Maryam: the story in the Quran

The story

1. 1

   A life devoted to worship

   The Quran begins the story of the blessed Maryam even before her birth. The wife of Imran had vowed to devote the child in her womb to the service of Allah. The child born was a girl; her mother named her Maryam and asked Allah to protect her and her offspring from Satan (Surah Ali 'Imran, 35-36).

   Maryam grew up in a goodly manner, and her Lord accepted her. She was placed under the guardianship of Zakariyya (peace be upon him). Every time Zakariyya (peace be upon him) came in to see her, he found provision with her and asked, "Where did this come to you from?" Maryam would answer, "It is from Allah" (Surah Ali 'Imran, 37). The angels said to her, "O Maryam, be devoted to your Lord, prostrate, and bow with those who bow" (Surah Ali 'Imran, 43).

2. 2

   The angel's glad tidings

   One day Maryam withdrew from her family to an eastern place and secluded herself from them. Allah sent her His spirit (the angel), who appeared to her in the form of a perfect man. Maryam was afraid and said, "I seek refuge from you in the Most Merciful" (Surah Maryam, 16-18).

   The angel reassured her: "I am only a messenger of your Lord, sent to grant you a pure son" (Surah Maryam, 19). Maryam asked in astonishment how she could have a child when no man had touched her. She was told that this is easy for Allah, and that this child would be a sign for people and a mercy from Him (Surah Maryam, 20-21). Surah Ali 'Imran gives the glad tidings that this child's name would be the Messiah Isa, honored in this world and the next (Surah Ali 'Imran, 45).

3. 3

   The palm tree and the spring

   Maryam became pregnant with the child and withdrew with him to a distant place. The pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She suffered so greatly that she said, "Would that I had died before this and been completely forgotten" (Surah Maryam, 22-23).

   A voice called out to her from below: do not grieve, your Lord has caused a spring to flow beneath you. "Shake the trunk of the palm tree toward you, and fresh, ripe dates will fall upon you" (Surah Maryam, 24-25). She was told to eat, drink, and let her eyes be comforted. If she saw anyone and they asked her, she was to say, "I have vowed a fast (of silence) to the Most Merciful" (Surah Maryam, 26).

4. 4

   Return to her people and the infant who spoke in the cradle

   Maryam carried the infant in her arms and brought him to her people. They reproached her, saying, "O Maryam, you have done a truly evil thing" (Surah Maryam, 27-28). Maryam said nothing and simply pointed to the infant. They exclaimed in astonishment, "How can we speak to one who is a child in the cradle?"

   Then the infant Isa spoke: "Indeed, I am a servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet" (Surah Maryam, 29-30). In this way Allah showed Maryam's chastity and truthfulness to her whole people through the infant's speech. This was the clearest answer to the slander cast upon her.

5. 5

   Favored above all women of the worlds

   Maryam is not a Prophet; she is a righteous woman whom Allah chose and purified. The angels said to her, "Indeed, Allah has chosen you, purified you, and favored you above all women of the worlds" (Surah Ali 'Imran, 42). She guarded her chastity and affirmed the words of her Lord (Surah At-Tahrim, 12).

   Our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stated in a hadith that many men reached perfection, but among women only Maryam, daughter of Imran, and Asiyah, the wife of Pharaoh, rose to this station (Bukhari, 3411). Another authentic hadith reports that Satan touches every infant at birth, except Maryam and her son, who were protected from this touch (Bukhari, 3431).

The story of Maryam is narrated in the Quran mainly in Surah Maryam (16-34), which bears her name, and in Surah Ali 'Imran (35-47). Her name is mentioned many times in the Quran, and she is the only woman named in the holy book. The Quran presents her as an example of chastity, piety, and reliance on Allah; it does not deify her, but honors her greatly as a righteous servant who is the mother of Isa (peace be upon him).

• Maryam, whom Allah chose and purified, is the highest example of chastity and piety.
• Miracles happen by Allah's permission; when He wills something to be, He says to it, "Be!"
• Even in the hardest moment, Allah shows His servant a way out and provision; the spring and the dates are a sign of this.
• The strongest refuge against slander is reliance and turning to Allah.
• Although Maryam is not a Prophet, she is among the most excellent of women.

References are drawn from Quran verses, available authentic hadith and reliable scholarship.

• QuranSurah Ali 'Imran, 42

  The angels' words that Allah chose Maryam, purified her, and favored her above all women of the worlds appear in this verse.

• QuranSurah Maryam, 19

  The angel giving Maryam the glad tidings of a pure son is narrated in this verse.

• QuranSurah Maryam, 25

  The miracle of the palm tree and the spring beneath it at the moment of birth is mentioned in these verses.

• HadithSahih Bukhari, 3411

  Our Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) statement that among women only Maryam and Asiyah reached perfection appears in this authentic hadith.

• HadithSahih Bukhari, 3431

  This authentic hadith reports that Satan touches every infant at birth, except Maryam and her son, who were protected from this touch.

• Scholarly sourceTDV İslam Ansiklopedisi, "Meryem"

  Referenced for academic information about Maryam's place in the Quran and her standing in Islam.

• Isa
• Zakariyya

Common questions about this story.

• What is the story of Maryam about?

  The story of Maryam recounts the devout life of the blessed Maryam, daughter of Imran, the glad tidings the angel gave her, the fatherless birth of Isa (peace be upon him), the miracle of the palm tree and the spring, and the infant in the cradle speaking to confirm his mother's chastity.

• Is Maryam a Prophet?

  No. Maryam is not a Prophet; she is a righteous woman whom Allah chose and purified, a servant favored above all women of the worlds (Surah Ali 'Imran, 42).

• How did Maryam give birth to Isa?

  She gave birth to Isa (peace be upon him) without any father, purely by the will of Allah. The Quran presents this as a sign of Allah's power (Surah Maryam, 19-21).

• What is the miracle of the palm tree and the spring?

  At the moment of birth, Maryam withdrew beside a palm tree; Allah caused a spring to flow beneath it, and when she shook the trunk, fresh dates fell upon her (Surah Maryam, 24-25). This was Allah's provision in a moment of hardship.

• Who was Maryam's guardian?

  Maryam grew up in the temple under the guardianship of Zakariyya (peace be upon him); Zakariyya continually found provision from Allah with her (Surah Ali 'Imran, 37).