Imran was Jesus’ grandfather and was a pious person, highly respected in the community. Jesus’ grandmother was called Hanna (Anna in Latin and Anne in English). Imam Qurtubi says that Jesus’ grandmother was called Hanna Binti Faqud Bin Qunbul, Mother of Maryam (Mary). She was a very religious and chaste woman who has been mentioned in the Quranic verse stated below.

She had reached a mature age without bearing children. She possessed the desire to have a child of her own , thus she prayed and wept to the Lord asking for a pious child. Her Lord accepted her supplication and she became expectant.

Imam Qurtubi and Imam Ibn Kathir have stated that, when she reached a mature age without bearing children she saw a bird pecking its egg, thus causing her to feel the desire to have a child of her own. She prayed and wept to the Lord asking for a pious child. Her Lord accepted her supplication and she became expectant, and in gratitude to her lord she decided to give her child into the service of the sanctuary.

Imran said to Hanna, "What if the child is a female, as females are not accepted for the service of the sanctuary?" Thus they both feared to give birth to a female. Imran then died before she delivered, and Maryam (Mary) was born an orphan.

The following verse explains Hanna’s promise to her Lord upon conceiving. She promised to dedicate her child to the service of the sacred mosque and sanctuary in Jerusalem. Hanna, in the surety of thought that she would deliver a boy, made the promise, as only males were caretakers of the sanctuary at the time.

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