Sūrah Maryam مريم, Arabic cognate of 'Mary') is the 19th Sūrah (chapter) of the Qur'an with 98 verses (āyāt), part of the Juzʼ 16. Composed in 6 Rukus, it has one Prostration (Sajdah) which appears in āyāt 58. It was revealed during the period of stay Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم in Makkan.
It’s named after Maryam (Mary), the mother of Prophet ʿĪsā (Jesus) عليه السلام, and is one of the few surahs named after a person. It’s deeply focused on the mercy of Allah, His power to create, and His ability to give life in miraculous ways.
Before we share some of the selected āyāt / verses from Sūrah Maryam, let us have a overview of the Sūrah for a quick insight into Sūrah Maryam:
The Hallmark of this Sūrah is the Miraculous Birth of Prophet ʿĪsā (Jesus) عليه السلام
Maryam bint Imran (Arabic: مَرْيَم بِنْت عِمْرَان) holds a singularly exalted place in Islam. The Qur'an refers to her seventy times and explicitly identifies her as the greatest woman to have ever lived. Moreover, she is the only woman named in the Quran.n the Quran, her story is related in three Meccan surahs (19, 21, 23) and four Medinan surahs (3, 4, 5, 66). The nineteenth Surah, Maryam, is named after her.
Sūrah Maryam explicitly narrates the miraculous birth of ʿĪsā عليه السلام without a father. The birth of is described in āyāt / verses 16–36 as under:
- Maryam’s seclusion and worship
- The visit of Angel Jibrīl عليه السلام in human form
- The glad tidings of a pure son
- Her astonishment: “How can I have a son when no man has touched me?” (v.20)
- Allah’s decree: “It is easy for Me.” (v.21)
- ʿĪsā’s birth under a palm tree, with miraculous provision of dates and water
- The infant Jesus speaking in the cradle, declaring his prophethood and affirming Tawḥīd (v.30–33)
Major Theme
The surah revolves around Allah’s mercy and power displayed through the lives of His chosen servants.
Main Themes
- Power of Allah over Life and Creation
- Birth of Yahyā (John) عليه السلام to elderly, barren parents (v.1–15)
- Birth of ʿĪsā عليه السلام without a father (v.16–36)
- Reminder of resurrection and afterlife (v.66–98)
- True Servitude to Allah
- Prophets Zakariyyā, Ibrāhīm, Mūsā, Ismāʿīl, and Idrīs عليهم السلام are mentioned as role models of obedience and humility.
- Warning Against Shirk
- Rejection of the idea that Allah has a son (v.88–95)
- Clarification that ʿĪsā is a servant and prophet, not divine.
- Consolation to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
- Allah reassures him that the truth will prevail despite rejection.
Main Subjects
Here’s a short structure of Surah Maryam:
- 1–15 Birth of Yahyā عليه السلام to Zakariyyā عليه السلام
- 16–36 Birth of ʿĪsā عليه السلام to Maryam عليها السلام
- 37–40 Disputes about ʿĪsā عليه السلام and warning to disbelievers
- 41–50 Story of Ibrāhīm عليه السلام with his father
- 51–53 Mention of Mūsā and Hārūn عليهما السلام
- 54–55 Mention of Ismāʿīl عليه السلام
- 56–57 Mention of Idrīs عليه السلام
- 58–65 Prophets as examples; call to pure worship
- 66–98 Refutation of disbelief in resurrection; warnings and glad tidings
We have already published a post exclusively on Maryam (Mary) which can be accessed from the link given below:
Lessons We Learn
- Allah’s power is limitless — He grants children to the barren, elderly, and even to a virgin.
- Prophets are humble servants — their greatness comes from obedience, not from divine status.
- True honor is in faith and worship — wealth and lineage mean nothing before Allah.
- Shirk is the gravest sin — attributing a son to Allah is strongly condemned.
- Patience in Dawah — Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is reassured that rejection is part of the prophetic path.
- Compassion in family ties — Ibrāhīm عليه السلام speaks kindly even when his father rejects him.
- Preparation for the Hereafter — this life is temporary; resurrection is certain.
We have already shared the Overview and the Tafseer / Exegesis of the Surah which can be read from links given below:
Herein under are some of the selected verses from this Sūrah already posted by us:
In time we will add more selected verses from Sūrah 19. Maryam مريم (Mary).
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
You may also refer to our exclusive reference page: Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.
For more Selected Subjects, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects and our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. .
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.
In addition, other sources which have been explored and views of other scholars have been incorporated while explaining meaning of a verse. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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