[579] He was made able to talk in the very early suckling age as a Sign to Mary’s people (cf. 19: 29-33).
[580] After attaining Messengership, to call them to God.
[581] Walad is child irrespective of gender. al-Biqāʿī (Naẓm al-Durar, 4: 400) explains that Mary, unlike Zachariah who said: “ghulām-boy”, said so incredulously because, understandably, she was of a mind that conceiving a child without a meeting between a man and a woman was simply impossible.
[582] Mary only managed to allude, quite euphemistically, to sex. This is a concrete example of her exemplary upbringing—‘handsome blossoming’.
[583] The angel who was used as a conduit of communication between God and Mary.
[586] The following miraculous, supernatural acts are Signs of his Truthfulness. ‘Sign’ is used here as a generic noun in the singular form although the Signs told here are more than one. (cf. al-Rāzī)
[587] Even this seemingly simple act defies human capacity and is an indicator of a person’s extraordinary capability. It could have been meant to address a wider audience who might just show up and ask for a ‘casual’ sign, and after receiving it would be more receptive to the Message.
[589] Aḥassa, translated literally here, means realized. (al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, p. 52)
[590] The Deniers among the Children of Israel.
[591] Those who are willing to help him carry out the mission.
[592] al-Ḥawāriyyūn (sig. ḥawārī) are Jesus’ closest companions. The term was later applied to all those who are close followers of Prophets. It is said that they were so called, among other things, because they used to ‘yuḥawwirūna’ (to whiten) robes and other garments, i.e. bleach whites through washing as a sign of their purity. (Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, p.464)
[593] Muslimūn, lit. Muslims.