[a] Several circumstances relating to the virgin Mary being mentioned in this chapter, her name was pitched upon for the title.

[b] Except the verse of Adoration.

[c] See the Prelim. Disc. §. III. p. 59, 60.

[d] See chap. 3. p. 39, &c.

[e] I fear my nephews, &c.] These were his brother’s sons, who were very wicked men, and Zacharias was apprehensive lest, after his death, instead of confirming the people in the true religion, they should seduce them to idolatry ^[1] . And some commentators imagine that he made this prayer in private, lest his nephews should overhear him.

[1] Al Beidawi, Jallalo’ddin.

[f] And may be an heir of the family of Jacob;] viz. In holiness and knowledge; or in the government and superintendence of the Israelites. There are some who suppose it is not the patriarch who is here meant, but another Jacob, the brother of Zacharias, or of Imrân Ebn Mâthân, of the race of Solomon ^[2] .

[2] Iidem.

[g] We have not caused any to bear that name before him;] For he was the first who bore the name of John, or Yahya (as the Arabs pronounce it;) which fancy seems to be occasioned by the words of St. Luke misunderstood, that none of Zacharias’s kindred was called by that name ^[3] : for otherwise John, or, as it is written in Hebrew, Johanan, was a common name among the Jews.
Some expositors avoid this objection, by observing that the original word samiyyan signifies, not only one who is actually called by the same name, but also one who by reason of his possessing the like qualities and privileges, deserves, or may pretend to the same name.

[3] Luke i. 61.

[h] I am now arrived at a great age, &c.] The Mohammedan traditions greatly differ as to the age of Zacharias at this time; we have mentioned one already ^[4] : Jallalo’ddin says, he was an hundred and twenty, and his wife ninety-eight; and the Sonna takes notice of several other opinions.

[4] Pag. 40. not. c.

[a] He made signs unto them;] Some say he wrote the following words on the ground.

[b] And purity of life;] Or, as the word also signifies, The love of alms-deeds.

[c] To a place towards the east;] viz. To the eastern part of the temple; or to a private chamber in the house, which opened to the east: whence, says al Beidâwi, the Christians pray towards that quarter.
There is a tradition, that when the virgin was grown to years of puberty, she used to leave her apartment in the temple, and retire to Zacharias’s house to her aunt, when her courses came upon her; and so soon as she was clean, she returned again to the temple: and that at the time of the angel’s visiting her, she was at her aunt’s on the like occasion, and was sitting to wash herself, in an open place, behind a veil to prevent her being seen ^[1] . But others more prudently suppose the design of her retirement was to pray ^[2] .

[1] Yahya, Al Beidawi.

[2] Al Zamakh.

[d] In the shape of a man;] Like a full-grown but beardless youth. Al Beidâwi, not contented with having given one good reason why he appeared in that form, viz. to moderate her surprise, that she might hear his message with less shyness, adds, that perhaps it might be to raise an emotion in her, and assist her conception.

[e] She conceived;] For Gabriel blew into the bosom of her shift, which he opened with his fingers ^[3] , and his breath reaching her womb, caused the conception ^[4] . The age of the virgin Mary at the time of her conception was thirteen, or, as others say, ten; and she went six, seven, eight, or nine months with him, according to different traditions; tho’ some say the child was conceived at its full growth of nine months, and that she was delivered of him within an hour after ^[5] .

[3] Yahya.

[4] Jallalo’ddin, Al Beidawi.

[5] Al Beidawi, Yahya.

[f] To a distant place;] To conceal her delivery, she went out of the city by night, to a certain mountain.

[g] Her pains came upon her near the trunk of a palm- tree;] The palm to which she fled, that she might lean on it in her travail, was a withered trunk, without any head or verdure, and this happened in the winter season; notwithstanding which it miraculously supplied her with fruits for her refreshment ^[6] ; as is mentioned immediately.
It has been observed, that the Mohammedan account of the delivery of the virgin Mary very much resembles that of Latona, as described by the poets ^[1] , not only in this circumstance of their laying hold on a palm-tree ^[2] (tho’ some say Latona embraced an olive-tree, or an olive and a palm, or else two laurels), but also in that of their infants speaking; which Apollo is fabled to have done in the womb ^[3] .

[6] Iidem, Al Zamakh.

[1] V. Sikii not. in Evang. Infant. p. 9, 21, &c.

[2] Homer. Hymn. in Apoll. Callimach. Hymn. in Delum.

[3] Callimach. ibid. See Kor. chap. 3, p. 57.

[a] He who was beneath her;] This some imagine to have been the child himself; but others suppose it was Gabriel who stood somewhat lower than she did ^[4] . According to a different reading this passage may be rendered, And he called to her from beneath her, &c. And some refer the pronoun, translated her, to the palm- tree; and then it should be beneath it, &c.

[4] Al Beidawi, Jallalo’ddin.

[b] Shake the body of the palm-tree, and it shall let fall ripe dates, &c.] And accordingly she had no sooner spoken it than the dry trunk revived, and shot forth green leaves, and a head loaded with ripe fruit.

[c] Calm thy mind;] Literally, thine eye.

[d] I have vowed a fast, &c.] During which she was not to speak to anybody, unless to acquaint them with the reason of her silence: and some suppose she did that by signs.

[e] O sister of Aaron;] Several Christian writers think the Korân stands convicted of a manifest falsehood in this particular, but I am afraid the Mohammedans may avoid the charge ^[5] ; as they do by several answers. Some say the virgin Mary had really a brother named Aaron, who had the same father, but a different mother; others suppose Aaron the brother of Moses is here meant, but say Mary is called his sister, either because she was of the Levitical race (as by her being related to Elizabeth, it should seem she was,) or by way of comparison; others say that it was a different person of that name who was contemporary with her, and conspicuous for his good or bad qualities, and that they likened her to him either by way of commendation, or of reproach ^[6] , &c.

[5] See chap. 3. p. 41.

[6] Al Zamakh, al Beidawi, Jallalo’ddin, Yahya, &c.

[f] Whereupon the child said, Verily I am the servant of God;] These were the first words which were put into the mouth of JESUS, to obviate the imagination of his partaking of the divine nature, or having a right to the worship of mankind, on account of his miraculous speaking so soon after his birth ^[7] .

[7] Al Beidawi.

[g] the word of truth;] This expression may either be referred to Jesus, as the Word of God; or to the account just given of him.

[a] Do thou cause them to hear, and to see, &c.] These words are variously expounded; some taking them to express admiration ^[1] at the quickness of those senses in the wicked, at the day of judgment, when they shall plainly perceive the torments prepared for them, tho’ they have been deaf and blind in this life; and others supposing the words contain a threat to the unbelievers, of what they shall then hear and see; or else a command to Mohammed to lay before them the terrors of that day ^[2] .

[1] See chap. 18. p. 241.

[2] Al Beidawi.

[b] We will inherit the earth, &c.] i.e. Alone surviving, when all creatures shall be dead and annihilated. See chap. 15. p. 211.

[c] See chap. 6. p. 106, &c.

[d] When he had separated himself from them;] By flying to Harrân, and thence to Palestine.

[e] We caused them to deserve the highest commendations;] Literally, We granted them a lofty tongue of truth.

[f] And to discourse privately with us;] Or, as some expound it, And we raise him on high; for, say they, he was raised to so great an elevation, that he heard the creaking of the pen writing on the table of God’s decrees ^[3] .

[3] Idem.

[a] He was true to his promise;] Being celebrated on that account; and particularly for his behaving with that resignation and constancy which he had promised his father, on his receiving God’s command to sacrifice him ^[1] ; for the Mohammedans say it was Ismael, and not Isaac, whom he was commanded to offer.

[1] Idem.

[b] Edris;] Or Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah, who had that surname from his great knowledge; for he was favoured with no less than thirty books of divine revelations, and was the first who wrote with a pen, and studied the sciences of astronomy and arithmetic, &c ^[2] .
The learned Bartolocci endeavours to shew, from the testimonies of the ancient Jews, that Enoch, surnamed Edris, was a very different person from the Enoch of Moses, and many ages younger ^[3] .

[2] Idem, Jallalo’ddin, &c.

[3] Bartol. Bibl. Rabb. part 2, p. 845.

[c] And we exalted him to a high place;] Some understand by this the honour of the prophetic office, and his familiarity with God; but others suppose his translation is here meant: for they say that he was taken up by God into heaven at the age of three hundred and fifty, having first suffered death, and been restored to life; and that he is now alive in one of the seven heavens, or in paradise ^[4] .

[4] Iidem, Abulfeda.

[d] Peace;] i.e. Words of peace and comfort; or the salutations of the angels ^[5] , &c.

[5] See chap. 10. p. 167.

[e] We descend not from heaven, unless by the command of thy Lord, &c.] These are generally supposed to have been the words of the angel Gabriel, in answer to Mohammed’s complaint for his long delay of fifteen, or, according to another tradition, of forty days, before he brought him instructions what solution he should give to the questions which had been asked him concerning the sleepers, Dhu’lkarnein, and the spirit ^[6] .
Others, however, are of opinion that they are the words which the godly will use at their entrance into paradise; and that their meaning is, We take up our abode here at the command and through the mercy of God alone, who ruleth all things, past, future, and present; and who is not forgetful of the works of his servants ^[7] .

[6] See before, p. 241.

[7] Al Beidawi.

[f] Dost thou know any named like him?] That is, Deserving, or having a right to the name and attributes of God.

[a] Man saith;] Some suppose a particular person is here meant, namely, Obba Ebn Khalf ^[1] .

[1] See chap. 16. p. 215.

[b] We will surely assemble them and the devils;] It is said that every infidel will appear, at the day judgment, chained to the devil who seduced him ^[2] .

[2] Al Beidawi.

[c] We will separate from every sect who shall have been a more obstinate rebel against the Merciful.] Hence, says al Beidâwi, it appears that God will pardon some of the rebellious people. But perhaps the distinguishing the unbelievers into different classes, in order to consign them to different places and degrees of torment, is here meant.

[d] We best know which are more worthy to be burned in hell;] viz. The more obstinate and perverse, and especially the heads of sects, who will suffer double punishment for their own errors and their seducing of others.

[e] There is none of you but shall approach near the same;] For the true believers must also pass by or through hell, but the fire will be damped and the flames abated, so as not to hurt them, tho’ it will lay hold on the others. Some, however, suppose that the words intend no more than the passage over the narrow bridge, which is laid over hell ^[3] .

[3] Idem. See the Prel. Disc. §. IV. p. 91.

[f] Which of the two parties, &c.] viz. Of us, or of you. When the Koreish were unable to produce a composition to equal the Korân, they began to glory in their wealth and nobility, valuing themselves highly on that account, and despising the followers of Mohammed.

[g] Hast thou seen him who believeth not, &c.] This passage was revealed on account of al As Ebn Wayel, who being indebted to Khabbâb, when he demanded the money, refused to pay it, unless he would deny Mohammed; to which proposal Khabbâb answered, that he would never deny that prophet, neither alive, nor dead, nor when he should be raised to life at the last day; therefore replied al As, when thou art raised again, come to me, for I shall then have abundance of riches, and children, and I will pay you ^[4] .

[4] Idem, Jallalo’ddin.

[a] We will be his heir as to that which he speaketh of;] i.e. He shall be obliged to leave all his wealth and his children behind him at his death.

[b] Hereafter shall they deny their worship, &c.] viz. At the resurrection; when the idolaters shall disclaim their idols, and the idols their worshippers, and shall mutually accuse one another ^[1] .

[1] See chap. 6. p. 101. chap. 10. p. 169, &c.

[c] Adversaries;] Or, the contrary; that is to say, a disgrace instead of an honour.

[d] They shall obtain no intercession, except he only who hath received a covenant from the Merciful;] That is, except he who shall be a subject properly disposed to receive that favour, by having possessed Islâm. Or, the words may also be translated, according to another exposition, They shall not obtain the intercession of any, except the intercession of him, &c. Or else, None shall be able to make intercession for others, except he who shall have received a covenant (or permission) from God; i.e. who shall be qualified for that office by faith, and good works, according to God’s promise, or shall have special leave given him by God for that purpose ^[2] .

[2]

[e] Love;] viz. The love of God and all the inhabitants of heaven. Some suppose this verse was revealed to comfort the Moslems who were hated and despised at Mecca, on account of their faith, by the promise of their gaining the love and esteem of mankind in a short time.