Imran (father of Mary)
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- This article refers to the father of Mary. For other uses of the word Imran, see Imran (disambiguation)
In Islam, Imran is the father of Mary and the grandfather of Jesus. Some believe that the Qur'an states that she descended from the Imran family, a very rich and respected family in Arabia. Imran and his unnamed wife desired a child but could not as she was barren. Imran prayed for a male child, one whom he could dedicate to the temple in Jerusalem. His prayer was answered, his wife became pregnant-but with a female child, Mary. Her parents then devoted her to a life of piety in honor of God's miracle, to be raised by her uncle Zakariya. His tomb is allegedly located in the al-Quaf district of the Omani town of Salalah.
Imran's narration is makes up part of Sūrat Ãl-Imrān, literally "The chapter of the family of Imrān".
| “ | (Remember) when the wife of Imrān said: "O my Rabb (Lord)! I have vowed to You what (the child that) is in my womb to be dedicated for Your services (free from all worldly work; to serve Your place of worship), so accept this from me. Verily, You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knowing." Then when she gave birth to her child, she said: "O my Rabb! I have given birth to a female child," - and Allah knew best what she brought forth - "And the male is not like the female, and I have named her Maryam (Mary), and I seek refuge with You for her and for her offspring from Shaitan (Satan), the outcast." So her Rabb accepted her with goodly acceptance. He made her grow in purity and beauty and put her under the care of Zakariyya (Zacharia). Every time he entered Al-Mihrāb (her private room) to visit her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: "O Maryam! From where have you got this?" She said, "This is from Allāh." Verily, Allāh provides sustenance to whom He wills, without limit. 3.35-37 | ” |
Had she bore a son she would have named him "Abdullah" (the servant of Allah), but she bore a daughter, so she named her "Maryam" (the maidservant of Allah).
[edit] Controversy
"Imran" is also the name attributed by the Qur'an to the father of Moses. This has led to some considering whether the Qur'an considers each Imran as the same person or two different people. The confusion comes because both Miriam, the prophetess and sister of Moses in the Bible, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, have the same translation into Arabic. The Qur'an may consider them the same person and call Imran the father of Mary because Imran is Mary's ancestor, the similarity of the name of Mary and Miriam might have also indicate more connection, which might imply that Jesus was also directly descended from the Levi tribe, which traditionally have been the priestic tribe.
[edit] See also
- Joachim, the Christian conception of Mary's father
[edit] References
- Interpretations and Meanings of the Noble Qur'ān in the English language. Dar-us-Salaam publications.
