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Recently the BBC put out a disgraceful documentary about Mary
that was not only a scandal for its complete lack of journalistic
credence, based purely on supposition and hypothesis, but
an insult to Christians and Muslims alike and obviously timed
to heap maximum offence on Christians in the run up to their
Christmas celebrations. This shocking lack of charity on the
part of the producers shows how insensitive we have become
in our pursuit of throwing out all our traditions and history.
I would like that all Christians and Muslims contact the BBC
with complaints and I enclose information on how to do so
at the end of my letter.
But
I would also like to make clear to my Christian neighbours
and friends the extent of the Muslims' objection to this program
and its corrupt conclusions about Mary, a woman who Muslims
believe will occupy the highest ranks in paradise and was
an especially pious woman well beyond what they accuse her
of in this awful documentary.
Muslims
are left in no doubt about the gracious position of Mary in
the sight of God and in our collective view and our prayers.
There is a whole chapter in The Qur'aan called "Mary" that
is dedicated to the virgin birth story. There is another chapter
"Family of Imran" about the mother and father of Mary and
how the birth of Mary was a special blessing to a pious family
who raised her to be dedicated in her worship of God, not
as some regular street child as criminally portrayed in the
documentary. It is from these chapters and some of the sayings
of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that I wish to make
clear the basis for our complaint and to share it with my
Christian friends.
Aside
from its dramatic historical reconstruction techniques, designed
to give credence to unfounded supposition, the program suggested
that Mary could have conceived and borne her son Jesus (peace
by upon him) in three other ways thus raising suspicion about
her being a virgin.
1)
It gave air to the idea that she might have conceived due
to a secret lover. Although this idea was dismissed in the
program, nevertheless this is one of the techniques of Satan.
He injects poison into the minds and appears to remove it
knowing that the poison's effect will linger on.
2)
It suggested rape by a Roman soldier.
3)
It suggested as most probable that she actually conceived
on account of cohabiting with Joseph.
These
are all possible for an ordinary woman, but Allaah tells us
clearly that Mary was not any ordinary lady. She was protected,
guided and nurtured by Allaah. Allaah frees her as well as
her son from the calumnies that come about out of malice or
misunderstanding of their special status assigned to them
by Allaah. What Allaah tells mankind about her is amazingly
simple although incredible to hard-hearted disbelievers who
are more content with their own conjecture about the world
than the reality told to us by The Almighty, The All-Knowing.
But when Allaah speaks on a matter there is no room for conjecture.
Muslims
do not doubt that ideas which challenge the information given
us by Allaah about Mary are at best wrong and misconceived
if not downright malicious lies brewed by the devil. Muslims
are free from any need to indulge in shameful thought-play
when the truth is made evident by the All-Knowing. It is basic
charity to spare fellow humans ignorant confusion regarding
those who are declared truly great and good by Allaah. The
program producers seem oblivious to such charity, even at
this time of year when even the irreligious are inclined towards
being charitable.
Those
who are too arrogant to admit that they do not know and cannot
know better than Allaah will, however, stumble along in their
pernicious and unworthy whimsical adventures until perhaps
some of them are guided by Allaah to see the errors of their
total foolishness. Meanwhile, more harm is heaped on those
- Christians and Muslims alike - wishing to follow a pious
life in this increasingly secular and materialist society.
Mary
was born as a result of ardent prayers by her mother, the
wife of Imran, for a child from Allaah. The wife of Imran
vowed to dedicate the child (Mary) to His service if she gave
birth. When Mary was born she had not been expecting a girl.
She asked Allaah to protect Mary as well as her offspring
from the evil of Satan. Allaah accepted her supplication as
we are told and as we shall see.
When
Imran's wife said, "My Lord, I have dedicated to You what
is in my womb as an offering. So accept it from me; verily
You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. Then when she gave
birth to her she said, "My Lord, I have delivered her, a female
[1]" - and
Allaah knew better what she gave birth to, and the male is
not like the female - "and I have named her Mary and I seek
refuge for her with You and for her progeny from Satan, the
accursed." So her lord accepted her in favourable response
and reared her up in a good rearing; and put her under the
care of Zakareeya (a great Prophet, peace by upon him).
Whenever
Zakareeya called on her in her chamber he found with her provision
(wonderful fruits out of season). He said, "O Mary, from where
have you received this?" She said, "It is from Allaah. Verily
Allaah gives provision to whomsoever He wills without measure.[2]"
[Surah Aal-i-Imran (3): 35-37][3]
Abu
Hurairah [4]
reports that the Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) said:
"There
is not any new-born baby born except that Satan touches it
at birth . So the baby starts crying from being touched by
him except MARY AND HER SON (who escaped being molested by
the Satan)" [5]
[Bukhari & Muslim[6]]
Mary
could not possibly have had any illicit relationship with
anyone because Allaah accepted her well in His service and
endowed her with a noble character as she grew. She was entrusted
to no less than a prophet, called Zakareeya, which ensured
that she had a truly pious and upright guardian. Zakareeya
was the husband of her maternal aunt. Allaah looked after
her needs and supplied her with food miraculously. This is
not a blessing given to the impious or to the one disfavoured
by Allaah!
A
person spared from the touch of Satan and brought up under
the care of a prophet while reared by Allaah with good character
can never be suspected of illegitimate relationship, let alone
going so far as to conceive a child out of wedlock. This is
a serious slander against one of the most chaste of women.
And
(remember) when the angels said, "O Maryam! Verily Allaah
has chosen you, and PURIFIED you and has selected you over
the women of all the beings." [Surah Aal-i-Imran (3):
42]
Only
that person who is vile will seek to demean her honour after
knowing that Allaah not only chose her but also purified her.
Look at the three sayings of the Messenger of Allaah (peace
by upon him) below and three distinct and dignified facts
will become apparent straight away about this noble, honourable,
pious and chaste lady who was known as Mary, mother of Jesus
(peace be on him).
Ali
reported that the Messenger of Allaah said:
"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."
[At-Tirmidhi[7]]
Abu
Musa al-Ash'ari reports that the Messenger of Allaah said:
"Many
men have reached perfection but none from the women have REACHED
PERFECTION except Maryam daughter of Imran and Asiyah, the
wife of Pharaoh."
[At-Tabari[8]]
Ibn
Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allaah said:
"The
BEST AMONG THE WOMEN OF PARADISE are Khadijah daughter of
Khuwaylid, Fatimah daughter of Muhammad, Maryam daughter of
Imran and Asiyah daughter of Muzahim, wife of Pharaoh."
[Ahmad]
The
blessed and final Messenger of Allaah Muhammad (peace by upon
him) established once and for all, till the end of time, that
Mary was the best women of her time, that she had been a perfect
lady, in faith, character and constitution, and that she is
amongst the best four women of Paradise. These three facts
are confirmed about her by the one sent by Allaah to inform
mankind about the Truth. The words of Allaah and His Messenger
are more than enough; there is no need for confirmation of
revelation by digging up ancient sites looking for scraps
of documents on which to speculate using our limited intellects.
(Remember)
when the angels said, "O Maryam! Verily, Allaah gives you
the glad tidings of a word from Him, his name will be the
Messiah, Isa (Jesus), the son of Mary, held in honour in this
world and in the Hereafter, and of those who are near to Allaah.
He will speak to the people, in the cradle and during manhood,
and he will be amongst the nearest to Allaah." She said, "O
my Lord! How can there be a son to me and THERE DID NOT TOUCH
ME ANY MAN?" He said, "So it will be. Allaah creates what
He wills. When He decrees a thing He but says for it 'Be',
and it is." [Surah Aal-i-Imran (3): 45-47]
In
the above statements Allaah uses the word 'create' instead
of the word 'does' as in the narration about Zakareeya in
the same chapter verse 40, precisely so that no one can have
the evil thought about how she came to be pregnant with her
baby Jesus (peace be on him). This verse confirms the virgin
birth of Jesus (peace be upon him) and for those who doubt
such a miracle then they should not forget that Allaah is
able to do all things just as He created Adam (peace be upon
him) without neither a mother nor a father!
This
verse also confirms the prophethood of Jesus by a unique and
stunning miracle. He spoke as a new-born child and defended
his mother's honour. This was the only way that the people
could understand the miraculous birth was indeed a miracle
and that Jesus was in fact a chosen Prophet
of Allaah.[9]
This
slander of fornication against one of the leading ladies of
Paradise started with the Jews of her time. Many scholars
have mentioned this and even Christians in the olden times
took great exception towards the Jews for their false charge
that Jesus (peace by upon him) was an illegitimate child.
Allaah cleared her honour and exposed this filthy lie against
both her and her pure son Jesus (peace by upon him). It is
a great shame that this despicable mentality of accusing the
pious and the chaste is coming from some of the very people
who you would think would know better! Some of the "expert"
historians on this program were Christian, clearly misguided
in their beliefs if they can bear witness to such filth against
the mother of Jesus, and to collaborate in these lies with
Jews who have no time for Jesus and indeed their forefathers
tried to kill him. And even today humble Christians are persecuted
in Bethlehem whilst some of their brothers foolishly take
sides with the Zionist project that brings mayhem to the birthplace
of Jesus. Surely my decent Christian friends should reject
this unchristian behaviour from these program makers and co-conspirators
who seem misguided in their faith along with others who I
understand (from a recent poll) are now rejecting the virgin
birth under pressure from people who couldn't care less about
Christ (peace by upon him).
She
said, "Verily, I seek refuge with the Most Gracious from you,
if you do fear Allaah." (The angel) said, "I am only a messenger
from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a righteous
son." She said, "How can I have a son when NO MAN HAS TOUCHED
ME AND I AM NOT A FEMALE FORNICATOR?" [Surah Maryam
(19): 18-20[10]
]
And
MARY the daughter of Imran, who GUARDED HER CHASTITY; and
We breathed into her of Our Spirit; and she testified to the
truth of the words of her Lord and of His revelations, and
WAS ONE OF THE DEVOUT WORSHIPPERS. [Surah At-Tahrim
(66): 12[11]
Allaah
decreed that one of the greatest prophets be born to Mary
and attended to his arrival by many miracles and wonderful
happenings. Some of these are mentioned in the noble Qur'aan,
some in the authentic words of the Messenger to mankind, Muhammad
(peace be upon him) and some from trustworthy scholars and
narrators. From her conception of Jesus (peace be on him)
while she was still a virgin to that of cattle prostrating,
from the miracle of a radiant light emanating to the heavens
to that of baby Jesus (peace be on him) defending her mother
Mary from her arms, they all support common-sense and human
decency that such an arrival of a child cannot but be ascribed
to an important and distinguished lady, who is an honour to
the entire human race. The words spoken by the baby Jesus
(peace be on him) to those who were aghast at the sight of
her carrying a child in her arms was enough to quash all attempts
to decry her honour. A prophet was always of a noble birth
and never the product of an illicit relationship.
Then
she brought him to her people, carrying him. They said, "O
Mary! Indeed you have brought a horrendous thing. O sister
of Harun, your father was not a man who used to commit adultery
nor was your mother an unchaste woman!" Then she pointed to
him. They said, "How can we talk to one who is a child in
the cradle?" He (Jesus) said, "Verily, I am a servant of Allaah,
He has given me the scripture and MADE ME A PROPHET. And He
has made me blessed wherever I be, and has enjoined on me
prayer and charity as long as I live. And to be dutiful to
my mother, and made me not arrogant, unblessed. And peace
be upon me the day I was born and the day I die and the day
I shall be raised alive." [Surah Maryam (19): 27-33]
Thus
we understand that Jesus miraculously spoke as a baby and
defended his mother. And so as people who love Jesus and Mary,
we are obliged to defend them also even though Allaah has
no need of anything and He is able to do all things including
the defence of His noble messengers and servants.
To
defend Mary I urge you to write to the BBC complaining about
the program. We should all be ashamed to let the public service
broadcast put out this rubbish, so insensitively timed so
as to reap maximum offence to Christians in their time of
celebration.
To
complain to the BBC, write to:
Head
of Programme Complaints,
BBC Broadcasting House,
London
W1A 1AA
Re:
Documentary "Mary" screened on the evening of 21st December
2002.
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