A SPECIAL STATUS OF MARY IN ISLAM
Mary, the mother of Jesus (peace be upon them, PBUT) is described in the Qur’an as the best woman among all humanity, due to her piety, and chastity and devotion.
“And (mention) when the angels said, ‘O, Mary! Indeed God has chosen you, and purified you, and has chosen you above all other women of the worlds. O, Mary! Be devoutly obedient to your Lord and prostrate and bow with those bow (in prayer)’” (Quran 3:42-43).
A vow to God
Mary was born to the chosen family of Heli, who was born into the chosen family of Abraham. Hannah was a barren woman who longed for a child, and she made a vow to God that, if He granted her a child, she would consecrate him to the service of God in the Temple. However, when she gave birth, she was saddened, for her child was female, and it was usually males who were given in service to the temple.
“The wife of Imran said, “My Lord, I have vowed to You what is in my womb, dedicated, so accept from me; You are the Hearer and Knower. And when she delivered her, she said, “My Lord, I have delivered a female,” and God was well aware of what she has delivered, “and the male is not like the female, and I have named her Mary, and have commended her and her descendants to Your protection, from Satan the outcast” (Quran 3:35-36).
Hannah did not realize that her prayer to God was accepted because Mary was going to be the mother of Jesus (PBUH), who is one of the greatest miracles of creation. Also, both Mary and Jesus were protected from Stan. The Prophet Muhammad, (PBUH) said:
“None are born except that Satan touches them upon their birth, due to which it comes out screaming from its touch, except Mary and her son (Jesus).” (narrated by Ahmed)
“So her Lord accepted her with gracious acceptance, and reared her in purity and beauty, and entrusted her to the care of Zachary” (Quran 3:37).
Upon Mary’s birth, Hannah took her to the temple. Knowing the nobility and piety of their family, the priests quarreled to rear her and it was the prophet Zachary who was chosen to look after her.
A miracle of Mary
Mary, as she was growing up, was given a secluded room within the temple where she could devote herself to the worship of God. The prophet Zachary noticed that whenever he entered her chamber to look for her needs, he found abundant fruits which were out of season.
“Whenever Zachary entered the chamber, he found her provided with sustenance. He said, ‘O, Mary! From where did you get this?’ She replied, ‘It is from God.’ Surely God bestows sustenance upon whom He pleases without measure” (Quran 3:37).
Angels’ visit to Mary
Mary (PBUH) was visited by angels to inform her of her praised status among humanity:
“When the angels said, ‘O, Mary! God has chosen you and purified you, and chosen you above the women of the worlds. O, Mary! Pray to your Lord devoutly, and prostrate yourself, and bow down with those who bow down’” (Quran 3:42-43).
The glad tidings
The angels gave Mary the glad tidings of a miraculous child and told her some of the miracles he will perform.
“When the angels said: ‘O, Mary! Indeed God gives you glad tidings of a word (His saying, ‘Be’) from Him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and in the Hereafter, and of those nearest to God. He shall speak to people while still in the cradle, and in manhood, and he shall be from the righteous.’ She said, ‘My Lord, how can I have a son when no man has touched me?’ He said, ‘Even so, God creates what He pleases. When He decrees, He merely says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is. And He will teach him the Book and the Wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel.” (Quran 3:45-48)
Out of astonishment, she exclaimed
“She said, ‘How shall I have a son, when no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?!’” (Quran 19:19-20)
The angel explained that it was a Divine Decree which already has been ordained and that it is indeed something easy for God the Almighty. God said that the birth of Jesus (PBUH) will be a sign of His Omnipotence, and that, just as He created Adam without father or mother, He created Jesus without a father.
“He said, ‘So it will be,’ your Lord said: ‘That is easy for Me, and We shall make him a sign to the people, and a Mercy from Us, and it is a matter which has been decreed.’” (Quran 19:21)
God blew the spirit of Jesus through the angel Gabriel into Mary, and Jesus was conceived in her womb.
“And Mary the daughter of Heli, who guarded her chastity, so we breathed into her through Our Spirit (Gabriel).” (Quran 66:12)
According to Islam, Mary was not espoused nor married to anybody. When the signs of pregnancy became apparent, Mary was worried about what people would say about her. Her news spread far and wide and, as was inevitable, some began to accuse her of being unchaste. Mary isolated herself from people.
“So she carried him and secluded herself with him in a remote place. The labour-pains came upon her, by the trunk of a palm-tree. She said, “I wish I had died before this, and been completely forgotten” (Qur’an 19:22-23).
The Birth of Jesus
At the onset of her labour, Mary was in extreme pain. How could a woman of such piety and nobility bear a child out of wedlock? She expressed her worries, saying:
“Would that I had died before this, and become something forgotten. And the Angel called her from beneath, “Do not grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream. And shake towards you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates. So eat and drink and be contented. And if you see from among humanity anyone, say, ‘Indeed, I have vowed to the Most Merciful abstention, so I will not speak today to (any) person.’” (Quran 19:23-26)
Jesus’ first miracle
The first miracle performed by Jesus (PBUH) was after his birth when people saw Mary carrying him and accused her.
“O, Mary, truly a strange thing you have brought!…” (Quran 19:27)
She merely pointed to Jesus (PBUT), who miraculously spoke gain.
“I am indeed a slave of God. He has given me the Book and made me a Prophet, and He has made me blessed wherever I may be. And He has enjoined upon me prayers, and to pay the alms, as long as I live and (He has made me) kind to my mother, and He has not made me insolent, unblessed. And may Peace be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and on the Day I shall be raised to life.” (Quran 19:30-33)
This miracle is not mentioned in the Bible and is actually an evidence for the miraculous birth of Jesus (PBUH) and for the chastity and purity of Mary. From here starts the episode of Jesus, his lifelong struggle to call people to the worship of God, evading the plots and plans of those Jews who strived to kill him.
Mary’s position in Islam
As demonstrated above, Mary in Islam is considered the most perfect woman. No woman is given more attention than Mary. Of the Quran’s 114 chapters, Chapter 19, is named after her. The third chapter of the Quran is named after her father, Imran (Heli). In addition, Mary is the only woman specifically named in the Quran. The Prophet Muhammad said:
“The best women of the world are four: Mary the daughter of Heli, Aasiyah the wife of Pharaoh, Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid (The wife of the Prophet Muhammad), and Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad, the Messenger of God.” (Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi)
However, it should be mentioned that, in spite of all these merits, Mary and Jesus are humans and both were humans.