Surah Maryam: meaning, themes and the story of Maryam
Surah Maryam, the 19th surah, is named after Maryam (Mary), the mother of the Prophet ‘Isa (Jesus) and the only woman named in the Quran. Its 98 verses tell of miraculous births, prophets and the mercy of the Most Merciful, a name that recurs throughout the surah. Here is its structure and its central story.
Last updated: 4 October 2026
The opening verses
كٓهيعٓصٓ ﴿١﴾ ذِكْرُ رَحْمَتِ رَبِّكَ عَبْدَهُۥ زَكَرِيَّآ ﴿٢﴾ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥ نِدَآءً خَفِيًّۭا ﴿٣﴾ قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى وَهَنَ ٱلْعَظْمُ مِنِّى وَٱشْتَعَلَ ٱلرَّأْسُ شَيْبًۭا وَلَمْ أَكُنۢ بِدُعَآئِكَ رَبِّ شَقِيًّۭا ﴿٤﴾
The surah opens with disjointed letters (see huroof muqatta‘at) and then with mercy: the word rahmah and the name ar-Rahman run through the whole surah.
The surah, section by section
| Verses | Section | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 1–15 | Zakariyya and Yahya | The elderly Zakariyya’s quiet prayer for a child is answered with the birth of Yahya (John). |
| 16–40 | Maryam and ‘Isa | The angel comes to Maryam; she gives birth beneath a palm tree; the infant ‘Isa speaks from the cradle: “I am the servant of Allah.” |
| 41–50 | Ibrahim and his father | Ibrahim gently calls his father away from idols, and leaves with a promise to pray for him. |
| 51–58 | Other prophets | Musa, Harun, Isma‘il and Idris, who fell down in prostration when the verses of the Most Merciful were recited. |
| 59–98 | Generations after them | Those who neglected prayer, the reality of the Hereafter, and the claim that the Most Merciful has a son answered firmly. |
The story of Maryam and ‘Isa
Maryam withdraws from her family to a place in the east, and the angel Jibril appears to her as a man to give her news of a pure son. She asks how she can have a child when no man has touched her; she is told it is easy for Allah. In the pain of labour, beneath a palm tree, she is comforted with water and fresh dates. When she brings the child to her people and they accuse her, she points to him, and the infant ‘Isa speaks: “I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Book and made me a prophet” (19:30). The surah then states clearly that it is not fitting for Allah to take a son (19:35).
The story is also told in Surah Al ‘Imran (3:42–51). Both are central to understanding how the Quran presents ‘Isa: as a great prophet and messenger, born miraculously, and a servant of Allah. More on the prophets is in the prophets mentioned in the Quran.
Reading Surah Maryam
The surah has a distinctive rhyme in its verse endings, which makes it beautiful to recite and easier to memorise in sections. Verse 58 is a place of prostration; see sajdah in the Quran. For its meaning in depth, see our tafseer classes, and for other surahs, Surah Yusuf and all 114 surahs.
Frequently asked questions
Is Maryam the only woman named in the Quran?
Yes. Maryam, the mother of ‘Isa, is the only woman mentioned by name in the Quran, and a whole surah is named after her.
How many verses are in Surah Maryam?
98 verses, on pages 305 to 312 of the Madinah mushaf, in juz 16. It is a Makki surah, and it contains a place of prostration at verse 58.
Which surah was recited to the King of Abyssinia?
Surah Maryam. When the early Muslims sought refuge in Abyssinia, Ja‘far ibn Abi Talib recited its opening to the Negus, who wept, according to the narration of Umm Salamah in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad.
What does كٓهيعٓصٓ mean?
It is one of the huroof muqatta‘at, the disjointed letters that open 29 surahs. Their exact meaning is known to Allah; see our guide to the huroof muqatta‘at.
Read Surah Maryam with a teacher
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