In Islam, Jesus is one of the five greatest prophets that God sent to mankind. Muslims‘ knowledge of Jesus is based on the two main sources of Islamic knowledge: the Quran and the Hadith (prophetic statements). In the Quran, Jesus Isa ibn Maryam or Jesus is called the son of Mary. The story of Mary and Jesus is best described in chapters 3 and 9 in the Quran.
Maria: A special girl
The story begins with Mary, who was blessed with God’s protection as a child. Maria was born to the pious household of Aal Imran or the Imrans family. Many people fought for the honor of caring for the child, but this responsibility was given to Zacharias, an older, childless man who immediately noticed that the young girl was special. One day Zacharias discovered that the girl had certain foods for which he could not find an explanation. He asked her how she got these things and she replied:
“It is from God; behold, God provides unlimited who He wants. ” (Quran 3:37)
This simple answer left a deep impression on the older man. He had long wanted a son, so the devoted Zacharias prayed to God for a child. As the Quran reports in the verses below, his prayers were answered almost immediately, even though his wife had been sterile and the age at which children were born had already passed:
„There Zacharias called his master and said:“ My lord , give me good offspring as a gift from you, truly, you are the hearer of prayer. “ And then the angels called to him while he was standing in prayer in the temple: „Behold, God promises you John, the verifier of a word from God, a noble, an ascetic and prophet, one of the righteous.“ (Quran 3 : 38-39)
The uniqueness of Mary that Zacharias noticed was made clear to her by the angels:
“And then the angels said:“ O Maria, behold, God chose you and purified and chose you before the women of the worlds. O Maria, be devout to your Lord and prostrate and bow with the ones who bow down. ”(Quran 3: 42-43)
This is where the story of Mary’s upbringing and childhood, as reported in the Quran, ends.
The miracle of Jesus
In chapter 19, which is entitled „Maria“, we hear more about the story of this special woman. The best thing is to let the Quran speak for itself:
“[O Muhammad] and mention in the Book of Mary. When she retired from her family to an eastern place and shielded herself from her, We sent Our Angel Gabriel to her and he appeared to her in the shape of a perfect human being and she said: „I take my refuge from you with the merciful one , (let go of me) if you have fear of God. “ He said: „I am your Lord’s messenger. (He sent me to you) so that I can give you a pure son.“ She said: „How should a son be given to me when no man has ever touched me and I’m not a whore?“ He said: „It is so; but your Lord says:“ It is easy for me and we make it a sign for the people and for our mercy, and this is a decided thing. „“ So she received him and retired to a remote place with him. ” (Quran 19: 16-22)
From the description of the events in the Quran, we can conclude that Maria spent most of her pregnancy alone. What happened to her during this time is not mentioned in the Quran. The Quran takes up the story again the moment Maria gets labor.
“And the pains of birth drove her to the trunk of a date palm. She said: „Oh, I would have died before and would be completely forgotten!“ Then he called to her from below: „Do not be sad. Your Lord has given you a brook to flow ‚“ (Quran 19: 23-24)
God, who knew the reaction of society, also guided her, as she did with should handle the situation.
„… and shake the trunk of the palm towards you, and it will drop fresh ripe dates on you.“ (Quran 19:25)
When she brought the baby Jesus to her people, they asked them; and as a baby in her arm Jesus answered them. The Quran describes this scene in detail:
“So eat and drink and be cheerful. And when you see a person, say: „I have praised the merciful to fast, so I don’t want to talk to anybody today.“ „Then she brought him in her arms to yours. They said:“ Oh Maria, you have done something outrageous. O sister of Aaron, your father was not a villain, and your mother was not a whore. „Then she pointed to him. They said:“ How should we speak to someone who is still a child in the cradle? „He (Jesus) spoke : „I am a servant of God: He gave me the book and made me a prophet. And He gave me His blessing wherever I may be, and He commanded me to pray and Zakah as long as I live and respectfully be against my mother; He didn’t make me violent and unhappy. And peace was over me on the day when I was born and (peace will be upon me) the day I die and the day I come back to life. ” (Quran 19: 26-33)
And so the baby Jesus defended his mother from the accusations of fornication and briefly explained who he was and why God sent him.
This is where the story of Mary and the wonderful birth of one of God’s greatest prophets, Jesus, ends.
„This is Jesus, son of Mary (this is) a statement of truth about which they are divided.“ (Quran 19:34)
Source: https://www.islamland.com/deu/articles/die-geschichte-von-maria-kurzgefasst