Maryam (as) and Isa (as)

As salamu Alaikum wr wb

Jesus and the Virgin Mary in Islam

Many people may be surprised that Muslims love Mary, the mother of Jesus. In the Quran, no woman is given more attention than Mary. Mary receives the most attention of any woman mentioned in the Quran even though all the Prophets with the exception of Adam had mothers. Of the Quran's 114 chapters, she is among the eight people who have a chapter named after them. The nineteenth chapter of the Quran is named after her, Mariam. The third chapter in the Quran is named after her father, Imran. Mary (peace be upon her) is the only woman specifically named in the Quran. An authentic Hadith states that the Prophet said, "The superiority of 'Aisha to other ladies is like the superiority of Tharid (i.e. meat and bread dish) to other meals. Many men reached the level of perfection, but no woman reached such a level except Mary, the daughter of Imran and Asia, the wife of Pharaoh." (Bukhari 4.643). Indeed, both Mary and Pharaoh’s wife are an example:

And Allah has set forth an example for those who believe: the wife of Fir'aun (Pharaoh), when she said: "My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Paradise, and save me from Fir'aun (Pharaoh) and his work, and save me from the people who are Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers and disbelievers in Allah).

And Maryam (Mary), the daughter of 'Imran who guarded her chastity. And We breathed into (the sleeve of her shirt or her garment) through Our Ruh [i.e. Jibril (Gabriel) ], and she testified to the truth of the Words of her Lord [i.e. believed in the Words of Allah: "Be!" - and he was; that is 'Îsa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary) as a Messenger of Allah], and (also believed in) His Scriptures, and she was of the Qanitun (i.e. obedient to Allah) .

(Quran 66:11-12)

. The Virgin Mary plays a very significant role in Islam. She is an example and a sign for all people.

In the Quran, Mary's story begins while she is still in her mother's womb. The mother of Mary, said:

(Remember) when the wife of 'Imran said: "O my Lord! I have vowed to You what (the child that) is in my womb to be dedicated for Your services (free from all worldly work; to serve Your Place of worship), so accept this from me. Verily, You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knowing." (Quran 3:35).

She wanted the baby in her womb to serve only the Creator. When Mary was delivered, she said:

Then when she gave birth to her [child Maryam (Mary)], she said: "O my Lord! I have given birth to a female child," - and Allah knew better what she brought forth, - "And the male is not like the female, and I have named her Maryam (Mary), and I seek refuge with You (Allah) for her and for her offspring from Shaitan (Satan), the outcast." (Quran 3:36).

She had expected her baby to be a male child who would grow up to be a scholar or religious leader. However, Allah had a better plan. Allah is the best of planners. Mariam literally means "maidservant of God."

In Quran 3:37, Allah azza wa jal states that He accepted Mary as her mother had asked. He made Mary grow in purity and beauty. She was assigned to the care of a priest named Zacharias. This is interesting considering few women were given this opportunity.

So her Lord (Allah) accepted her with goodly acceptance. He made her grow in a good manner and put her under the care of Zachariah (Zachariah). Every time he entered Al-Mihrab to (visit) her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: "O Maryam (Mary)! From where have you got this?" She said, "This is from Allah." Verily, Allah provides sustenance to whom He wills, without limit." (Quran 3:37).

Upon hearing Mary's answer, At that time Zachariah (Zachariah) invoked his Lord, saying: "O my Lord! Grant me from You, a good offspring. You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation." (Quran 3:38).

Although his wife was barren and he was very old, God blesses Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth with John. John is known as "John the Baptist" in the Bible. Zacharias was skeptical after the angels announced John's birth. The response to his skepticism was "Thus Allah does what He wills." (Quran 3:40).

John would become a noble and chaste Prophet as the angels had stated (Quran 3:39).

The Quran discusses Mary's miraculous conception as well.

And mention in the Book (the Qur'an, O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم the story of) Maryam (Mary), when she withdrew in seclusion from her family to a place facing east.

She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our Ruh [angel Jibril (Gabriel)], and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects.

She said: "Verily! I seek refuge with the Most Gracious (Allah) from you, if you do fear Allah."

(The angel) said: "I am only a messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a righteous son."

She said: "How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I unchaste?"

He said: "So (it will be), your Lord said: 'That is easy for Me (Allah): And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us (Allah), and it is a matter (already) decreed, (by Allah).' "

So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place (i.e. Bethlehem valley about 4-6 miles from Jerusalem).

And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a date-palm. She said: "Would that I had died before this, and had been forgotten and out of sight!"

Then [the babe 'Isa (Jesus) or Jibril (Gabriel)] cried unto her from below her, saying: "Grieve not: your Lord has provided a water stream under you.

"And shake the trunk of date-palm towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe-dates upon you."

"So eat and drink and be glad. And if you see any human being, say: 'Verily! I have vowed a fast unto the Most Gracious (Allah) so I shall not speak to any human being this day.'"

Then she brought him (the baby) to her people, carrying him. They said: "O Mary! Indeed you have brought a thing Fairy (a mighty thing). [Tafsir Al-Tabari]

"O sister (i.e. the like) of Harun (Aaron) ! Your father was not a man who used to commit adultery, nor was your mother an unchaste woman."

Then she pointed to him. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?”

"He ['Isa (Jesus)] said: "Verily I am a slave of Allah, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet;”

"And He has made me blessed wheresoever I be, and has enjoined on me Salat (prayer), and Zakat, as long as I live."

"And dutiful to my mother, and made me not arrogant, unblest.

"And Salam (peace) be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive!"

Such is 'Isa (Jesus), son of Mary am (Mary). (It is) a statement of truth, about which they doubt (or dispute). Surah maryam verse 16-34

In the story of Maryam (as) I find great comfort in any mini hardship I might be going through, because I just cannot picture myself with the strength of her emaan If such test was presented to me, with the small tests that I go through in life, I find it difficult to perceive them as test and something that suppose to bring me closer to Allah azza wa jal. Can you imagine being pregnant with no man, being faced with slander, backbiting, the threat of punishment and so on and so forth without confessing/lying about it. May Allah (swt) gives strong emaan ameen ya rab.

Jesus is a Prophet and a Messenger. A Messenger is a Prophet who is given revelation from Allah azza wa jal. Whereas the Torah was revealed to Moses, the Gospel was revealed to Jesus. Messengers are a mercy, guidance, and sign from Allah azza wa jal. "And Allah will teach him (Jesus) the Book and Wisdom, the Torah and the Gospel, and (appoint him) as a messenger to the Children of Israel, (with this message):

And He (Allah) will teach him [('Îsa (Jesus)] the Book and Al-Hikmah (i.e. the Sunnah, the faultless speech of the Prophets, wisdom), (and) the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel).

And will make him [('Îsa (Jesus)] a Messenger to the Children of Israel (saying): "I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I design for you out of clay, a figure like that of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah's Leave; and I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I bring the dead to life by Allah's Leave. And I inform you of what you eat, and what you store in your houses. Surely, therein is a sign for you, if you believe.

And I have come confirming that which was before me of the Taurat (Torah), and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a proof from your Lord. So fear Allah and obey me.

Truly! Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him (Alone). This is the Straight Path

(Quran 3:48-51).

Allah azza wa jal appointed messengers to help us answer questions such as: What happens after I die? What's right and wrong? Does a supernatural world exist? What's the purpose of my creation? Jesus was calling people to the worship of only Allah. Only by Allah's leave was Jesus able to perform miracles.

Muslims do not accept the virgin birth of Jesus as evidence of Jesus' divinity.

"The similitude of Jesus before God is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him: 'Be.' And he was." (Quran 3:59)

. Adam's creation was even more miraculous because he was born without father and mother.

The virgin birth of Jesus was a sign.

"And (remember) her who guarded her chastity: We breathed into her of Our spirit, and We made her and her son a sign for all peoples." (Quran 21:91).

All previous Prophets confirmed the oneness of Allah, Tawheed. Whereas the Holy Trinity is the fundamental concept of God in Christianity, Tawheed is the fundamental concept of Allah in Islam. God exists independent of religion. Muslims do not believe in the concept of Holy Trinity (Quran 5:73). God is not Jesus (Quran 5:72). On the Day of Judgment, when Jesus is asked if he had called people to worship him and his mother as two gods, Jesus will say:

And (remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): "O 'Îsa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Did you say unto men: 'Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allah?' " He will say: "Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my inner-self though I do not know what is in Yours; truly, You, only You, are the All-Knower of all that is hidden (and unseen). (Quran 5:116).

People should not worship any of Allah’s creation, including Jesus and Mary. We must not assign any of Allah's creation His divine attributes and characteristics.

"He is God the Creator, the Maker, the Shaper. To Him belong the Names Most Beautiful. All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifies Him; He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise." (Qur'an 59:24).

Although Allah can do all things, He only does things that are consistent with His fundamental nature. Begetting a son is not consistent with Allah's magnificent nature (Quran 19:92, Quran 19:35). Consistent with His fundamental nature is forgiveness. Although Adam and Eve could no longer live in the Paradise, Allah forgave Adam and Eve for their sin after they sincerely repented (Quran 2:35-37). We are responsible for our own deeds and will not be punished for the deeds of another person (Quran 53:38-42). Therefore, Muslims reject the doctrine of original sin. Although Adam and Eve were punished, Allah would still be merciful by sending Guidance to mankind. "We said: 'Get down all of you from this place (the Paradise), then whenever there comes to you Guidance from Me, and whoever follows My Guidance, there shall be no fear on them, nor shall they grieve.'" (Quran 2:38).

When people hear the term Islam, they naturally tend to think of the organized religion of Islam which started in the 7th century CE with prophet Mohammed. However, in Arabic the word Islam comes from the root "salema" which means peace, purity, submission, and obedience. In the religious sense, Islam means peace and purity achieved by submitting to the will of God and obedience to His law. Muslims are those who submit. Muslims believe that all those who submitted to the will of God in line with divine revelation received before the advent of formal Islam with Prophet Mohammed, were themselves also Muslim. So coming from this understanding, Muslims believe that we are part of one continuing faith community with Jesus and Mary. Mary, Jesus, and the disciples were all "Muslims" because they submitted to God.

And (remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allah has chosen you, purified you (from polytheism and disbelief), and chosen you above the women of the 'Alamin (mankind and jinn) (of her lifetime)."

O Mary! "Submit yourself with obedience to your Lord (Allah, by worshipping none but Him Alone) and prostrate yourself, and Irka'i (bow down) along with Ar-Raki'un (those who bow down)."

(Quran 3:42-43).

Another Prophet with a message similar to Jesus' would later be born in Arabia in the sixth century. He also called people to the worship of only God. Although unable to read and write, Muhammad (peace be upon him) would recite beautiful verses of the Quran as they were revealed to him. The Quran is a beautiful miracle, a sign, a mercy, a warner, and guidance for all people. Muhammad is the last Prophet from a line of Prophets that included Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them). All Prophets were models for righteous living. Muhammad's Sunnah, his sayings, example, and traditions, is also considered revelation. His Sunnah is expressed in various books of Hadith.

Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much. (Quran 33:21).

God created all people to worship Him and to live life based on His teachings and guidance.

Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "We believe in Allah and in what has been sent down to us, and what was sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma'il (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Ya'qub (Jacob) and Al-Asbat [the offspring of the twelve sons of Ya'qub (Jacob)] and what was given to Musa (Moses), 'Îsa (Jesus) and the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between one another among them and to Him (Allah) we have submitted (in Islam)."

And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers. ( surah imran verses 84-85)

There is none worthy of worship but God, and Muhammad is His messenger.

Umm Haroon.