Isa/Jesus and Maryam in the Quran – their Names and Message

The name of Isa/Jesus is frequently mentioned in the Quran as the son of Maryam/Mary, and so their mentions are linked. This aspect is not often discussed, so I will do it here, as well as analyzing how and where their names are expressed and placed in Quranic architecture. Jesus is referred as “Word” in the Quran, as well as in the Bible, for example in this significant aya, which also mentions the name of prophet Jesus in full:

˹Remember˺ when the angels proclaimed, “O Mary! Allah gives you good news of a Word from Him, his name will be the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; honored in this world and the Hereafter, and he will be one of those nearest ˹to Allah˺. (3:45)

Mentions of Ships in the Quran Reveal Connection to Quranic Initials and Amazing Ship Graphic

The Quran mentions ships rather frequently, considering the subject matter, and some have wondered why. These mentions refer to how the use of ships for trade and more is a gift from Allah the Exalted, and a few mentions refer to Noah’s ark/ship, and fewer to the boat in the story of Moses and Al-Khidr. There’s an interesting correspondence between these mentions and the Quranic Initials (QIs) or muqatta’at, which in turn points us to the clear and also metaphorical connection between ships and the Quran as a message, especially emphasized in the story of Noah and his ship. Allah protects and elevates the lives of those who follow His guidance, saving them from the greater catastrophe of the Last Day, as He saved prophet Noah and the faithful believers who boarded the ark with him from the flood. In fact, the very nautilus design of the Quran correlates with that symbolic message. The placements of ship mentions in our spiral chart also reveals, using the classical elements symbolized in the chart, a graphic illustration of ship design and how it utilizes the Divine gift of buoyancy.

Interpretation of Quranic Numbers 9.5 and 19

The number 19 is, for a number, relatively famous (or perhaps infamous) as a Quranic number, but is mentioned in the Quran (74:30) and is a factor of the number of suras in the Quran, 114 = 6 x 19. The number 9.5 is not known to be significant, but revealed a significance while studying the metaphor of the chambered nautilus and its significance in the Quran. That is explained elsewhere on this blog, but I will flesh it out separately here. The numbers 9.5 and 19 are formative elements in the design of Quranic Architecture as discussed on this blog. In its calendric architecture, the Quran is divided into 12 months for each “year,” or each complete turn of the spiral. For 114 suras, there are 9.5 years, expressed by an equation: 114 ➗ 12 = 9.5. Then when we multiply 9.5 x 2 = 19, we can ask the question “is there any significance to this equation in terms of the meaning of the Quran?” And the answer is a resounding YES! Explained below:

Was Prophet Mohammad Illiterate?

The generally accepted idea in Islam is that Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) could not read or write. However, there is serious discussion among both independent and more traditional scholars as to whether the Arabic word ummi means instead “unlearned in Divine scripture,” or “gentile,” which also implies lacking knowledge of scripture, i.e., Divine revelations sent prior to the Quran. The argument really isn’t immediately clear from the word ummi in particular until one examines it more closely, but rather this one quite striking aya:

What Does the Quran Say about Jesus’ “Second Coming?” And about Masih Al-Dajjal, the Antichrist?

First, the Quran says nothing about a “second coming” or “return” of Jesus/Isa, nor does it mention an Anti-Christ/Masih Dajjal or anything similar. This itself is a serious omission for such a significant and unprecedented event. But there is an aya in the Quran (43:61) that is often construed to possibly “fit” the idea that Jesus might somehow be “coming back.” And there are many hadiths which mention this idea. Hence for many Muslims, it’s a done deal. But how reliable are those hadiths and do they contradict the Quran? For one thing, the Quran, unequivocally states that prophet Mohammad is the “seal” of the prophets (33:40). The word khatam or “seal” is significantly different than to say “the last” or akhir prophet. A “seal” as used in the Quran means an irreversible decree from Allah Himself, the same word used repeatedly to say Allah “sealed the hearts” of rejectors/disbelievers (4:155, 9:87, 9:93, 16:108, 47:16, 63:3). Once Allah “seals” a person’s heart, there’s no turning back. For Jesus/Isa to come after Mohammad would “break the seal” and it doesn’t change this fact that Isa was not a new prophet. In fact, it goes against the Way of Allah with his prophets, discussed below, as well as breaches the impassable barrier between this world and alghaib – the unseen, which in this case refers to Allah’s timeless realm – and this is simply never allowed. There’s no room for equivocation! 

Du’a for Parents

This is a du’a given to us by the All-Merciful to ask for blessings and forgiveness for our parents. In the first part of this aya, we are actually enjoined to offer this du’a in love and humility. 

وَٱخۡفِضۡ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ ٱلذُّلِّ مِنَ ٱلرَّحۡمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱرۡحَمۡهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِى صَغِيرًا

And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, “My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.” (Al-Isra’ 17:24)

rabbi ir’ḥamhumā kamā rabbayānī ṣaghīra

This same du’a is often recited among other supplications during the Hajj. Other du’as are below.

Du’as for Patience

Patience is frequently enjoined throughout the Quran, and it is not always easy to have it; thus the Quran shows us du’as for patience. There are two examples; we can ourselves simply ask for His help in becoming more patient, and these examples can give us words and encouragement. We can say “grant us patience,” but the word in the Quran is afrigh ʿalaynā, which means “pour upon us,” also translated “shower us with” – the word afrigh meaning to “pour.” This expresses the need for a great deal of patience and indeed the two examples are of those fighting Galut or Goliath, who was a daunting opponent, and the Pharaoh’s magicians after he said he will crucify them. Obviously these are extreme circumstances requiring extraordinary patience. Here are their du’as:

Du’as for a Safe Journey or Trip, from Noah and More

Below are du’as for both long journeys such as that of Noah (reminding us that life itself is a journey to Allah), and shorter trips, as we commonly take daily. The Quran’s narratives of Prophet Noah focus on the ark/ship (in Arabic not a separate word but the same used for any ship) as essentially the refuge that protected he and those with him from the catastrophic flood. It was about the believers being saved by Allah whereas the rejecters/deniers were all drowned. The ship was built over time under Allah’s guidance and also revelation as to how to build it in the same way that the Quran was revealed to prophet Mohammad. Thus the ark is also a metaphor for the Quran itself – those who read and internalize (understand and act upon) its message are like those who boarded the ark, but the catastrophe in this case is Judgment Day and the Finality Al-Akhira – likewise, the those who deny or reject the Quran’s message (including previous revealed scriptures) will be “drowned” in that ultimate catastrophe. Thus prophet Noah’s du’a for a safe journey is also more than that – we can consider it a du’a both for a specific safe journey within this life and a safe journey through our lifetime “in the ark” of the Quran to the Finality. 

The Power of Prostration by a Convert/Revert to Islam

This short video is a powerful portrayal of how Islam both confirms “what is in the previous scriptures” and the importance and meaning of prostration. What is especially wonderful is how no one actually told him about Islam except his preacher, who spoke of it in a derogatory way, and this alone raised questions in the man’s mind. Which led him to the Quran and Islam. (Side note: Basically I dislike the word “revert” referring to converts to Islam – in English it has a definite negative connotation like “going backwards to something inferior”, and the logic of its use, that children are born Muslim, skirts the issue of how one doesn’t really “own” this or any religion until maturity, in which case one wasn’t “Muslim” except in innocence whereas Islam is a choice. The good side of its use is it expresses there is no original sin and that Islam is not an invented dogma, but simply the truth.)

Wonderful and succinct presentation of the power of prostration.

Prophets and Prime Numbers in the Quran

There are 25 prophets named in the Quran. And there are 25 prime numbers from 1-100. The number 100 in the Quran imparts a “celestial” value to that which it describes. Here it represents perfection/completion in the direct relationship between Allah and His prophets. 

Prime numbers are distinguished from other numbers by being in a sense “indivisible” – a prime can only be divided by itself and one – so this quality represents the prophets’ undivided loyalty to Allah/God. Like a prime number, a prophet has a dedicated relationship between himself and One, as Allah the Exalted is defined as One (112:1 “Say Allah/God is One”). The number one in mathematics is, like God, in a category alone – neither prime nor composite. So the primes represent the individual whose “essence/soul/heart” is devoted to the One. 

And the total number of times all named prophets are mentioned in the Quran is astounding and prime-related. Explained below.

The Seen vs the Unseen Al-Ghaib, Angels, & the Finality: Separate Realities

In modern society many people think all knowledge is in some way scientific and empirical. But what we miss is an understanding of the purpose and meaning of life, basic morals and common decency, and of course, matters of faith, including what happens after death, the question of Judgment Day, and related symbols or “signs.” The Quran speaks of two worlds, the “witnessed” and the unseen or الغيب alghaib which is beyond our perception. And the “witnessed” simply means that which we have observed. Nothing under the category of alghaib “the unseen” is more significant than Al-Akhira, The Finality, or Resurrection/ Judgment Day. Its reality is described in the Quran as Truth itself, when everything we could not know in empirically evident detail (due to its nature) in this world will become absolutely evident. From this we can begin to understand that we are expected to trust in Allah b’al-ghaib meaning without directly perceiving and there are powerful reasons for this. 

Why Is There No Basmalah on Surah 9 Al-Tawba (Repentance)?

The Basmalah precedes every surah except Al-Tawba, “Repentance,” for a profound reason, not just as a “fluke” confusing the two adjacent suras, Al-Tawba (9) with Al-Anfaal (8). In fact, we can understand the reason for the missing Basmalah from the surah that follows it, Yunus (Jonah). First, note that the Basmalah is the featured dhikr in the Quran, highlighting that the Quran is directly from Allah the Most High, and it shows the dynamic nature of our Creator as Almighty, All-Merciful, the ultimate authority and ultimate source of comfort, meaning, and security. Without knowledge of and faith in Him, our lives would be random and meaningless. Are we seriously satisfied to think that after we die, all that’s left is our bodies which disintegrate and everything we thought or believed or did or felt is for no reason? Do we seriously see truth and beauty in the concept, tossed around these days to “make sense of it all,” that we “become stardust?” So the Basmalah encapsules that which gives meaning and value to existence: Allah the Almighty All-Merciful. Rejecting this in effect dissociates us from Him. And the first word in Al-Tawba is “dissociated.” From which the only way out is tawba, repentance. 

Eid Mubarak!

For this Eid, newly-revised post on the story of prophet Ibrahim’s test of sacrificing his son Isma’il (Ishmael). We examine the amazing equality between father and son, reflected in word and letter counts, as well as a more complete answer to the question of why did Allah ask Ibrahim to sacrifice his son.

The Quranic Story of Abraham’s Sacrifice – Its Surprising Message and Precision

Hajj 2022

Excellent Video on Gender Interactions in Islam

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRJTW9CB/?k=1

This is an excellent TikTok video (surprisingly!) on how men and women should properly interact in Islam, exemplified by the story of prophet Musa (Moses) in the Quran sura Al-Qasas 28:23-28.

The 9 Signs of Moses in the Quran

This is something I’ve wondered about, what were the ”nine signs” mentioned in 17:101: “And We had certainly given Moses nine evident signs, so ask the Children of Israel [about] when he came to them and Pharaoh said to him, ‘Indeed I think, O Moses, that you are affected by magic.’”

And here is the clear answer, derived from the Quran: the Nine Miracles of Moses.

In the Company of Prophets: The Raised Status of Mary in the Quran

Mary gave birth to Jesus alone, beneath a date palm, and her pain is described in the Quran.

In order to show how Allah the Exalted raised up the status of Mary/ Maryam the mother of Jesus/ ‘Eissa and why this is significant, it’s imperative to know the characteristics of true prophets. This is because after examining these characteristics and comparing them with Mary’s life as narrated in the Quran, it is clear that she meets all the qualifications of a prophet; all that prevented her from being called a prophet was her gender which in the society of her time could not assume a traditional leadership role or earn the degree of respect required for that role. Both her story and that of the prophets contain fascinating and revealing details often disregarded or not given much study.

The Quranic Story of Abraham’s Sacrifice – Its Surprising Message and Precision

Eid Mubarak!

The story of Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic) being commanded by God to sacrifice his son, whose slaughter was Divinely replaced by a sacrificial animal, is one of the most famous narratives in Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, found in the Quran, the Bible, and the Torah. Although the basic tale is the same, there are major discrepancies between the narratives, which alter what message one takes away from it. 

In the Quran, the son in question is Ismael (Ismail in the Quran, Ishmael in the Bible, this being a spelling that reflects both), the first-born son, not Isaac as in the Bible. And he was specified as an adult willing participant, not a child, eliminating the issue of “the binding of Isaac”. Ismael is not named in the relatively short narrative, but the story begins with Abraham’s prayer for a righteous son (Quran 37:109), then Allah’s response in the form of a “forbearing” son (37:101) who would be his first, and only son at the time of the “test”. Then, when that son reached the “age of exertion,” meaning maturity, Abraham tells him of a dream in which he saw himself ritually slaughtering him, asking what he thought. Ismael replied that this was Allah’s command to slaughter him, and he, the father, should definitely do what Allah ordered, and for the son’s part, he (Ismael) was willing and able. 

Looking Deeper at Tawheed

Tawheed, the bedrock of Islam, is the immutable truth that Allah is ineffably One. It is not enough to say it is “monotheism” because Christians call themselves monotheists, but insofar as they worship Jesus the son of Mary as a god or “incarnation” or God the Almighty, All-Merciful, no, this is not monotheism and it is a violation of tawheed, sometimes translated “oneness.” The Quran is unequivocal and emphatic about this, quintessentially made clear in Surat Al-Ikhlass. In particular one needs to examine the word Al-Samad.

What Is Reality? The Quran on Truth Vs. What You Want It To Be

These days, with the proliferation of fake news and online influencers who invent entire realities to erase people’s understanding of what is true and what is false, where often the greatest deceivers present themselves as the most sincere truth-tellers, we are as a society in great need of somehow finding our way, our lost sense of reality. From another perspective, 

وَلَا تَلْبِسُوا الْحَقَّ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُوا الْحَقَّ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it].

Surat Al-Baqara 2:42

Fantastic and Meaningful Video Series for Ramadan

The Yaqeen Institute has produced a truly inspiring series of videos discussing the Quran Al-Kareem, called Quran 30, studying each day a different juz’ from the Quran via zoom. No better way to spend Ramadan, especially for English-speakers who want to understand the Arabic Quran but only know a few words in Arabic.