Essence of the Holy Qur’an — Page 42
42 Chapter 19 Maryam 4 % , (Revealed before Hijrah) Date of Revelation and Context Consensus of opinion among the Companions of the Holy Prophet is that the S u rah was revealed very early at Mecca, probably towards the end of the fourth year of the Call, before the Emigration to Abyssinia which took place in the month of Rajab in the fifth year. Its connection with Chapters Ban i Isr a ’ i l and Al-Kahf consists in the fact that some account of the rise and progress of the Jews and Christians was given in these two Chapters. In Ban i Isr a ’ i l it was particularly stated that the Jews would suffer national eclipse twice and twice they would rise to power and glory, and that the followers of Islam would, like the Jews, also rise to power twice and twice like them they would decline and fall. In S u rah Al-Kahf the same subject was dealt with at greater length, specially the part dealing with Christians. After it had been explained in that S u rah that Muslims would sustain national disaster at the hands of the followers of the Messiah of the Mosaic Dispensation and would regain their lost glory under the lead and guidance of the Messiah of the Islamic Dispensation, a brief history of the Christian Faith is given in the present S u rah. The S u rah thus constitutes a third link in the chain in which Chapters Ban i Isr a ’ i l and Al-Kahf respectively form the first and second link. In fact, the three Chapters deal with the same subject and follow the same pattern in dealing with that subject. Subject-Matter In the abbreviated letters at the head of the S u rah a comparison has been instituted between Christian and Islamic doctrines and attention has been drawn to the fact that while originally Christianity was a Divine Dispensation, subsequently some false doctrines and dogmas found their way into its teaching. As these doctrines run counter to Divine attributes, a brief account of Jesus’s birth has been given to refute them. This account is preceded by a brief mention of Prophet Zachariah, because according to biblical prophecies Prophet Elijah was to have descended from heaven 'before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord' (Mal. 4:5); and Jesus on being asked by the Jews about Elijah, who was to have appeared before him, answered that he was John who had come in his power and spirit (Matt. 11:14, 15; 17:12; Mark 9:13). He also told them that Elijah was not to have come from heaven but like all mortals was to have been born of an earthly mother in the form of another man and that he was John (Matt. 11:11; Luke 7:28). While giving an account of Jesus, the S u rah refers to the unusual