The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 32
CH. 19 MARYAM PT. 16 وَهُزِّى إِلَيْكِ بِجِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ تُسقط And shake towards thyself. 26 عَلَيْكِ رُطَبًا جَنِيَّات the trunk of the palm-tree; it will cause fresh ripe dates to fall upon thee, 2170 until the low or depressed people prevail and the rich and high-placed persons perish; or as some say, until the treasures that are beneath the earth appear (Lane &Tāj). The word meaning beneath, below and also the slope and declivity of a mountain (Lane), the verse signifies that the voice came to Mary from the side of the slope of the mountain where the fountain was and not from beneath her own body as is popularly believed. As a matter of fact Bethlehem is situated on a rock 2350 ft. above sea-level and is surrounded by very fertile valleys. There are fountains in this rock, one of which is known as the 'fountain of Another fountain is Solomon'. is situated at a distance of about 800 yards to the southeast of the town. From these fountains water supplied to the town of Bethlehem. The words of the verse only mean that the angel called to Mary from the side of the fountain which was situated in the slope (s) of the mountain. Mary stood in need of water for drinking and for washing herself and the swaddling-clothes. So the voice of the angel indicated to her the direction where the fountain lay. One of the fountains was flowing at a distance of about 800 yards to the south-east of Bethlehem and Joseph and Mary, we are told, finding no accommodation in the town had to lie in the open field at some distance from the town. The verse seems to point to a beautiful likeness which Jesus had with another Prophet of God- Ishmael. We are told that when Ishmael suffered from extreme pangs of thirst in the wilderness of Mecca and his mother Hagar in vain searched for water, the voice of the angel came to her saying that God had caused a fountain of water to flow from under the feet of Ishmael (Bukhārī). The verse thus entitles no particular distinction. Apart from the fatherless birth of Jesus the significance of which has been fully explained Introduction to the present Surah, Jesus possesses no distinction. He was only one of so many Divine Messengers. 1946 Jesus to 2170. Commentary: in the According to this verse the birth of Jesus took place at a time when fresh dates are found on palm-trees in Judaea. That season evidently is in the months of August and September but according to the view generally accepted by Christians, Jesus was born on 25th December which day is celebrated all over the Christian world every year with great fervour. Now this Christian view is contradicted not only by the Quran but also by history and even by