Adapted from Tafsir Ibn Ashur

Themes and purpose:

This Makkan surah is a powerful defense of Maryam’s honour, refuting both slander (from some Jews) and deification (by some Christians). It affirms the miraculous birth of ʿĪsā (Jesus) while rejecting any deification of him. It details the miracles of Zakariyyā and ʿĪsā, while strongly emphasizing Allah's description as al-Raḥmān (The Most Merciful) – a name the polytheists vehemently rejected – and affirming the reality of the Resurrection. It presents the prophetic lineage of the House of ʿImrān as models of devotion, sincerity, and perseverance.

Context of Revelation:

Era: Makkan according to most scholars. Claims of Madinan exceptions (like 58 or 71) are uncompelling.

Time: It has been counted as the 44th surah in the order of revelation (in the chronology of Jābir ibn Zayd), revealed after Sūrat Fāṭir and before Ṭā-Hā.

Context: Since Sūrat Ṭā-Hā was revealed before the before the conversion of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (who converted upon reading part of it), Sūrat Maryam must also have been revealed early in Makkah, probably in the 4th year of Prophethood.

Name and Ayah Count:

Names: The surah’s established name is "Sūrat Maryam." It is named for the extensive detail given to the story of Maryam, her son, and her family, making it the first to do so, before Sūrat Āl ʿImrān which was revealed in Madinah. It has also been called "Sūrat Kāf-Hā-Yā-ʿAyn-Ṣād" by ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās and in the most important manuscripts of Sahih al-Bukhari, based on its opening letters.

Ayah Count: 99 ayahs (Madīnah/Makkah) or 98 (Shām/Kūfah).

Surah Overview:

• Opening with the disjointed letters and then framing the surah as an account of divine mercy, setting the tone that what follows is rooted in mercy. [1-2; also see: 18, 21, 26, 44, 45, 50, 53, 58, 61, 69, 75, 78, 85, 87, 88, 91, 92, 93, 96]
• Detailing the miracle of the Prophet Zakariyyā being granted his son Yaḥyā (John the Baptist) in old age. [2-15],
• Refuting Jewish slander by establishing the purity and sanctity of Mary and her family, the House of Amram (Āl ʿImrān), and the miraculous speech of Jesus in the cradle. [16-33]
• Clarifying the truth about Jesus (pbuh) and rejecting claims of “sonship”, followed by a warning to those who differed about him. [34-40]
• Praising the prophets Ibrāhīm, Isḥāq, Yaʿqūb, Mūsā, Hārūn, Ismāʿīl, and Idrīs as models of righteousness. [41-58]
• The contrast of these righteous exemplars with later generations who neglected prayer and followed desires; yet the door of repentance and Divine Favor remains open. [59-63]
• The angels are subject to God’s absolute lordship. [64–65]
• Refuting denial of resurrection and an intense scene from the Hereafter. [66–72]
• A rebuttal of those deluded by status and wealth. [73–80]
• Warning of the destruction that befell past nations. [74, 98]
• Promising the Messenger (ﷺ) victory over his enemies. [75, 77]
• Warning the disbelievers that their idols will bring them regret and will abandon them. [81-84]
• A climactic condemnation of attributing a son to Allah. [88–95]
• The status of the Quran and that it is a glad tidings for the believers and a warning to those who deny it. [96–98]
• The theme of divine mercy and God’s Name, al-Raḥmān, permeates the surah.