
Few in Western societies are aware of the importance of Mary in Islam. The Virgin Mary, or Maryam (مريم) in Arabic and Farsi, Meryem in Turkish, is among the most revered women in the Islamic tradition. In comparison to Fatima, the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (SAWS), and other women figures in Islam including Khadija and Asiya, Mary occupies a unique position of both esteem and Qur’anic importance. She is the only woman mentioned directly by name in the Qur’an and has a whole sura (chapter of the Qur’an) named after her, sura 19. Overall, Mary is mentioned over thirty times in the Qur’an. This suggests her importance since often-mentioned figures in the Qur’an form the allegorical foundations of Muslim religious beliefs, and those mentioned most are often considered prophets of God (see below).
Mary’s distinction in Islam mirrors her distinction in Christianity in many ways. The Catholic Hail Mary prayer reveres her: “Blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.” In a similar way, the Qur’an reveals, “‘Mary, God has chosen you and made you pure: He has truly chosen you above all women’” (3:42). Mary’s status as outstanding and divinely appointed is clear in both traditions. In this blog post, I briefly explain Mary’s life as related in the Qur’an, the question of her prophethood, and her representation in the Middle East.

Mary’s Life in the Qur’an
The Islamic account of Mary is found in several verses throughout the Qur’an, with longer passages in sura 3 (Al ‘Imran) and 19 (Maryam). These accounts are roughly divided into themes: Mary’s pre-birth dedication, her childhood and early life, the revelation that she will give birth to ‘Isa/Jesus, her delivery of ‘Isa/Jesus and her return to her people.
Interestingly, Mary’s own birth is not treated in the Bible. Yet, in the Qur’anic account, mention of her birth delivers an important message. It is through the prayers of Mary’s mother that she is pre-dedicated to God prior to her birth (3:35-36). In the context of Islam, this is important as it shows her family’s submission to God’s will and prefigures her devotion and obedience, which are illustrated throughout other Qur’anic accounts of Mary’s life.
Compared to the biblical account, Mary is also given a unique social station early in life and is referenced in the Qur’an in contexts that are usually reserved for male figures. For example, when she was born, Mary’s mother exclaims that she has given birth to a female (and not a male). It is related that God knew this and accepted Mary by placing her under the care of Zachariah, who facilitated Mary’s residence and service in the local temple. Such a privilege was usually only afforded to the young males of the time.

Was Mary a Prophet?
Perhaps one of the most contested aspects of Mary in Islam is the debate regarding whether she was a prophet. This possibility has traditionally been foreclosed by mainstream consensus-based Islamic institutions. However, Mary’s exceptional qualities and circumstances have also been used to argue for including her among the prophets.
Among several distinctions, the Qur’an shows that Mary receives revelation directly from the archangel Jibra’il/Gabriel, for example, when God explains her unexpected pregnancy through the angel’s presence (19:17-21). Many commentators have suggested that Jibra’il/Gabriel only appears to the prophets as a direct connection with God. Most notably, Jibra’il/Gabriel appeared to the Prophet Muhammad with the command “اقرأ” (iqra’) translating as “Read!” or “Recite!”, thus beginning the Qur’anic revelation (96:1).

Mary is also referred to in the Qur’an as being among the “truly devout/obedient” or قانتين (qanitin) (66:12). The Qur’an refers to Mary using the masculine and not the feminine plural form, the latter of which is linguistically possible but eschewed. In the Qur’an, this special word is used only to refer to two people, Ibrahim/Abraham and Mary, implying Mary’s affinity to the great prophet and father of monotheism.
Another prophetic theme in the Qur’an is the rejection and derision of the prophets by their own people. Again, Mary qualifies in this respect. When she returned home after giving birth to ‘Isa, the birth was met with disbelief. The people exclaimed that she had done something unheard of and referred directly to her pious ancestors, suggesting a sin that was especially egregious given her family lineage (19:27-33). Mary relies on ‘Isa as proof of his own divine origin[1].

Mary in the Middle East
In my recent travels in Türkiye, Jordan, and Lebanon, I have seen traces of Mary throughout the region. Mary takes on a particularly visible presence displayed in the iconography of the region’s Christian sites and in mosques that were once churches. Because Islamic practices often discourage or even prohibit the representation of images, physical representation of Mary has most commonly been inherited from Christianity. However, even in non-iconographic mosques, the beautiful calligraphic representation of Qur’anic verses can reference her. Most common is the khatt written directly above many mihrabs, which are niches in a mosque wall indicating the direction of Mecca. Many mihrabs include part of verse 3:37, “Whenever Zachariah went in to see her in the sanctuary” telling the story of Zachariah visiting Mary during her childhood devotion in the temple.
Mary holds a unique and revered position in Islamic cultures, as attested by her presence in the Qur’an and the resulting role she plays in religious beliefs. So unique was her position, that she finds a particularly poignant place in the Middle East’s religious centers, either through physical representation or through verse. Here, everyday believers give her renewed life.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] For more details on the arguments for and against Mary’s prophethood, see Abugideiri 2023 and Schleifer 2008.
FURTHER READING:
Abugideiri, Hibba. “The Qur’ān and Woman.” The Oxford Handbook of Islam and Women, edited by Asma Afsaruddin, Oxford, 2023, pp. 21-38.
Kaltner, John and Younus Y. Mirza. The Bible and the Qur’an: Biblical Figures in the Islamic Tradition. New York, Bloomsbury, 2018.
Ozak, Muzaffer. Blessed Virgin Mary. New York, Pir Press, 1992.
Schleifer, Aliah. Mary the Blessed Virgin of Islam. 3d ed. Louisville, Fons Vitae, 2008.
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Dr. Aaron Ponce is Assistant Professor in the Department of International Studies at Indiana University Bloomington. His research focuses on attitudes toward Muslims and Islam in Western societies and global forms of Islamophobia. His recent travels to Muslim-majority countries have taken him to Türkiye, Lebanon, Jordan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Albania.
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