Mary in Islam

See the main article: Mary (mother of Isa)

Mary (Arabic: مريم; Marīam), the mother of Isa (عيسى;) is venerated in Islam. Her parents are mentioned as Imran (عمران) and Hannah (حنا). She is one of the most important and righteous women in Islam. She is mentioned in the Quran more than in the New Testament (Bible). She is the only woman mentioned by name in the Quran. Muslim women look up to her as an example. According to the Quran, Allah (God) chose Mary above all women of all nations. The Quran states:

Saint Mary, The Holy Virgin (سانت ماري، العذراء المقدسة)
Virgin, The Purified, The Exalted, Mother of Isa, Keeper of Chastity, Mystic, Female Exemplar, Maternal Heroine, Queen of the Saints, The Holy Virgin, Our Lady, Blessed Mary Sai'ma, Mustafia, Rāki’ah, Sājidah, Qānitah, Siddiqah, Tāhirah
Born	c. 20 B.C.E Jerusalem
Died	c. 100-120 C.E Jerusalem
Venerated in	All of Islam, All of Christianity
Feast	8 December (in Christianity)

Behold! the angels said: "O Mary! Allah hath chosen thee and purified thee- chosen thee above the women of all nations.

—Quran, sura 3 (Al Imran), ayah 42.

Mary in the Quran

Mary is mentioned in the Quran frequently. Her life narrative occurs in the earliest chapters. The nineteenth chapter is named after her. The chapter is called Maryam.

Family

In the Quran, Mary is believed to be a daughter of (Imran) Joachim and (Hanna) Anne. While some confuse the parents of Moses, Aaron and their sister Miriam to be the same of the Virgin Mary, this is not correct. While Moses and Harun did have a sister named Miriam (Mary,) and while their father was also named Amram (Imran), this does not mean that the parents of both Prophet Moses and The Virgin Mary were the same. However, the outcome of this result is still unknown for certain.

Maryam sister of Aaron and daughter of Imran

the Hebrew name "Merriam" The original name for Mary. In the Qur’an, Mary is called the daughter of Imran, and sister of Aaron. This made some Jews and Christians claim that the Qur’an didn't make a difference between the time of Moses and Jesus but there is a hadith. To clarify this issue Al-Mughira reported:

"When I came to Najran, they (the Christians of Najran) asked me: You read " O sister of Aaron " in the Qur'an, whereas Moses was born much before Jesus. When I came back to the prophet I asked him about that, he said: The (people of the old age) used to give names (to their children) after the names of prophets and pious persons who had gone before them" Meaning that Aaron here was not Moses' brother but another one. Al-Baghawi also cites a narration from Al-Kalbi that Aaron referred to here was a brother of Maryam through her father, and he was the most righteous man amongst children of Israel in that time.

The Quran states Jesus came after the Jewish prophets of Israel. So, according to the Quran, there is a long distance between Moses and Jesus. "Then in the footsteps of the prophets, We sent Jesus, son of Mary, confirming the Torah revealed before him." Surah Al-Ma'idah.

Birth

The birth of Mary is mentioned in the Quran in various chapters. Her father Imran (Arabic: عمران) is also mentioned in the Quran. The Quran says that Hannah and Imran were old and had no children for years. One day Anne saw a bird feeding her young. Seeing this made Anne want a child for herself. She prayed to Allah for a child. She promised that if her prayers were answered, her child's life would be dedicated to the service of Allah. Anne also prayed for her child to be protected from the "touch" of Satan (إبليس; Iblīs).

Early years

The Quran says that Mary grew up in the temple of prayer and had a special place of her own in the temple. The Quran states that there was a cast of the dice to decide who would become the guardian of Mary. The person chosen through this process was Zechariah. Often, when Zechariah would visit the chamber of Mary, he would find her with quantities of food. He always asked her where she had obtained the food, and Mary would always answer: "Allah provides to whom he will." As a prophet, Zechariah would not have questioned this response because he would have known that Allah is the provider of all things in life and, indeed, of life itself.

Annunciation

The birth of Isa and the Annunciation of Mary are very important to Islam. They are considered to be some of the most important miracles of Allah. The first mention of the Annunciation following the Birth of Isa is in sura 19 (Maryam) ayah 20. The Quran tells us that the Angel Gabriel (Arabic: الروح القدس, al-Ruḥ al-Quds, Jibra'il) came to the Virgin Mary and told her that she would soon be pregnant with a holy child. The Virgin Mary asked how it would be possible for her to become pregnant when no man had touched her. The Angel Gabriel replied that nothing is impossible for Allah, and that the Birth of Jesus would be a sign for all mankind. The birth is mentioned later at sura 66 (At-Tahrim) ayah 12, where the Quran says that the Virgin Mary remained pure while Allah created Isa inside her womb.

Virgin Birth of Jesus

Virgin Mary nurtured by a palm tree, as described in the Quran.

The Quran speaks of the virgin birth of Isa many times. The Quran also states that Jesus was created when Allah breathed on Mary while her body was chaste.

Mary with Jesus near the Palm tree where she gave birth.

The Quran's narrative of the birth of Isa is different from that of Jesus as found in the New Testament. The Quran says that Mary was suffering childbirth pains, when she saw a nearby palm tree and held on to it. While she was holding on to the tree, she heard a voice that seemed to come from the earth beneath the tree. The voice said, "Grieve not! Thy Lord hath provided a rivulet beneath thy feet. Shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards thyself and It will drop its fresh ripe dates upon thee." Mary then promised not to speak with any man that day.

Later, after Isa's birth, Mary brought him to the temple. All of the men in the temple mocked her, except Zechariah, who believed in the virgin birth. The Israelites demanded to know how she could possibly have had a baby without a man, whereupon the Virgin Mary responded by pointing to Jesus who then spoke his first prophecy.

Arabic titles

• Qānitah: Mary is called this name in sura 66:12. It refers to Mary spending her childhood in the Temple of Prayer.
• Siddiqah: Mary is called this twice in sura 5 (Al-Ma'ida), ayat 73-75. It means "She who confirms the truth or She who has faith".
• Sājidah: Mary is called this name in the Quran. It means "She who prostrates to God (Allah) in worship". The Quran states that Mary prostrated to Allah:

"O Mary! Worship your Lord devoutly: prostrate yourself".

• Rāki’ah: Mary is also called this name in the Quran. "It means She who bows down to God (Allah) in worship". The Quran states that Mary bowed down to Allah in worship:

"O Mary! Bow down in prayer with those men, who bow down." This is believed to be the command to Mary by the Angels.

• Tāhirah: This name for Mary means "She who was purified".
• Mustafia: This name for Mary means, "She who was chosen". The Quran states that Mary was chosen by Allah above every women of every nation:

"O Mary! God has chosen you and purified you and again he has chosen you above all women of all nations of the worlds"

• Sa’imah: This name for Mary means, "She who fasts". This arises from the belief, in some Muslim traditions, that Mary had fasted, on one occasion, for one-half of a year.

Burial place

Mary is believed to have been buried in a tomb at the foot of the Mount of Olives in the Kidron Valley. This tomb is known today as the Tomb of the Virgin Mary.