(How The Holy Quran honoured our mother "Mary")
No faith or holy book has honored Virgin Mary and held her in high esteem as did Islam and the Holy Qur’an, not even the Bible.Mary was mentioned In the Quran 33 times and she was the only woman who was mentioned by name in the Quran.There is a big chapter in the Quran "19" entitled "Maryam "the Arabic name of Mary and Muslims love her very much,so a lot of Muslims name their daughters "Maryam" as a sign of love and respect and Muslims always say "Our Mother Maryam " The Holy Qur’an portrays the character and merits of Virgin Mary since her birth till her miraculous pregnancy and birth of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him). when her mother was pregnant she intended to vow to God to dedicate her son for him.Quran said :
[35] Behold! a woman of 'Imran said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: so accept this of me: for Thou hearest and knowest all things."
[36] When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! behold! I am delivered of a female child!" - and Allah knew best what she brought forth - "and no wise is the male like the female. I have named her Maryam, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected."
[37] Right graciously did her Lord accept her: He made her grow in purity and beauty; to the care of Zakariya was she assigned. Every time that he entered (her) chamber to see her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: "O Maryam! Whence (comes) this to you?" She said: "From Allah: for Allah provides sustenance to whom He pleases, without measure." (3/35-37)
--- Allah (God praise be to him) chose Mary and purified her above the women of the world and made her the model of chastity and piousness to prepare her for his great miracle the birth of his great messenger 'Jesus" (peace be upon him ) without any father.The virtues, high status and moral excellence of Virgin Mary are obvious in the Quran Allah says :
{And [remember] when the angels said: O Mary! Verily, Allah has chosen you, purified you, and chosen you above the women of the worlds. O Mary! Submit yourself with obedience to your Lord [Allah] and prostrate yourself, and bow down along with those who bow down [for Him].}* (3/42-43)
--- [45] Behold! the angels said: "O Maryam! Allah giveth Thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Al-Masih 'Isa. The son of Maryam, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah;
[46] "He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he shall be (of the company) of the righteous."
[47] She said: "O my Lord! how shall I have a son when no man hath touched me?" He said: "Even
so: Allah createth what He willeth: when He hath decreed a Plan, He but saith to it, `Be', and it is!
[48] "And Allah will teach him the Book and W7isdom, the Law and the Gospel,
[49] "And (appoint him) a Messenger to the Children of Israel, (with this message): "I have come to
you, with a Sign from your Lord, in that I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah's leave: and I heal those born blind, and the lepers, and I quicken the dead, by Allah's leave; and I declare to you what ye eat, and what ye store in your houses. Surely therein is a Sign for you if ye did believe;
[50] "(I have come to you), to attest the Law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was (before) forbidden to you; I have come to you with a Sign from your Lord. So fear Allah, and obey me.
[51] "It is Allah Who is my Lord and your Lord; then worship Him. This is a Way that is straight (3/45-51)
--- In chapter 19 which is called" Maryam" Allah said :
*{And mention in the Book Mary, when she withdrew in seclusion from her family to a place facing east(16). She placed a screen from them; then We sent to her Our Spirit [Gabriel], and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects(17). She said: Verily, I seek refuge with the Most Gracious [Allah] from you, if you do fear Allah(18). He said: I am only a messenger from your Lord, [to announce] to you the gift of a righteous son(19).She said: How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I unchaste? (20) 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] (21).So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a remote place(22). 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!(23)” Then (one) cried from beneath her, saying: “Grieve not: your Lord has provided a water stream under you (24). And shake the trunk of date palm towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon you (25). 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. (26)'”
Then she brought him [the baby] to her people, carrying him. They said: “O Mary! Indeed you have brought a fabricated thing (27). O sister [i.e. the like] of Aaron! Your father was not a man who used to commit adultery, nor your mother was an unchaste woman. (28)” Then she pointed to him. They said: “How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle? (29)” He (Jesus) said: “Verily, I am a slave of Allah, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet (30) And He has made me blessed wheresoever I be, and has enjoined on me prayer, and zakat (alms), as long as I live (31)32] "(He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable;
[33] "So Peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)!" [34] Such (was) 'Isa the son of Maryam: (it is) a statement of truth, about which they (vainly) dispute. [35] It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! when He determines a matter, He only says to it, "Be," and it is. [36] Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord: Him therefore serve ye: this is a way that is straight.(19/16_36)
--- Allah praised Mary and the wife of the pharaoh for their faith and mentioned them as an example of those who believed strongly in the only unique God who has the all power to do what he will. He created Adam (peace be upon him) without a father or a mother and created Jesus (peace be upon him ) without a father to show his all power and his vast ability and he is not under the law but he is the creator of the law.He says :
[11] And Allah sets forth, as an example to those who believe, the wife of Fir'aun: behold she said: "O my Lord! Build for me, in nearness to Thee, a mansion in the Garden, and save me from Fir'aun and his doings, and save me from those that do wrong";*{…and Mary, daughter of `Imran, who attended to her private parts [guarded her chastity, so We breathed in it of Our Spirit (Gabriel)], and she sincerely believed in the Words of her Lord, and His Books; and she was one of the devout.}* (66/11-12 )
--- Also Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has pointed out to the status of Virgin Mary in Islam when he said:
“The best of the world's women is Mary.”
He also said: “Among women none attained perfection except Mary the daughter of `Imran, and Asiya the wife of Pharaoh.”
Notes :
** We notice that Mary was mentioned in the Quran 33 times . Isa "Jesus" (peace be upon him) 25 times . Al-Masih (Christ ) 11 times while Muhammad (peace be upon him) was mentioned in the Quran 4 times only and that proves that he was so faithful ,truthful and so honest that he transmitted and declared the message of Allah (God) as it was descended on him . If the Quran was from Muhammad (pbuh) although he was unlettered ,he could have talked about his biography , his difficulties ,his victories ,his family and his followers.He could have honoured his wives or his beloved daughter "Fatema" (blessing of Allah on her) but nothing of that is found in the Quran .
** We notice the supreme rank of women in Islam because they are the mothers of men,the sisters of men and the daughters of men . They have the same rights as men.When Allah (God) wanted to give an example for those who believe in him strongly he mentioned two women not two men and that make us stop to contemplate longly and think deeply of this issue. Muhammad (peace be upon him ) recommended good treatment to women saying : {The most perfect of the believers in faith are the best of them in morals. And the best among them are those who are best to their wives.}2
