Either the Qur'an contains a historical mistake by mixing up Mary and Miriam, undermining its reliability or its wording is unclear and open to misinterpretation, which challenges its claim to be a perfectly clear divine text.
P1: The Qur'an refers to Mary, the mother of Jesus (Isa), as the "sister of Aaron" in Surah 19:27-28: "Then she brought him to her people, carrying him. They said, ‘O Mary, you have certainly done a thing unprecedented. O sister of Aaron, your father was not a man of evil, nor was your mother unchaste.'"
P2: The Qur'an also identifies Mary as the "daughter of Imran" in Surah 66:12: "And Mary, the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity..." and as the daughter of the "wife of Imran" in Surah 3:35-36: "When the wife of Imran said, ‘My Lord, I have vowed to You what is in my womb...' and she named her Mary."
P3: In historical and biblical contexts, Miriam, the sister of Aaron and Moses, is the daughter of Amram (Imran) (Numbers 26:59; Exodus 15:20), living approximately 1,400 years before Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a distinct figure with no historical or textual connection to Aaron or Imran in Christian or Jewish traditions, where her father is traditionally named Joachim, Heli, or Joseph.
P4: The Quran's references to Mary as the "sister of Aaron," "daughter of Imran," and daughter of the "wife of Imran" suggest either a historical error, conflating Mary with Miriam, or an intentional use of these terms in a non-literal sense (e.g., symbolic or tribal affiliation).
P5: If the Qur'an conflates Mary, the mother of Jesus, with Miriam, the daughter of Imran and sister of Aaron, it contains a historical error, as no credible historical evidence supports identifying Mary with Imran's family or Aaron, separated by approximately 1,400 years.
P6: If the Qur'an uses "sister of Aaron" and "daughter of Imran" symbolically (e.g., to indicate a spiritual or tribal connection), its wording is ambiguous, as it risks being misinterpreted as a literal familial relationship, especially given the lack of clarification in the text and the clear biblical association of these terms with Miriam.
P7: The Qur'an claims to be a perfectly clear and preserved divine revelation (Surah 15:1: "These are the verses of the Book and a clear Quran"; Surah, 15:9: "Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an and indeed, We will be its guardian"). Any historical error or ambiguity that leads to misinterpretation undermines this claim.
P8: Islamic scholars argue that "sister of Aaron" and "daughter of Imran" are metaphorical, possibly referring to Mary's descent from a priestly or righteous lineage. However, the Qur'an provides no explicit context for this interpretation, and the repeated association with Imran's family (Surah 3:35-36, Surah 66:12, Surah 19:27-28) strengthens the likelihood of confusion with Miriam.
C: The Quran's portrayal of Mary as the "sister of Aaron," "daughter of Imran," and daughter of the "wife of Imran" creates a dilemma:
Either way, the Quran's portrayal of Mary challenges its reliability or clarity, casting doubt on its claim to be a perfectly preserved and clear revelation, thus undermining the truth of Islam.