3:43 Aal-i-Imraan (The Family of Imraan)

{ اقنتي لربك } القنوت دوام الطاعة في خضوع وخشوع، { واسجدي واركعي مع الراكعين } خص السجود والركوع لفضلهما ودلالتهما على غاية الخضوع لله، ففعلت مريم، ما أمرت به شكرا لله تعالى وطاعة

"يا مريم اقنتي لربك واسجدي واركعي مع الراكعين" أما القنوت فهو الطاعة في خشوع كما قال تعالى "وله من السموات والأرض كل له قانتون" وقد قال ابن أبي حاتم: حدثنا يونس بن عبدالأعلى أخبرنا ابن وهب أخبرني عمرو بن الحارث أن دراجا أبا السمح حدثه عن أبي الهيثم عن أبي سعيد عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال "كل حرف في القرآن يذكر فيه القنوت فهو الطاعة" ورواه ابن جرير من طريق ابن لهيعة عن دراج به وفيه نكارة. وقال مجاهد: كانت مريم عليها السلام تقوم حتى تتورم كعباها والقنوت هو طول الركوع في الصلاة يعني امتثالا لقول الله تعالى "يا مريم اقنتي لربك" قال الحسن: يعني اعبدي لربك "واسجدي واركعي مع الراكعين" أي كوني منهم وقال الأوزاعي: ركدت في محرابها راكعة وساجدة وقائمة حتى نزل ماء الأصفر في قدميها رضي الله عنها وأرضاها. وقد ذكر الحافظ ابن عساكر في ترجمتها من طريق محمد بن يونس الكديمي وفيه مقال: ثنا علي بن بحر بن بري ثنا الوليد بن مسلم عن الأوزاعي عن يحيى بن أبي كثير في قوله: "يا مريم اقنتي لربك واسجدي" قال: سجدت حتى نزل الماء الأصفر في عينيها وذكر ابن أبي الدنيا ثنا الحسن ابن عبدالعزيز ثنا ضمرة عن أبي شوذب قال: كانت مريم عليها السلام تغتسل في كل ليلة.

The Virtue of Maryam Over the Women of Her Time

Allah states that the angels spoke to Maryam by His command and told her that He chose her because of her service to Him, because of her modesty, honor, innocence, and conviction. Allah also chose her because of her virtue over the women of the world. At-Tirmidhi recorded that `Ali bin Abi Talib said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say,

«خَيْرُ نِسَائِهَا مَرْيَمُ بِنْتُ عِمْرَانَ، وَخَيْرُ نِسَائِهَا خَدِيجَةُ بِنْتُ خُوَيْلِد»

(The best woman (in her time) was Maryam, daughter of `Imran, and the best woman (of the Prophet's time) is Khadijah (his wife), daughter of Khuwaylid.)"

The Two Sahihs recorded this Hadith. Ibn Jarir recorded that Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«كَمُلَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ كَثِيرٌ، وَلَمْ يَكْمُلْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ إِلَّا مَرْيَمُ بِنْتُ عِمْرَانَ وَ آسِيَةُ امْرَأَةُ فِرْعَوْن»

(Many men achieved perfection, but among women, only Maryam the daughter of `Imran and Asiah, the wife of Fir`awn, achieved perfection.)

The Six -- with the exception of Abu Dawud - recorded it. Al-Bukhari's wording for it reads,

«كَمُلَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ كَثِيرٌ، وَلَمْ يَكْمُلْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ إِلَّا آسِيَةُ امْرَأَةُ فِرْعَوْنَ، وَمَرْيَمُ بِنْتُ عِمْرَانَ، وَإِنَّ فَضْلَ عَائِشَةَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ كَفَضْلِ الثَّرِيدِ عَلى سَائِرِ الطَّعَام»

(Many men reached the level of perfection, but no woman reached such a level except Asiah, the wife of Fir`awn, and Maryam, the daughter of `Imran. The superiority of `A'ishah (his wife) to other women, is like the superiority of Tharid (meat and bread dish) to other meals.)

We mentioned the various chains of narration and wordings for this Hadith in the story of `Isa, son of Maryam, in our book, Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah, all the thanks are due to Allah.

Allah states that the angels commanded Maryam to increase acts of worship, humbleness, submission, prostration, bowing, and so forth, so that she would acquire what Allah had decreed for her, as a test for her. Yet, this test also earned her a higher grade in this life and the Hereafter, for Allah demonstrated His might by creating a son inside her without male intervention. Allah said,

يمَرْيَمُ اقْنُتِى لِرَبِّكِ وَاسْجُدِى وَارْكَعِى مَعَ الرَكِعِينَ

("O Maryam! Submit yourself with obedience (Aqnuti) and prostrate yourself, and bow down along with Ar-Raki`in.")

As for Qunut (Aqnuti in the Ayah), it means to submit with humbleness. In another Ayah, Allah said,

بَل لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ كُلٌّ لَّهُ قَـنِتُونَ

(Nay, to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth, and all surrender with obedience (Qanitun) to Him.) 2:116

Allah next said to His Messenger after He mentioned Maryam's story,

ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَنبَآءِ الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيْكَ

(This is a part of the news of the Ghayb which We reveal.) "and narrate to you (O Muhammad ), "

وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يُلْقُون أَقْلَـمَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ يَكْفُلُ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يَخْتَصِمُونَ

(You were not with them, when they cast lots with their pens as to which of them should be charged with the care of Maryam; nor were you with them when they disputed.) meaning, "You were not present, O Muhammad, when this occurred, so you cannot narrate what happened to the people as an eye witness. Rather, Allah disclosed these facts to you as if you were a witness, when they conducted a lottery to choose the custodian of Maryam, seeking the reward of this good deed."

Ibn Jarir recorded that `Ikrimah said, "Maryam's mother left with Maryam, carrying her in her infant cloth, and took her to the rabbis from the offspring of Aaron, the brother of Musa. They were responsible for taking care of Bayt Al-Maqdis (the Masjid) at that time, just as there were those who took care of the Ka`bah. Maryam's mother said to them, `Take this child whom I vowed to serve the Masjid, I have set her free, since she is my daughter, for no menstruating woman should enter the Masjid, and I shall not take her back home.' They said, `She is the daughter of our Imam,' as `Imran used to lead them in prayer, `who took care of our sacrificial rituals.' Zakariyya said, `Give her to me, for her maternal aunt is my wife.' They said, `Our hearts cannot bear that you take her, for she is the daughter of our Imam.' So they conducted a lottery with the pens with which they wrote the Tawrah, and Zakariyya won the lottery and took Maryam into his care."'. `Ikrimah, As-Suddi, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, and several others said that the rabbis went into the Jordan river and conducted a lottery there, deciding to throw their pens into the river. The pen that remained afloat and idle would indicate that its owner would take care of Maryam. When they threw their pens into the river, the water took all the pens under, except Zakariyya's pen, which remained afloat in its place. Zakariyya was also their master, chief, scholar, Imam and Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him and the rest of the Prophets.

O Mary be obedient to your Lord be compliant before Him prostrating and bowing with those who bow’ that is pray with those who pray.

وَارْ‌كَعِي مَعَ الرَّ‌اكِعِينَ (and bow down with those who bow) while giving an order to bow down, the imperative has been qualified with the words "with those who bow"- but no such qualification appears while giving an order of prostration. This apparently seems to hint that people generally do not observe due concern while making ruk a` (bowing). They tend to bend a little, then resume the standing position (as if in a hurry). This kind of رکوع ruku' (bowing) is closer to standing قیام (qiyam). As said earlier, it apparently seems to suggest that Allah Almighty, by mentioning the qualification 'those who bow', has given a model to be followed so that one's bowing in prayer could become similar to those who bow fully and perfectly as due.