Oh well, I'll go ahead and post the verses anyway.
First of all: In the Bible, Mary = Miriam = Maryam.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus)
Mary (Aramaic, Hebrew: מרים, Maryām Miriam Arabic:مريم, Maryam),
Now, by default, what's understood from the verse: Mary had a biological brother whose name was Aaron.
Now there are many ways to interpret this:
1- Some might "speculate" or make the connection that this Aaron is Moses' brother. This speculation implies that the Quran made a very laughable mistake. It implies that Jesus lived in the time of Moses (contradicting [1]) and the birth of both Christianity and Judiasm was seperated by only a few years (Moses' sister was older than Moses [2], so Moses could have been only a few years older than Jesus if Moses' sister was indeed Jesus' mother). BTW, also according to the Quran, Moses learned of his prophethood about 10 years after he killed the Egyptian (28:15-30). So in fact, if Mary was Moses' sister, this makes Jesus a prophet probably even before Moses! Because Jesus declared his prophethood, according to the Quran, right after his birth, while Moses was a man when he knew he became a prophet. And Moses' sister was older than him [2], so if she was Mary then it's likely she gave birth to Jesus before his uncle learned of his prophethood! Anyway, there's ample evidence AGAINST such a speculation:
a- First of all, the proper way to call Mary in this case would be: "O, sister of Moses!" After all, Aaron was a very secondary prophet compared to Moses. In the Quran, Moses is a very primary prophet, so how would it skip/ignore/marginalize Moses and refer to Mary as Aaron's sister?!
b- According to the Quran, there were many generations between Moses and Jesus [1]. Jesus was discussed independently from Moses. If the author of the Quran thought that Moses was Jesus' uncle, He wouldn't have put many generations between them and there would have seen a lot of mix up in the stories of both prophets. We would have seen Jesus in Moses stories and vice versa. Jesus wouldn't have said that he was sent to change some of the Laws [3], etc.
c- MOST importantly, according to the Quran, Mary was an orphan and was raised by Zachariah [4]. Moses' sister (whose name was NOT mantioned in the Quran), on the other hand, was NOT an orphan. In fact, her mother later gave birth to Moses and she herself talked to Pharoah's wife to let her mother breast feed her brother Moses.[2]
So Mary, the orphan raised by Zachariah, is NOT the same girl who talked to Pharoah's wife for the sake of her infant brother, Moses. So Aaron mentioned in the verse cannot be the biological brother of Mary since he was Moses' brother and Moses cannot be Mary's brother as implied by the Quranic verses (most importantly, the fact that she was an orphan).
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2- Others might also "speculate" that the name Aaron was NOT exclusive to one person, and it was a common name that was used throughout the history of the Israelites. According to this speculation Aaron just happened to be a "redundant" name given to Mary's biological brother. But Mary was an orphan [4]--> whoever Aaron was, he couldn't have been a "biological" brother.
This leads to only one possibility:
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3- The use of the language in this verse was metaphorical. And this can be interpreted in many ways, for example:
a- Mary was likened to the piety of Aaron, brother of Moses. But that does NOT make any sense because she would have been best compared to Moses instead.
b- Mary was likened to the piety of a man named Aaron who lived in her time. And that's what I personally believe... but this is only a speculation but it's one without any evidence against, unlike ALL other speculations mentioned above.
Bottom line, the speculation that the author of the Quran confused Mary as the sister of Moses is refuted by many verses in the Quran.
BTW, the word brother/sister can indeed be metaphorically used in the Arabic language to refer to likeness. See for example these verses:
43:48
And every token that We showed them was greater than
its sister (token), and We grasped them with the torment, that haply they might turn again.
وَمَا نُرِيهِم مِّنْ آيَةٍ إِلَّا هِيَ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ
أُخْتِهَا وَأَخَذْنَاهُم بِالْعَذَابِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
7:38
He saith: Enter into the Fire among nations of the jinn and humankind who passed away before you. Every time a nation entereth, it curseth
its sister (nation) till, when they have all been made to follow one another thither, the last of them saith unto the first of them: Our Lord! These led us astray, so give them double torment of the Fire. He saith: For each one there is double (torment), but ye know not.
قَالَ ادْخُلُواْ فِي أُمَمٍ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِكُم مِّن الْجِنِّ وَالإِنسِ فِي النَّارِ كُلَّمَا دَخَلَتْ أُمَّةٌ لَّعَنَتْ
أُخْتَهَا حَتَّى إِذَا ادَّارَكُواْ فِيهَا جَمِيعًا قَالَتْ أُخْرَاهُمْ لأُولاَهُمْ رَبَّنَا هَـؤُلاء أَضَلُّونَا فَآتِهِمْ عَذَابًا ضِعْفًا مِّنَ النَّارِ قَالَ لِكُلٍّ ضِعْفٌ وَلَـكِن لاَّ تَعْلَمُونَ
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[1]
Many generations between Moses and Jesus2:87
We gave Moses the Book and
followed him up with a succession of messengers; We gave Jesus the son of Mary Clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the holy spirit. Is it that whenever there comes to you a messenger with what ye yourselves desire not, ye are puffed up with pride?- Some ye called impostors, and others ye slay!
5:44-46
Surely We revealed the Torah in which was guidance and light; with it the prophets who submitted themselves (to God) judged (matters) for those who were Jews, and the masters of Divine knowledge, because they were required to guard of the Book of God, and they were witnesses thereof; therefore fear not the people and fear Me, and do not take a small price for My communications; and whoever did not judge by what God revealed, those are they that are the unbelievers.
And We prescribed to them in it that life is for life, and eye for eye, and nose for nose, and ear for ear, and tooth for tooth, and (that there is) reprisal in wounds; but he who foregoes it, it shall be an expiation for him; and whoever did not judge by what God revealed, those are they that are the unjust.
And We sent after them in their footsteps Jesus, son of Mary verifying what was before him of the Torah and We gave him the Injeel in which was guidance and light, and verifying what was before it of Torah and a guidance and an admonition for those who guard (against evil).
[2] Moses is younger than his sister
28:11-12
And she said unto his sister: Trace him (Moses). So she observed him from afar, and they perceived not. And We had forbidden foster-mothers for him, so she said: Shall I show you a household who will rear him for you and take care of him?
20:40
When thy sister went and said: Shall I show you one who will nurse him? and we restored thee to thy mother that her eyes might be refreshed and might not sorrow. And thou didst kill a man and We delivered thee from great distress, and tried thee with a heavy trial. And thou didst tarry years among the folk of Midian. Then camest thou (hither) by (My) providence, O Moses.
[3]
Jesus changing some of the laws3:50
And (I come) confirming that
which was before me of the Torah, and to
make lawful some of that which was forbidden unto you. I come unto you with a sign from your Lord, so keep your duty to God and obey me.
[4]
Mary was an orphan3:35-3:37
When the wife of 'Imran said: My Lord! I have vowed unto Thee that which is in my belly as a consecrated (offering). Accept it from me. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Hearer, the Knower!
And when she was delivered she said: My Lord! Lo! I am delivered of a female - God knew best of what she was delivered - the male is not as the female; and lo! I have named her Mary, and lo! I crave Thy protection for her and for her offspring from Satan the outcast.
And her Lord accepted her with full acceptance and vouchsafed to her a goodly growth;
and made Zachariah her guardian. Whenever Zachariah went into the sanctuary where she was, he found that she had food. He said: O Mary! Whence cometh unto thee this (food)? She answered: It is from God. God giveth without stint to whom He will.
Topic: The curious case of Miriam and her brother