WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.700 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. 00:00:04.700 --> 00:00:07.900 The story of Maryam, daughter of ‘Imran. 00:00:07.900 --> 00:00:12.199 Peace be upon her. 00:00:12.199 --> 00:00:16.800 The beginning of the pregnancy of the wife of ‘Imran with Maryam, peace be upon her. 00:00:16.800 --> 00:00:22.420 The story of Maryam begins 00:00:22.420 --> 00:00:25.620 with her mother, the wife of ‘Imran, becoming pregnant with her. 00:00:25.620 --> 00:00:30.260 The wife of ‘Imran conceived her after having lost hope of bearing children. 00:00:30.260 --> 00:00:33.859 Her husband, ‘Imran, passed away while she was pregnant, 00:00:33.859 --> 00:00:36.719 before she gave birth to Maryam. 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:42.119 The family of ‘Imran are among those whom Allah, the Exalted, chose over all the worlds. 00:00:42.119 --> 00:00:43.920 Allah, the Exalted, says: 00:00:43.920 --> 00:00:52.210 “Lo! Allah preferred Adam and Noah and the Family of Abraham and the Family of 'Imran above (all His) creatures.” (3:33) 00:00:52.210 --> 00:00:55.039 Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:00:55.039 --> 00:01:00.670 Allah informs us that He chose these households over all the people of the earth. 00:01:00.670 --> 00:01:03.469 He chose Adam, peace be upon him, 00:01:03.469 --> 00:01:05.269 creating him with His own hand, 00:01:05.269 --> 00:01:07.469 breathing into him from His spirit, 00:01:07.469 --> 00:01:09.870 commanding the angels to prostrate to him, 00:01:09.870 --> 00:01:12.670 teaching him the names of all things, 00:01:12.670 --> 00:01:14.670 and settling him in Paradise, 00:01:14.670 --> 00:01:19.269 before sending him down from it for a wisdom known to Him. 00:01:19.269 --> 00:01:22.069 He chose Nuh, peace be upon him, 00:01:22.069 --> 00:01:26.269 making him the first messenger sent to the people of the earth, 00:01:26.269 --> 00:01:29.069 when people had begun to worship idols, 00:01:29.069 --> 00:01:33.269 and associated with Allah that for which He had sent down no authority. 00:01:33.269 --> 00:01:38.269 He took vengeance for him after he had spent a long time among his people, 00:01:38.269 --> 00:01:41.469 calling them to Allah by night and by day, 00:01:41.469 --> 00:01:43.469 secretly and openly, 00:01:43.469 --> 00:01:46.870 yet that only increased them in flight. 00:01:46.870 --> 00:01:48.670 So he prayed against them, 00:01:48.670 --> 00:01:51.670 and Allah drowned them to the last one, 00:01:51.670 --> 00:01:57.969 with none saved among them except those who followed him in the religion with which Allah had sent him. 00:01:57.969 --> 00:02:00.370 He chose the family of Ibrahim, 00:02:00.569 --> 00:02:05.370 among whom is the master of mankind and the seal of the prophets absolutely, 00:02:05.370 --> 00:02:08.770 Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. 00:02:08.770 --> 00:02:10.569 And the family of ‘Imran. 00:02:10.569 --> 00:02:12.969 The ‘Imran intended here 00:02:12.969 --> 00:02:15.770 is the father of Maryam, daughter of ‘Imran, 00:02:15.770 --> 00:02:19.530 the mother of ‘Isa ibn Maryam, peace be upon him. 00:02:19.530 --> 00:02:22.330 Abu Zahrah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:02:22.330 --> 00:02:24.129 The meaning of "choosing" (al-istifa’) 00:02:24.129 --> 00:02:26.930 is to seek the elite or the best of everything. 00:02:26.930 --> 00:02:28.930 That is why they said 00:02:28.930 --> 00:02:30.330 that its meaning is 00:02:30.330 --> 00:02:34.020 that He chose them, preferring them over others. 00:02:34.020 --> 00:02:36.219 In the expression of "choosing," 00:02:36.219 --> 00:02:39.020 there is an indication that Adam and Nuh 00:02:39.020 --> 00:02:41.819 “Lo! Allah preferred Adam and Noah and the Family of Abraham and the Family of 'Imran above (all His) creatures.” (3:33) 00:02:41.819 --> 00:02:44.020 are the elite of mankind. 00:02:44.020 --> 00:02:47.419 The use of "over" (ala) in the saying of Allah, the Exalted, 00:02:47.419 --> 00:02:49.219 "over the worlds," 00:02:49.219 --> 00:02:53.819 is an indication of the meaning of preference over other people. 00:02:53.819 --> 00:02:55.819 Thus, they are the elite of mankind, 00:02:55.819 --> 00:02:59.219 and they are preferred over all people. 00:02:59.219 --> 00:03:01.020 The family of Ibrahim 00:03:01.020 --> 00:03:04.020 are the family of Ibrahim and their descendants, 00:03:04.020 --> 00:03:07.219 whether they are those who sought refuge in Makkah, 00:03:07.219 --> 00:03:12.620 among whom was the elite of creation, Muhammad, peace be upon him, 00:03:12.620 --> 00:03:15.419 or those who were in the Holy Land, 00:03:15.419 --> 00:03:18.819 among whom were the prophets who came after. 00:03:18.819 --> 00:03:20.219 The family of ‘Imran 00:03:20.219 --> 00:03:22.419 are the descendants of ‘Imran, 00:03:22.419 --> 00:03:25.020 who is the father of Maryam the Virgin. 00:03:25.020 --> 00:03:27.219 And from the descendants of ‘Imran 00:03:27.219 --> 00:03:30.020 is the Messiah, peace be upon him, 00:03:30.020 --> 00:03:34.020 whom the Lord of the worlds created with a word from Him, 00:03:34.020 --> 00:03:35.659 which is "Be." 00:03:35.659 --> 00:03:38.060 In this lineage, 00:03:38.060 --> 00:03:43.860 there is an indication that creation has never been without a guide to lead it to the truth 00:03:43.860 --> 00:03:47.180 and to a straight path. 00:03:47.180 --> 00:03:49.379 Allah, the Exalted and Most High, 00:03:49.379 --> 00:03:54.379 mentioned the details of the lives of those He chose from these noble households 00:03:54.379 --> 00:03:56.180 so that we may take them as examples, 00:03:56.180 --> 00:04:00.539 and take lessons from their lives for our own. 00:04:00.539 --> 00:04:03.169 Al-Sa‘di, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:04:03.169 --> 00:04:06.969 This indicates that He chose them 00:04:06.969 --> 00:04:10.569 because of what He knew of their conditions that necessitated that, 00:04:10.569 --> 00:04:13.229 out of His grace and generosity. 00:04:13.229 --> 00:04:18.829 Among the benefits and wisdom in His narrating to us the stories of these chosen ones 00:04:18.829 --> 00:04:21.629 is that we should love them and follow their example, 00:04:21.629 --> 00:04:25.430 and ask Allah to grant us success in that which He granted them success, 00:04:25.430 --> 00:04:29.829 and that we should never cease to reproach ourselves for lagging behind them, 00:04:29.829 --> 00:04:35.259 and for our lack of possessing their beautiful qualities and virtues. 00:04:35.259 --> 00:04:40.459 The wife of ‘Imran was from a household that Allah chose over the worlds. 00:04:40.459 --> 00:04:44.459 This is the first merit of Maryam, peace be upon her, 00:04:44.459 --> 00:04:48.459 for she was from the lineage of this house and was raised in it, 00:04:48.459 --> 00:04:51.319 a house of obedience and worship. 00:04:51.319 --> 00:04:58.120 This is a lesson for every mother who strives to raise her offspring in goodness and righteousness: 00:04:58.120 --> 00:05:02.949 to begin establishing her married life upon the obedience of Allah. 00:05:02.949 --> 00:05:05.350 The first step of this foundation 00:05:05.350 --> 00:05:09.149 is the correct choice of the suitor, 00:05:09.149 --> 00:05:16.750 one who meets the specifications mentioned by the Prophet, peace be upon him, for a righteous husband, 00:05:16.750 --> 00:05:20.550 which is in his saying, peace be upon him: 00:05:20.550 --> 00:05:25.750 "If there comes to you one whose character and religion you are pleased with, then marry him; 00:05:25.750 --> 00:05:31.279 if you do not do so, there will be tribulation on earth and great corruption." 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:34.860 Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah. 00:05:34.860 --> 00:05:36.860 Unfortunately, 00:05:36.860 --> 00:05:41.860 some erroneous ideas have spread among the young women of this generation, 00:05:41.860 --> 00:05:44.860 even those among them who possess goodness and righteousness, 00:05:44.860 --> 00:05:51.660 which is that she does not want a man who shows clear adherence to his religion, 00:05:51.660 --> 00:05:55.060 describing him as "extremist." 00:05:55.060 --> 00:05:58.660 She does not want to be deprived of the pleasures of this world, 00:05:58.660 --> 00:06:02.459 because she thinks that this type of man 00:06:02.459 --> 00:06:07.720 will prevent her from attending contemporary entertainment venues and programs. 00:06:07.720 --> 00:06:10.720 She wants to live her life, 00:06:10.720 --> 00:06:13.319 and enjoy this world, 00:06:13.319 --> 00:06:17.579 and she does not want someone to restrict her, as she claims. 00:06:17.579 --> 00:06:22.180 This is the beginning of deviation in married life. 00:06:22.180 --> 00:06:24.379 For such a young woman, 00:06:24.379 --> 00:06:28.980 who carries such erroneous ideas in her head, 00:06:28.980 --> 00:06:33.579 cannot achieve great results from her marriage 00:06:33.579 --> 00:06:37.449 to a man who is as lax as she is in his religion. 00:06:37.449 --> 00:06:40.050 She does not want "extremism," 00:06:40.050 --> 00:06:42.050 and "extremism" to her 00:06:42.050 --> 00:06:45.050 means adhering to the teachings of Islam, 00:06:45.050 --> 00:06:49.649 and weighing everything in life on the scale of the Shari‘ah. 00:06:49.649 --> 00:06:53.050 And because the forbidden things in this era are many, 00:06:53.050 --> 00:06:57.050 she sees that this man refrains from doing them, 00:06:57.050 --> 00:07:00.449 and does not yield to the pressure of reality and society, 00:07:00.449 --> 00:07:03.250 and what the people of desires want, 00:07:03.250 --> 00:07:06.379 so he is an extremist in her view. 00:07:06.379 --> 00:07:08.779 This bitter truth 00:07:08.779 --> 00:07:11.379 is not realized by the young woman, unfortunately, 00:07:11.379 --> 00:07:13.980 until it is too late, 00:07:13.980 --> 00:07:18.509 unless Allah wills otherwise for her. 00:07:18.509 --> 00:07:20.709 The wife of ‘Imran became pregnant 00:07:20.709 --> 00:07:24.509 after her pregnancy had been delayed and she longed for a child. 00:07:24.509 --> 00:07:27.110 So, as part of her gratitude to Allah, the Almighty, 00:07:27.110 --> 00:07:28.910 for this pregnancy, 00:07:28.910 --> 00:07:32.709 she vowed what was in her womb to Allah, the Almighty, 00:07:32.709 --> 00:07:36.910 to be devoted to His worship and the service of Bayt al-Maqdis. 00:07:36.910 --> 00:07:38.509 So she said: 00:07:38.509 --> 00:07:42.910 “(Remember) when the wife of 'Imran said: My Lord! I have vowed unto Thee that which is in my belly as a consecrated (offering). Accept it from me. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Hearer, the Knower!” (3:35) 00:07:42.910 --> 00:07:48.600 “(Remember) when the wife of 'Imran said: My Lord! I have vowed unto Thee that which is in my belly as a consecrated (offering). Accept it from me. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Hearer, the Knower!” (3:35) 00:07:48.600 --> 00:07:51.800 Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:07:51.800 --> 00:07:53.199 Its meaning is: 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:55.800 "I have made a vow to You, O Lord, 00:07:55.800 --> 00:08:00.199 that the one in my womb is for You, dedicated to Your worship." 00:08:00.199 --> 00:08:02.000 He means by that: 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:06.399 "I have confined him to Your service and the service of Your sanctuary in the temple, 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:10.199 freed from the service of everything other than You, 00:08:10.199 --> 00:08:13.329 devoted exclusively to You." 00:08:13.329 --> 00:08:16.329 And Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:08:16.329 --> 00:08:19.129 "She vowed that he would be dedicated," 00:08:19.129 --> 00:08:21.730 meaning pure and devoted to worship 00:08:21.730 --> 00:08:24.759 and to the service of Bayt al-Maqdis. 00:08:24.759 --> 00:08:27.959 In this is a lesson for every ambitious woman 00:08:27.959 --> 00:08:30.360 regarding the righteousness of her offspring: 00:08:30.360 --> 00:08:33.559 to begin her pregnancy with a righteous intention 00:08:33.559 --> 00:08:36.960 and a righteous prayer for her offspring, 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:41.960 just as the Prophet of Allah, Sulayman, peace be upon him, did. 00:08:41.960 --> 00:08:45.559 He intended to have relations with ninety wives, 00:08:45.559 --> 00:08:50.559 with the intention that they would bear horsemen who would fight in the cause of Allah. 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:54.159 For it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: 00:08:54.159 --> 00:08:58.159 The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: 00:08:58.159 --> 00:08:59.960 "Sulayman said: 00:08:59.960 --> 00:09:03.759 'I will surely go around to ninety wives tonight, 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:08.590 each of whom will bring forth a horseman who will fight in the cause of Allah.' 00:09:08.590 --> 00:09:12.389 His companion said to him: 'Say: If Allah wills.' 00:09:12.389 --> 00:09:15.190 But he did not say: 'If Allah wills.' 00:09:15.190 --> 00:09:17.590 So he went around to all of them, 00:09:17.590 --> 00:09:21.389 and none of them became pregnant except for one woman, 00:09:21.389 --> 00:09:23.789 who brought forth half a human being. 00:09:23.789 --> 00:09:26.990 By Him in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, 00:09:26.990 --> 00:09:29.389 if he had said: 'If Allah wills,' 00:09:29.389 --> 00:09:33.789 they would have all fought in the cause of Allah as horsemen." 00:09:33.789 --> 00:09:36.090 Narrated by al-Bukhari. 00:09:36.090 --> 00:09:38.289 So what is your intention for your pregnancy? 00:09:38.289 --> 00:09:41.090 And what is your ambition for your offspring? 00:09:41.090 --> 00:09:46.690 Is this intention and ambition limited only to the worldly life of the newborn, 00:09:46.690 --> 00:09:49.889 or is it primarily for their Hereafter, 00:09:49.889 --> 00:09:53.220 with the worldly life following as a consequence? 00:09:53.220 --> 00:09:56.710 Reflect on this, please, carefully. 00:09:56.710 --> 00:09:58.710 The mother of the wife of ‘Imran 00:09:58.710 --> 00:10:05.909 vowed that her newborn would be dedicated to the worship of Allah and the service of Bayt al-Maqdis. 00:10:05.909 --> 00:10:12.230 Do you have an intention for a newborn who will liberate Bayt al-Maqdis from the filth of the Jews? 00:10:12.230 --> 00:10:15.629 We will continue in a future meeting, if Allah wills. 00:10:15.629 --> 00:10:18.429 And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.