قَالَتْ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِى وَلَدٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِى بَشَرٌ ۖ قَالَ كَذَٰلِكِ ٱللَّهُ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ ۚ إِذَا قَضَىٰٓ أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ 47
Translations
She said, "My Lord, how will I have a child when no man has touched me?" [The angel] said, "Such is Allāh; He creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is.
Transliteration
Qalat rabbi anna yakonu li waladun wa lam yamsasni basharun qala kadhalika allahu yakhluqu ma yashau idha qada amran fa innama yaqolu lahu kun fayakun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Maryam (Mary) questions how she can have a child when no man has touched her, and the angel Gabriel responds that Allah creates what He wills through His divine power—when He decrees a matter, He simply says 'Be' and it is. This ayah emphasizes Allah's absolute creative power and the miraculous nature of 'Isa's (Jesus's) birth without a father. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note this demonstrates that natural laws are subject to Allah's will, and that His creative ability transcends human understanding and biological norms.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Surah Ali 'Imran discussing the story of Maryam and the miraculous conception and birth of 'Isa. It directly addresses the theological response to Maryam's bewilderment when informed of her pregnancy, establishing a Quranic framework for understanding this extraordinary divine event within the broader context of Islamic creedal beliefs.
Related Hadiths
Related thematically to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet ﷺ said: 'Indeed, Allah's creation of the heavens and earth is greater than His creation of mankind,' emphasizing Allah's unlimited creative power. Also related to Sahih Bukhari's reports of the Prophet's teaching about the natural creation process contrasted with Allah's ability to override such processes at will.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that Allah's power is absolute and unlimited, transcending all natural laws and human limitations—a reminder to trust in divine wisdom even when circumstances seem impossible. It encourages Muslims to strengthen their faith in Allah's capabilities and to understand that extraordinary blessings and trials are within Allah's divine plan.