(Remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam! Verily, Allah gives you the glad tidings of a Word from Him, his name will be Al-Masih, 'Isa, the son of Maryam, held in honor in this world and in the Hereafter, and he will be one of those who are near to Allah. (45)"He will speak to the people, in the cradle and in manhood, and he will be one of the righteous. (46)She said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me." He said: "So (it will be) for Allah creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: 'Be! ـ and it is. (47)
Delivering the Good News to Maryam of 'Isa's Birth
This Ayah contains the glad tidings the angels brought to Maryam that she would give birth to a mighty son who will have a great future. Allah said,
إِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنْهُ
((Remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam! Verily, Allah gives you the glad tidings of a Word from Him,) a son who will come into existence with a word from Allah, 'Be', and he was. This is the meaning of Allah's statement (about Yahya)
مُصَدِّقًا بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ
(Believing in the Word from Allah.)[3:39], according to the majority of the scholars.
اسْمُهُ الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ
(His name will be Al-Masih, 'Isa, the son of Maryam) and he will be known by this name in this life, especially by the believers. 'Isa was called "Al-Masih" (the Messiah) because when he touched (Mash) those afflicted with an illness, they would be healed by Allah's leave. Allah's statement,
عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ
('Isa, the son of Maryam) relates 'Isa to his mother, because he did not have a father.
وَجِيهًا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ
(Held in honor in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who are near to Allah.) meaning, he will be a leader and honored by Allah in this life, because of the Law that Allah will reveal to him, sending down the Scripture to him, along with the other bounties that Allah will grant him with. 'Isa will be honored in the Hereafter and will intercede with Allah, by His leave, on behalf of some people, just as is the case with his brethren the mighty Messengers of Allah, peace be upon them all.
Isa Spoke When He was Still in the Cradle
Allah said,
وَيُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِي الْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلًا
(He will speak to the people, in the cradle and in manhood,) calling to the worship of Allah Alone without partners, while still in the cradle, as a miracle from Allah, and when he is a man, by Allah's revelation to him.
Muhammad bin Ishaq recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
مَا تَكَلَّمَ مَوْلُودٌ فِي صِغَرِهِ إِلَّا عِيسَى وَصَاحِبُ جُرَيْجٍ
(No infant spoke in the cradle except 'Isa and the companion of Jurayj.)
Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet ﷺ said,
لَمْ يَتَكَلَّمْ فِي الْمَهْدِ إِلَّا ثَلَاثَةٌ: عِيسَى، وَصَبِيٌّ كَانَ فِي زَمَنِ جُرَيْجٍ، وَصَبِيٌّ آخَرُ
(No infant spoke in the cradle except three, 'Isa, the boy during the time of Jurayj, and another boy.)
وَمِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
(And he will be one of the righteous.) in his statements and actions, for he will possess, pure knowledge and righteous works.
Isa was Created Without a Father
When Maryam heard the good news that the angels conveyed from Allah, she said;
رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِي وَلَدٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِي بَشَرٌ
("O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me.")
Mary said, "How can I have a son while I did not marry, nor intend to marry, nor am I an indecent woman, may Allah forbid?" The angel conveyed to Maryam, Allah's answer,
كَذَٰلِكِ اللَّهُ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ
(So (it will be) for Allah creates what He wills.)
He is Mighty in power and nothing escapes His ability. Allah used the word 'create' here instead of the word 'does' as in the tale about Zakariyya [3:40], to eradicate any evil thought concerning 'Isa. Allah next emphasized this fact when He said,
إِذَا قَضَىٰ أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ
(When He has decreed something, He says to it only: "Be! ـ and it is.) meaning, what Allah wills, comes into existence instantly and without delay. In another Ayah, Allah said,
وَمَا أَمْرُنَا إِلَّا وَاحِدَةٌ كَلَمْحٍ بِالْبَصَرِ
(And Our commandment is but one as the twinkling of an eye.)[54:50], meaning, "We only issue the command once, and it comes into existence instantly, as fast as, and faster than, a blink of the eye. "
