In this very short post, I will cite a tradition found in the major commentaries of the Quran that show how the followers of Muhammad’s companions were baffled by the Quranic claim that Jesus’ mother was the sister of Aaron. They clearly saw that this meant that Mary was Moses’ sister, which in turn makes Moses Jesus’ maternal uncle!

Here are the Quranic texts:

(Remember) when the wife of ‘Imran said: “O my Lord! I have vowed to You what (the child that) is in my womb to be dedicated for Your services (free from all worldly work; to serve Your Place of worship), so accept this, from me. Verily, You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knowing.” Then when she delivered her [child Maryam (Mary)], 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 (Mary), and I seek refuge with You (Allah) for her and for her offspring from Shaitan (Satan), the outcast.” S. 3:35-36 Hilali-Khan

Then, carrying (the baby in her lap), she came to her people. They said: ‘O Maryam (Mary), surely you have brought quite an amazing thing. O sister of Harun (Aaron)! Neither was your father a bad man, nor was your mother an unchaste woman.’ S. 19:27-28 (Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/19/st43.htm)

And Maryam, the daughter of Imran who guarded her private sexual part, so We introduced therein out of Our Spirit. And she testified to the truth of the statements of her Nourisher-Sustainer and His Writings. And she happened to be out of those who are content. S. 66:12 (Dr. Kamal Omar https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/66/st48.htm)

Now contrast that with the Maryam of the Holy Bible:

“Then Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and dancing.” Exodus 15:20

“The name of Amram’s wife was Joch′ebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and she bore to Amram Aaron and Moses and Miriam their sister.” Numbers 26:59

“The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abi′hu, Elea′zar, and Ith′amar.” 1 Chronicles 6:3

And here is the tradition:

وَقَالَ اِبْن جَرِير حَدَّثَنِي يَعْقُوب حَدَّثَنَا اِبْن عُلَيَّة عَنْ سَعِيد بْن أَبِي صَدَقَة عَنْ مُحَمَّد بْن سِيرِينَ قَالَ أُنْبِئْت أَنَّ كَعْبًا قَالَ إِنَّ قَوْله : يَا أُخْت هَارُون ” لَيْسَ بِهَارُون أَخِي مُوسَى قَالَ فَقَالَتْ لَهُ عَائِشَة كَذَبْت قَالَ يَا أُمّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنْ كَانَ النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَهُ فَهُوَ أَعْلَم وَأَخْبَر وَإِلَّا فَإِنِّي أَجِد بَيْنهمَا سِتّمِائَةِ سَنَة قَالَ فَسَكَتَتْ وَفِي هَذَا التَّارِيخ نَظَر

It was narrated from Ibn Jarir, narrated from Yaqub, narrated from Ibn U’laya, narrated from Sa’id Ibn Abi Sadaqa, narrated from Muhammad Ibn Sireen who stated that he was told that Ka’b said the verse that reads, “O sister of Harun (Aaron)!” (Sura 19:28) does not refer to Aaron the brother of Moses. Aisha replied to Ka’b, “YOU HAVE LIED.” Ka’b responded, “O Mother of the believers! If the prophet has said it, and he is more knowledgeable, then this is what he related. Besides, I find the difference in time between them to be 600 years.” He said that she remained silent. (Ibn Kathir,  Q. 19:28 https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=1&tTafsirNo=7&tSoraNo=19&tAyahNo=28&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=1)

This same hadith is narrated by both al-Qurtubi (https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=1&tTafsirNo=5&tSoraNo=19&tAyahNo=28&tDisplay=yes&Page=2&Size=1&LanguageId=1), as well as  al-Tabari (https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=1&tTafsirNo=1&tSoraNo=19&tAyahNo=28&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=1).

The latter also narrated the following report:

الْقَوْل فِي تَأْوِيل قَوْله تَعَالَى : { يَا أُخْت هَارُون } اِخْتَلَفَ أَهْل التَّأْوِيل فِي السَّبَب الَّذِي مِنْ أَجْله قِيلَ لَهَا : يَا أُخْت هَارُون , وَمَنْ كَانَ هَارُون هَذَا الَّذِي ذَكَرَهُ اللَّه , حَدَّثَنَا اِبْن حُمَيْد , قَالَ : ثنا الْحَكَم بْن بَشِير , قَالَ : ثنا عَمْرو , عَنْ سِمَاك بْن حَرْب , عَنْ عَلْقَمَة بْن وَائِل , عَنْ الْمُغِيرَة بْن شُعْبَة , قَالَ : أَرْسَلَنِي النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي بَعْض حَوَائِجه إِلَى أَهْل نَجْرَان , فَقَالُوا : أَلَيْسَ نَبِيّك يَزْعُم أَنَّ هَارُون أَخُو مَرْيَم هُوَ أَخُو مُوسَى ؟ فَلَمْ أَدْرِ مَا أَرُدّ عَلَيْهِمْ حَتَّى رَجَعْت إِلَى النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ , فَذَكَرْت لَهُ ذَلِكَ , فَقَالَ : ” إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يُسَمُّونَ بِأَسْمَاءِ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلهمْ ” . وَقَالَ بَعْضهمْ : عَنَى بِهِ هَارُون أَخُو مُوسَى , وَنُسِبَتْ مَرْيَم إِلَى أَنَّهَا أُخْته لِأَنَّهَا مِنْ وَلَده , – حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى , قَالَ : ثنا عَمْرو , قَالَ : ثنا أَسْبَاط , عَنْ السُّدِّيّ { يَا أُخْت هَارُون } قَالَ : كَانَتْ مِنْ بَنِي هَارُون أَخِي مُوسَى

The people of commentary and interpretation have differed on the reason why it was said “O sister of Harun!” (Of Sura 19:28), and who this Harun was that Allah mentioned…

It was narrated by Ibn Hamid, narrated by Al Hakam Ibn Bashir, narrated by Amr, narrated by Simak Ibn Harb, narrated by Alqama Ibn Wa’il, narrated Al-Mughira Ibn Shu’ba who said, “The prophet sent me to fetch some of his needs from the people of Najran who said, ‘Doesn’t your prophet claim that Harun the brother of Mariam (Mary) is the brother of Moses?’ I did not know how to respond to them until I returned to the prophet. I related to him all what was said and he replied, ‘They used to name themselves after the names of those who came before them.’”

Others said the Harun referred to is the brother of Moses, and Mariam was classified as his sister for she is a (descendent) of (his) son.

It was narrated by Musa, narrated by Amr, narrated by Asbat, narrated by Al-Suddi who said regarding “O sister of Harun!” (Surah 19:28) that (Mariam) was a descendent of the tribe of Harun, the brother of Moses. (Tabari)

Notice that it was the Christians and Jews who knew the Scriptures and knew the biblical expressions that caught this egregious blunder on Muhammad’s part. They saw that the expression “sister of Aaron” could only mean that Muhammad erroneously confused Jesus’ mother with Moses’ sister.

So much for the Muslim claim that the Quran is the uncreated speech of the true God and a living miracle.

All scriptural citations taken from the Revised Standard Version (RSV).

FURTHER READING

The following articles and rebuttals go in great depth on this Quranic blunder, refuting the feeble attempts of Muhammadan polemicists to explain this egregious mistake away:

Does The Quran Mistakenly Teach That Moses Is Jesus’ Uncle?

Is Mary the Sister of Aaron?

Mary, the Mother of Jesus and Sister of Aaron

Jesus is from the Seed of David

Is Mary from the tribe of Levi or Judah?

Imran’s Fatherhood: Part I, Part II

What type of Messiah does the Quran say Jesus Happens to Be? Pt. 1

What type of Messiah does the Quran say Jesus Happens to Be? Pt. 2

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