سُوْرَةُ مَرْيَمَ
Surah Maryam (19) — Ayah 26
فَكُلِى وَٱشْرَبِى وَقَرِّى عَيْنًا ۖ فَإِمَّا تَرَيِنَّ مِنَ ٱلْبَشَرِ أَحَدًا فَقُولِىٓ إِنِّى نَذَرْتُ لِلرَّحْمَـٰنِ صَوْمًا فَلَنْ أُكَلِّمَ ٱلْيَوْمَ إِنسِيًّا ﴿26﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"So eat and drink and be glad. And if you see any human being, say: ‘Verily! I have vowed a fast unto the Most Gracious (Allâh) so I shall not speak to any human being this day.’"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَكُلِى
fakulī
So eat
وَٱشْرَبِى
wa-ish'rabī
and drink
وَقَرِّى
waqarrī
and cool
عَيْنًۭا ۖ
ʿaynan
(your) eyes
فَإِمَّا
fa-immā
And if
تَرَيِنَّ
tarayinna
you see
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱلْبَشَرِ
l-bashari
human being
أَحَدًۭا
aḥadan
anyone
فَقُولِىٓ
faqūlī
then say
إِنِّى
innī
Indeed, I
نَذَرْتُ
nadhartu
[I] have vowed
لِلرَّحْمَـٰنِ
lilrraḥmāni
to the Most Gracious
صَوْمًۭا
ṣawman
a fast
فَلَنْ
falan
so not
أُكَلِّمَ
ukallima
I will speak
ٱلْيَوْمَ
l-yawma
today
إِنسِيًّۭا
insiyyan
(to any) human being
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
So eat [25], drink, and cool your eyes. And if you see any human being, say, 'I have vowed a fast to the Most Merciful, so today I will not speak to any human being.'" [26]
[25]
Allah’s Miraculous Help for Food and Drink During Childbirth:
The trunk of the date-palm tree that Lady Maryam leaned against was situated at a slight elevation. From beneath it, the voice of the same angel was heard who had given the glad tidings of the boy, and whose glad tidings Lady Maryam perhaps had forgotten at that moment. And that voice said: Just look below, Allah has caused a cool and sweet water spring to flow; this is for you to drink. And shake the trunk of this very date-palm tree strongly, and fresh, ripe dates will begin to fall. This was the provision for Lady Maryam’s food, and both these things were created miraculously. This was a simple food for the state of childbirth, and also suitable and balanced.
[26]
Forms of Allah’s Help at the Time of Birth and the Fast of Silence:
By Allah’s mercy, the child was born. The arrival of the angel lessened the loneliness. Provisions for food and drink were also provided. And the fourth and most distressing matter was how to avoid disgrace, and what answer to give when people would see and ask. Allah took the responsibility for this, and the angel instructed Lady Maryam that if anyone sees you, then by gesture say to them that I have taken a fast of silence today, therefore I am forbidden to speak to anyone. It should be clear that the fast of silence was prescribed in previous communities, but it is not prescribed in the Shariah of Muhammad ﷺ. In such a fast, a person could engage in remembrance and supplication to Allah, but could not converse with people, just as Sayyiduna Zakariya was also given such a three-day fast as the sign of the conception of Sayyiduna Yahya ؑ. In such a fast, conversation with angels was not prohibited.
[25]
Allah’s Miraculous Help for Food and Drink During Childbirth:
The trunk of the date-palm tree that Lady Maryam leaned against was situated at a slight elevation. From beneath it, the voice of the same angel was heard who had given the glad tidings of the boy, and whose glad tidings Lady Maryam perhaps had forgotten at that moment. And that voice said: Just look below, Allah has caused a cool and sweet water spring to flow; this is for you to drink. And shake the trunk of this very date-palm tree strongly, and fresh, ripe dates will begin to fall. This was the provision for Lady Maryam’s food, and both these things were created miraculously. This was a simple food for the state of childbirth, and also suitable and balanced.
[26]
Forms of Allah’s Help at the Time of Birth and the Fast of Silence:
By Allah’s mercy, the child was born. The arrival of the angel lessened the loneliness. Provisions for food and drink were also provided. And the fourth and most distressing matter was how to avoid disgrace, and what answer to give when people would see and ask. Allah took the responsibility for this, and the angel instructed Lady Maryam that if anyone sees you, then by gesture say to them that I have taken a fast of silence today, therefore I am forbidden to speak to anyone. It should be clear that the fast of silence was prescribed in previous communities, but it is not prescribed in the Shariah of Muhammad ﷺ. In such a fast, a person could engage in remembrance and supplication to Allah, but could not converse with people, just as Sayyiduna Zakariya was also given such a three-day fast as the sign of the conception of Sayyiduna Yahya ؑ. In such a fast, conversation with angels was not prohibited.
