We saw an example of how a story in the Quran presents proof of the power of Allah (swt), and linked to the issue of divinity — the major issue of the Quran.

"And mention in the Book Maryam (Mary), when she withdrew in seclusion from her family to a place facing east. She placed a screen separating her from them; then We sent to her Our Spirit [angel Jibrael], and he appeared before her in the form of a perfect man. She said: Verily! I seek refuge with the Beneficent from you, if you were pious. He said: I am only a Messenger from your Lord, to give you the gift of a righteous son. She said: How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I a whore? He said: So your Lord said; That is easy for Me, and to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us, and it is a matter already decreed. So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a date-palm. She said: Would that I had died before this, and had been forgotten and out of sight! Then he cried unto her from below her, saying: Grieve not! Your Lord has provided a water stream under you; and shake the trunk of date-palm towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe-dates upon you. So eat and drink and be glad, and if you see any human being, say: Verily! I have vowed a fast for the Beneficent; so I shall not speak to any human being this day. Then she came to her people carrying him. They said: O Maryam! Indeed you have done an abhorrent thing. O sister of Harun (Aaron); Your father was not an evil man, nor was your mother a whore. Then she pointed to him. They said: How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle? He said: Verily! I am a slave of Allah, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet; And He has made me blessed wheresoever I be, and He enjoined on me prayer and Zakat (alms), as long as I live; And devoted to my mother, and He did not make me a wretched tyrant; And peace be upon me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I shall be resurrected alive!" [Maryam 19:16-31]

This is yet another story of the touching and living stories that the Quran demonstrates to fulfil its special goals. It does however achieve the artistic enjoyment like any story written just for pure artistic enjoyment!

Because the Quran is a book of education not a book of stories, Quranic stories often present specific snap shots of the life of the personality the story deals with, where the lessons and the required effects are to be delivered. Not all the details of the story or all the occasions are mentioned because this does not suit the special goals of the Quran. Presenting snap shots, however, gives the Quranic story special vitality. It leaves the imagination to fill the gaps between one snap shot and another. Imagination would have double functions; following up the presented scene, and filling up the gaps between one scene and another.

The story of Maryam is one of the most prominent models of Quranic stories that follow this "artistic" way!

Here is the first snap shot, picturing Maryam, the chaste virgin, in her isolated place with a screen between herself and her family preventing anyone to enter. She has been known since childhood for her purity and dedication to worshipping. Her mother made a vow to offer her to the temple, as mentioned in chapter Aal Imran; "When the wife of Imran said: O my Lord! I have vowed to You what is in my womb to be dedicated for Your services, so accept this from me. Verily, You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knowing. Then when she delivered her she said: O my Lord! I have delivered a female child, and Allah knew better what she delivered, and the male is not like the female, and I have named her Maryam, and I seek refuge with You for her and for her offspring from Shaitan (Satan), the outcast. So her Lord accepted her with goodly acceptance. He made her grow in a good manner and put her under the care of Zakariya. Every time Zakariya entered the prayer niche, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: "O Maryam! From where have you gotten this? She said, "This is from Allah. Verily, Allah provides sustenance to whom He wills without limit." [Aal Imran 3:35-37]

In her safe and pure seclusion, a man she does not know shockingly appears. He should never be in her secluded place with her condition in seclusion. Imagination is left to picture first, her panic of the shocking surprise, and second, her panic of a man being with her in her seclusion, herself being the pure and chaste girl.

As she regains her breath from the first and second panic, she turns to that stranger appealing to his piety, reminding him of Allah (swt) so that he would leave her to her seclusion and go away without harming her. However, the man gives her even a greater and harder shock! He defines his mission, and it seems his mission is the very same thing she was in her self scared and afraid of happening. He came to give her a boy!

At this moment she finds no way out of open and frank confrontation. The barrier of shyness is broken and she could not use it as a cover after that stranger broke into her seclusion. At that time he tells her his complete task and explains to her the Divine order assigned to him, and her role in conceiving that prophet who would be mercy and a sign to mankind.

A gap then comes in the story for the imagination to fill . . .! Her confused feelings, the panic that gradually calms down and is replaced with assurance and acceptance of the destiny of Allah (swt), but still with fears from the expected outcomes of that destiny, facing her family with a boy she conceived without a declared and formal marriage!

The gap continues until she is suddenly faced with the childbirth labour. We are suddenly surprised with her condition of childbirth! Once again she faces panic, alone without experience, with the pain forcing her to the date-palm trunk. She does not know what to do without someone to help her. She is overcome with fear of expected confrontation and slander! All this happens at one and the same time! She wishes she were vanished from existence and became long forgotten!

Once again assurance and security from Allah (swt) engulf her! The child calls from below her; Do not fear or grief! Allah has made underneath you a water stream. Here is the water to drink and to wash, here is the fresh ripe dates falling, and here is the reassurance with the one talking to her, easing her fear and loneliness . . .!

Another gap passes after which the surprise of confrontation comes, although we see Maryam here, as expected, reassured, secure with the mercy of Allah and His previous signs to her, and is not afraid anymore!

The scene ends with the last surprise of the situation, the newborn child speaks saying, "Verily! I am a slave of Allah; He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet."

This way of presentation that joins dialogue and narration, drawing distinctive snap shots and leaving gaps for the imagination, gives the whole story clear vitality, and makes its effect in the feelings deep and continuing!

But, for what was the story that its effect on the emotions goes that deep? It comes here with two integrated and overlapping ways. On one hand, it is a story that in its own right refutes what the Christians claim that Isa (s) is the son of Allah! The comment goes like this:

"Such is Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam. a statement of truth, about which they doubt. It befits not Allah that He should beget a son. Exalted be He. When He decrees a thing, He only says to it, "Be!" and it is! Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him. That is the Straight Path. Then the sects differed, so woe unto the disbelievers from the scene of a great Day. How clearly will they see and hear, the Day when they will appear before Us! But the wrong-doers today are in plain error. And warn them of the Day of grief and regrets, when the case has been decided, while (now) they are in a state of unawareness, and they believe not. Verily! We will inherit the earth and whatsoever is thereon. And to Us they all shall be returned." [Maryam 19:34-40]

As such, on one hand, the story is directly related to the issue of divinity and showing the reality of oneness, and the fact that all mankind, including Isa (s) are all slaves to Allah and should not be anything else. Isa says, "Verily! I am a slave of Allah" and the following comment says, "It befits not Allah that He should beget a son. Exalted be He. When He decrees a thing, He only says to it, "Be!" and it is!"

The story, on the other hand, comes within a group of stories of the prophets whom Allah (swt) has bestowed with great and conspicuous blessings, including the blessing of being selected for the message and revelation, the blessing of the miracles Allah supported them with to help them pass the message, not to mention His blessing them of family and offspring, and finally of giving them high status in this world and in the Hereafter.

The chapter starts with mentioning Zakariya, "Kâf HâYâ’AînSâd, This is a mention of the mercy of your Lord to His slave Zakariya". Stories then follow after Zakariya (s) started with, "And mention in the Book . . ." Then successively comes "And mention in the Book Maryam. . .", "And mention in the Book Ibrahim . . .", "And mention in the Book Musa. .", "And mention in the Book Ismail . . .", "And mention in the Book Idris . . ."

The final comment for all of them comes, "Those were they unto whom Allah bestowed His Grace from among the Prophets, of the offspring of Adam, and of those whom We carried with Nuh (Noah), and of the offspring of Ibrahim and Israel and from among those whom We guided and chose. When the Verses of the Most Beneficent were recited unto them, they fell down prostrating and weeping. Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up the prayers and have followed lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell. Except those who repent, believed, and work righteousness. Such will enter Paradise and they will not be wronged in aught." [Maryam 19:58-60]

The context is linked to the issue of divinity from more than one aspect. The miracles, of which creating Isa (s) without a father is the most prominent, are signs of divine power that comes in the Quran in the context of acquainting humans with their Lord; He, the exalted, is the Most Powerful, whose power is without limit, that nothing in the universe is beyond His power, as He says to anything: "Be, and it is!"

The blessings Allah bestowed over the prophets and messengers in the chapter, e.g. giving Zakariya (s) a son in his old age and a barren wife would also be a miracle!, blessing Maryam with conceiving one of the privileged messengers, also a miracle!, blessing Ibrahim (s) his son Ishaq (s) in his old age as well as seeing his grandchild Yaqub during his lifetime and making both of them prophets, blessing Musa (s) by Allah directly talking to him at the right side of Al-Tor mountain as well as sending Harun (s) with him as a prophet, blessing Ismail (s) with the message and status of pleasure of Allah, finally blessing Idris (s) with the high status!

All these blessings mentioned in the context of acquainting the people with their Lord, that He is the One who bestows blessings! Finally comes the condition of these selected group of slaves of Allah (swt), how they stand in the true position of slavery to Allah, "When the Verses of the Most Beneficent were recited unto them, they fell down prostrating and weeping."

Then people came after them who went astray from the status of slavery to Allah (swt) and followed their whims and desires. The verses are then concluded with the destiny of these latter people on the Day of Judgement and the destiny of those who repent to Allah and follow the truth.

Thus we find that fascinating presentation in the story going all to serve the great issue, the issue of acquaintance of humans with their Lord, Allah (swt).