Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

as salaamu alaykum

Dear Brothers

I need to know whether the mother of Isa (as) was accompanied by Joseph when she left her hometown after she learned that she was pregnant by the will of Allah.I could not find anything about Joseph in the Quraan and know that she was all by herself when she actually gave birth.I know that this story about Joseph is in the Bible but my concern is that a muslim friend of mine says that Mary was indeed escourted by Joseph because women were and are not allowed to travel without a Mahram.Joseph would according to my understanding be a NON Mahram.Is there any support for this in the Hadith?

One other concern I have is that my friend is reading a translation of the Quraan written by Muhammed Ali.She says the Ahmadis are using this translation but the translator is not an Ahmadi.She also says that the Qadianis are not Ahmadis.I would like to help her as soon as possible.I could not obtain a copy of such translation where I live and I am really worried that the translator is indeed of the Ahmadi sect.I cannot make any statements since I have no proof.

Please reply as soon as possible.

Jazakallah

a sister 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Did Joseph accompany Mary?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

There is absolutely no evidence in the Quran and Sunnah that Hadrat Maryam (a.s.) was accompanied by a man named Joseph (the Carpenter) when she gave birth to Prophet Isa (a.s.). Joseph the Carpenter is indeed mentioned in the Biblical stories, but there is absolutely no mention of it in the Quran and Sunnah, and no truth to it whatsoever. The Bible also connotes that Hadrat Maryam (a.s.) later married this Joseph the Carpenter; but it is our belief as muslims that Hadrat Maryam (a.s.) remained unmarried all her life.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 19 Surah Maryam verses 16-22:

16 Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary when she withdrew from her family to a place in the East.

17 She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them: then We sent to her Our angel and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.

18 She said: "I seek refuge from thee to (Allah) Most Gracious: (come not near) if thou dost fear Allah."

19 He said: "Nay I am only a messenger from thy Lord (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son."

20 She said: "How shall I have a son seeing that no man has touched me and I am not unchaste?"

21 He said: "So (it will be): thy Lord saith `That is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us': it is a matter (so) decreed."

22 So she conceived him (Prophet Isa (a.s.)), and she retired with him to a remote place.

From the above verses describing the birth of Prophet Isa(a.s.), it is extremely evident that Hadrat Maryam (a.s.) was alone at the time of his blessed birth. Besides if there was a man with Hadrat Maryam (a.s.) as the Biblical stories state, the man (Joseph) would have challenged the Angel who came in the form of a man, and not Hadrat Maryam (a.s.); as related by the Glorious Quran in the above conversation between Hadrat Maryam (a.s.) and the Angel.

Your Question: One other concern I have is that my friend is reading a translation of the Quraan written by Muhammed Ali.She says the Ahmadis are using this translation but the translator is not an Ahmadi.She also says that the Qadianis are not Ahmadis.I would like to help her as soon as possible.I could not obtain a copy of such translation where I live and I am really worried that the translator is indeed of the Ahmadi sect.I cannot make any statements since I have no proof.

The Qadianis are indeed the same as the Ahmadis, and they believe in the advent of a prophet after the death of the Last Messenger of Allah, Mohamed ar-Rasool Allah (saws). They claim (and I claim refuge in Allah Subhanah from saying this falsehood) that this Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani was a prophet, a messiah, and received revelations from Allah Subhanah! They are known as Ahmadis because of the name of their false prophet, and Qadianis because this false prophet was born and started his mission of falsehood from a place called Qadian, which is in the State of Punjab, India; and the place is to this day considered a holy place for the Ahmadia sect.

To the best of our knowledge, the Muhammed Ali who translated the Quran was indeed a Qadiani; and his translation is widely used by the Qadianis.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan