IN the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
The Holy Qur’an, Al-Imran, 3:45, says: “Behold! The angel said, ‘O Mary! God giveth thee glad tidings of a word from Him: his name will be Isa (Jesus Christ), the son of Mary held in honour in the world and the Hereafter and of the company of those nearest to God”.
The birth of every human being is no doubt a miracle, right from conception to the eventual birth or delivery. It is only the Creator that can actually reveal what is conceived in a woman’s womb. To be a child is by the command of Almighty Allah that the protoplasm or semen from the male is made to batch in the womb of a woman and develop into a foetus. At least not all mating is given such command by Allah to develop into fruition, as billions of semen are washed away.
Even the creation of man from a quintessence of clay is a miracle (Qur’an 23:12). Adam, the first creation and first Prophet, was actually moulded from clay and Allah commanded it to become human with physical, intellectual, moral and spiritual faculties. (Qur’an 2:30; 3:59). He was thus born or created without the agents of a father and a mother. What a miracle!
The Holy Qur’an, Al-Mu’min, 23:12-17, attests by the Almighty Allah, the Creator (Al-Khaliq): “Man We did create from a quintessence (of clay); Then We placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a place of rest, firmly fixed. Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (fœtus) lump; then We made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then We developed out of it another creature. So blessed be God, the Best to create! After that, at length ye will die. Again, on the Day Of Judgment, will ye be raised up. And We have made, above you, seven tracts; and We are never unmindful of (Our) creation”.
But if the creation of Adam was the evolution of humanity or mankind, the miracle in the birth of his wife, and first female, Hawau (Eve), is notable. She was created by Allah from the person of Adam, who may be referred to as her father in the parlance of human birth. She is without a mother (Qur’an 2:35; 15:26).
Eve, like all, was created from Adam, which makes the story of her creation from a rib of Adam allegorical but not to be assumed in Qur’anic teaching and the creation of other children of Adam from the primeval matter out of nothing when inorganic matter becomes living matter is even more miraculous. The drop of semen from man into the woman’s womb becomes clot of congealed blood, to lump of bones and clothed the bones with flesh and bones after seven or nine months as boy or girl as Allah may Decree (Qur’an 23:13-15; 96:2).
The Holy Qur’an, An-Nisa 4:1, attests: “O mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord Who created you from a single person created of like nature his mate and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women; reverence God through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights) and (reverence) the wombs (that bore you): for God ever watches over you”.
These chains of authentic narration of Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) about the birth of Adam and Hawau (Eve) relates: “It is related through authentic chains that Imam Muhammad al-Baqir and Ja‘far as-Sadiq said, ‘Adam was named ‘Adam’ because he was ‘AdeemulArz’, that is he was created from the face of the earth (from dust). And Hawwa’ is named so because she was created from a being (Hayya), that is Adam.’” According to another opinion, ‘AdeemulArz’ is the fourth (layer of) earth.
In another report, it is mentioned that “Abdullah bin Salaam asked the Messenger of Allah why Adam is named thus. The Prophet replied it was because Adam has been created from the dust of the Earth. Abdullah asked whether Adam was created from dust of one particular location or from a mixture of dust collected from various places. The Prophet said, ‘The dust resembles him most because it is white, red, green, pink and blue. It has sweet, sour tastes, agreeable and disagreeable temperaments, hard and soft qualities of mind. This has caused the people to be soft and hard, red, black, yellow, pink based on different types of soil’.
“Abdullah asked him whether Hawwa’ was created from Adam or Adam created from Hawwa’. The Prophet replied that Hawwa’ was created from Adam and if Adam had been created from Hawwa’, the woman would have had the prerogative to divorce’.
“‘Abdullah asked whether Hawwa’ was created from a specific part of Adam’s body or from this whole body. The Prophet replied, “From a specific portion and if she had been created from his whole body the commands of retaliation would have been equal for both’[.
“Abdullah asked whether she was created from the external part of Adam’s body or from an internal portion. The Prophet replied, “From the internal. If she were created from an external part, she would have been allowed, like men, to go out without Hijab (veil). Therefore, it is necessary that men should have their women covered in Hijab.’
“Abdullah asked if she was created from the right side or the left side. The Prophet replied, “If she had been created from the right side, men and women would have received equal shares of inheritance. Because as she was created from the left side the woman has one share and men have two shares. And the testimony of two women is equal to that of one man.”
“Abdullah asked, ‘From which part of Adam’s body was she created?’ The Prophet replied, ‘She was created from the clay that was left over after making of the rib of Adam.’”
According to a reliable chain, Imam Ja‘far as-Sadiq had said that woman is known as Mar’ah (Arabic word meaning woman) because she had been created from ‘Mar’ (Arabic word for man), this is based on the fact that Hawwa’ is created from Adam.
In another reliable tradition, Imam says that women are known as ‘Nisa’ (Arabic word for women) because Adam was not interested (having ‘uns’) in anything before he got the company of Hawwa’.
As if to crown the miraculous births without an agent of a father, the Almighty Allah bring forth, Prophet Isa through a chaste mother, Mariam that was purified and chosen above women of all nations (Qur’an 3:42).
But it was not by accident that Prophet Isa (AS) was born without a father. It was by the design and decree of Allah as He had chosen the offspring of Adam and Noah, the family of Ibrahim, and the family of Imran above all people. At least, He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing (Qur’an 3:33-34). It was in fact a demonstration that God’s truth is continuous, and His Apostles from Adam, through Noah and Ibrahim, down to the last Prophet Muhammad (SAW) form one brotherhood.
The Holy Qur’an, Al-Imran 3:33-37 confirms, “God did choose Adam and Noah, the family of Abraham, and the family of Imran above all people. Offspring, one of the other; and God heareth and knoweth all things. Behold! A woman of Imran said: ‘O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service so accept this of me for Thou hearest and knowest all things’. When she was delivered, she said: ‘O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!’ And God knew best what she brought forth ‘and nowise is the male like the female. I have named her Mary and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One the Rejected.”Right graciously did her Lord accept her: He made her grow in purity and beauty; to the care of Zakariya was she assigned. Every time that he entered (her) chamber to see her he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: “O Mary! Whence (comes) this to you?” She said: ‘From God: for God provides sustenance to whom He pleases without measure.’”
May Almighty Allah brighten our hearts with the truth and understanding of his revelation on Prophet ‘Isa (AS). Amen.
