Page 71 - Tafsir of surat at tawba repentance

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“O sister of Aaron! Your father was not an evil man nor was your
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mother a prostitute!”

The critics argue that the author confused two historical figures: Mary, the mother
of Jesus, and Miriam, the sister of Aaron. The confusion here is really a result of
their ignorance about how the Arabs use their language. The Qur’aan refers to
Prophet Hood as the brother of ‘Aad:

( Å$$s)ômF{$$Î/ ¼çmtBöqs% u‘x‹Rr& øŒÎ) >Š%tæ %s{r& öä.øŒ$#ur )

“And mention the brother of ‘Aad when he warned his people among
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the sand dunes.”

The Arabs refer to tribes by the patriarch from whom they are descended. The
tribe of ‘Aad was descended from a man named ‘Aad. Hood was not literally that
man’s brother, nor was he literally the brother of every member of his tribe, but
this is an expression used by the Arabs to indicate association with a people. Mary
was a descendant of Aaron. That is why she is referred to as the sister of Aaron.
In a similar usage, the New Testament refers to Elizabeth, the mother of John the
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Baptist as a daughter of Aaron.

Predictions about the Future

The Qur’aan accurately predicted the military victory of the Romans
(Byzantines) over the Persians:

óOÎgÎ6n=yñ ω÷èt/ -ÆÏiB Nèdur ÇÚö‘F{$# ’oT÷Šr& þ’Îû ÇËÈ ãPr”9$# ÏMt7Î=äñ )

( šúüÏZř ÆìôÒÎ/ ’Îû ÇÌÈ šcqç7Î=øóu‹y™

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Soorah Maryam (19):28.
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Soorah al-Ahqaaf (46):21.
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Luke 1:5.

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