the Lectures of Nekounam - Session 1136
The Holy Qur'an, the Book of guidance and light, conceals within its verses the endless mysteries of Divine wisdom. Verse 110 of Surah Al-Ma'idah, like a brilliant gem, speaks of the exalted station of Jesus son of Mary and his mother Mary, unveiling the boundless Divine blessings bestowed upon these two sacred beings. This treatise, relying upon the lectures of a venerable scholar, seeks to elucidate this verse within a scholarly and spiritual framework. Its aim is to clarify the lofty concepts of this verse for seekers of truth in a clear and dignified language, without diminishing the profundity or authenticity of its meaning. This work, structured systematically and enriched with literary allusions and metaphors, endeavours to reflect the Qur'anic truths in a manner that, like a pure spring, satiates the souls of the eager.
Verse 110 of Surah Al-Ma'idah stands as a lofty summit among the verses of the Holy Qur'an, possessing an unparalleled station. This verse encapsulates the Divine blessings upon Jesus son of Mary and his mother Mary, blessings whose extent and depth are matchless. God, in this verse, grants all conceivable gifts to Jesus and Mary without the necessity of a paternal presence in this sacred household. This attribute alone testifies to the immaculate purity and unmatched sanctity of this mother and child.
Key Point: Due to the comprehensiveness of the Divine blessings upon Jesus and Mary, Verse 110 of Surah Al-Ma'idah holds an extraordinary grandeur, manifesting the purity and exalted status of these two.
إِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ اذْكُرْ نِعْمَتِي عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَتِكَ إِذْ أَيَّدْتُكَ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ تُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِي الْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلًا وَإِذْ عَلَّمْتُكَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَالتَّوْرَاةَ وَالْإِنْجِيلَ وَإِذْ تَخْلُقُ مِنَ الطِّينِ كَهَيْئَةِ الطَّيْرِ بِإِذْنِي فَتَنْفُخُ فِيهَا فَتَكُونُ طَيْرًا بِإِذْنِي وَتُبْرِئُ الْأَكْمَهَ وَالْأَبَرَصَ بِإِذْنِي وَإِذْ تُخْرِجُ الْمَوْتَىٰ بِإِذْنِي وَإِذْ كَفَفْتُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ عَنْكَ إِذْ جِئْتَهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْهُمْ إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ
When God said: O Jesus son of Mary, remember My favour upon you and upon your mother when I supported you with the Holy Spirit so that you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and when I taught you the Book, Wisdom, the Torah, and the Gospel; and when you fashioned from clay the likeness of a bird by My permission and breathed into it, so it became a bird by My permission; and you healed the blind and the leper by My permission; and when you brought forth the dead by My permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from you when you came to them with clear proofs, those who disbelieved among them said: This is nothing but evident magic.
This address occurs within an eschatological context, where God interrogates Jesus on the Day of Gathering of the Messengers. This direct address not only highlights Jesus station as a Messenger but also places him in a position accountable to his nation.
Key Point: The direct Divine address to Jesus in this verse underscores his exalted status as a distinguished Messenger and establishes an eschatological context to recall Divine blessings.
God commands Jesus to recall His blessings upon himself and his mother. This remembrance not only evokes gratitude within Jesus but also reveals a profound spiritual bond between him and his mother. The Divine blessing, like a pure stream, flows upon these two sacred beings, distinguishing them from others.
The blessing in this verse encompasses a broad scope, including purity, health, and power. Purity, like a precious gem, has safeguarded the beings of Jesus and Mary from all defilement. Health, like a life-giving breeze, encompasses their body and soul, and power, as a Divine force, has enabled them to perform extraordinary deeds.
Key Point: The Divine blessing in the verse comprises purity, health, and power, which have transformed Jesus and Mary into sacred and distinguished entities.
Power is a force dedicated to truth and justice, whereas force is a power accompanied by oppression and injustice. To elucidate this distinction, a clear metaphor is provided: If one stands in his own home and another intends to expel him, the resistance of the homeowner is power, while the effort of the aggressor to evict him is force. This metaphor, like a clear mirror, reflects the difference between right and wrong in the use of power.
Key Point: Power is a force devoid of oppression and in service of truth, while force is an oppressive power serving falsehood.
The saints of God, including Jesus, possess a Divine power free from force and oppression. This power enables them to perform miracles such as reviving the dead without the slightest injustice. This power, like a Divine flame, serves goodness and mercy and is far removed from destruction or harm.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, was also endowed with Divine blessings such as purity, health, and power. These blessings denote her exalted status as a sacred mother who, alongside her son, ranks among God's elect.
God supported Jesus with the Holy Spirit: When I supported you with the Holy Spirit. This support equipped Jesus with a Divine power that distinguishes him from others. The Holy Spirit, like a luminous stream, flowed within Jesus and empowered him to perform miracles.
Key Point: The Holy Spirit is a Divine power that enabled Jesus to perform extraordinary miracles and highlighted his status as an eminent Messenger.
The Holy Spirit is a sacred spirit acting as the strike force of the Lord. This power is capable of ascending and descending, actualising Divine favours. Unlike the Throne, which is fixed and stable, the Holy Spirit is dynamic and mobile, like a bird soaring in the sky of Divine wisdom.
The Holy Spirit never causes destruction or harm but solely serves goodness and mercy. This power makes possible miracles such as reviving the dead and healing the sick, without the slightest deviation from truth and justice.
When the Holy Spirit flows within a human being, it liberates them from human limitations such as age. This power enabled even a child like Jesus to perform extraordinary acts, such as speaking in the cradle and reviving the dead.
One of Jesus astonishing miracles was his speech in the cradle and adulthood: You spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity. This speech was not ordinary but filled with truth and impact. As a child, Jesus spoke like adults, and his words, like Divine light, penetrated hearts.
Key Point: Jesus speech in the cradle is an unparalleled miracle that presents his word as a Divine and effective force.
