The Virgin Mary (peace be upon her) is one of the most honoured figures in Islam, Mary is mentioned frequently in the Qur’an (34 times), and her narrative occurs consistently from the earliest chapters.
The Qur’an speaks of the Virgin Mary (called Myriam in Arabic) not only as the mother of Jesus (peace be upon them), but as a righteous woman in her own right. There is even a entire chapter of the Qur’an named after her (the 19th chapter of the Qur’an). Below are some direct quotations from the Qur’an regarding Mary.
“Recount in the Book how Mary withdrew from her people to an eastern place and kept herself in seclusion from them. We sent her Our angel, who presented himself to her as a full-grown human being. When she saw him, she said, ‘I seek refuge in the compassionate God from you; [do not come near] if you fear the Lord.’ ‘I am only the messenger of your Lord,’ he replied. ‘I shall bestow upon you the gift of a son endowed with purity.’ She said,‘How can I have a son when no man has touched me; and neither have I been unchaste?’ [The angel] replied, ‘So shall it be; your Lord says, “This is easy for Me; and We shall make him a sign to people and a blessing, from Us. This has been decreed.” (Qur’an 19:16-21, the Chapter of Mary)
“Behold! The angels said, ‘Oh Mary! God has chosen you and purified you, chosen you above the women of all nations. Oh Mary! Worship your Lord devoutly. Prostrate yourself, and bow down in prayer with those who bow down’” (Qur’an 3:42-43).
“Remember the one who guarded her chastity; so We breathed Our Spirit into her, and made her and her son a sign for all people”. (Qur’an 21:91).
The birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Peace be upon her):
The birth of Mary (pbh) is described in the Qur’an, with references to her father, Amram (known as Imran in Arabic), and her mother, Anne (Hannah in Arabic). According to Muslim tradition, Amram and Anne were elderly and had no children. One day, while observing a bird feeding her young in a tree, Anne felt a deep longing for a child. She prayed to God, asking for a child and vowed that if her prayer was granted, she would dedicate her child to God’s service. She also prayed that her child be kept safe from the influence of the devil. Islamic tradition records that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said that the only children born untouched by the devil were Mary and Jesus (peace be upon them).
Mary’s early years:
The Qur’an recounts that Mary grew up in the temple, where she had her own special space. She was placed under the care of the prophet Zechariah. According to the Islamic story, a method of random selection was used to decide who would be Mary’s guardian, and Zechariah was chosen. Whenever Zechariah visited Mary’s prayer room, he found food there and would ask her where it came from. She would reply that God provides sustenance to whom He wills. Scholars have debated whether the food was miraculous or just ordinary. Those who believe it was miraculous argue that it must have been, because Zechariah, as a prophet, would have known that God is the ultimate provider of all sustenance and wouldn’t have questioned Mary if the food was ordinary.
The miracle birth of Jesus (pbuh):
The virgin birth of Jesus holds great significance in Islam, regarded as one of God’s remarkable miracles. The first clear reference to the annunciation foretelling Jesus’s birth occurs in Chapter 19 (Mary), verse 20, where Mary asks the angel Gabriel (Jibril in Arabic) how she could conceive when no man has touched her. Gabriel responds by assuring her that for God, all things are possible, and that Jesus’s virgin birth will serve as a sign for humanity. The birth is further referenced in Chapter 66, verse 12, where the Qur’an affirms that Mary remained “pure,” and that God allowed a life to develop within her womb. A third mention of the annunciation is found in Chapter 3, verses 37–38, where Mary is also told that she has been chosen above all the women of creation.
Baby Jesus defending his mother days after his birth:
When Mary was accused by her people of having a child out of wedlock, she pointed to the baby, and in response, the baby Jesus spoke to defend his mother.
Qur’an (19:29-33): “But she pointed to him. They said, “How can we speak to one who is in the cradle, an infant?”He said, “Indeed, I am the servant of God. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet.”
The resemblance in creation between Prophet Adam and Prophet Jesus (peace be upon them):
In the Qur’an verse 3:59, God draws a parallel between Adam and Jesus, highlighting that while Adam was created without either a father or a mother, Jesus was created without a father (peace be upon them). The verse emphasizes that just as it was easy for God to create Adam, it is equally easy for Him to create Jesus. All that God has to do is say “Be,” and it is.
“The Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is.” Qur’an 2:117
