๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ซ๐ข๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ก- ๐๐ฎ๐ก๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ก- ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ฌ
Mohamad Mostafa Nassar
Twitter@NassarMohamadMR
๐๐ง ๐ง๐๐ฆ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ก, ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ, ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ,
๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ซ๐ข๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ก=๐๐ฎ๐ก๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ก= ๐๐ฎ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ก=๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ซ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ก
“And (remember) her who guarded her farj: we breathed into her of our spirit, and we made her and her son a Sign for all peoples”
(Holy Qur’an 21:91)
The Christian missionaries are traditionally known for their blatant abuse and misinterpretations of the text of the Noble Qur’รขn with the most disgusting and lurid interpretations imaginable. One particular missionary, Sam Shamoun, has continued this “fine” tradition of his predecessors by imposing his perverted and repulsive understanding of the conception of Jesus (peace be upon him) on the Qur’รขnic text which describes the incident.
Our attempt here is to refute this missionary from the exegetical and lexical sources made available to us, insha’Allah.
General introduction to Qur’an 66:12
Literal and metaphoric meanings of the Arabic word “farj”
Exegesis of “guarded her farj”
Exegesis of “breathed into it”
Language of the Bible as a whole
Conclusion
Appendix: The Qur’an, unlike the Bible, cannot be a text of divine origin this is how Christian missionaries attept to twist the meaning of the Noble Quran.
General introduction to Qur’an 66:12
Before we discuss the missionaryโs ugly interpretation of Surat-ut-Tahrim, we would like to note the comment made by Sheikh Rahmatullah Al-Kiranwi Al-Hindi concerning his opponent, the Christian missionary Pfander
The third habit: he (Pfander) translates Qurโanic verses and interprets them according to his own opinion in order to object against them as he alleges. He claims that the correct interpretation and the correct translation is what he translates and interprets, not what scholars of Islam and exegetes of the Qurโan state.
(Rahmatullah Al-Kiranwi, Izhar-ul-Haq, Volume 1, page 85)
Indeed the same applies here; the Christian missionaries have brought the most disgusting interpretation to the following holy Qurโanic verse โAnd Mary the daughter of โImran, who guarded her farj; and We breathed into it of Our spiritโ (Holy Qurโan 66:12)
The Christian missionary Sam Shamoun claims that Archangel Gabriel breathed into the vagina of Mary in order that the conception of Jesus would take place, he alleges that the above Qurโanic verse ideally gives this understanding. Although he quotes Imam Ibn Kathir, he simply (or intentionally) fails to understand what the Imam is saying.
All Muslim commentators and scholars indisputably agree that Angel Gabriel breathed into the opening of Maryโs garment, not into her vagina as the missionaryโs mind fantasizes.
It is reported on authority of Ibn โAbbas and Qatada that Archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary, the daughter of โImran, in a human form, he approached her in order to breathe the spirit of Jesus into her, but she prevented him from even approaching the opening of her garment; this is the meaning of Mary guarding her farj because the Arabic word “farj” applies to any opening, gap or slit.
When Gabriel introduced himself to Mary and informed her about his mission, she let him breathe the spirit of Jesus into the opening of her garment; this is the meaning of breathing into her farj. However, Mr. Shamoun – without a glance of hesitation – assumed that the Arabic word “faarj” must refer to the vagina of Mary and that Gabriel directly breathed into her vagina. Astaghfirullah!!
The eminent Imam Ibn Jarir At-Tabari states in his commentary known as โJamiโ-ul-Bayanโ,
Allah Whose remembrance is exalted says โAnd Mary the daughter of โImran, who guarded her farjโ He means: who protected the opening of her garment from Gabriel (peace be upon him); any opening or tear in the garment is called farj, as well any crack in a wall, or a window in a roof is a farj. His saying โand We breathed into it of Our spiritโ
He means: We breathed into it i.e., into the opening of her garment; this is her farj. From Our Spirit i.e., from Gabriel; he is the Spirit. Exegetes have given similar statements; Ibn โAbdul-Aโla said: Ibn Thawr said on authority of Muโammer on authority of Qatada thatโand We breathed into it of Our spiritโ means We breathed into the opening (of her garment) from our spirit.
(At-Tabari, Jamiโ-ul-Bayan, Volume 28, page 192)
Imam Al-Qurtubi in โAl-Gamiโ le Ahkam-el-Qurโanโ states,
โwho guarded her farjโ – from lewdness. Commentators say the faarj is intended to mean the opening (of the garment) because He says โWe breathed into it of Our spiritโ; Gabriel (peace be upon him) breathed but into the opening of her (garment) and did not breathe into her private part.
In the recitation of Ubai โWe breathed into the opening of her (garment) of Our Spiritโ. Every opening in the dress is called farj like His sayingโand there are no flaws (furooj sing. farj) in it?โ (Holy Qurโan 50:6). It is probable that she guarded her private part and he breathed into the opening of her (garment).
(Al-Qurtubi, Al-Gamiโ le Ahkam-el-Qurโan, Volume 28, pages 203-204)
Imam Ibn Kathir in โTafsir-ul-Qurโan Al-โAzeemโ states,
โAnd Mary the daughter of โImran, who guarded her farjโ i.e., protected and purified it; guarding (ihsan) is chastity and absence of immorality. โWe breathed into it from Our spiritโ – by the Archangel Gabriel for God the MMost High sent him to her, so he shaped in the form of a man. God the Most High commanded him to breathe with his mouth into the opening of her garment, the breath then descended and entered through her private part, and she conceived Jesus (peace be upon him).
(Ibn Kathir, Tafsir-ul-Qurโan Al-โAzeem, Volume 8, page 92)
As-Samarqandi in โBahr-ul-โUloumโ states,
โwho guarded her farjโ means who purified herself from lewdness. “We breathed into it from Our spirit” means We sent (Angel) Gabriel (peace be upon him) so he breathed into the opening of her garment.
Al-Mawardi in โAn-Nukat wa Al-โUyounโ states,
โAnd Mary the daughter of Imran, who guarded her farjโ commentators state that the farj is intended to mean the opening (of the garment) for He says “We breathed into it from Our spirit”; and Gabriel breathed but into the opening of her (garment).
Al-Baghwi in โMaโalem-ut-Tanzilโ states,
โAnd Mary the daughter of โImran, who guarded her farj; and We breathed into it of Our spiritโ – into the opening of her garment.
Fakhr-ud-Din Ar-Razi in โMafateh-ul-Ghaibโ states,
โguardedโ from lewdness because she was accused of adultery. The farj is understood literally; Ibn โAbbas said Gabriel breathed into the opening of the garment; he extended it with his fingers and breathed into it. every opening, tear et cetera in the garment is named farj.
Al-Galalan Al-Mahalli and As-Suyuti state,
โAnd Mary the daughter of Imran, who guarded her farjโ – protected it.โWe breathed into it from Our spiritโ โ it is Gabriel when he breathed into the opening of her garment what God the Exalted had created, so it reached her private part and she conceived Jesus.
(Al-Mahalli and As-Suyuti, Tafsir-ul-Galalin, page 543)
Ash-Shawkani in โFath-ul-Qadirโ states,
โwho guarded her farjโ from lewdness, its exegesis has been mentioned in Surat-un-Nisaa. Commentators state that the farj is intended to mean the opening (of the garment) for His saying โWe breathed into it from Our spiritโ; Gabriel breathed but into the opening of her garment and she conceived Jesus.
(Ash-Shawkani, Fath-ul-Qadir, Volume 5, page 340)
The Shiโite Imam At-Tabarasi in โMajmโ-ul-Bayanโ states,
โAnd Mary the daughter of Imran, who guarded her farjโ i.e., protected her private part from (indulging in) sin and purified herself from prohibited things. It is said, it means she prevented herself from having a husband.โWe breathed into it from Our spiritโi.e., Gabriel breathed with Our command into the opening of her (garment) from Our spirit, related on authority of Qatada. Al-Farraโ said, every slit is a farj; (the phrase) โshe guarded her farjโ means she protected the opening of her garment from Gabriel.
The above is adequate to refute the filthy missionary argument; Imam As-Suhaili in his discussion of this verse notes,
Do not allow your imagination to go elsewhere; this is one of delicate gestures because the Qur’an is more exalted in meanings, more balanced in words, more delicate in gestures and better in expression than aiming at what the ignorant’s delusion presumes especially the breath came from the Holy Spirit (Ruh-ul-Quds) at the command of the Holiest (Al-Quddos). So, add the Holy to the Holiest and exalt the holy pure woman above false delusion and guesswork.
(quoted by Al-Qurtubi, Al-Gami’ le Ahkam-el-Qur’an, Volume 17, page 304)
However, if you are interested in more detailed research and analysis of the topic, you are advised to read the rest of this paper.
Literal and metaphoric meanings of the Arabic word “farj”
Literally the word farj means any opening, fissure, rent, slit, tear or gap between two objects; the sky is described in the Qurโan as having no furooj (sing. farj) in it i.e., no gaps or tears (Qurโan 60:5). In the Arabic-Arabic Dictionary published by Majmaโ Al-Lughat Al-โArabiyyah (the Council of Arabic Language) in Egypt we read,
Al-Farj: the fissure between two things pl. Furooj. In the Holy Qurโan โand there are no furooj in it?โ i.e., cracks and tears.
(Al-Muโjam-ul-Wajeez, page 465)
Metaphorically the word can be used as a reference to male genital organs (cf. Qurโan 5:23, 29:70, 30:24, 31:24 and 35:33) and less commonly to female genital organs (cf. Qurโan 31:24). This use of the word serves as a polite expression instead of uttering the explicit names of private organs, this is the reason why it is present in Islamic texts relating to marital life and other sexual issues.
We are aware that the Christian missionary Sam Shamoun and others whom he quotes managed to display the word as a filthy one and to show Muslims as people who are accustomed to utter dirt and filth even in their religious discussions! Nothing is further from the truth; the believer is supposed neither to use gutter expressions nor to curse
frequently as Godโs Messenger (peace be upon him) has commanded in the sound tradition related by At-Tirmithi, Ahmed Ibn Hanbal and Al-Baihaqi on authority of โAbdullah Ibn Masโood (Sunan-ut-Tirmithi, n. 2105, Musnad Ahmed, n. 3916 and 4027 and Sunan-ul-Baihaqi, n. 21314 and 21670). And to God belongs the judgement in all affairs.
Now, we move on to a relevant issue: when to understand the word literally and when to metaphorically interpret it in a given text. Under the title of โMisinterpretationโ Dr. Yusuf Al-Qaradawi notes,
It is established before people of knowledge that it is prior to maintain the explicit meanings of texts which refer to their original meanings determined by the language. But interpretation of texts by shifting them from their original meanings to metaphoric ones is an indisputable issue among scholars well versed in the Qurโan and Sunnah. Some may not call it metaphor (majaz) and give it another name as Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taimiyyah, grammarians who preceded him and his disciples who followed him have done.
We are not interested in names and titles as long as the identities and contents are clear; they all agree upon shifting the word from its literal meaning into another hidden meaning. What is actually important is that this should not take place without the evidence that necessitates diversion from the literal meaning to a metaphoric one, otherwise trust in the language and its function would be nullified.
If we find the proof or the evidence, we can divert the word from the explicit meaning to an implicit one and from truth to metaphor.
(Al-Qaradawi, Kaif nataโamal maโa Al-Qurโan Al-โAzeem? โHow to Deal with the Glorious Qurโan?โ, page 284)
He gives some examples then adds,
Interpretation (taโweel) is then acceptable if it is indicated by an authentic proof from the language, the law or the intellect, otherwise it is rejected no matter who interprets. That is why the most serious danger to whom texts are exposed is misinterpretation i.e., explaining the texts in a way that diverts them from the purpose of Allah and His Apostle to another purpose sought by the interpreter. These meanings themselves could be correct but the texts do not prove them.
The meanings themselves could be corrupted and the texts do not prove them, then corruption lies in the proof and the proved.
(ibid., page 185)
Technically, interpretation (taโweel) means diversion of the word from its explicit meaning to a possible overridden meaning due to presence of an evidence that makes it overriding (Ash-Shawkani, Irshad-ul-Fuhoul, page 176). This is the acceptable form of interpretation.
First: diversion should be to a possible meaning. Secondly: evidence is required to support this possible meaning. Thirdly: this evidence should be overpowering for an overpowered or equivocal evidence is inadequate to divert the word from its literal meaning, thus it is rejected.
If we apply this rule to the word โfarjโ in the verse, maintaining its explicit meaning is prior to interpreting it. Moreover, evidence adds more weight to the explicit meaning than to the interpretation. This is discussed in the following section.
Exegesis of “guarded her farj”
Here we are confronted with two explanations: one claiming that the Farj refers to the Jayb (i.e., the opening of her garment) and that Mary prevented Gabriel from approaching her Jayb according to the previously quoted tradition, and the other claiming that it refers to her private part and that the expression โguarded her farjโ is intended to mean guarded her chastity from lewdness.
Before I discuss the two explanations, the degree of veracity of each of them and which of them is the correct one (since we know that they cannot be both right), Iโm going to display opinions of various scholars and exegetes concerning the phrase.
Imam At-Tabari states,
Allah Whose remembrance is exalted says โAnd Mary the daughter of โImran, who guarded her farjโ He means: who protected the opening of her garment from Gabriel (peace be upon him); any opening or tear in the garment is called farj, as well any crack in a wall, or a window in a roof is a farj.
(At-Tabari, Jamiโ-ul-Bayan, Volume 28, page 192)
Imam Al-Qurtubi states,
โwho guarded her farjโ – from lewdness. Commentators say the faarj is intended to mean the opening (of the garment) because He says โWe breathed into it of Our spiritโ; Gabriel (peace be upon him) breathed but into the opening of her (garment) and did not breathe into her private part.
In the recitation of Ubai โWe breathed into the opening of her (garment) of Our Spiritโ. Every opening in the dress is called farj like His saying โand there are no flaws (furooj sing. farj) in it?โ (Holy Qurโan 50:6).
It is probable that she guarded her private part and he breathed into the opening of her (garment).
(Al-Qurtubi, Al-Gamiโ le Ahkam-el-Qurโan, Volume 28, pages 203-204)
Imam Ibn Kathir states,
โAnd Mary the daughter of โImran, who guarded her farjโ i.e., protected and purified it; guarding (ihsan) is chastity and absence of immorality.
(Ibn Kathir, Tafsir-ul-Qurโan Al-โAzeem, Volume 8, page 92)
As-Samarqandi states,
โwho guarded her farjโ means who purified herself from lewdness.
Al-Mawardi states,
โAnd Mary the daughter of Imran, who guarded her farjโ commentators state that the farj is intended to mean the opening (of the garment) for He says “We breathed into it from Our spirit”; and Gabriel breathed but into the opening of her (garment).
Ar-Razi states,
โguardedโ from lewdness because she was accused of adultery. The farj is understood literally; Ibn โAbbas said Gabriel breathed into the opening of the garment; he extended it with his fingers and breathed into it. every opening, tear et cetera in the garment is named farj.
Ibn-ul-Jawzi states,
His saying โguarded her farjโ we have mentioned two opinions in Surat-ul-Anbiyyaโ; those who say that it is the opening of her garment state that the pronoun in โbreathed into itโ refers to it (i.e., the Jayb) because Gabriel extended the opening of the garment and introduced it. And those who say that it is the birth outlet state that the pronoun refers to a non-mentioned object for he breathed into her garment not her private part.
Ath-Thaโalibi states,
His saying โguarded her farjโ, the majority say it is the opening of the garment, and some say it is the private organ and โguarding itโ means protecting it.
Al-Alousi states,
Al-Farraโ says: โExegetes mentioned that the farj is the opening of her garment and this is possible because Al-Farj linguistically means every fissure between two objects and the place of opening of womanโs garment is fissure-like, so it is a farj. This is more eloquent in praising her for if she guards the opening of her garment, she is solider in guarding herselfโ.
This quotation of the famous Arab grammarian Al-Farraโ by Al-Alousi is extremely valuable because it shows that the tradition of Mary preventing Gabriel from approaching her Jayb (i.e., the opening of her garment) is not merely linguistically applicable, but it is even more eloquent for if she is praised for being solid in guarding her Jayb, then she must be much solider in guarding herself against lewdness.
Consequently, this explanation encompasses – and is superior to – the other one claiming that โguarded her farjโ means โkept herself pureโ, but not vice versa.
Ash-Shawkani states,
โwho guarded her farjโ from lewdness, its exegesis has been mentioned in Surat-un-Nisaa. Commentators state that the farj is intended to mean the opening (of the garment) for His saying โWe breathed into it from Our spiritโ; Gabriel breathed but into the opening of her garment and she conceived Jesus.
(Ash-Shawkani, Fath-ul-Qadir, Volume 5, page 340)
The Shiโite scholar At-Tabarasi states,
โAnd Mary the daughter of Imran, who guarded her farjโ i.e., protected her private part from (indulging in) sin and purified herself from prohibited things. It is said, it means she prevented herself from having a husband.
After we have displayed quotations of various scholars on the passage, we are left with two explanations; either that the farj refers to the private part and the meaning is that Mary guarded herself from lewdness, or that it refers to the opening of her garment and the passage is a reference to the event of Mary preventing Gabriel from approaching her Jayb. The two meanings are possible, but – according to principles of Qurโanic interpretation – only one of them is the correct one.
We say – and Allah knows best – that the second explanation is the correct one for the following causes: first, it is the literal meaning and we have shown in the above section that the direct explicit meaning is prior to the metaphoric one. Secondly, it is supported by Muslim tradition and this is the strongest evidence. Thirdly, it is more eloquent and encompasses the other interpretation but not vice versa.
Fourthly, the pronoun in the verse undoubtedly refers to Maryโs Jayb (i.e., the opening of her garment) and it is prior of the pronoun to refer to the object in the verse (i.e., the farj) rather than referring to a non-mentioned object.
So, we notice that all traditional, linguistic, rhetoric and logical aspects endorse the exegesis of the word โfarjโ as a reference to the opening of Maryโs garment. And Allah knows best.
Exegesis of “breathed into it”
In contrast to the controversy – which we have settled – concerning what is meant by “guarded her farj”, all Muslim exegetes and commentators agree that Gabriel breathed but into the opening of Mary’s garment, not into her vagina as Christian missionaries and polemicists fantasize.
This is the agreed-upon exegesis even if the unbelievers dislike it. The English translation of the Noble Qur’an done by Dr. Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali and Ph. D. & Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan renders the verse to “and We breathed into (the sleeve of her shirt or her garment) through Our Rรปh [i.e. Jibrael (Gabriel)]”
(Holy Qur’an 66:12)
Imam Ibn Qutaibah (died 276 A.H.) states,
The Messiah is Spirit of God (Ruhullah) because he is the breath of Gabriel into the garment of Mary.
(Ibn Qutaibah, Taโwil Mushkil Al-Qurโan, page 487)
Ibn Jarir At-Tabari states,
โWe breathed into itโ – into the opening of her garment.
(At-Tabari, op. cit.)
Al-Qurtubi states,
โWe breathed into it of Our spiritโ – Gabriel (peace be upon him) breathed but into the opening of her (garment) and did not breathe into her private part. In the recitation of Ubai โWe breathed into the opening of her (garment) of Our Spiritโ.
(Al-Qurtubi, op. cit.)
Ibn Kathir states,
โWe breathed into it from Our spiritโ – by the Archangel Gabriel for God the Most High sent him to her, so he shaped in the form of a man. God the Most High commanded him to breathe with his mouth into the opening of her garment, the breath then descended and entered through her private part, and she conceived Jesus (peace be upon him).
(Ibn Kathir, op. cit.)
As-Samarqandi states,
โWe breathed into it from Our spiritโ – means We sent (Angel) Gabriel (peace be upon him) so he breathed into the opening of her garment.
Al-Mawardi states,
โฆ He saysโWe breathed into it from Our spiritโ and Gabriel breathed but into the opening of her (garment).
Al-Baghwi states,
โWe breathed into it from Our spiritโ – into the opening of her garment.
Az-Zamakhshari in โAl-Kashafโ states (commentary on 21:91),
โฆ because he breathed into the opening of her garment and the breath reached inside of her.
(Az-Zamakhshar, Tafsir-ul-Kashaf, Volume 3, page 204)
An-Nasafi in โMadarek-ut-Tanzilโ states (commentary on 21:91),
โWe breathed into her from Our spiritโ – We put spirit of the Messiah inside her or We sent Gabriel and he breathed in the opening of her garment, so We produced Jesus inside her with this breath.
(An-Nasafi, Madarek-ut-Tanzil, Volume 2, page 99)
Abu Hayyan in โAl-Bahr Al-Muheetโ states (commentary on 21:91),
Apparently, His saying โWe breathed into her from Our spiritโ is a metaphor to indicate creation of Jesus alive inside her womb; there is no actual breathing. He the Exalted attributed the spirit to Himself out of honour. It is said: there is actual breathing; Gabriel did breathe into the opening of her garment and the breath is attributed to Him (glory be to Him) out of honour for Gabriel did it according to His command. It is said:
The spirit here is Gabriel as He says โWe sent to her Our spiritโ (Holy Qurโan 19:17) and the meaning of โWe breathed into herโ is through Gabriel. Gabriel had breathed into the opening of her garment and the breath reached inside her.
This is the only exception to the agreement of Muslim commentators; Abu Hayyan brings a valuable consideration (that the entire phrase is but a metaphor), however, he honestly gives mention of the orthodox interpretation.
Ar-Razi states,
Ibn โAbbas said Gabriel breathed into the opening of the garment; he extended it with his fingers and breathed into it.
Ibn-ul-Jawzi states,
His saying โguarded her farjโ we have mentioned two opinions in Surat-ul-Anbiyyaโ; those who say that it is the opening of her garment state that the pronoun in โbreathed into itโ refers to it (i.e., the Jayb) because Gabriel extended the opening of the garment and introduced it. And those who say that it is the birth outlet state that the pronoun refers to a non-mentioned object for he breathed into her garment not her private part.
Here Imam Ibn-ul-Jawzi state that the pronoun refers to the Jayb (i.e., the opening of the garment) no matter what the meaning of farj is. If the farj refers to the Jayb, then the pronoun refers to it, and if the farj refers to the private organ, then the pronoun refers to a non-mentioned object – which is a legitimate approach in Arabic language – that is the Jayb because the tradition leaves no doubt that Gabriel breathed but into Mary’s Jayb.
Al-Galalan state,
โWe breathed into it from Our spiritโ – it is Gabriel when he breathed into the opening of her garment what God the Exalted had created, so it reached her private part and she conceived Jesus.
(Al-Mahalli and As-Suyuti, op. cit.)
Ash-Shawkani states,
Commentators state that what is intended by Al-Farj here is the opening (of the garment) due to His saying โWe breathed into it from Our spiritโ; Gabriel did breathe into the opening of her garment, so she conceived Jesus.
(Ash-Shawkani, op. cit.)
EVEN The Shiโite Imam At-Tabarasi states,
( Disclaimer: we as Mainstream Islam do not agree on various topics with shi’a, Some shi’a could be out of teh fold of Islam if they contradict the Pure teachings of Prophet Muhammed and Adherents to the Pure traditions and teachings of The prophet= in Arabic Ahl Al Sunnah wa Al Jamahah
โWe breathed into it from Our spiritโ – Gabriel, with our command, breathed into the opening of her garment from Our spirit. It is related on authority of Qatada.
So, if the missionaryโs objection is all about mention of breathing into Maryโs vagina in the Qurโan, then his objection is baseless for no single Muslim commentator ever claimed that the pronoun in Qurโan 66:12 refers to the vagina of Virgin Mary.
But the controversy here would be about how the breath reached the womb of Mary; Abu Hayyan, Az-Zamakhshari and An-Nasafi note that it infiltrated her body based upon their understanding of the verse in Surat-ul-Anbiyaaโ โWe breathed into herโ while later scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Galan state that the breath descended and entered her womb through her private organ based upon their supposition that since the birth of Jesus was vaginal, then his conception must have been vaginal too.
Simple comparison shows that the opinion of Abu Hayyan, Az-Zamakhshari and An-Nasafi is more acceptable and acquires legitimacy from the Qurโan while that of Ibn Kathir and Al-Galan is no more than a supposition without evidence in the Qurโan or tradition. And Allah knows best.
Language of the Bible as a whole
Now let us move on the the language of the Bible and demonstrate how certain passages from it can only be deemed as anything but “decent”. It has been recognised in the past that the Bible contained language that are obscene and are graphically sexual in its material, or as what a noted contemporary theologian said,
…the Bible contains much racy material, fully as sexy as the works of Jacqueline Susann, only better written.
(As quoted from Rev. Charles Merrill Smith in Ben Edward Akerley, The X-Rated Bible, page xv. Published by Omar Brothers Publication, 1994)
Now let us cite a few passages from the Bible to demonstrate the “racy material” that is contained within it. It should be noted that this is a incomplete collection of excerpts from objectionable Biblical language, and is therefore not exhausive. This is done in order to keep this article within the limits of PG-13 rating. Further objections to the Biblical material can be noted in our appendix.
Genesis 34:2
And when Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.
Numbers 25:1
And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
Micah 1:8
Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.
Ezekiel 16:7-8
I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare. Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine.
Ezekiel 23:16-20
And as soon as she saw them with her eyes, she doted upon them, and sent messengers unto them into Chaldea. And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom, and she was polluted with them, and her mind was alienated from them So she discovered her whoredoms, and discovered her nakedness:
Then my mind was alienated from her, like as my mind was alienated from her sister. Yet she multiplied her whoredoms, in calling to remembrance the days of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.For she doted upon their Paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses.
Proverbs 5:18-19
Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.
It is perhaps not too far-fetched to say that we are now able to pinpoint the source of the missionary’s rauchy interpretations of the Qur’รขn, having seen the indecent exposures from excerpts of the Biblical text. One can only conclude that the Bible language in general is shameful and disgusting, to say the least.
We have shown that the interpretation of Qur’รขn 66:12 clearly affirms that Mary, the mother of Christ Jesus (peace be upon them both), was a chaste woman who had never been touched by any man. The word farj, which the missionary claims to be alluding to Mary’s genitals, is actually referring to the opening/fissure of Mary’s garment.
And the commentators of the Qur’รขn had understood this to mean that the Angel Gabriel had breathed into an opening of Maryโs garment to usher in the conception of Jesus (peace be upon him).
It is also clear that the Qur’รขnic text is nothing like the vivid, obscene imagery that is contained within the Bible. Having shown examples of the “racy material” that is contained within the missionary’s “Word of God”, it is clear that the language of parts of the Bible is little left to be desired. It might be prudent for the missionary to bear in mind that throwing stones at glass houses would only get oneself hurt in the process.
And only God knows best!
Appendix
The Qur’an cannot be a text of divine origin
The Christian missionary Sam Shamoun in the end of his paper concludes that the Qurโan cannot be a text of divine origin because of the unacceptable meanings included in it. Perhaps he is correct in this conclusion and we may tend to agree with him due to many reasons, for example ..
1. The Qurโan does not say a prophet slept with his daughters (Genesis 19:30-38).
2. The Qurโan does not say a prophet slept with his neighbour’s wife and plotted to kill him (2 Samuel 11:1-27).
3. The Qurโan does not say a prophet worshipped the Calf (Exodus 32:1-6).
4. The Qurโan does not say a prophet changed his religion, worshipped idols and built them temples (1 Kings 11:1-13).
5. The Qurโan does not say a prophet told lies and God deceived and destroyed another prophet (1 Kings 13:1-30).
6. The Qurโan does not say David, Solomon and Jesus were originally bastards from the seed of Pharez son of Judah (Genesis 38:12:30).
7. The Qurโan does not say the firstborn of the Great Prophet who was the firstborn of God slept with his stepmother (Genesis 35:22 and 49:3-4).
8. The Qurโan does not say the second son of the same Great Prophet (firstborn of God) slept with his daughter-in-law (Genesis 38:12:30).
9. The Qurโan does not say John the Baptist who was the greatest Israelite Prophet ever according to Jesus – though the least in the kingdom of God is greater than him! – failed to recognize his second lord on earth although this lord followed him and got baptized by him until he saw the third god descending on this second god as pigeon (Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11 and Luke 3:21-22).
10. The Qurโan does not say the apostle of this god, Judea the Iscariot, who performed many miracles in his name and was among the disciples who were greater than Moses and other Israelite Prophets according to Jesus, delivered his god to the hands of his enemies for 30 pieces (Matthew 26:14-16, 27:3-9, Mark 14:10-11, Luke 22:3-6 and John 18:1-5).
11. The Qurโan does not say Caiaphas, the high priest, who was a prophet according to John the Baptist rejected, insulted and made a verdict to kill his god (Matthew 26:57:68, Mark 14:53-65, Luke 22:54-71 and John 18:12-24).
For all the above reasons, we conclude that the Qur’an, unlike the Bible, cannot be a text of divine origin.
Allah Knows Best.
References:
He is Debating with a Christian and is Asking: Does God Have a Spirit?
ย Jesus Is the Messenger, the Word, and the Spirit of Allah, the Exalted
Describing Jesus/โIssa as the Word of Allah and Spirit of Allah in the Quran
Status of the hadith about what is called the โduโaaโ of Jibreelโ
Islam Perspective: The Divinity of The Holy Spirit?
Stop Fooling yourself in the Name of the Holy Spirit
Refuting Christian Evidence for the Divinity of the Holy Spirit โ Holy Spirit is not God in Islam