Mary is considered in Islam to be one of the four most virtuous women. She displayed a character of true devotion to God. Even at the criticism of family and the community in which she lived. Never did she turn her back on her Lord or her son.
Mary in the Quran
“Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place in the East. She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent her our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects. She said: "I seek refuge from thee to (Allah) Most Gracious: (come not near) if thou dost fear Allah." He said: "Nay, I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son. She said: "How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?" He said: "So (it will be): Thy Lord saith, 'that is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us' It is a matter (so) decreed." So she conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree: She cried (in her anguish): "Ah! Would that I had died before this! Would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!" But (a voice) cried to her from beneath the (palm-tree): "Grieve not! For thy Lord hath provided a rivulet beneath thee; “And shake towards thyself the trunk of the palm-tree: It will let fall fresh ripe dates upon thee. "So eat and drink and cool (thine) eye.” (Quran 19:16-26)
Mary the Meaning of Her Life
Of course Mary could have turned her back on God for putting her in a very difficult and dangerous position. For the people of that day would not hesitate to charge a young girl with adultery, fornication or premarital sex. However, the day that Mary was informed of her pregnancy from The Angel Gabriel is the first day she would be honored for all time to come in this world and the hereafter.
Pregnant and alone, Mary was driven to a river at the trunk of a palm tree and commanded to drink and cool herself. She is not only to drink to quench her thirst but to protect the God given life growing within her. She has every bit of faith that the child would be a blessing to her and never unkind. Mary prepared herself with divine knowledge imparted to her and filled her belly with divine truth.
Mary must eat the fruit that falls to her from the palm tree to give her strength to convey that truth to others so they would be convinced of her situation and not stone her as an adulteress.
Mary the Prepared One
Mary raised her son and taught him with the knowledge that was placed in her from the time she was devoted to the temple and fed by an unseen hand. Mary was the divinely prepared one. She was prepared to receive a miracle as had not been seen since the beginning of creation. For as God created Adam from the dust of the ground with no parents, Mary’s son would be created without the benefit of a father. Thus, Mary’s son would be a miracle like Adam for the entire world to see. Jesus was a miracle and blessing to his mother and his people. He was a child who grew up serving his Lord and honoring his mother.
This is the Mary of the Quran. This is the Mary of Islam. She is a sterling example to all mothers. She represents the first teacher and comforter to the offspring of Adam.
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