The Trials of Maryam (عليها السلام):

Last updated on April 5th, 2025 at 06:11 am

Reading Time: 2 minutes

A Divine Lesson in Trust, Solitude, and Divine Reward

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم

🌙 The Agonizing Solitude of Maryam (عليها السلام)

The Qur’an paints a heart-wrenching scene in Surah Maryam (19:23-26):

“And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a date palm. She said, ‘Oh, I wish I had died before this and was forgotten, completely forgotten!’”

🔹 Her Struggle:

  • Alone in the Wilderness: No midwife, no family—just the scorching desert and her absolute trust in Allah.
  • Physical Pain & Emotional Torment: Society would brand her an outcast. Yet, she turned only to Allah.
  • Divine Comfort: An angel called her from below: “Do not grieve! Your Lord has provided a stream beneath you.” (Qur’an 19:24).

📖 Tafseer Bayanul Qur’an: Hazrat Thanwi’s (رحمہ اللہ) Insights

  1. The Miracle of Dates & Water:
    • Fresh dates (rutab) and cool water were her divine sustenance. Hazrat Thanwi explains:
      “Allah chose the simplest, most nutritious foods to revive her—dates for energy, water for purity. This teaches us: Allah’s help comes in the most unexpected, yet perfect forms.
  2. “Leave Your Matters to Allah”:
    • When Maryam (عليها السلام) cried out in despair, Allah didn’t remove her trial—He upgraded her reliance.
    • “Shake the trunk of the palm toward you, and it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon you.” (Qur’an 19:25).
      • Lesson: “When you’re at your weakest, Allah trains you to ‘shake’ your trust in Him—rewards will fall like ripe dates.”
  3. The Reward of Devotion:
    • Her years of purity, prayer, and seclusion in the Mihrab (prayer niche) culminated in the birth of Prophet Isa (عليه السلام)—a Nabi who spoke in infancy!
    • Hazrat Thanwi notes: “Her ibadah wasn’t for fame—it was for Allah. And He honoured her beyond imagination.”

💡 Lessons for Our Wives & Daughters

  1. When You Feel Alone:
    • Like Maryam (عليها السلام), modern mothers/wives often endure loneliness in responsibilities. But Allah is your Companion.
    • “Call upon Me; I will respond to you.” (Qur’an 40:60).
  2. Divine Help in Simplicity:
    • Stressed with chores? A glass of water with Bismillah, 3 dates, and “Ya Allah!” can be your spiritual energy boost.
  3. Your ‘Isa (عليه السلام) is Coming:
    • Maryam’s pain birthed a Prophet. Your struggles—raising kids, managing homes—are crafting future Muhsineen, Huffaaz, or even Awliya!
  4. Silent Ibadah is Power:
    • Her tahajjud in solitude > worldly applause. Your hidden acts—cooking with love, wiping tears at night—are recorded as worship.

Final Motivation: The Maryam Mindset

Allah chose Maryam (عليها السلام) above all women (“Siddiqah”—Qur’an 5:75) not for her ease, but for her unshakable faith in hardship.

To Every Sister Reading This:

  • When exhaustion hits, remember: “Allah chose you for this role—just as He chose Maryam.”
  • Your “date palm” (relief) is closer than you think. Shake your heart with dua, and watch miracles drop.

آمین یا رب العالمین!