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Mary, Sister of Aaron: Difference between revisions
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{{Quote|{{Quran-range|3|35|36}}|[Mention, O Muhammad], '''when the wife of 'Imran said ''', "My Lord, indeed I have pledged to You '''what is in my womb ''', consecrated [for Your service], so accept this from me. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing."<br>But when she delivered her, she said, "My Lord, I have delivered a female." And Allah was most knowing of what she delivered, "And the male is not like the female. '''And I have named her Mary ''', and I seek refuge for her in You and [for] her descendants from Satan, the expelled [from the mercy of Allah]." | {{Quote|{{Quran-range|3|35|36}}|[Mention, O Muhammad], '''when the wife of 'Imran said ''', "My Lord, indeed I have pledged to You '''what is in my womb ''', consecrated [for Your service], so accept this from me. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing."<br>But when she delivered her, she said, "My Lord, I have delivered a female." And Allah was most knowing of what she delivered, "And the male is not like the female. '''And I have named her Mary ''', and I seek refuge for her in You and [for] her descendants from Satan, the expelled [from the mercy of Allah]." | ||
}}The Quran mentions prominent families:{{Quote|{{Quran|3|33}}|Indeed, Allah chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of 'Imran over the worlds -}} | }}The Quran mentions prominent families:{{Quote|{{Quran|3|33}}|Indeed, Allah chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of 'Imran over the worlds -}} | ||
==The | ==The Basis of the Confusion== | ||
The confusion shows itself in two ways: Calling Mary the sister of Aaron and calling her the daughter of | The confusion shows itself in two ways: Calling Mary the sister of Aaron and calling her the daughter of 'Imran. This makes the confusion mistake the most obvious and the simplest explanation: Since that Miriam and Mary are called the same name in Arabic "Maryam”, the author of the Quran confused Mary the mother of Jesus with Miriam the sister of Aaron and the daughter of Imran. | ||
And since that the confusion is showing itself in two ways, this makes any apologetic attempt almost impossible to be convincing since that one not only needs to explain why Mary was called the sister of Aaron, but also needs to explain why she was called the daughter of Imran. | And since that the confusion is showing itself in two ways, this makes any apologetic attempt almost impossible to be convincing since that one not only needs to explain why Mary was called the sister of Aaron, but also needs to explain why she was called the daughter of Imran. | ||
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Apologetic explanations focus on why Mary was called the sister of Aaron. But not much is said about why she was called the daughter of Imran since that the solution to this issue is straightforward from an Islamic perspective: The bible is a corrupted book and not everything in it is true. So when the Quran says that Mary’s father’s name is Imran then that is his true name despite what the bible or Christian sources says. The works of Muslim historians clearly show that they consider Imran, the father of Mary, to be a different person than Imran the father of Aaron and Moses. The earliest mention of Mary’s lineage and Aaron’s linage in Islamic sources goes back to Ibn Ishaq (d.768 AD) who says that Mary is the daughter of Imran the son of yashhim. While he says that the father of Moses and Aaron was Imran the son of Yashar.{{Quote|1=[https://al-maktaba.org/book/9783/383 History of Al-Tabari, vol1. p.358]<BR>تاريخ الطبري، دار التراث، ج1 ص385|2=فولدت له يصهر بن قاهث فتزوج يصهر شميث ابنه بناديت بن بركيا ابن يقسان بن إبراهيم فولدت له عمران بن يصهر، وقارون بن يصهر، فنكح عمران يحيب ابنة شمويل بن بركيا بن يقسان بن إبراهيم فولدت له هارون بن عمران وموسى بن عمران}} | Apologetic explanations focus on why Mary was called the sister of Aaron. But not much is said about why she was called the daughter of Imran since that the solution to this issue is straightforward from an Islamic perspective: The bible is a corrupted book and not everything in it is true. So when the Quran says that Mary’s father’s name is Imran then that is his true name despite what the bible or Christian sources says. The works of Muslim historians clearly show that they consider Imran, the father of Mary, to be a different person than Imran the father of Aaron and Moses. The earliest mention of Mary’s lineage and Aaron’s linage in Islamic sources goes back to Ibn Ishaq (d.768 AD) who says that Mary is the daughter of Imran the son of yashhim. While he says that the father of Moses and Aaron was Imran the son of Yashar.{{Quote|1=[https://al-maktaba.org/book/9783/383 History of Al-Tabari, vol1. p.358]<BR>تاريخ الطبري، دار التراث، ج1 ص385|2=فولدت له يصهر بن قاهث فتزوج يصهر شميث ابنه بناديت بن بركيا ابن يقسان بن إبراهيم فولدت له عمران بن يصهر، وقارون بن يصهر، فنكح عمران يحيب ابنة شمويل بن بركيا بن يقسان بن إبراهيم فولدت له هارون بن عمران وموسى بن عمران}} | ||
{{Quote|1=[https://al-maktaba.org/book/9783/383 History of Al-Tabari, vol1. p.586]<BR>تاريخ الطبري، دار التراث، ج1 ص586|2=وأما ابن حميد، فإنه حَدَّثَنَا عن سلمة، عَنِ ابْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، أنه قَالَ | {{Quote|1=[https://al-maktaba.org/book/9783/383 History of Al-Tabari, vol1. p.586]<BR>تاريخ الطبري، دار التراث، ج1 ص586|2=وأما ابن حميد، فإنه حَدَّثَنَا عن سلمة، عَنِ ابْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، أنه قَالَ | ||
مريم- فيما بلغني عن نسبها- ابنة عمران بن ياشهم بن أمون}} | مريم- فيما بلغني عن نسبها- ابنة عمران بن ياشهم بن أمون | ||
This Islamic take on Mary’s father hugely undermines the apologetic attempts trying to explain why she was called the sister of Aaron because | |||
As for Ibn Hamid, it was told to us by Salma, by Ishaq, that he said Maryam, according to what has reached me over lineage, was the daughter of 'Imran the son of Yashhim son of Amun.}} | |||
This Islamic take on Mary’s father hugely undermines the apologetic attempts trying to explain why she was called the sister of Aaron because of a big assumption being made: that the Christian sources mistook the name of Mary’s father. Futhermore it presupposes that out of sheer coincidence, Mary’s father’s name is the same as the name of the father of Miriam the sister of Moses and Aaron. | |||
'''Mary the sister of Aaron:''' | '''Mary the sister of Aaron:''' | ||
The error in calling Mary a sister of Aaron was noticed very early on that there’s a Hadith attributed to Muhammad explaining this error. This Hadith is most likely a fabrication by early Muslims to resolve the error. The Hadith says as recorded in Sahih Muslim:{{Quote|{{Muslim|25|5326}}| Mughira b. Shu'ba reported: | The apparent error in calling Mary a sister of Aaron was noticed very early on that there’s a Hadith attributed to Muhammad explaining this error. This Hadith is most likely a fabrication by early Muslims to resolve the error. The Hadith says as recorded in Sahih Muslim:{{Quote|{{Muslim|25|5326}}| Mughira b. Shu'ba reported: | ||
When I came to Najran, they (the Christians of Najran) asked me: You read "O sister of Harun" (i. e. Hadrat Maryam) in the Qur'an, whereas Moses was born much before Jesus. When I came back to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) I asked him about that, whereupon he said: The (people of the old age) used to give names (to their persons) after the names of Apostles and pious persons who had gone before them.}} | When I came to Najran, they (the Christians of Najran) asked me: You read "O sister of Harun" (i. e. Hadrat Maryam) in the Qur'an, whereas Moses was born much before Jesus. When I came back to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) I asked him about that, whereupon he said: The (people of the old age) used to give names (to their persons) after the names of Apostles and pious persons who had gone before them.}} | ||
Al-Shanqiti (d.1974), a modern Quran interpreter, listed the previous Hadith and said:{{Quote|1=[https://al-maktaba.org/book/22918/1426 Adhwa' Al-Bayan by Al-Shanqiti, vol.3 p.414,415 ]<BR> أضواء البيان للشنقيطي، دار الفكر، ج3 ص414،415|2= | Al-Shanqiti (d.1974), a modern Quran interpreter, listed the previous Hadith and said:{{Quote|1=[https://al-maktaba.org/book/22918/1426 Adhwa' Al-Bayan by Al-Shanqiti, vol.3 p.414,415 ]<BR> أضواء البيان للشنقيطي، دار الفكر، ج3 ص414،415|2=" وَبِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ الصَّحِيحِ الَّذِي رَأَيْتَ إِخْرَاجَ هَؤُلَاءِ الْجَمَاعَةِ لَهُ ، وَقَدْ قَدَّمْنَاهُ بِلَفْظِهِ عِنْدَ مُسْلِمٍ فِي صَحِيحِهِ : تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ قَوْلَ مَنْ قَالَ: إِنَّ الْمُرَادَ هَارُونُ أَخُو مُوسَى ، بَاطِلٌ ؛ سَوَاءٌ قِيلَ إِنَّهَا أُخْتُهُ، أَوْ أَنَّ الْمُرَادَ بِأَنَّهَا أُخْتُهُ : أَنَّهَا مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِ، كَمَا يُقَالُ لِلرَّجُلِ: يَا أَخَا تَمِيمٍ، وَالْمُرَادُ يَا أَخَا بَنِي تَمِيمٍ ; لِأَنَّهُ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّةِ تَمِيمٍ ... | ||
وَإِذَا حَقَّقْتَ أَنَّ الْمُرَادَ بِهَارُونَ فِي الْآيَةِ غَيْرُ هَارُونَ أَخِي مُوسَى، فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ بَعْضَ الْعُلَمَاءِ، قَالَ: إِنَّ لَهَا أَخًا اسْمُهُ هَارُونَ، وَبَعْضَهُمْ يَقُولُ: إِنَّ هَارُونَ الْمَذْكُورَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ قَوْمِهَا مَشْهُورٌ بِالصَّلَاحِ، وَعَلَى هَذَا فَالْمُرَادُ بِكَوْنِهَا أُخْتَهُ أَنَّهَا تُشْبِهُهُ فِي الْعِبَادَةِ وَالتَّقْوَى، وَإِطْلَاقُ اسْمِ الْأَخِ عَلَى النَّظِيرِ الْمُشَابِهِ مَعْرُوفٌ فِي الْقُرْآنِ وَفِي كَلَامِ الْعَرَبِ.." | |||
This authentic Hadith disproves the opinions that say Mary is Aaron’s sister or that she was a descendant of Aaron. And since that the Aaron mentioned in the verse isn’t Aaron the brother of Moses, some scholars say that Mary had a brother called Aaron, and others say that Aaron mentioned in the verse was a man from her tribe who was known for being a righteous man. Which means that “sister of Aaron” means she’s as righteous as him. When two things are similar, it’s a known metaphorical style in the Quran and Arabic to call one of them a brother (or a sister) of the other.}} | |||
According to Al-Shanqiti, the Hadith can mean either of these two things: | According to Al-Shanqiti, the Hadith can mean either of these two things: | ||
'''A- Mary had a brother who was named Aaron.''' | '''A- Mary had a brother who was named Aaron.''' | ||
This explanation is too convenient and too forced as it | This explanation is too convenient and too forced as it forces the following assumptions: | ||
1- The Christian sources mistook Mary’s father’s name. | 1- The Christian sources mistook Mary’s father’s name. | ||
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Christian sources say Mary’s father was named Joachim, and they don't mention she had a brother called Aaron. And if she had a brother called Aaron, then the question still | Christian sources say Mary’s father was named Joachim, and they don't mention she had a brother called Aaron. And if she had a brother called Aaron, then the question still arises, why is she called "sister of Aaron"? If this brother is so important that he had to be mentioned with her name, why don't we hear more about him? It is much more probable that the author of the Qur'an thought that she really is the sister of Aaron and Moses, and so in the Qur'an people called her "sister of Aaron" to emphasize her social status. | ||
In other words, the people asked "How can you have a baby without a husband, when you are from such a moral family". | In other words, the people asked "How can you have a baby without a husband, when you are from such a moral family". | ||
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There’s nothing in the Quran indicating that the verse shouldn’t be understood literally. Actually, an early report shows clearly that | There’s nothing in the Quran indicating that the verse shouldn’t be understood literally. Actually, an early report shows clearly that [[Aisha bint Abi Bakr]], Muhammad’s wife, understood the verse literally:{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn Kathir (non-abridged) on 19:28 <ref>http://quran.al-islam.com/Page.aspx?pageid=221&BookID=11&Page=1</ref> | وَقَالَ اِبْن جَرِير حَدَّثَنِي يَعْقُوب حَدَّثَنَا اِبْن عُلَيَّة عَنْ سَعِيد بْن أَبِي صَدَقَة عَنْ مُحَمَّد بْن سِيرِينَ قَالَ أُنْبِئْت أَنَّ كَعْبًا قَالَ إِنَّ قَوْله : " يَا أُخْت هَارُون " لَيْسَ بِهَارُون أَخِي مُوسَى قَالَ فَقَالَتْ لَهُ عَائِشَة كَذَبْت قَالَ يَا أُمّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنْ كَانَ النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَهُ فَهُوَ أَعْلَم وَأَخْبَر وَإِلَّا فَإِنِّي أَجِد بَيْنهمَا سِتّمِائَةِ سَنَة قَالَ فَسَكَتَتْ وَفِي هَذَا التَّارِيخ نَظَر | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
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And the mere fact we have a report attributed to Muhammad trying to explain the confusion means that the verse was understood literally. | And the mere fact we have a report attributed to Muhammad trying to explain the confusion means that the verse was understood literally. | ||
The only reason for not taking the verse literally is to avoid the | The only reason for not taking the verse literally is to avoid the apparent mistake in chronology which Mary being the sister of Aaron would present. As with many such apologetics, this argumes assumes the conclusion: That the Qur'an cannot make a mistake. | ||
Plus, where did | Plus, the questions also arises, "where did 'Aaron the righteous man' come from?" There’s no mention of him whatsoever in the Quran and is only introduced (supposedly) in this verse. He’s only mentioned in Islamic interpretations of this verse. Since the Qur'an arose many centuries after Jesus lived, the introduction of such a character into the story when it is lacking in the original Christian texts would seem to be no more than an apologetic explanation. | ||
Here are the Mentions of Aaron the righteous man in Al-Tabari’s interpretation:{{Quote|1=[https://al-maktaba.org/book/43/10190 Tafsir Al-Tabari,Mu'assasat Al-Risalah, vol.18 p.186 ]<BR> تفسير الطبري، مؤسسة الرسالة، ج18 ص186|2= | Here are the Mentions of Aaron the righteous man in Al-Tabari’s interpretation:{{Quote|1=[https://al-maktaba.org/book/43/10190 Tafsir Al-Tabari,Mu'assasat Al-Risalah, vol.18 p.186 ]<BR> تفسير الطبري، مؤسسة الرسالة، ج18 ص186|2=حدثنا الحسن، قال: أخبرنا عبد الرزاق، قال: أخبرنا معمر، عن قتادة، في قوله (يَاأُخْتَ هَارُونَ) قال: كان رجلا صالحًا في بني إسرائيل يسمى هارون، فشبَّهوها به، فقالوا: يا شبيهة هارون في الصلاح. | ||
حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة، قوله (يَاأُخْتَ هَارُونَ مَا كَانَ أَبُوكِ امْرَأَ سَوْءٍ وَمَا كَانَتْ أُمُّكِ بَغِيًّا) قال: كانت من أهل بيت يُعرفون بالصلاح، ولا يُعرفون بالفساد ومن الناس من يُعرفون بالصلاح ويتوالدون به، وآخرون يُعرفون بالفساد ويتوالدون به، وكان هارون مصلحا محببا في عشيرته، وليس بهارون أخي موسى، ولكنه هارون آخر. قال: وذُكر لنا أنه شيع جنازته يوم مات أربعون ألفا، كلهم يسمون هارون من بني إسرائيل | |||
Qatadah (d.735 AD) said: Aaron was a righteous man from the Israelites. So Mary was compared to him. | |||
Qatadah also said: Mary belonged to a house known for righteousness. Aaron was a righteous man popular in his tribe. He wasn’t Aaron the brother of Moses. He was a different Aaron. Forty thousand people attended his funeral. They were all called Aaron from the Israelites.}} | |||
Another traditional explanation mentioned by Quran interpreters is that “sister of Aaron” means “descendant of Aaron”. Ibn Kathir (d.1373) , the most popular Quran interpreter, says:{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2684&Itemid=75 Maryam with Al-Masih before the People, Their Rejection of Her and His Reply to Them]<BR>Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(O sister of Harun!) referring to the brother of Musa, because she was of his descendants. This is similar to the saying, `O brother of Tamim,' to one who is from the Tamimi tribe, and `O brother of Mudar,' to one who is from the Mudari tribe. It has also been said that she was related to a righteous man among them whose name was Harun and she was comparable to him in her abstinence and worship.}}This explanation is also too convenient and too forced as it includes the following assumptions: | Another traditional explanation mentioned by Quran interpreters is that “sister of Aaron” means “descendant of Aaron”. Ibn Kathir (d.1373) , the most popular Quran interpreter, says:{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2684&Itemid=75 Maryam with Al-Masih before the People, Their Rejection of Her and His Reply to Them]<BR>Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(O sister of Harun!) referring to the brother of Musa, because she was of his descendants. This is similar to the saying, `O brother of Tamim,' to one who is from the Tamimi tribe, and `O brother of Mudar,' to one who is from the Mudari tribe. It has also been said that she was related to a righteous man among them whose name was Harun and she was comparable to him in her abstinence and worship.}}This explanation is also seems too convenient and too forced as it includes the following assumptions: | ||
1- The word “sister” in the verse shouldn’t be understood literally. Rather, it’s a metaphor meaning “descendant of”. | 1- The word “sister” in the verse shouldn’t be understood literally. Rather, it’s a metaphor meaning “descendant of”. | ||