Surah Maryam (19) — Ayah 24

(Ayah 24){فَنَادٰىهَا مِنْ تَحْتِهَاۤ …: ’’ سَرِيًّا ‘‘ ’’سَرَي يَسْرِيْ ‘‘} (ض) (to flow) means river, because water flows in it, and {’’سَرُوَ يَسْرُوْ‘‘} ({شَرُفَ يَشْرُفُ}) means leader. Who called out to Maryam (peace be upon her) from beneath her? Regarding this, the commentators have two opinions: one is that it was Jibreel (peace be upon him), because ‘Isa (peace be upon him) spoke only at the time of the people’s taunts and reproaches. Tabari has narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that it was Jibreel, and that ‘Isa (peace be upon him) did not speak before being taken to the people. But this narration is weak due to being through the route of ‘Awfi. Sa‘id bin Jubayr, Dahhak, ‘Amr bin Maymun, and Qatadah also say that it was Jibreel (peace be upon him) who called out to her from beneath her and gave her the glad tidings of a river flowing beneath her. The second opinion is that it was ‘Isa (peace be upon him) who called out to her from beneath her. Ibn Jarir preferred this view. There are three reasons for this: first, if there is no impediment, the pronoun returns to the nearest antecedent, and here the nearest mention before this is of ‘Isa (peace be upon him), i.e. {’’ فَحَمَلَتْهُ فَانْتَبَذَتْ بِهٖ ‘‘}, and if Jibreel (peace be upon him) had called out, his name would have been mentioned. Second, at that time, Maryam (peace be upon her) needed her courage to be strengthened, and it is clear that ‘Isa (peace be upon him) speaking at that time was a miracle, which gave her reassurance. Third, by speaking before being taken to the people, Maryam (peace be upon her) would be certain that at the time of the people’s reproach, he would also speak and comfort her. Apparently, Ibn Jarir’s view seems stronger. (And Allah knows best)