Fiha & Fihi (21:91 & 66:12)

In Arabic, every word is either masculine or feminine. The suffix “ha” ( ها ) is used for feminine nouns, while the suffix “hu” ( ه ) is used for masculine nouns. Depending on the context, these suffixes can be understood as “her,” “him,” or “it.”

By categorizing words as masculine and feminine, more specificity can be applied to speech, but this also sometimes leads to confusion. The following verse is an example of this.

[16:66] And in the livestock there is a lesson for you: we provide you with a drink from their bellies. From the midst of digested food and blood, you get pure milk, delicious for the drinkers.

 وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ لَعِبْرَةً نُّسْقِيكُم مِّمَّا فِى بُطُونِهِۦ مِنۢ بَيْنِ فَرْثٍ وَدَمٍ لَّبَنًا خَالِصًا سَآئِغًا لِّلشَّـٰرِبِينَ

The cows that provide milk obviously are female, yet the category “livestock” “l-anʿāmi” ( ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ ) is masculine. So because of this, the term for “its bellies” “buṭūnihi” ( بُطُونِهِۦ ) uses the masculine suffix “hi” ( هِ ) rather than the feminine suffix.

Another example concerns Jesus’ immaculate conception, where the two verses parallel each other with one minor difference.

[21:91] And the one who maintained her chastity, we blew into her from our spirit, and thus, we made her and her son a portent for the whole world.

 وَٱلَّتِىٓ أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهَا مِن رُّوحِنَا وَجَعَلْنَـٰهَا وَٱبْنَهَآ ءَايَةً لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

1	wa-allatī	وَٱلَّتِىٓ	And she who
2	aḥṣanat	أَحْصَنَتْ	she guarded / maintained
3	farjahā	فَرْجَهَا	her chastity,
4	fanafakhnā	فَنَفَخْنَا	so we breathed
5	fīhā	فِيهَا	into her
6	min	مِن	from
7	rūḥinā	رُّوحِنَا	our spirit,

[66:12] Also Mary, the Amramite. the one who maintained her chastity, then we blew into her from our spirit. She believed in the words of her Lord and His scriptures; she was obedient.

 وَمَرْيَمَ ٱبْنَتَ عِمْرَٰنَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِنَا وَصَدَّقَتْ بِكَلِمَـٰتِ رَبِّهَا وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَكَانَتْ مِنَ ٱلْقَـٰنِتِينَ

1	wamaryama	وَمَرْيَمَ	And Mary,
2	ib’nata	ٱبْنَتَ	(the) daughter (of)
3	ʿim’rāna	عِمْرَٰنَ	Amram
4	allatī	ٱلَّتِىٓ	who
5	aḥṣanat	أَحْصَنَتْ	she guarded / maintained
6	farjahā	فَرْجَهَا	her chastity,
7	fanafakhnā	فَنَفَخْنَا	so we breathed / blew
8	fīhi	فِيهِ	therein
9	min	مِن	from
10	rūḥinā	رُّوحِنَا	our spirit.

Both verses use the translated expression “the one who maintained her chastity, we blew into her from our spirit,” yet there is a slight difference in the Arabic expression between the two verses where 21:91 uses the feminine form “fi’ha” (فيها) while 66:12 uses the masculine form “fi’hi” (فيه).

• fi’ha ( فيها ) = into her/it
• fi’hi ( فيه ) = into him/it

The use of “ha” ( ها ) in 21:91 would be in reference to Mary. However, the use of “hi” ( هِ ) in 66:12 must be in reference to something else. A plain text reading would indicate that this would be “farjahā” ( فَرْجَهَا ), meaning her chastity or womb, which is a masculine noun in Arabic grammar. Even though Mary is obviously female, the grammatical gender of the word “farj” is masculine; hence, the masculine form “fi’hi” ( فيه ) is used.

Yet there is another viewpoint, which could also be a subtle reference to parallel the creation of Jesus with that of Adam. This is because we see that “fi’hi” ( فيه ) is used when discussing the creation of Adam in 15:29 and 38:72.

[15:29] “Once I perfect him, and I blow into him from My spirit, you shall fall prostrate before him.”

 فَإِذَا سَوَّيْتُهُۥ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِى فَقَعُوا۟ لَهُۥ سَـٰجِدِينَ

[38:72] “Once I design him, and I blow into him from My spirit, you shall fall prostrate before him.”

 فَإِذَا سَوَّيْتُهُۥ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِى فَقَعُوا۟ لَهُۥ سَـٰجِدِينَ

This highlights the Quranic parallels between Jesus and Adam.

[3:59] The example of Jesus, as far as GOD is concerned, is the same as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, “Be,” and he was.

 إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَىٰ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ ءَادَمَ خَلَقَهُۥ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ

God brought Jesus into this world through Mary as a vessel. For this designation, it uses the term “fi’ha” ( فيها ), which exemplifies the importance of Mary in this process.

[3:42] The angels said, “O Mary, GOD has chosen you and purified you. He has chosen you from all the women.

 وَإِذْ قَالَتِ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ يَـٰمَرْيَمُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰكِ وَطَهَّرَكِ وَٱصْطَفَىٰكِ عَلَىٰ نِسَآءِ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

Although God could have brought Jesus, as well as every human, into this world without involving a mother or the process of conception, He chose to do so through a natural mechanism to test the true faith of the people. This approach aligns with the laws governing our world, demonstrating that even when God causes miraculous events, He does so in a way that allows those who wish to disbelieve an excuse to do so. This principle is evident not only in the immaculate conception of Jesus or the creation of Adam from dust but also in the entire process by which God gives life to what was previously lifeless and brings creations into this world.

[32:7] He is the One who perfected everything He created, and started the creation of the human from clay.
[32:8] Then continued his reproduction through a certain lowly liquid.
[32:9] He shaped him and blew into him from His spirit. And He gave you the hearing, the eyesight, and the brains; rarely are you thankful.

ٱلَّذِىٓ أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ خَلَقَهُۥ وَبَدَأَ خَلْقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنِ مِن طِينٍ
ثُمَّ جَعَلَ نَسْلَهُۥ مِن سُلَـٰلَةٍ مِّن مَّآءٍ مَّهِينٍ
ثُمَّ سَوَّىٰهُ وَنَفَخَ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِهِۦ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلسَّمْعَ وَٱلْأَبْصَـٰرَ وَٱلْأَفْـِٔدَةَ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ

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Further Reading:

Breath of Life

Adam and Jesus

Two Kinds of Miracles (Part I)