The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 38
CH. 19 MARYAM PT. 16 يَأُخْتَ هَرُونَ مَا كَانَ أَبُوكِ امْرَأَ سَوْءٍ O sister of Aaron, thy father. 29 وَمَا كَانَتْ أُمُّكِ بَغِيَّان thy Iwas not a wicked man nor was mother woman!'2173 an unchaste pursuance of a Divine command Joseph had taken him and Mary to Egypt where they lived for some years and it was after the death of Herod that the family came back to Nazareth and dwelt there (Matt. 2:13-23). There was also a Biblical prophecy to the effect that Jesus would come to his people along with his mother riding an ass (Matt. 21:4-7). Jesus and Mary were actually riding asses when they entered Jerusalem. Thus the expression as (carrying him or mounting him) may possibly refer to that prophecy of the Bible. Moreover the expression de as shown under "Important Words" above, also means, he helped him and assisted him in his work. According to this signification of the word the verse under comment would mean that Mary came to her people with Jesus while she believed in him and helped him in his mission. The expression serves twofold purpose. On the one hand it refers to a the fulfilment of the Biblical prophecy (Matt. 21:4-7) and on the other disposes of the accusation (also contained in the Bible) that Jesus' brothers and his mother did not believe in him. In any case this verse does not refer to the childhood of Jesus but to the time when prophethood had already been bestowed upon him and he had begun addressing his Message to his people. in regard to the birth and prophethood of Jesus is quite like that adopted about John (Yaḥyā) in verses 12 and 13of the present Surah. Verse 12 relates to Zachariah having received the happy news of the birth of a son and v. 13 to the period when his son Yaḥyā had become a Prophet, the remaining incidents in Yaḥyā's life having been omitted because the Quran is not a book of history that it should give the complete picture of the life of a man. In the same way the preceding three verses give a brief description of Jesus' birth and the present verse comes straight to the time when he had become a Prophet of God. The fact that v. 23 speaks of Mary having withdrawn to a remote place also belies the inference that she had come from that remote place carrying Jesus in her arms. The words, 'thou hast done a strange thing' contain a double taunt. They refer to the calumny of Mary having given birth to an illegitimate son and to Jesus having falsely laid claim to prophethood. As shown under "Important Words" above the word also means a forger of lies. Thus by using this word the elders of the Jewish people called Mary a bad woman and Jesus a forger of lies and a false Prophet. 2173. Commentary: Some Christian writers in their The manner of expression adopted ignorance of the Arabic language 1952