upon him)
قِصَّةُ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ جَاءَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى كَيْفَ أَنَّ امْرَأَةَ عِمْرَانَ أُمَّ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهَا السَّلَامُ نَذَرَتْ إِنْ حَمَلَتْ وَأَكْرَمَهَا اللَّهُ بِالْوَلَدِ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ مَا فِي بَطْنِهَا مُحَرَّرًا أَيْ حَبِيسًا فِي خِدْمَةِ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ، فَلَمَّا حَمَلَتْ وَوَضَعَتْ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهَا السَّلَامُ قَالَتْ رَبِّ إِنِّي وَضَعْتُهَا أُنْثَى وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا وَضَعَتْ وَلَيْسَ الذَّكَرُ كَالأُنْثَى وَإِنِّي سَمَّيْتُهَا مَرْيَمَ وَإِنِّي أُعِيذُهَا بِكَ وَذُرِّيَّتَهَا مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ وَقَدْ أَخَذَتْهَا وَذَهَبَتْ بِهَا إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ وَسَلَّمَتْهَا، وَمَرْيَمُ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِنْتُ رَئِيسِ صَلَاتِهِمْ فَتَنَازَعُوا بَيْنَهُمْ مَنْ مِنْهُمْ يَكْفُلُ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهَا السَّلَامُ فَاقْتَرَعُوا بَيْنَهُمْ فَوَقَعَتِ الْقُرْعَةُ عَلَى زَكَرِيَّا عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَهُوَ أَحَقُّ بِكَفَالَتِهَا شَرْعًا وَقَدَرًا حَيْثُ إِنَّهُ نَبِيُّ هَذَا الزَّمَانِ وَزَوْجُ أُخْتِهَا عَلَى قَوْلٍ أَوْ زَوْجُ خَالَتِهَا عَلَى قَوْلٍ آخَرَ. وَقَدْ نَشَأَتْ مَرْيَمُ عَلَيْهَا السَّلَامُ بَيْنَ جَنَبَاتِ الْمَسْجِدِ تَقُومُ بِنَوْبَتِهَا فِي خِدْمَةِ الْمَسْجِدِ وَلَا تَفْتُرُ مِنَ الْعِبَادَةِ لَيْلًا أَوْ نَهَارًا حَتَّى اشْتَهَرَ أَمْرُهَا وَكَرَمُهَا وَشَرَفُهَا، وَكَانَ زَكَرِيَّا كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا وَجَدَ مِنْ عَجَائِبِ الرِّزْقِ حَيْثُ كَانَ يَجِدُ فَاكِهَةَ الشِّتَاءِ فِي الصَّيْفِ وَفَاكِهَةَ الصَّيْفِ فِي الشِّتَاءِ، فَلَمَّا سَأَلَهَا أَنَّى لَكِ هَذَا قَالَتْ هُوَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهِ يَرْزُقُ مِنْ يَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ [آلِ عِمْرَانَ: 37]. وَلَمَّا شَبَّتْ مَرْيَمُ وَبَلَغَتْ مَبْلَغَ النِّسَاءِ أَرْسَلَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهَا جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَتَمَثَّلَ لَهَا بَشَرًا سَوِيًّا يُبَشِّرُهَا بِأَنَّهَا سَتَلِدُ غُلَامًا زَكِيًّا، فَلَمَّا اسْتَعْجَبَتْ مِنْ ذَلِكَ أَخْبَرَهَا بِأَنَّهُ أَمْرٌ قَضَاهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى، فَنَفَخَ فِي جَيْبِهَا فَحَمَلَتْ بِعِيسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ. فَلَمَّا أَحَسَّتْ مَرْيَمُ خَرَجَتْ إِلَى جَانِبِ الْمِحْرَابِ الشَّرْقِيِّ فَأَتَتْ أَقْصَاهُ فَأَجَاءَهَا الْمَخَاضُ إِلَى جِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ قَالَتْ - وَهِيَ تُطْلِقُ مِنَ الْحَبَلِ اسْتِحْيَاءً مِنَ النَّاسِ - يَا لَيْتَنِي مِتُّ قَبْلَ هَذَا وَكُنْتُ نَسْيًا مَنْسِيًّا، يَعْنِي نُسِيَ ذِكْرِي وَأَثَرِي فَلَا يُرَى لِي أَثَرٌ وَلَا عَيْنٌ. وَحِينَئِذٍ نَادَاهَا مِنْ تَحْتِهَا جِبْرِيلُ أَوْ عِيسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَلَّا تَحْزَنِي قَدْ جَعَلَ رَبُّكِ تَحْتَكِ سَرِيًّا نَهْرًا وَكَانَ ثَمَّةَ جِذْعُ نَخْلَةٍ كَانَتْ قَدِ احْتَضَنَتْهُ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْأَلَمِ فَاخْضَرَّ وَأَرْطَبَ فَأَمَرَهَا بِهَزِّهِ فَسَقَطَ عَلَيْهَا الرُّطَبُ فَأَكَلَتْ وَشَرِبَتْ وَقَرَّتْ عَيْنُهَا، وَأَمَرَهَا إِنْ رَأَتْ مِنَ الْبَشَرِ أَحَدًا أَنْ تُخْبِرَهُ بِأَنَّهَا صَائِمَةٌ فَلَنْ تُكَلِّمَ الْيَوْمَ إِنْسِيًّا. وَلَمَّا حَمَلَتْهُ وَأَتَتْ بِهِ قَوْمَهَا تَحْمِلُهُ، وَأَقَامَتِ الْحُجَّةُ عَلَيْهِمْ بِطُهْرِهَا وَعَفَافِهَا أَنَّهُ إِنَّمَا هُوَ أَمْرٌ قَضَاهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهَا خَرَجَتْ بِهِ خَوْفًا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ وَسَارَتْ بِهِ وَيُوسُفُ النَّجَّارُ إِلَى أَرْضِ مِصْرَ. وَقَدْ عَصَمَ اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ الْمَسِيحَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ مِنْ أَنْ يَمَسَّهُ وَأُمَّهُ الشَّيْطَانُ، وَقَدْ جَاءَ فِي صِفَتِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَلْبَسُ الشَّعْرَ وَيَأْكُلُ مِنْ وَرَقِ الشَّجَرِ، وَلَا يَأْوِي إِلَى مَنْزِلٍ وَلَا أَهْلٍ وَلَا مَالٍ، وَلَا يَدَّخِرُ شَيْئًا لِغَدٍ. وَعَنْ خَلَفِ بْنِ حَوْشَبٍ قَالَ: قَالَ عِيسَى لِلْحَوَارِيِّينَ: كَمَا تَرَكَ لَكُمُ الْمُلُوكُ الْحِكْمَةَ، فَكَذَلِكَ فَاتْرُكُوا لَهُمُ الدُّنْيَا، وَكَانَ يَقُولُ: حُبُّ الدُّنْيَا رَأْسُ كُلِّ خَطِيئَةٍ، وَالنَّظَرُ يَزْرَعُ فِي الْقَلْبِ الشَّهْوَةَ. وَالْمَأْثُورُ عَنْهُ مِنَ الْمَوَاعِظِ كَثِيرٌ، وَقَدْ كَانَ يَسْكُنُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ النَّاصِرَةَ مِنْ سَاعِيرَ أَرْضِ الْخَلِيلِ، وَقَدْ عَصَمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مِنْ إِبْلِيسَ عَلَيْهِ لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ رَغْمَ مُحَاوَلَاتِ إِغْوَائِهِ الْمُتَكَرِّرَةِ. هَذَا وَقَدْ وَهَبَ اللَّهُ لِنَبِيِّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ الْعَدِيدَ مِنَ الْآيَاتِ الْبَاهِرَاتِ حُجَّةً عَلَى قَوْمِهِ بَدْءًا مِنْ مُعْجِزَةِ وِلَادَتِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَبٍ وَتَكَلُّمِهِ فِي الْمَهْدِ وَحَتَّى شِفَاءِ الْمَرْضَى وَإِحْيَاءِ الْمَوْتَى، وَإِنْزَالِ مَائِدَةٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ، إِلَى غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْمُعْجِزَاتِ وَالْآيَاتِ الْبَيِّنَاتِ. فَلَمَّا زَادَ الْيَهُودُ فِي الْعِنَادِ وَأَرَادُوا بِهِ الْكَيْدَ رَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ إِلَيْهِ فَكَانَ فِي رَفْعِهِ آيَةٌ وَفِتْنَةٌ هَلَكَ فِيهَا مَنْ هَلَكَ وَضَلَّ وَآمَنَ فِيهَا مَنْ آمَنَ وَاسْتَقَامَ. وَقَدْ أَخْبَرَ نَبِيُّنَا ﷺ أَنَّهُ نَازِلٌ فِينَا فِي آخِرِ الزَّمَانِ فَيَكْسِرُ الصَّلِيبَ وَيَقْتُلُ الْخِنْزِيرَ وَالدَّجَّالَ وَيَضَعُ الْجِزْيَةَ وَلَا يَقْبَلُ إِلَّا الْإِسْلَامَ. وَاخْتَلَفَ النَّاسُ بَعْدَ رَفْعِ اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ لَهُ ﷺ عَلَى ثَلَاثِ فِرَقٍ، فَقَالَتْ طَائِفَةٌ: كَانَ اللَّهُ فِينَا مَا شَاءَ ثُمَّ صَعِدَ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ. وَهَؤُلَاءِ الْيَعْقُوبِيَّةُ، وَقَالَتْ فِرْقَةٌ: كَانَ فِينَا ابْنُ اللَّهِ مَا شَاءَ، ثُمَّ رَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ. وَهَؤُلَاءِ النَّسْطُورِيَّةُ، وَقَالَتْ فِرْقَةٌ: كَانَ فِينَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ، ثُمَّ رَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ، وَهَؤُلَاءِ الْمُسْلِمُونَ، فَتَظَاهَرَتِ الْكَافِرَتَانِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمَةِ فَقَتَلُوهَا، فَلَمْ يَزَلِ الْإِسْلَامُ طَامِسًا حَتَّى بَعَثَ اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ. وَظَلَّ الْجِدَالُ حَوْلَ الْمَسِيحِ وَطَبِيعَتِهِ يَشْتَدُّ وَيَحْتَدُّ حَتَّى كَانَ عَهْدُ قُسْطَنْطِينَ فَدَعَاهُمْ إِلَى الْمَجْمَعِ الْأَوَّلِ وَأَقَرَّ فِيهِ مَا هُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الضَّلَالِ وَخَرَجَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ الْمُوَحِّدُونَ إِلَى الْجِبَالِ الصَّحَارِي وَبَنَوْا بِهَا الصَّوَامِعَ وَالْبِيَعَ وَرَضُوا بِالزَّهِيدِ مِنَ الْعَيْشِ مَعَ بَقَائِهِمْ عَلَى تَوْحِيدِ رَبِّهِمْ. وَقَدْ نَصَّتْ بَعْضُ الْكُتُبِ عَلَى أَسْمَاءِ الْحَوَارِيِّينَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِعِيسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَأَوَّلُهُمْ شَمْعُونُ الصَّفَا، ثُمَّ أَنْدِرْوَاسُ أَخُوهُ ثُمَّ رِبْدَى، ثُمَّ يُوحَنَّا أَخُوهُ ثُمَّ تُولُوسُ، ثُمَّ لُوقَا، ثُمَّ بَرْتِمْلَى، ثُمَّ ثُومَا، ثُمَّ مَتَّى الْمَاكِسُ، ثُمَّ يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ خَلْفَى، ثُمَّ شَمْعُونُ الْعَتَّانِيُّ، ثُمَّ مَارْقُوشُ. وَقَدْ تَوَفَّى اللَّهُ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهَا السَّلَامُ بَعْدَ رَفْعِ الْمَسِيحِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ بِسِتِّ سِنِينَ وَكَانَتْ قَدْ تَجَاوَزَ عُمْرُهَا الْخَمْسِينَ عَامًا عَلَيْهَا السَّلَامُ.
Translation
✧ The story of ʿĪsā b. Maryam ﷺ It is mentioned in the Book of Allah, the Most High, how the wife of ʿImrān, the mother of Maryam (peace be upon her), vowed that if she carried a child and Allah honored her with offspring, she would make what was in her womb consecrated, meaning devoted to the service of Bayt al-Maqdis. When she carried and gave birth to Maryam (peace be upon her), she said, "My Lord, I have given birth to a female"—and Allah knows best what she gave birth to—"and the male is not like the female, and I have named her Maryam, and I seek refuge for her with You and her offspring from Satan the accursed." She took her, went with her to the temple, and handed her over. Maryam at that time was the daughter of the chief of their prayer, so they disputed among themselves over which of them should take charge of Maryam (peace be upon her). They cast lots, and the lot fell upon Zakariyyā ﷺ, for he was most entitled to her care both legally and by divine decree, since he was the prophet of that time and the husband of her sister, according to one saying, or the husband of her maternal aunt, according to another. Maryam (peace be upon her) grew up within the precincts of the temple, taking her turn in its service and never flagging in worship night or day, until her excellence, dignity, and nobility became renowned. Whenever Zakariyyā entered upon her, he found wondrous provision: he would find winter fruit in summer and summer fruit in winter. When he asked her, "How has this come to you?" she said, "It is from Allah. Indeed, Allah provides for whom He wills without reckoning" [Āl ʿImrān: 37]. When Maryam grew up and reached the age of womanhood, Allah sent Jibrīl ﷺ to her, and he appeared to her as a well-formed man, giving her glad tidings that she would bear a pure boy. When she was astonished at that, he told her that it was a matter Allah, the Most High, had decreed. Then he breathed into the opening of her garment, and she conceived ʿĪsā ﷺ. When Maryam felt it, she withdrew to the eastern side of the sanctuary and went to its farthest point. The pains of labor drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said—while releasing her pregnancy out of shame before the people—"Would that I had died before this and been utterly forgotten," meaning that her mention and trace would be forgotten, so that no trace or eye of her would be seen. Then Jibrīl or ʿĪsā ﷺ called to her from beneath her: "Do not grieve. Your Lord has placed beneath you a small stream." There was a palm trunk she had embraced from the intensity of the pain, and it turned green and bore ripe dates. He commanded her to shake it, and fresh dates fell upon her, so she ate and drank and was comforted. He commanded her, if she saw any human, to tell him that she was fasting and would not speak to any human that day. When she carried him and brought him to her people, bearing him, and the proof of her purity and chastity was established against them—that it was nothing but a matter Allah had decreed upon her—she departed with him out of fear for him from the Jews and traveled with him and Yūsuf the carpenter to the land of Egypt. Allah, glorified be He, protected the Messiah ﷺ and his mother from Satan's touch. It is related in his description ﷺ that he wore wool and ate from the leaves of trees, and he sought no shelter in a house, family, or wealth, and he stored nothing away for the morrow. From Khalaf b. Ḥawshab, who said: ʿĪsā said to the disciples, "Just as kings have left wisdom to you, so leave the world to them." He used to say, "Love of the world is the root of every sin, and the gaze plants desire in the heart." Much is transmitted from him in the way of admonitions. He ﷺ used to dwell in al-Nāṣira of Sāʿīr, the land of al-Khalīl, and Allah, the Most High, protected him from Iblīs—may Allah's curse be upon him—despite his repeated attempts at seduction. Allah granted His prophet ﷺ numerous dazzling signs as proof against his people, beginning with the miracle of his birth without a father and his speaking in the cradle, up to healing the sick and raising the dead, the sending down of a table from heaven, and other miracles and clear signs. When the Jews increased in obstinacy and sought to plot against him, Allah, glorified be He, raised him up to Himself. Thus, his raising became a sign and a trial in which those who perished perished and went astray, and those who believed believed and remained upright. Our Prophet ﷺ informed that he will descend among us at the end of time and will break the cross, kill the swine and the Dajjāl, abolish the jizya, and accept nothing but Islam. After Allah, glorified be He, raised him ﷺ, the people divided into three factions. One group said: "Allah was among us as long as He willed, then He ascended to heaven." These are the Yaʿqūbiyya. Another group said: "The Son of Allah was among us as long as He willed, then Allah raised him to Himself." These are the Nasṭūriyya. Another group said: "The servant of Allah and His messenger was among us as long as Allah willed, then Allah raised him to Himself." These are the Muslims. The two disbelieving factions ganged up against the Muslim faction and killed it, and Islam remained obscured until Allah sent Muḥammad ﷺ. Dispute over the Messiah and his nature continued to intensify and flare up until the era of Constantine, who summoned them to the first council and confirmed them in their error. The monotheist Muslims withdrew to the mountains and deserts and built there monasteries and churches, contenting themselves with a meager livelihood while remaining upon the oneness of their Lord. Some books have specified the names of the disciples who believed in ʿĪsā ﷺ. The first of them is Shamʿūn al-Ṣafā, then Andrīwās his brother, then Ribdā, then Yūḥannā his brother, then Tūlūs, then Lūqā, then Bartimlā, then Thūmā, then Mattā the tax collector, then Yaʿqūb b. Khalfā, then Shamʿūn al-ʿAttānī, then Mārqūsh. Allah caused Maryam (peace be upon her) to die six years after the raising of the Messiah ﷺ, and she had passed the age of fifty (peace be upon her).
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.