Saint Mary and Number 19
الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينة ونستغفره، ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا، ومن سيئات أعمالنا ، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له ، وأشهد أن سيدنا محمداً عبده ورسوله ، اللهم صلِّ وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه ومن تبعه إلى يوم الدين.
Surat Al-Muddathir (74) is one of the very early Surat that were revealed to Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). I want to focus on verses 27 to 31 that discuss the Hell Fire which is the abode of those who reject the Quran as a divine revelation. These are the verses that were recited in the beginning. Allah says:
وَمَآ أَدۡرَٮٰكَ مَا سَقَرُ (٢٧) لَا تُبۡقِى وَلَا تَذَرُ (٢٨) لَوَّاحَةٌ۬ لِّلۡبَشَرِ (٢٩) عَلَيۡہَا تِسۡعَةَ عَشَرَ (٣٠) وَمَا جَعَلۡنَآ أَصۡحَـٰبَ ٱلنَّارِ إِلَّا مَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةً۬ۙ وَمَا جَعَلۡنَا عِدَّتَہُمۡ إِلَّا فِتۡنَةً۬ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِيَسۡتَيۡقِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَيَزۡدَادَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِيمَـٰنً۬اۙ وَلَا يَرۡتَابَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَۙ وَلِيَقُولَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِہِم مَّرَضٌ۬ وَٱلۡكَـٰفِرُونَ مَاذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِہَـٰذَا مَثَلاً۬ۚ كَذَٲلِكَ يُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَہۡدِى مَن يَشَآءُۚ وَمَا يَعۡلَمُ جُنُودَ رَبِّكَ إِلَّا هُوَۚ وَمَا هِىَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرَىٰ لِلۡبَشَرِ (٣١)
“And what will make you know what exactly Hell Fire is? (27) It neither spares (any disbeliever) nor does it leave (anything unburnt). (28) Burning the skins. (29) Appointed on it are nineteen (wardens). (30) And We did not make wardens of the Fire but (from) angels and did not make their number (number 19) but as a test (trial) for those who disbelieve, in order that the people of the book (Jews and Christians) may arrive to certainty (the Quran is the truth) and those who believe may increase in belief, and that no doubts may be left for the people of the Book and the believers. And that those in whose hearts there is a disease, and the disbelievers say, “What has Allah meant by this similitude? Thus, Allah lets go astray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills. And no one knows the hosts of your Lord but He. This is nothing else but a Reminder for mankind (Al-Muddathir 74:27-31)
There are few messages that we can draw from these verses:
- These verses are the first revealed verses in which Allah mentions the people of the book (Jews and Christians.
- These verses include the first revealed number in the Quran, and this is number 19. There are 38 individual numbers mentioned in the Quran, 30 of them are whole numbers 8 are fractions. But number 19 is the first one revealed.
- Allah mentioned 4 functions for this number:
- Test to those who disbelieve.
- Give certainty to the people of the book regarding the divine nature of the Quran.
- Increase the belief of the Muslims.
- Remove any doubt that may still left in the heart of the people of the book and the Muslims.
Also, Allah highlights three issues associated with these verses, these are:
- The relevance of the verses and number 19 will be dismissed by those whose hearts are diseased.
- The number affirms that no one knows the extent of the forces of Allah that he can use against the disbelievers.
- These verses are but reminder to mankind, so no one will have an excuse when he is condemned to the Hell Fire for his dismissal of Allah’s warnings.
The table presents the numbers mentioned in the Quran, the frequency of their mention and an example verse number where the number is mentioned.
As you see in the table, there are 38 individual numbers, 30 are whole number and 8 are fractions, Interesting that 38 is multiple of 19, it is 19 x2.
The number was mentioned most frequent is number 1 (mentioned 145 time) followed by number 7 (mentioned 24 times).
If you calculate the total number of the verses (listed in the frequency column), it is 304 which is also multiple of 19, it is 19 x 16.
If you calculate the total value of column 1 of the whole number, it is 162,146 which is also multiple of 19, it is 19 x 8534.
How relevance these to number 19, I am not sure, but it is just interesting.
There are many studies that have been done regarding the relevance of number 19 and most of these studies used the concept called Hisab al-Jummal (حِسَاب الجُمَّل) which is alphabetic numeral system/ alphanumeric code in which the 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet are assigned numerical values according to the Abjad order which is different that the hijāʾī (هجائي) order that you find in modern dictionaries that assemble letters based on the similarity of their shapes.
As shown in this table of the Abjad order, this Hisab al-Jummal system involves the following:
The first 9 letters in the Abjad order are assigned value from 1 to 9.
The second 9 letters are assigned 10 to 90.
The third 9 letters assigned 100 to 900.
And 28th letter is assigned 1000.
So, if you want to assign a number to the 4-letter name مريم (Maryam), it will be: M+R+Y+M which is: 40+200+10+40 = 290
The phrase بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم has a numeric value of 786
(2+60+40+1+30+30+5+1+30+200+8+40+50+1+30+200+8+10+40).
Some Muslims analysts have used this alphanumeric code in the analyzing the verses of the Quran with focus on the number 19 to derive certain relationships and even to make certain prophecies.
One of the people whom you may have heard of is Dr. Rashad Khalifa who was an Egyptian-American biochemist and lived in Arizona. He used computers to analyze the frequency of letters and words in the Quran and published his findings in several books in which he indicated that the Quran contains a mathematical structure based on the number 19. Unfortunately, he later claimed his prophethood and was assassinated inside the Masjid (Mosque) of Tucson, Arizona on January 31, 1990, by one of his students whose name is Glen Cusford Francis who goes with the name. Benjamin Phillips.
These types of analysis may impress some Muslims, but how can they impress non-Muslims who do not even read Arabic and thus they can never verify the accuracy of the results; frankly even Muslim cannot easily verify the results.
I feel that this approach ignores the simplicity of the Quran which is one of its amazing miracles. Allah emphasized the simplicity of the Quran 4 times in Surat Al-Qamar (54) by saying:
وَلَقَدۡ يَسَّرۡنَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ لِلذِّكۡرِ فَهَلۡ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ۬ (١٧)
We made the Quran easy to learn. Does any of you wish to learn? (Al-Qamar 54:17, 22, 32, 40)
So, if number 19 is relevant to both the people of the book and Muslims, it must lead us to something simple and verifiable that we can share with the people of the Book whose hearts are pure to help them recognize that the Quran is truly the Book of Allah. This relevant thing must be available without relying on any complicated mathematical analysis and frankly, it must also be easy to verify even for those who do not understand Arabic.
I am saying to share the information with those whose hearts are pure because Allah clearly says in several verses in the Quran that those whose hearts are diseased will not even be willing to consider the relevance of any example that Allah provides.
So, let us look at the Quran and identify anything that is related to number 19 that we can share with the people of the book to reflect on. We note that the two personalities on which Jews, Christian and Muslims accept their historical presence but have completely differing views about them are Mariam (Mary) and Jesus.
When we examine the Quran, we note that there is only one woman whose name is mentioned, and she is Mariam (Saint Mary). Not only her name is mentioned, but also a whole chapter is named after her: Surat Maryam. The name Maryam came in the Quran 34 times; 23 time associated with Prophet Isa (Jesus) and 11 times by herself.
Since we are focusing on the potential relevance on number 19, what is the number of Surat Maryam. Any one can look at the Quran and find the number, is it coincidental that the Surat Maryam is number 19 in the Quran? Could Allah be indirectly telling us to go to Surat 19 and share with the people of the Book, the relevant verses in it that talk about Maryam.
When we look, we find out that Maryam’s name was first mentioned in verse 16 and last time the name is mentioned in the Surat is in verse 34. How many verses are these, they are 19 verses? Is it also coincidental that Allah summarizes the story of Maryam in 19 verses of Surat number 19? Let us listen to these 19 verses and then translate them:
“And mention in the Book Mary, when she withdrew from her people to a place facing East, (16) And had chosen seclusion from them. Then, We sent to her Our Spirit, (Jibra’il) who took before her the form of a perfect human being. (17) | وَٱذۡكُرۡ فِى ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ مَرۡيَمَ إِذِ ٱنتَبَذَتۡ مِنۡ أَهۡلِهَا مَكَانً۬ا شَرۡقِيًّ۬ا (١٦) فَٱتَّخَذَتۡ مِن دُونِهِمۡ حِجَابً۬ا فَأَرۡسَلۡنَآ إِلَيۡهَا رُوحَنَا فَتَمَثَّلَ لَهَا بَشَرً۬ا سَوِيًّ۬ا (١٧) |
She said, “I seek refuge in the Al-Rahman (God) from you, if you are God-fearing.” (18) He said: I am only a messenger of your Lord, that I may give you a purified boy” (19) | قَالَتۡ إِنِّىٓ أَعُوذُ بِٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ مِنكَ إِن كُنتَ تَقِيًّ۬ا (١٨) قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۟ رَسُولُ رَبِّكِ لِأَهَبَ لَكِ غُلَـٰمً۬ا زَڪِيًّ۬ا (١٩) |
She said: How can I have a boy when no human has ever touched me, nor I have ever been unchaste? (20) He said, “So it is; your Lord said, ‘It is easy for Me, and We make of him a sign for mankind and a mercy from Us, and this is a matter already ordained.” (21) | قَالَتۡ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِى غُلَـٰمٌ۬ وَلَمۡ يَمۡسَسۡنِى بَشَرٌ۬ وَلَمۡ أَكُ بَغِيًّ۬ا (٢٠) قَالَ كَذَٲلِكِ قَالَ رَبُّكِ هُوَ عَلَىَّ هَيِّنٌ۬ۖ وَلِنَجۡعَلَهُ ۥۤ ءَايَةً۬ لِّلنَّاسِ وَرَحۡمَةً۬ مِّنَّاۚ وَكَانَ أَمۡرً۬ا مَّقۡضِيًّ۬ا (٢١( |
So, she conceived him, and she withdraw with him to a remote place. (22) And the labor pains brought her to the trunk of a palm-tree. She said, “O I wish I would have died before this, and would have been something gone and forgotten.” (23) Then he called her from beneath her: “Do not grieve; your Lord has placed a water stream beneath you. (24) Shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards you and it will drop for you ripe fresh dates. (25) So, eat, drink and cool your eyes. Then if you see any human being, say, “I have vowed a fast (of silence) to Al-Rahman (Allah, the Dominator of the worlds) and therefore, I will not speak to any human today.” (26) | فَحَمَلَتۡهُ فَٱنتَبَذَتۡ بِهِۦ مَكَانً۬ا قَصِيًّ۬ا (٢٢) فَأَجَآءَهَا ٱلۡمَخَاضُ إِلَىٰ جِذۡعِ ٱلنَّخۡلَةِ قَالَتۡ يَـٰلَيۡتَنِى مِتُّ قَبۡلَ هَـٰذَا وَڪُنتُ نَسۡيً۬ا مَّنسِيًّ۬ا (٢٣) فَنَادَٮٰهَا مِن تَحۡتِہَآ أَلَّا تَحۡزَنِى قَدۡ جَعَلَ رَبُّكِ تَحۡتَكِ سَرِيًّ۬ا (٢٤) وَهُزِّىٓ إِلَيۡكِ بِجِذۡعِ ٱلنَّخۡلَةِ تُسَـٰقِطۡ عَلَيۡكِ رُطَبً۬ا جَنِيًّ۬ا (٢٥) فَكُلِى وَٱشۡرَبِى وَقَرِّى عَيۡنً۬اۖ فَإِمَّا تَرَيِنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡبَشَرِ أَحَدً۬ا فَقُولِىٓ إِنِّى نَذَرۡتُ لِلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ صَوۡمً۬ا فَلَنۡ أُڪَلِّمَ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ إِنسِيًّ۬ا (٢٦) |
When she returned to her people carrying him (the baby). They said, “O Mary you have committed something grave indeed. (:27) “O sister of Harun (Aaron)! Neither your father was an evil man nor your mother unchaste woman.” (28) So, she pointed towards him (the baby). They said, “How can we speak to someone who is still a child in the cradle?” (29) | فَأَتَتۡ بِهِۦ قَوۡمَهَا تَحۡمِلُهُ ۥۖ قَالُواْ يَـٰمَرۡيَمُ لَقَدۡ جِئۡتِ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا فَرِيًّ۬ا (٢٧) يَـٰٓأُخۡتَ هَـٰرُونَ مَا كَانَ أَبُوكِ ٱمۡرَأَ سَوۡءٍ۬ وَمَا كَانَتۡ أُمُّكِ بَغِيًّ۬ا (٢٨) فَأَشَارَتۡ إِلَيۡهِۖ قَالُواْ كَيۡفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِى ٱلۡمَهۡدِ صَبِيًّ۬ا (٢٩( |
He (baby Jesus) spoke and said: “I am the slave of Allah. He has given me the scripture and appointed me a prophet, (30) And He has made me blessed wherever I be and has enjoined upon me prayers and charity as long as I remain alive, (31) And (He has made me) kind to my mother, and He did not make me arrogant or ill-fated. (32) Peace is on me the day I was born, the day I shall die, and the day I shall be raised alive again.” (33) | قَالَ إِنِّى عَبۡدُ ٱللَّهِ ءَاتَٮٰنِىَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَجَعَلَنِى نَبِيًّ۬ا (٣٠) وَجَعَلَنِى مُبَارَكًا أَيۡنَ مَا ڪُنتُ وَأَوۡصَـٰنِى بِٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَٱلزَّڪَوٰةِ مَا دُمۡتُ حَيًّ۬ا (٣١) وَبَرَّۢا بِوَٲلِدَتِى وَلَمۡ يَجۡعَلۡنِى جَبَّارً۬ا شَقِيًّ۬ا (٣٢) وَٱلسَّلَـٰمُ عَلَىَّ يَوۡمَ وُلِدتُّ وَيَوۡمَ أَمُوتُ وَيَوۡمَ أُبۡعَثُ حَيًّ۬ا (٣٣) |
“That is Jesus, son of Mary. (it is) a statement of truth, about which they are disputing (Maryam 19:16-34) | ذَٲلِكَ عِيسَى ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَۚ قَوۡلَ ٱلۡحَقِّ ٱلَّذِى فِيهِ يَمۡتَرُونَ (٣٤) |
Could this be the relevance of number 19 to lead us to important information to share with the people of the Book. Allah knows best.
But we note that the verses in Surat Al-Muddathir in which Allah reference number 19 and its relationship to Hell Fire ends with:
وَمَا يَعۡلَمُ جُنُودَ رَبِّكَ إِلَّا هُوَۚ وَمَا هِىَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرَىٰ لِلۡبَشَرِ (٣١)
And no one knows the hosts of your Lord but He. This is nothing else but a Reminder for mankind.” (Al-Muddathir 74:31)
Could number 19 also be relevant to the forces that Allah unleashes on mankind to remind them of His ultimate authority and the Hereafter. We can relate to one of these forces that include number 19 and the whole world is aware of it. It COVID-19 pandemic.
How about the Black death (Bubonic plague) that caused about 200 million deaths, it was in year 1349 (which is 19x 71)
How about the Spanish flu that cause about 100 million deaths, it was in 1919?
Can all of these be coincidental, may be. Allah knows best.
DUA
Leave a Reply