WikiIslam

Allah and Mary's

Vagina (Qur'an
21:91 & 66:12)

Angel Gabriel with the Virgin Mary, as depicted in the

Cestello Annunciation, by Sandro Botticelli, 1489-90
AD.
According to tafsir text, the Qur'an mentions in two
separate places that Allah sent Angel Gabriel to blow
into Mary's vagina.

In Qur'anic verses 21:91 and 66:12, Allah

says that he breathed into Maryam's
vagina in order to conceive Isa. When
looking at the tafsirs we find that Allah did
this by sending the angel Jibreel to
complete this task. The word "Farj" is used
in these verses to indicate where
Allah/Jibreel blew, and Farj means
"vagina." The verse uses "Farjaha" which
means "her vagina."

Contents
Literal Meaning
 Lane's Lexicon

Miscellaneous Dictionaries

Versions of Translations
Qur'an 21:91

Qur'an 66:12

Full Translations
Qur'an 21:91

Qur'an 66:12

Translations of Verses
Qur'an 21:91

Qur'an 66:12

Tafsir
'Ibn Kathir
Qur'an 21:91

Qur'an 66:12

Muhammad Asad
Qur'an 21:91
 See Also

External Links

References

Literal Meaning
Lane's Lexicon

In Arabic, the word Al-Farj (‫ )اﻟﻔﺮج‬means Vagina

Ectaco.com confirms the results of Google translator
and translates the word Al-Farj (‫ )اﻟﻔﺮج‬as vulva

Fa-Ra-Jiim = To open, separate, cleave,

split, enlarge, part, let a space between,
make a room, comfort anything in, dispel
cares. An opening, intervening space
[gap or breach] between two things. Ex:
Parting hind legs or intervening spaces
between fingers.

He opened, made room, ample space.

Furijat - Cloven, split, rent, opened.

 Farjun (Pl. Furuj) - Pudenda (sex organ);
chastity, space between legs (of horse or
mare), part/s of a person (male/female)
indecent to expose, external portions of
the organs of generation [of a
male/female]. Also the posterior
pudendum because it is a place of
opening, of between the legs.

faraja vb. (1) perf. pass. 77:9

farj n.m. (pl. furuj) 21:91, 23:5, 24:30,

24:31, 33:35, 50:6, 66:12, 70:29
Lane's Lexicon: Fa Ya Jiim

Miscellaneous Dictionaries
Meanings from other dictionaries and
sources have been compiled below:

Dictionary Word Meaning

Google Translat e ‫( اﻟﻔﺮج‬Al-Farj) vagina

Babylon.com ‫( اﻟﻔﺮج‬Al-Farj) n. pussy, vulva, relief
TranSt ar ‫( اﻟﻔﺮج‬Al-Farj) vulva
SYSTRAnet .com ‫( اﻟﻔﺮج‬Al-Farj) the pussy
Translat ed.net ‫( اﻟﻔﺮج‬Al-Farj) vulva
ImTranslat or.com ‫( اﻟﻔﺮج‬Al-Farj) vulva
Ect aco ‫( اﻟﻔﺮج‬Al-Farj) vulva

Versions of Translations
Qur'an 21:91

Literal: "her genital parts , so We blew

into her" [1]
Malik: "who guarded her chastity, We
breathed into her of Our Spirit"' [2]
 George Sale: "who preserved her virginity,
and into whom We breathed of our spirit"
[2]

JM Rodwell: "who kept her maidenhood,

and into whom we breathed of our spirit"
[2]

Asad: "AND [remember] her who guarded

her chastity, whereupon We breathed into
her of Our spirit" [2]
Tafsir Ibn Kathir: "And Maryam, the
daughter of `Imran who guarded her
chastity. And We breathed into it [her
garment] through Our Ruh) [66:12]." [3]

Qur'an 66:12
 Literal: "her genital parts between her
legs, so We blew in it" [4]
Malik: "and into whose womb We
breathed of Our spirit" [5]
George Sale: "and into whose womb we
breathed of our spirit" [5]
JM Rodwell: "and into whose womb we
breathed of our spirit" [5]
Asad: "whereupon We breathed of Our
spirit into that [which was in her womb]"
[5]

Tafsir, Ibn Kathir: "(And We breathed into

it (private part) through Our Ruh,) " [6]

Many translators of these verses were

likely embarrassed to translate the word
into its real meaning so they used
alternate and sometimes widely varying
meanings that appeared more 'holy' such
as seen in the following versions:

Yusuf Ali: "who guarded her chastity; and

We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit"
[5]

Pickthall: "therefor We breathed therein

something of Our Spirit" [5]
Hilali/Khan: "the daughter of Imran who
guarded her chastity; and We breathed
into (the sleeve of her shirt or her
garment) through Our Rooh" [5]

Full Translations
Here are the full quotes of the above
translations and some additional
translations.

Qur'an 21:91

‫واﻟﺘﻲ اﺣﺼﻨﺖ ﻓﺮﺟﻬﺎ ﻓﻨﻔﺨﻨﺎ ﻓﻴﻬﺎ ﻣﻦ روﺣﻨﺎ‬

‫وﺟﻌﻠﻨﺎﻫﺎ واﺑﻨﻬﺎ اﻳﺔ ﻟﻠﻌﺎﻟﻤﻴﻦ‬

Transliteration: Waallatee ahsanat

farjaha fanafakhna feeha min roohina
wajaAAalnaha waibnaha ayatan
lilAAalameena

Literal: And who remained

chaste/(protected) her genital parts , so
We blew into her from Our Soul/Spirit ,
 and We made/created her and her son
(as) an evidence/sign to the creations all
together/(universes). [1]
Quran 21:91

Qur'an 66:12

‫وﻣﺮﻳﻢ اﺑﻨﺖ ﻋﻤﺮان اﻟﺘﻲ اﺣﺼﻨﺖ ﻓﺮﺟﻬﺎ ﻓﻨﻔﺨﻨﺎ ﻓﻴﻪ‬

‫ﻣﻦ روﺣﻨﺎ وﺻﺪﻗﺖ ﺑﻜﻠﻤﺎت رﺑﻬﺎ وﻛﺘﺒﻪ وﻛﺎﻧﺖ ﻣﻦ‬
‫اﻟﻘﺎﻧﺘﻴﻦ‬

Transliteration: Wamaryama ibnata

AAimrana allatee ahsanat farjaha
fanafakhna feehi min roohina
wasaddaqat bikalimati rabbiha
wakutubihi wakanat mina alqaniteena
 Literal: And Mary Amran's daughter who
remained chaste (protected) her genital
parts between her legs, so We blew in it
from Our Soul/Spirit , and she
confirmed/was truthful with her Lord's
words/expressions, and His Books , and
she was from the worshipping humbly [4]
Quran 66:12

Translations of Verses
Qur'an 21:91

Yusuf Ali: And (remember) her who

guarded her chastity: We breathed into
her of Our spirit, and We made her and
her son a sign for all peoples. [2]
Pickthal: And she who was chaste,
therefor We breathed into her
(something) of Our Spirit and made her
and her son a token for (all) peoples. [2]

Arberry: And she who guarded her

virginity, so We breathed into her of Our
spirit and appointed her and her son to
be a sign unto all beings. [2]

Shakir: And she who guarded her

chastity, so We breathed into her of Our
inspiration and made her and her son a
sign for the nations. [2]

Sarwar: Into the woman who maintained

her chastity We breathed Our Spirit and
made her and her son a miracle for all
people. [2]

Khalifa: As for the one who maintained

her virginity, we blew into her from our
spirit, and thus, we made her and her son
a portent for the whole world. [2]

Hilali/Khan: And (remember) she who

guarded her chastity (Virgin Maryam
(Mary)), We breathed into (the sleeves
of) her (shirt or garment) (through Our
Rooh Jibrael (Gabriel)), and We made her
and her son (Iesa (Jesus)) a sign for Al-
Alamin (the mankind and jinns). [2]
H/K/Saheeh: And [mention] the one who
guarded her chastity, so We blew into her
[garment] through Our angel [Gabriel],
and We made her and her son a sign for
the worlds. [2]

Malik: And We blessed the woman

(Mary), who guarded her chastity, We
breathed into her of Our Spirit and We
made her and her son a sign for the
whole world. [2]

QXP: And remember her (Mary) who

guarded her chastity (under very adverse
circumstances). We breathed into her of
Our Energy, and caused her, together with
her son, to become a symbol of Our
Grace unto all people. [2]

Maulana Ali: And she who guarded her

chastity, so We breathed into her of Our
inspiration, and made her and her son a
sign for the nations. [2]

Free Minds: And the one who protected

her chastity, so We blew into her from
Our Spirit, and We made her and her son
a sign for the worlds. [2]

Qaribullah: And she (Mary) who guarded

her virginity. We breathed into her of Our
spirit (Gabriel), and made her and her
son a sign for the worlds. [2]
George Sale: And remember her who
preserved her virginity, and into whom We
breathed of our spirit; ordaining her and
her son for a sign unto all creatures. [2]

JM Rodwell: And her who kept her

maidenhood, and into whom we
breathed of our spirit, and made her and
her son a sign to all creatures. [2]

Palmer: And she who guarded her private

parts, and we breathed into her of our
Spirit, and we made her and her son a
sign unto the worlds. [7]

Sher Ali: And remember her who guarded

her chastity, so WE breathed into her of
 Our Word and WE made her and her son
a Sign for all peoples. [7]

Qur'an 66:12

Yusuf Ali: And Mary the daughter of

'Imran, who guarded her chastity; and We
breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; and
she testified to the truth of the words of
her Lord and of His Revelations, and was
one of the devout (servants). [5]

Pickthal: And Mary, daughter of 'Imran,

whose body was chaste, therefor We
breathed therein something of Our Spirit.
And she put faith in the words of her
Lord and His scriptures, and was of the
obedient. [5]

Arberry: And Mary, Imran's daughter, who

guarded her virginity, so We breathed into
her of Our Spirit, and she confirmed the
Words of her Lord and His Books, and
became one of the obedient. [5]

Shakir: And Marium, the daughter of

Imran, who guarded her chastity, so We
breathed into her of Our inspiration and
she accepted the truth of the words of
her Lord and His books, and she was of,
the obedient ones. [5]
Sarwar: He has also told, as a parable,
the story of Mary, daughter of Imran who
preserved her virginity and (into whose
womb) We breathed Our spirit. She made
the words of her Lord and the
predictions in His Books come true. She
was an obedient woman. [5]

Khalifa: Also Mary, the Amramite. She

maintained her chastity, then we blew
into her from our spirit. She believed in
the words of her Lord and His scriptures;
she was obedient. [5]

Hilali/Khan: And Maryam (Mary), the

daughter of Imran who guarded her
chastity; and We breathed into (the
sleeve of her shirt or her garment)
through Our Rooh (i.e. Jibrael (Gabriel)),
and she testified to the truth of the
Words of her Lord (i.e. believed in the
Words of Allah: "Be!" and he was; that is
Iesa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary); as a
Messenger of Allah), and (also believed
in) His Scriptures, and she was of the
Qaniteen (i.e. obedient to Allah). [5]

H/K/Saheeh: And [the example of] Mary,

the daughter of Imran, who guarded her
chastity, so We blew into [her garment]
through Our angel, and she believed in
the words of her Lord and His scriptures
and was of the devoutly obedient.
Bismillahir Raúmanir-Raúeem [5]

Malik: Another example is in the life of

Mary, the daughter of `ImrAn, who
guarded her chastity, and into whose
womb We breathed of Our spirit, who
testified to the words of her Lord, and
His scriptures, and was one of the
obedient. [5]

QXP: And Mary, daughter of Imran, who

guarded her modesty (in very adverse
circumstances. She revolted against the
non-Divine institution of monasticism,
and got married adopting the natural
family life). And We breathed into her
(baby) something from Our Energy (free
will, as We do to all human beings
(2:30)). And she put faith in the
Commands and Laws of her Lord, and
was of the obedient. [5]

Maulana Ali: And Mary, the daughter of

Amran, who guarded her chastity, so We
breathed into him Our inspiration and she
accepted, the truth of the words of her
Lord and His Books, and she was of the
obedient ones. [5]

Free Minds: Also Mary, the daughter of

Imran, who maintained her chastity. So
We blew into her from Our spirit, and she
believed in the words of her Lord and His
Scriptures; and she was of those who
were obedient. [5]

Qaribullah: And, Mary, 'Imran's daughter,

who guarded her chastity so We
breathed into her of Our Spirit (Gabriel);
and she put her trust in the Words of her
Lord and His Books, and was among the
devout. [5]

George Sale: And Mary the daughter of

Imran; who preserved her chastity, and
into whose womb we breathed of our
spirit, and who believed in the words of
her Lord and his scriptures, and was a
devout and obedient person. [5]
JM Rodwell: And Mary, the daughter of
Imran, who kept her maidenhood, and
into whose womb we breathed of our
spirit, and who believed in the words of
her Lord and His Scriptures, and was one
of the devout. [5]

Asad: And [We have propounded yet

another parable of God-consciousness
in the story of] Mary, the daughter of
Imran, 24 who guarded her chastity,
whereupon We breathed of Our spirit into
that [which was in her womb], 25 and
who accepted the truth of her Sustainer's
words - and [thus,] of His revelations 26 -
and was one of the truly devout. [5]
Palmer: And Mary, daughter of Imran,
who guarded her private parts, and we
breathed therein of our spirit and she
verified the words of her Lord and His
books, and was of the devout. [8]

Sher Ali: And sets forth as an example

Mary, the daughter of Imran, who
guarded her chastity - so WE breathed
into him of Our Spirit - and she fulfilled
the prophecy conveyed to her in the
words of her Lord contained in HIS
Books and she was one of the obedient.
[8]

Tafsir
'Ibn Kathir

Qur'an 21:91

ِ ‫َﺖ َﻓ ْﺮ َﺟ َﻬﺎ َﻓﻨ ََﻔ ْﺨﻨَﺎ ِﻓ‬

[‫ﻴﻪ‬ َ ‫َو َﻣ ْﺮ َﻳ َﻢ ا ْﺑﻨ ََﺔ ِﻋ ْﻤ َﺮ‬
ْ ‫ان اﻟ ِﺘﻰ ا ْﺣ َﺼﻨ‬
‫وﺣﻨَﺎ‬
ِ ‫]ﻣﻦ ر‬
ِ

(And Maryam, the daughter of `Imran

who guarded her chastity. And We
breathed into it [her garment] through Our
Ruh) [66:12]. [3]

Qur'an 66:12

[‫َﺖ َﻓﺮْ ﺟَ َﻬﺎ‬ َ ‫]و َﻣ ْﺮ َﻳ َﻢ ا ْﺑﻨ ََﺔ ِﻋ ْﻤ َﺮ‬

ْ ‫ان اﻟ ِﺘﻰ ا ْﺣ َﺼﻨ‬ َ

(And Maryam, the daughter of `Imran

who guarded her chastity (private part).)
meaning, who protected and purified her
honor, by being chaste and free of
immorality,

[‫وﺣﻨَﺎ‬
ِ ‫ﻴﻪ ِﻣﻦ ر‬ َ
ِ ‫]ﻓﻨ ََﻔ ْﺨﻨَﺎ ِﻓ‬

(And We breathed into it (private part)

through Our Ruh,) meaning, through the
angel Jibril. Allah sent the angel Jibril to
Maryam, and he came to her in the
shape of a man in every respect. Allah
commanded him to blow into a gap of
her garment and that breath went into
her womb through her private part; this
is how `Isa was conceived. [6]

Muhammad Asad
Qur'an 21:91

Asad: AND [remember] her who guarded

her chastity, whereupon We breathed into
her of Our spirit [This allegorical
expression, used here with reference to
Mary's conception of Jesus, has been
widely - and erroneously - interpreted as
relating specifically to his birth. As a
matter of fact, the Quran uses the same
expression in three other places with
reference to the creation of man in
general - namely in 15:29 and 38:72,
"when I have formed him... and breathed
into him of My spirit" and in 32:9, "and
thereupon He forms [lit., "formed"] him
fully and breathes [lit., "breathed"] into
him of His spirit". In particular, the
passage of which the last-quoted phrase
is a part (i.e., 32:7 - 9) makes it
abundantly and explicitly clear that God
"breathes of His spirit" into every human
being. Commenting on the verse under
consideration, Zamakhshari states that
"the breathing of the spirit [of God] into a
body signifies the endowing it with life":
an explanation with, which Razi concurs.
(In this connection, see also note on
4:171.) As for the description of Mary as
allati ahsanat farjaha, idiomatically
denoting "one who guarded her chastity"
(lit,, "her private parts") it is to be borne
in mind that the term ihsan - lit., "[one's]
being fortified [against any danger or
evil]" - has the tropical meaning of
"abstinence from what is unlawful or
reprehen sible" (Taj al-Arus), and
especially from illicit sexual intercourse,
and is applied to a man as well as a
woman: thus, for instance, the terms
muhsan and muhsanah are used
elsewhere in the Quran to describe,
respectively, a man or a woman who is
"fortified [by marriage] against
unchastity". Hence, the expression allati
ahsanat farjaha, occurring in the above
verse as well as in 66:12 with reference
to Mary, is but meant to stress her
outstanding chastity and complete
abstinence, in thought as well as in deed,
from anything unlawful or morally
reprehensible: in other words, a rejection
of the calumny (referred to in 4:156 and
obliquely alluded to in 19:27 - 28) that
the birth of Jesus was the result of an
"illicit union".] and caused her, together
with her son, to become a symbol [of Our
grace] unto all people. [For my rendering
of the term ayah as "symbol", see surah
17:1 and surah 19:21.][9]

This page is
featured in the core
article, Islam and
the People of the
 Book which serves
as a starting point
for anyone wishing
to learn more
about this topic

See Also
Mary - A hub page that leads to other
articles related to Mary

External Links
How can Allah have a son when he has
no wife? - Faith Freedom International
The Birth Narratives of Jesus in the
Quran - Answering Islam

References
1. "Compared Translations of the meaning
of the Quran - 21:91" , IslamAwakened, May
5, 2007 (archived ),
https://web.archive.org/web/20070505061
459/http://islamawakened.com/Quran/21/9
1/default.htm .
2. Islam Awakened - Qur'an 21:91
3. Tafsir 'Ibn Kathir - Quran 21:91
4. "Compared Translations of the meaning
of the Quran - 66:12" , IslamAwakened, May
5, 2007 (archived ),
https://web.archive.org/web/20070505061
459/http://islamawakened.com/Quran/66/1
2/default.htm .
5. Islam Awakened - Qur'an 66:12
6. Tafsir 'ibn Kathir - Quran 66:12
7. Quran Browser - Quran 21:91
8. Quran Browser - Quran 66:12
9. Muhammad Asad, "The Message of the
Qur'an" , Dar al-Andalus Ltd, 3 Library Ramp,
Gibraltar, 1980 (archived ),
http://www.alim.org/library/quran/ayah/co
mpare/21/91/pdf/Allah%20accepted%20th
e%20prayers%20and%20blessed%20Proph
ets%20Isma%60il,%20Zulkifl,%20Yunus,%20
Zakariya%20and%20also%20blessed%20M
aryem .

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