Al-Qur'an Surah At-Tahrim Verse 12

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And (Allah has also cited the example of) Maryam, daughter of ‘Imrān who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her Our spirit, and she testified to the truth of the words of her Lord and His books, and she was one of the devout.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹There is˺ also ˹the example of˺ Mary, the daughter of ’Imrân, who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her ˹womb˺ through Our angel ˹Gabriel˺.[[ Gabriel breathed into the sleeves of Mary’s garment so she conceived Jesus (ﷺ). ]] She testified to the words of her Lord and His Scriptures, and was one of the ˹sincerely˺ devout.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Also [the example of] Mary, daughter of ‘Imrān who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her through Our angel [Gabriel], and she firmly believed in the words of her Lord and His Scriptures, and was one of the obedient.

A. J. Arberry

And Mary, Imran's daughter, who guarded her virginity, so We breathed into her of Our Spirit, and she confirmed the Words of her Lord and His Books, and became one of the obedient.

Abdul Haleem

and Mary, daughter of Imran. She guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her from Our spirit. She accepted the truth of her Lord’s words and Scriptures: she was truly devout.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And the similitude of Maryram daughter of lmran, who preserved her chastity, wherefore We breathed in it Of Our Spirit. And she testified to the words of her Lord and His Books and she was of the devout.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And Mary the daughter of 'Imran, who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; and she testified to the truth of the words of her Lord and of His Revelations, and was one of the devout (servants).

Abul Ala Maududi

Allah has also set forth the parable of Mary, the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity, and into whom We breathed of Our Spirit, and who testified to the words of her Lord and His Books. She was among the obedient.

Ahmed Ali

And of Mary, daughter of 'Imran, who guarded her chastity, so that We breathed into her a new life from Us, and she believed the words of her Lord and His Books, and was among the obedient.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And the example of Maryam the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity – We therefore breathed into her a Spirit from Ourselves – and she testified for the Words of her Lord and His Books, and was among the obedient.

Ali Quli Qarai

And Mary, daughter of Imran, who guarded the chastity of her womb, so We breathed into it of Our spirit. She confirmed the words of her Lord and His Books, and she was one of the obedient.

Ali Ünal

And also Mary, the daughter of ‘Imran, who kept herself chaste (body and soul), so We breathed into it out of Our Spirit, and who affirmed the truth of the words of her Lord (His Revelations – commandments, promises and warnings – to His Messengers), and His Books, and she was of those devoutly obedient to God.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And Allâh (next compares the believers to) Mary, the daughter of Amrân, she who took care to guard her chastity, so we breathed into him (the believer who is exemplified here) Our inspiration, while she declared her faith in the revelations of her Lord and His Scriptures and she became of the devoted ones to prayers and obedient to Him.

English Literal

And Mary Amran`s daughter who remained chaste (protected) her genital parts between her legs, so We blew in it from Our Soul/Spirit , and she confirmed/was truthful with her Lord`s words/expressions, and His Books , and she was from the worshipping humbly 427

Faridul Haque

And the example of Maryam the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity - We therefore breathed into her a Spirit from Ourselves – and she testified for the Words of her Lord and His Books, and was among the obedient.

Hamid S. Aziz

And Mary, the daughter of Imran, whose body was chaste (or who guarded her chastity), so We breathed into her of Our Spirit and she testified the truth of the Words of her Lord and His revelations, and she was of the obedient.

Hilali & Khan

And Maryam (Mary), the daughter of 'Imran who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (the sleeve of her shirt or her garment) through Our Ruh [i.e. Jibrael (Gabriel)], and she testified to the truth of the Words of her Lord [i.e. believed in the Words of Allah: "Be!" and he was; that is 'Iesa (Jesus) - son of Maryam (Mary); as a Messenger of Allah], and (also believed in) His Scriptures, and she was of the Qanitin (i.e. obedient to Allah).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Who created death and life that He might try you -- which of you is best in deeds. And He is the Mighty, the Forgiving,

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And Marium, the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her of Our inspiration and she accepted the truth of the words of her Lord and His books, and she was of, the obedient ones.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And Mary, daughter of 'Imran, whose body was chaste, therefor We breathed therein something of Our Spirit. And she put faith in the words of her Lord and His scriptures, and was of the obedient.

Muhammad Sarwar

He has also told, as a parable, the story of Mary, daughter of Imran who preserved her virginity and (into whose womb) We breathed Our spirit. She made the words of her Lord and the predictions in His Books come true. She was an obedient woman.

Qaribullah & Darwish

And, Mary, 'Imran's daughter, who guarded her chastity so We breathed into her of Our Spirit (Gabriel); and she put her trust in the Words of her Lord andHis Books, and was among the devout.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And Maryam, the daughter of `Imran who guarded her chastity (private part). And We breathed into it through Our Ruh, and she testified to the truth of her Lords Kalimat, and His Kutub, and she was of the Qanitin.

Wahiduddin Khan

[God gave another example in the story of] Mary, 'Imran's daughter, who preserved her chastity and We breathed Our spirit into her; she testified to the words of her Lord and His Scriptures, and was truly devout.

Talal Itani

And Mary, the daughter of Imran, who guarded her womb, and so We breathed into her of Our Spirit; and she believed in the truth of her Lord’s Words and His Books, and was one of the devout.

Tafsir jalalayn

And Mary (wa-Maryama is a supplement to imra'ata Fir`awna) daughter of `Imrn, who preserved [the chastity of] her womb, so We breathed into it of Our Spirit, namely, Gabriel -- when he breathed into the opening of her shirt, by God's creation of this action of his which reached her womb, thus conceiving Jesus -- and she confirmed the words of her Lord, His prescriptions, and His, revealed, Scriptures and she was of the obedient, [one] of the obedient folk. Meccan, consisting of 30 verses.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَمَرْيَمَ ابْنَتَ عِمْرَانَ الَّتِي أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا


And Maryam, the daughter of Imran who guarded her chastity (private part).

meaning, who protected and purified her honor, by being chaste and free of immorality,

فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِنَا

And We breathed into it (private part) through Our Ruh,

meaning, through the angel Jibril.

Allah sent the angel Jibril to Maryam, and he came to her in the shape of a man in every respect. Allah commanded him to blow into a gap of her garment and that breath went into her womb through her private part; this is how `Isa was conceived.

This is why Allah said here,

فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِنَا

وَصَدَّقَتْ بِكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّهَا وَكُتُبِهِ

And We breathed into it through Our Ruh, and she testified to the truth of her Lords Kalimat, and His Kutub,

meaning His decree and His legislation.

وَكَانَتْ مِنَ الْقَانِتِينَ




and she was of the Qanitin.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Abbas said,

"The Messenger of Allah drew four lines on the ground and said,

أَتَدْرُونَ مَا هَذَا

Do you know what these lines represent?

They said, `Allah and His Messenger know best.'

He said,

أَفْضَلُ نِسَاءِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ خَدِيجَةُ بِنْتُ خُوَيْلِدٍ وَفَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمَرْيَمُ ابْنَةُ عِمْرَانَ وَاسِيَةُ بِنْتُ مُزَاحِمٍ امْرَأَةُ فِرْعَوْن

The best among the women of Paradise are

- Khadijah bint Khuwaylid,

- Fatimah bint Muhammad,

- Maryam bint `Imran and

- Asiyah bint Muzahim, wife of Fir`awn.

It is confirmed in the Two Sahihs from Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari that the Messenger of Allah said,

كَمُلَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ كَثِيرٌ وَلَمْ يَكْمُلْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ إِلاَّ اسِيَةُ امْرَأَةُ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَرْيَمُ ابْنَةُ عِمْرَانَ وَخَدِيجَةُ بِنْتُ خُوَيْلِدٍ وَإِنَّ فَضْلَ عَايِشَةَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ كَفَضْلِ الثَّرِيدِ عَلَى سَايِرِ الطَّعَام

Many men have reached the level of perfection, but none among women have reached this level except

- Asiyah -- Fir`awn's wife,

- Maryam--the daughter of `Imran, and

- Khadijah--the daughter of Khuwaylid.

And no doubt, the superiority of `A'ishah to other women is like the superiority of Tharid to other meals.

In my book, Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah, I have mentioned these Hadiths using their various chains of narration in relating the story of Prophet `sa and his mother Maryam, peace be upon them, all praise be to Allah.

This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah At-Tahrim, all thanks and praise are due to Allah