The Miracle of Creation

The Story of Al 'Umran
'Umran Became a very old man, but Allah did not give him a child.
His wife, Hanna, was barren. She wished that Allah had given her a child.
Allah, the Glorified, inspired 'Umran: "I will give you a blessed child." Thus, 'Umran rejoiced at that and gave good news to his wife, saying: "Allah has accepted our prayers, and He will give us a blessed child."
The good woman, Hanna, rejoiced when she became pregnant.
One morning she went to the temple and vowed to Allah, saying: "My Lord, I vow to You that what is in my womb is devoted (to Your service); therefore accept (it) from me, surely You are the Hearing, the Knowing."

The Vow
Zakariya, the Prophet (A.S.), was in the temple. He rejoiced when he heard of that, saying: "Allah has power over all things; He gives whomever He wills."
He entered the mihrab and prayed to Allah, and then he went to his shop in the market.
Days, weeks, and months passed, 'Umran died before he saw the child's face. Hanna thought that Allah would give her a boy-baby, so she was surprised when she gave birth to a pretty girl-baby.
How did Hanna fulfill her vow? Was it possible for the girl to serve in the temple?
Hanna looked at the sky and said: "My Lord, I have given birth to a female, and the male is not like the female!"
Allah, the Glorified, inspired her that the girl would occupy an important position, and that she would serve the mihrab and temple. So Hanna said humbly: "I have called it Maryam, and I ask You to protect her and her children from the cursed Satan."
Hanna, the good woman, named her daughter Maryam, namely the worshipper or the servant of the temple.
Maryam grew up and it was time for her to go to the temple to serve Allah.
Who looked after Maryam? All the fortune-tellers wanted to take care of her, for she was the daughter of 'Umran, the good man, and the daughter of Hanna, the pious woman.
All the fortune-tellers agreed on drawing lots, and the lot came to Zakariya (A.S.).
Zakariya was a pious person. He loved Maryam, for he thought that she would be good and blessed.
Zakariya, Maryam's uncle, looked after Maryam and brought her up.

The Virgin
Maryam lived in small room in the highest story of the Sacred House; she isolated herself from the world.
No one entered her room except Zakariya.
Maryam grew up in her isolation; She was like a pure dew drop, a sun behind clouds, and a bright moon,"
Maryam grew up; she was like a wet rose or a violet flower. Her scent traveled in space, but nobody saw her.

Ripe Dates in Winter
On a cold winter day, Zakariya climbed the ladder to go to the Maryam's room. He wanted to carry food, which was some crumbs of bread and some yogurt, to Maryam.
Zakariya heard a voice like the murmur of brooks. There was no one except Maryam, who prayed to her Lord, Who chose and purified her.
Zakariya entered the room quietly. He saw a wonderful thing. He saw a plate full of ripe dates. The dates filled the room with their scent.
Zakariya was astonished to see that, so he asked Maryam: "From where have you brought these ripe dates?"
Maryam answered and her angelic face blazed with humbleness: "They are from Allah, surely Allah gives without reckoning!"
Zakariya's soul became filled with faith, and he talked to himself: "Allah gives the believer summer fruit in the middle of winter!"
Days passed and the summer came. On a summer day Zakariya came to Maryam; he saw her prostrating herself to Allah and saw a plate full of oranges, so he admired that young lady, who had a great position with Allah.
Allah, the Glorified, honored Maryam; He gave her without reckoning. She found her food in her room, for she devoted herself to Allah. She did not leave her room on any condition, for she wanted to fulfill her mother's vow.

Zakariya prayed to his Lord
Zakariya talked to himself: "Allah, the Glorified, has honored Maryam; He give her summer fruit in winter, and winter fruit in summer. Indeed Allah has power over all things; He gives whomever He wills without reckoning."
Zakariya, the good old man stood to pray to Allah humbly, saying: "My Lord, give me good children!"
Suddenly, the mihrab was full of heavenly light. Zakariya heard the angel saying to him: "Zakariya surely We give you good news of a boy whose name shall be Yahya. We have not made before anyone his equal."
Zakariya's wish became true.Zakariya wished that he had a boy like Maryam in purity, truthfulness, and faith.
However, Zakariya asked th angel: "How shall I have a boy when my wife is barren and I myself have become very old?"
The angel replied: "So shall it be; your Lord says: It is easy for me."
Then Zakariya asked the angel: "How will I know that Allah has given me Yahya?"
The angel answered: "The sign for that is that you will be unable to speak for three nights."
The evening came and it got dark. Zakariya felt that his tongue was as dried as wood; he was unable to speak, so he prostrated himself to Allah, the Glorified.
Allah, the Glorified, gave Zakariya a boy who would be of great importance.Zakariya went out of the mihrab; he wanted to preach to people; he wanted to say to them: "Do not forget Allah. Prostrate yourselves to Him. Mention His name frequently."
Zakariya was unable to speak, so he pointed to the sky. He wanted to say: "Children of Israel, Allah, the Glorified, watches you. My people, glorify Allah and mention His name."
Three nights passed, but Zakariya was unable to speak. On the fourth day, he said to his wife, Ilisabat: "Allah, the Glorified, has given me good news of a boy whose name is Yahya."
The good woman said: "Oh! Yahya! What a wonderful name!" Then she asked Zakariya: "How will I give birth to a boy-baby while I am barren?"
Zakariya replied: "Allah has power over all things. He, the Glorified, has power over the laws of creation. He has power over the sky and the earth. He created our father Adam from earth.

The Miracle
The Jews of that time were stubborn. They believed in magic; some traded in gold. However, they all loved money more than anything else.
They frequently deviated from Musa's teachings.
For this reason, Allah, The Glorified, wanted to wake them from their heedlessness, so he gave Zakariya a boy. Zakariya's barren wife became pregnant and gave birth to a boy-baby whose face balzed with faith and love. Hanna gave birth to a girl-baby whose name was Maryam.
Allah, the Glorified, promised 'Umran that He would give him a child, but 'Umran had died before he saw his daughter Maryam.
Allah, the Glorified, purified Maryam to make her a sign for people, and He made her another sign.

The Good News
Maryam worshipped Allah in her isolation. Her face blazed with light. Her pure heart traveled through the stars and the skies.
The young lady was as bright as a morning dewdrop.
Her heart was bright and her soul was pure. She was about to fly high in worlds full of light.
Maryam isolated herself from the world. There was nothing between her and the world except a small window overlooking the blue horizon touching the green hills.
Suddenly her room became filled with light. In the middle of the light, she saw a young man. She was afraid of the young man, so she said to him: "I seek refuge with Allah from you if you are pious!"
The young man explained: "Maryam, don't be afraid. "I am only a messenger of your Lord, so that I may give you a pure boy.'"
Bowing her head out of bashfulness, Maryam asked the young man: "How will I give brith to a baby-boy while I am not married?"
Maryam was a miracle, and she became the mother of a miracle when she gave birth to a baby-boy while she was still virgin.
The angel said: "Your Lord says: It is easy for Me; We will make him a sign to men and a mercy from Us, and it is decreed matter."
Then the angel walked toward Maryam and blew into her shirt, so Maryam felt that a great soul entered her body.
The angel disappeared. Maryam understood that she would face difficult days, and that she would shoulder a great responsibility.
She bore the Spirit and Word of Allah in her body, but she was anxious because no one would believe her blessed baby-boy, so she asked herself: "How will the people belive that a baby is born without a father?"
One lovely morning, Maryam went to the near-by hills. She was anxious, but her faith in Allah strengthen her determination and will.
Maryam was so tired that she sat by the trunk. She felt the severe pain of childbirth, so she said: "Oh, would that I had died before this, and had a thing quite forgotten!"
Maryam heard the baby saying to her: "Mother, do not grieve. Allah has created a brook for you, so drink from it, and shake the trunk of the date-palm and it will drop on you fresh ripe dates. So eat and drink and refresh the eye."
Maryam became calm, but she asked her baby: "My little son, what about the people? What will say to them, Spirit of Allah?"
"Isa, the miracle, was born without father to be a sign and mercy to people.
The pure baby smiled at his mother. His mother put him on her lap, and then she carried him and went to her people.
Maryam descended from the hills and went to the temple. The people saw a wonderful sight. They saw Maryam carrying a baby and going to her room. One person said: "Oh, look! That is Maryam, daughter of 'Umran, carrying a baby!"
Another person asked: "What? What? How? Where is she?"
The first person replied: "That is Maryam going to her room in the temple!"
The moving news spread everywhere, so everyone talked about it.
Everyone wondered, but the believers kept silent. As for the bad people, they said obscene words.
Zakariya and the fortune-tellers heard of the rumors, so they went to the temple to see Maryam.
He said: "I am the Servant of Allah."
While Maryam was praying and 'Isa was sleeping in the cradle, Zakariya and the fortune-tellers entered the room.
One of the fortune-tellers said to Maryam rudely: "Maryam, you have done a strange thing!"
Another said: "Harun's sister, your father was not a bad man, nor was your mother an unchaste woman!"
Maryam stood up looking at her people and her face blazed with heavenly light. She said nothing, but she pointed with her finger to the baby.
The people wondered and said: "How will we speak to the one who is a child in the cradle?"
While the people were looking at the baby with astonishment, the miracle occurred. The baby answered them, saying: "I am the servant of Allah; He has given me the Book and made me a prophet. Allah is my and your Lord, so serve Him.
"Allah has made me blessed; he has ordered me to pray and pay the poor-rate as long as I live.
"He has ordered me to be kind to my mother, and He has not made me insolent. unblessed.
"So peace be on me on the day I was born, on the day I am raised from the dead!"
When Zakariya heard these words, he believed in 'Isa, son of Maryam, and prostrated himself to Allah, the Glorified.
Some people believed in this miracle; some disbelieved in it.

The Sacred House
Allah, the Glorified, promised Zakariya to give him a boy. The miracle occurred when Yahya was born while his mother was barren. Allah created 'Isa without a father, so He was able to give a baby to the barren woman. Thus, Zakariya rejoiced at the baby.
Yahya was born; he was a believing, pure child. He loved Allah, and Allah loved him. Zakariya's family was noble.The father was righteous, the mother was believing, and the child was kind to his parents and people.
'Isa was born in that society. His birth was a miracle and proof of Allah's power over all things.
Yahya's birth was a miracle and proof of Allah's power over all things.
They both were two proofs of Allah's power over all things. So what happened when they became youn men.