batch.motif.islamic-koran-rodwell-gutenberg-l7240-l7394
---
record_id: batch.motif.islamic-koran-rodwell-gutenberg-l7240-l7394
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
passage_locator:
label: PUBLIC SERVICES, / AND EMINENT LITERARY ATTAINMENTS, / THE TRANSLATOR. /
PREFACE; lines 7240-7394
start: '7240'
end: '7394'
translation: The Koran (Al-Qur'an), Rodwell translation
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: 'The passage includes translator notes on Abraham driving Satan away with
stones before the intended sacrifice of Ismael, on seven dwellings or gates of
Hell in related sources, and on several textual points. It then presents Sura
XIX: Zachariah prays secretly for an heir despite old age and his wife''s barrenness;
John is announced, marked by Zachariah''s temporary silence, and described as
receiving wisdom as a child. Mary withdraws from her family, encounters a divine
spirit in human form, receives an announcement of a holy son despite not having
been touched by a man, conceives, gives birth beside a palm-tree with a stream
and dates provided for her, vows silence, and returns to her people. Her infant
speaks from the cradle, declaring himself God''s servant and prophet and affirming
prayer, almsgiving, filial duty, and peace at birth, death, and resurrection.'
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: A note reports that Abraham drove Satan away with stones when Satan sought
to hinder him from sacrificing Ismael.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The same note links this episode to a pilgrimage custom of throwing stones
at three small pillars in the valley of Mina near Mecca.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: A note cites traditions describing seven dwellings, houses, or gates of Hell.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: Zachariah calls secretly upon his Lord, saying that he is aged, his wife is
barren, and he fears for his kindred after him.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: Zachariah asks for a successor who will inherit from him and from the family
of Jacob.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: A son named John is announced to Zachariah, and Zachariah is given a sign
that he will not speak to people for three nights though healthy.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:7
text: John is described as receiving the Book with purpose of heart and as being
given wisdom while still a child.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:8
text: Mary withdraws eastward from her family, takes a veil, and encounters a spirit
sent to her in the form of a perfect man.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:9
text: The spirit announces that Mary will receive a holy son, and Mary objects that
no man has touched her and that she is not unchaste.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:10
text: Mary conceives, retires to a far-off place, and experiences birth pangs by
the trunk of a palm.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:11
text: A voice from below tells Mary not to grieve, says that her Lord has provided
a streamlet at her feet, and instructs her to shake the palm-tree for ripe dates.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:12
text: Mary is instructed to eat, drink, be cheerful, and tell any person that she
has vowed abstinence and will not speak that day.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:13
text: Mary returns to her people bearing the babe; they accuse her of doing a strange
thing, and she points to the child.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:14
text: The infant speaks from the cradle, declaring himself God's servant, saying
God has given him the Book and made him a prophet.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:15
text: Both John and Mary's infant are associated with peace on the day of birth,
the day of death, and the day of being raised to life.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:8
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Abraham
description: A patriarch who, according to the cited tradition in the note, drove
Satan away with stones when Satan attempted to hinder the sacrifice of Ismael.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Satan
description: An obstructing apparition in the note, driven away with stones by Abraham.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Ismael
description: The intended sacrificial son in the tradition summarized by the note.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Zachariah
description: A servant who prays secretly for an heir in old age and is given the
sign of temporary silence.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Zachariah's wife
description: Described by Zachariah as barren.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: John
description: The announced son of Zachariah, given the Book, wisdom as a child,
purity, piety, and peace at birth, death, and resurrection.
role_refs:
- role:7
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Mary
description: A woman who withdraws from her family, receives an annunciation from
the spirit, conceives a holy son, gives birth by a palm-tree, and returns to her
people with the babe.
role_refs:
- role:9
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: The spirit / messenger of the Lord
description: Sent to Mary, appearing in the form of a perfect man and announcing
the holy son.
role_refs:
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Mary's holy son / the babe
description: The child announced to Mary and later speaking from the cradle as God's
servant and prophet.
role_refs:
- role:7
- role:12
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: Mary's people
description: The people to whom Mary returns with the babe; they question her and
ask how they can speak with an infant in the cradle.
role_refs:
- role:13
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: God / the Lord / God of Mercy
description: The divine source addressed by Zachariah, the sender of the spirit
to Mary, and the one said to provide signs, mercy, wisdom, and prophetic status.
role_refs:
- role:14
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
roles:
- id: role:1
label: defender of sacrifice
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Abraham is said to drive away Satan when Satan would hinder the sacrifice
of Ismael.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: sacrificial obstruction
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Satan appears as the one who would have hindered Abraham from sacrificing
Ismael.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:3
label: intended sacrificial son
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Ismael is named as the one Abraham would sacrifice in the summarized tradition.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:4
label: aged petitioner for an heir
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Zachariah prays in old age for a successor despite his wife's barrenness.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:5
label: recipient of sign of silence
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Zachariah's sign is that he will not speak to people for three nights though
healthy.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:6
label: barren wife
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Zachariah states that his wife is barren.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:7
label: miraculously announced child
assigned_to:
- fig:6
- fig:9
basis: John is announced to aged Zachariah, and Mary's holy son is announced despite
Mary's statement that no man has touched her.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:6
- id: role:8
label: child recipient of wisdom
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: John is said to receive wisdom while still a child.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:9
label: withdrawn woman receiving annunciation
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: Mary goes apart, veils herself, and receives a message from the spirit.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:10
label: mother challenged by her people
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: Mary returns with the babe and is accused by her people of a strange deed.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:11
label: divine messenger in human form
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: The spirit is sent to Mary and takes the form of a perfect man, then identifies
himself as a messenger of her Lord.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:12
label: infant prophet speaker
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: The infant speaks from the cradle, saying God has given him the Book and
made him a prophet.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:13
label: questioning community
assigned_to:
- fig:10
basis: Mary's people question her and ask how they can speak with an infant in the
cradle.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:14
label: divine giver of signs, mercy, and prophecy
assigned_to:
- fig:11
basis: God is the addressee of prayer, the source of the sign to Zachariah, the
sender of the spirit, and the giver of Book and prophecy.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:8
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: Stones cast at Satan
literal_form: stones thrown as if at Satan in the valley of Mina
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: Three pillars at Mina
literal_form: three small pillars marking the spot where Satan's apparition to Abraham
occurred
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:3
label: Seven gates or dwellings of Hell
literal_form: seven dwellings, houses, or gates of Hell
associated_figures: []
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:4
label: Sign of silence
literal_form: three nights without speaking to people while sound in health
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:5
label: Book
literal_form: the Book given to John and to Mary's infant
associated_figures:
- fig:6
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:8
- id: sym:6
label: Veil
literal_form: a veil Mary takes to shroud herself from her family
associated_figures:
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:7
label: Palm-tree
literal_form: the trunk of a palm-tree beside which Mary experiences birth pangs
and from which dates fall
associated_figures:
- fig:7
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: sym:8
label: Streamlet
literal_form: a streamlet provided at Mary's feet
associated_figures:
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: sym:9
label: Fresh ripe dates
literal_form: dates dropped from the palm-tree for Mary to eat
associated_figures:
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: sym:10
label: Cradle
literal_form: the cradle from which the infant speaks
associated_figures:
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Abraham repels Satan during the intended sacrifice
summary: A translator note summarizes a tradition in which Satan attempts to hinder
Abraham from sacrificing Ismael, and Abraham drives Satan away with stones; the
note connects this with a pilgrimage stoning custom at Mina.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Sevenfold Hell in cited traditions
summary: A note lists sources describing Hell as having seven dwellings, houses,
or gates.
figure_refs: []
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Zachariah prays for a successor and receives a sign
summary: Zachariah prays secretly for a successor despite his age and his wife's
barrenness; a son named John is announced, and Zachariah receives the sign of
three nights of silence.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:11
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: scene:4
label: John receives wisdom as a child
summary: John is commanded to receive the Book and is described as given wisdom,
mercy, purity, piety, dutifulness to parents, and peace at birth, death, and resurrection.
figure_refs:
- fig:6
- fig:11
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: scene:5
label: Mary receives the annunciation
summary: Mary withdraws from her family, veils herself, encounters the spirit in
human form, seeks refuge in God, and is told that she will receive a holy son
as a sign and mercy.
figure_refs:
- fig:7
- fig:8
- fig:9
- fig:11
symbol_refs:
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: scene:6
label: Mary gives birth beside the palm-tree
summary: Mary conceives and withdraws to a far-off place; birth pangs come by a
palm-tree, and a voice tells her of a streamlet and ripe dates and instructs her
to observe silence.
figure_refs:
- fig:7
- fig:9
- fig:11
symbol_refs:
- sym:7
- sym:8
- sym:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: scene:7
label: The infant speaks from the cradle
summary: Mary returns to her people with the babe. When challenged, she points to
the infant, who speaks from the cradle and declares himself God's servant and
prophet.
figure_refs:
- fig:7
- fig:9
- fig:10
- fig:11
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
- sym:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Ritualized expulsion of an obstructing demonic figure
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
basis: The note describes Satan hindering a sacrifice and being driven away with
stones; the episode is linked to a pilgrimage stoning practice.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: medium
cautions: The description occurs in a translator note rather than in the main sura
text, and the available taxonomy has no specific stoning-or-demon-expulsion entry.
- id: motif:2
label: Sevenfold Hell
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_judgment
basis: The note cites traditions about seven dwellings, houses, or gates of Hell.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage gives a comparative note, not a narrative scene, and does
not elaborate judgment procedures.
- id: motif:3
label: Miraculous child promised to aged or barren parents
taxonomy_refs:
- miraculous_child
- sacred_birth
basis: Zachariah is aged, his wife is barren, and a son named John is nevertheless
announced as easy for the Lord.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: The passage frames the birth as divinely announced but does not narrate
the birth itself for John.
- id: motif:4
label: Divine sign of temporary silence
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Zachariah asks for a sign and is told he will not speak to people for three
nights despite being healthy.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: No supplied taxonomy reference directly matches this sign.
- id: motif:5
label: Child endowed with wisdom and sacred book
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
- miraculous_child
basis: John is given wisdom while yet a child and is commanded to receive the Book
with purpose of heart.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: The passage does not describe the mechanism by which wisdom is bestowed.
- id: motif:6
label: Annunciation by a divine messenger in human form
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_birth
- miraculous_child
basis: Mary withdraws and is visited by a spirit in the form of a perfect man, who
announces a holy son.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: The passage names the figure as a spirit and messenger but does not identify
him further in the supplied text.
- id: motif:7
label: Virgin conception as a sign and mercy
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_birth
- miraculous_child
basis: Mary says no man has touched her and that she is not unchaste; the messenger
says the holy son is decreed as a sign to mankind and a mercy.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: The child is not named in the supplied excerpt.
- id: motif:8
label: Divine provision at birth beside tree and water
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_birth
- tree
- water
basis: During Mary's birth pangs beside the palm-tree, she is told of a streamlet
at her feet and instructed to shake the tree for fresh dates.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
confidence: high
cautions: The available symbol taxonomy supports tree and water, but there is no
exact taxonomy entry for birth-provision scenes.
- id: motif:9
label: Protective vow of silence after sacred birth
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_birth
basis: Mary is instructed to say she has vowed abstinence to the God of Mercy and
will speak to no one that day.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
confidence: medium
cautions: The text does not explicitly state all social or ritual implications of
the vow.
- id: motif:10
label: Infant prophet speaks from the cradle
taxonomy_refs:
- miraculous_child
- wisdom
basis: The babe speaks from the cradle, declaring himself God's servant and prophet
and stating that God has given him the Book.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: The passage presents the speech directly but does not name the child in
this excerpt.
- id: motif:11
label: Peace at birth, death, and resurrection
taxonomy_refs:
- resurrection
basis: John and Mary's infant are both associated with peace on the day of birth,
death, and being raised to life.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: The formula is a repeated blessing or declaration; it is not a full resurrection
narrative within this passage.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: The note explicitly compares the Abraham-Satan stoning tradition with Genesis
xv. 11, supporting a cautious functional comparison involving protection of a
sacrificial act from an interfering presence.
claim_level: same_function
target: Genesis xv. 11 as cited in the translator note
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: low
limitations: The passage only gives a brief 'Comp.' citation and does not quote
or explain the Genesis passage; historical or textual dependence cannot be inferred
from this excerpt alone.
- id: claim:2
claim: The sevenfold Hell note supports a cautious same-motif comparison between
the passage's Hell-gate language and cited Jewish sources describing seven dwellings,
houses, or gates of Hell.
claim_level: same_motif
target: Sota 10, Midrash on Psalm xi, and Sohar ii. 150 as cited in the translator
note
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The evidence is a translator's comparative note, not a detailed primary-source
parallel in the passage itself.
- id: claim:3
claim: Within the supplied passage, Zachariah's son and Mary's holy son share the
pattern of a divinely announced child whose birth is presented as possible by
divine power despite ordinary human constraints.
claim_level: same_motif
target: Internal repeated miraculous-child pattern in Sura XIX excerpt
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:6
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: high
limitations: 'The two cases are not identical: Zachariah''s case concerns old age
and barrenness, while Mary''s concerns conception without male contact.'
- id: claim:4
claim: The repeated formulas about peace on the day of birth, death, and being raised
to life create an internal parallel between John and Mary's infant.
claim_level: same_function
target: Internal birth-death-resurrection peace formula for John and Mary's infant
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:8
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: high
limitations: This is a formal and thematic parallel within the excerpt, not evidence
by itself for contact with an external tradition.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 7240-7246
quote_or_summary: A note says Abraham drove Satan away with stones when Satan tried
to hinder him from sacrificing Ismael; it links this to throwing stones at pillars
in Mina and cites Genesis xv. 11 for comparison.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: note 12 within lines 7240-7394
quote_or_summary: A note cites Sota, Midrash on Psalm xi, and Sohar for traditions
of seven dwellings, houses, or gates of Hell.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: Sura XIX opening, Zachariah's prayer
quote_or_summary: Zachariah prays secretly, says his bones are weak, his hair is
hoary, his wife is barren, and asks for a successor and heir pleasing to the Lord.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: Sura XIX, announcement to Zachariah
quote_or_summary: Zachariah is told of a son named John; when he asks how this can
occur, the Lord says it is easy and gives the sign of three nights without speech,
after which Zachariah signals to his people from the sanctuary.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: Sura XIX, description of John
quote_or_summary: John is told to receive the Book; he is given wisdom as a child,
mercy, purity, piety, dutifulness to parents, and peace on the day of birth, death,
and being raised to life.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: Sura XIX, Mary withdraws and receives the messenger
quote_or_summary: Mary withdraws eastward, takes a veil, and encounters the sent
spirit in the form of a perfect man; the messenger announces a holy son, and Mary
says no man has touched her and she is not unchaste.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: Sura XIX, Mary's labor by the palm-tree
quote_or_summary: Mary conceives and retires; birth pangs come by a palm-tree. A
voice tells her not to grieve, points to a streamlet at her feet, tells her to
shake the palm for dates, and instructs her to observe silence.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: Sura XIX, Mary returns with the babe
quote_or_summary: Mary returns to her people bearing the babe; they accuse her,
she points to the child, and the infant speaks from the cradle as God's servant
and prophet, mentioning the Book, prayer, almsgiving, filial duty, and peace at
birth, death, and resurrection.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: medium
notes: Main narrative features are explicit in the supplied passage. Some motif
labels are interpretive and need human review, especially those based on translator
notes or broad taxonomy matches.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
No figures or comparisons beyond those supported by the supplied passage and metadata were added. The child born to Mary is not named in the provided excerpt and is therefore labeled descriptively.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:islamic-koran-rodwell-gutenberg__l7240-l7394
passage_sha256=58959d83e54c13a5d76be29458f731e3a5268f0835ac61d762fe2cd1f945c669