10 Honoring Verses About Mary In The Qur’an

Ahd Shaheen

This article was first published in 10 Honoring Verses About Mary In The Qur’an

As a Muslim I haven’t seen a woman so commonly and repeatedly mentioned in the Qur’an as Virgin Mary. To us, she’s a symbol of piety, honor and dignity as the Quran embodied her.

“In the Quran her story is related in three Meccan chapters [i.e. have been revealed in Makkah (19,21,23)], and four Medinan chapters [i.e. have been revealed in Madinah city (3,4,5,66)]. Moreover, the nineteenth chapter of the scripture is titled “Mary” (Surat Maryam), it is named after her. The Quran refers to Mary even more often than the New Testament.” (Mary in Islam-Wikipedia.)

There’s a whole chapter by her name in the Quran Chapter 19 in the Holy Quran was named after her: “Maryam”, which is the Arabic translation of Mary.

The Birth of Mary


Indeed, Allah chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of ‘Imran over the worlds – Descendants, some of them from others. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing. [Mention, O Muhammad], when the wife of ‘Imran said, “My Lord, indeed I have pledged to You what is in my womb, consecrated [for Your service], so accept this from me. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing.” But when she delivered her, she said, “My Lord, I have delivered a female.” And Allah was most knowing of what she delivered, “And the male is not like the female. And I have named her Mary, and I seek refuge for her in You and [for] her descendants from Satan, the expelled [from the mercy of Allah].” (Quran 3:33-36)

Her mother prayed so hard for the child’s righteousness and was so honest in her prayers that she received the purest woman in the whole world.

The Childhood of Mary


So her Lord accepted her with good acceptance and caused her to grow in a good manner and put her in the care of Zechariah. Every time Zechariah entered upon her in the prayer chamber, he found with her provision. He said, “O Mary, from where is this [coming] to you?” She said, “It is from Allah. Indeed, Allah provides for whom He wills without account.” (Quran 3:37)

Scholars say that the acceptance of God mentioned in the verse means that she was happy both here and in the hereafter. And some say that she didn’t suffer at all, during this period.

“and caused her to grow in a good manner”:

Some scholars say that Allah made her grow up in one day what an infant would grow in a whole year.

Zechariah used to visit her every day to check on her, and he used to find at her place the fruits of winter in summer, and fruits of summer in the winter. And when he asked her about that, she said that’s from Allah. That’s how blessed she was!

Notice how Qur’an talked about Mary’s parents with so much purity and piety like no other book did.

Mary, the Devout


And (mention) when the angels said, ‘O Mary, indeed God has chosen you, purified you, and chosen you above the women of the worlds.’  ‘O Mary, be devoutly obedient to your Lord and prostrate and bow down along those who bow down (in prayer).’  That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal to you, [O Muhammad]. And you were not with them when they cast their pens as to which of them should be responsible for Mary. Nor were you with them when they disputed.” (Quran 3:42-44)

Qur’an Talked about Mary as the Symbol of Worship


And mention, [O Muhammad], in the Book [the story of] Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east.” (Quran 19:16)

She did renounce people in order to worship Allah (the creator of heavens and earths) with a clearer mind.

The Good news of a new-Born Child


[And mention] when the angels said, “O Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary – distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allah]. He will speak to the people in the cradle and in maturity and will be of the righteous.” She said, “My Lord, how will I have a child when no man has touched me?” [The angel] said, “Such is Allah; He creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is. And He will teach him writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel. And [make him] a messenger to the Children of Israel, [who will say], ‘Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I design for you from clay [that which is] like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allah. And I cure the blind and the leper, and I give life to the dead – by permission of Allah. And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers. And [I have come] confirming what was before me of the Torah and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. And I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear Allah and obey me. Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is the straight path.” (Quran 3:45-51)

That’s how we “Muslims” see Mary and her son:

We believe as the Qur’an taught us that she was Virgin (never ever touched by anyone).

And that Jesus –peace and blessings be upon him- is the word of God and her son. He was honest, righteous, and a worshiper to God.

How she Received the News of her Pregnancy


And mention, [O Muhammad], in the Book [the story of] Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east. And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen. Then We sent to her Our Angel, and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man. She said, “Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, [so leave me], if you should be fearing of Allah. “He said, “I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy.” She said, “How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?” He said, “Thus [it will be]; your Lord says, ‘It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter [already] decreed.'” (Quran 19:16-21)

“So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a remote place. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, “Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten.” (Quran 19:22-23)

Mary was worried that people would think badly of her as she was not married.

How God was Near to her and Comforted her During her Childbirth Pains


So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a remote place. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, “Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten.” But he called her from below her, “Do not grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream. And shake toward 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] man.” (Quran 19: 22-26)

How God Created a Special Miracle just to Disclaim People’s Accusation


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] man.’ “Then she brought him to her people, carrying him. They said, “O Mary, you have certainly done a thing unprecedented. O sister of Aaron, your father was not a man of evil, nor was your mother unchaste.” So she pointed to him. They said, “How can we speak to one who is in the cradle a child?” [Jesus] said, “Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet. And He has made me blessed wherever I am and has enjoined upon me prayer and zakah as long as I remain alive” (Quran 19:26-33)

That’s how honorable Virgin Mary is in the Qur’an. Allah made Jesus (peace be upon him) talk while he was a baby just to declare all the accusations against her.

The Immaculate Conception


And [mention] the one who guarded her chastity, so We blew into her [garment] through Our angel [Gabriel], and We made her and her son a sign for the worlds.”[3] (Quran 21:91)

The Excellence of Mary


And Allah presents an example of those who believed: the wife of Pharaoh, when she said, “My Lord, build for me near You a house in Paradise and save me from Pharaoh and his deeds and save me from the wrongdoing people.” And [the example of] Mary, the daughter of ‘Imran, who guarded her chastity, so We blew into [her garment] through Our angel, and she believed in the words of her Lord and His scriptures and was of the devoutly obedient.” (Quran 66:11-12)

Have you come to see a book that honored Virgin Mary as the Qur’an did?!