GENERAL FEEDBACK><\/p>\n
In the last feedback on this essay I indicated that you need to get the introduction in a short concise and clear synopsis. Moving into two pages for an introduction which is what you have here is considerably long. For academic writing and as the framing statement it needs to be shorter.<\/p>\n
Introductions are supposed to be concise, to the point and set the contours of the essay clearly. If you can reduce this and make it more concise it would serve you better. <\/p>\n
So you need to be clear in your title as well because it does not suggest it is a comparison essay. Iif it is then change your title to reflect that it is a comparison or else keep it and be clear that this essay you are talking about is focused on the characteristics that exemplify Maryam as a model of faith in Islam or in both Islam and Christianity. Or else if it isn\u2019t a comparison then keep the title and simply say at times we will consider how this compared to aspects of Mary in the bible but be consistent in both title and content.<\/p>\n
SO your introduction sets out the focus what you are talking about (Mary as a model of faith in the Quran or in both, if it is comparative or focused on Islam with some comparatives where appropriate, If your focus in on Islam then your introduction includes when you are talking about this it also raises questions if she is a suitable candidate for prophethood which you will consider and all of this will be based or backdropped against Maryam\u2019s historiography. Then you set out the rational. So Why are we considering her unique characteristics in Islam? One reason is that she serves a very relatable portrayal of a model of faith that is relatable in all her human characteristics and secondly she offers a model of hope (Whatever the reason you need to set out why you are exploring this clearly). So in the introduction you need to rationalize your approach or why you are discussing this. At this level of Academia your rationalization isn\u2019t because my tutor gave me homework and this is the title. It is because there is something important that needs to be critiqued considered or compared etc and you spell this out as part of your rationalization in the introduction. So in the last essay feedback I suggested you could rationalize it on the basis that she is not just a model of faith but she is a model of hope for all of humanity regardless of whether you are a woman or not etc. Whatever way you sum up your introduction, it is short, sets down the 3 core things you are doing, why (the reason or rationalization) and then how you go about it.<\/p>\n
In the last feedback I also suggested stick to using Mary for Bible and Maryam for the Quran so that includes reflecting that in your title. There is a section in this essay where you have slipped back into discussing Hannah and Mary and I thought I was back in the Bible story and was confused so you need to stick to the titles that correspond to the books. <\/p>\n
Also Be careful not to confuse her role, character, and nature in Christian theology with Islam the only comparable thing is that in both she is the mother of Jesus, she is considered a virgin and she is a model of faith, I would stick to comparing these rather than getting into the differences around her nature and role too much, you have to point out the differences in terms of how she is understood but I would be careful about getting trapped into a comparison on this in her nature. Obviously you might choose to state the different understandings of her nature because they determine the different understandings of the concept of her motherhood as Mother of a prophet or Divine Motherhood etc and this in turn influences how we understand her characteristics. In the Quran however we are looking at a woman who though chosen and blessed by God was not thought of as being sinless, or full of grace, she had to work at it all\u2026\u2026When we talk about the nature of Mary it is different to talking about the nature of Maryam but the characteristics might sound the same but they have a different value content comparatively so it makes them hard to compare. In Christianity her nature is \u2018free from sin\u2019 and full of God or full of Grace (CCC493). For Christians they understand that this nature was given to her from the moment of her conception and so she could fulfill the role of Divine Motherhood, we confess this but it isn\u2019t in the bible about the Immaculate Conception. Personally I think you don\u2019t need to go into this and you have gone too close to it in the essay too much. Yes you always have to be sure that if you are discussing it you are clear in how you are distinguishing the understanding of her nature in Christianity from it in Islam but keep it simple and say it once. It is best if you are not sure how to describe the nature to look first at the way it is referred to in the CCC which can get you out a of a tricky situation. In theology her nature as \u2018full of grace\u2019 means to be full of God from the moment of her conception because she is to be the vessel of the Hypostatic Union; and you cannot be full of God and have sin so she is from the moment of conception free of sin; In the Bible her characteristics are those unique distinguishing factors that describe her character eg loving, faithful, brave, young. Technically all of us have a divine role and divine character in life but this is different in that her nature is graced for this role. In Christianity she was made full of Grace, she did not become it herself, then she was also enriched by God with gifts appropriate to the role (CCC 490); AGAIN I am saying for you not for you to put in the essay she is holy and blameless and redeemed from the moment of her conception (CCC 492) however God respects her right to refuse the role so it is consensual, he asks her when the time is right to accept the role she has been prepared for, she had the right to refuse, she spoke to the angel and she trusted. So the church confess her nature is full of grace, immaculate conceived of and her role is Divine Motherhood, Maryam\u2019s role is NOT Divine motherhood she is mother of a prophet but I think you need to keep the focus on her as a model of faith. So in the Quran you can talk about her nature\/ character as interchangeable like other people because you are talking about what we all have, but you cannot do this in Christianity with Mary because her nature is unique and her characteristic of purity for example is linked to her nature of purity made pure by God. <\/p>\n
So if you decide you want to talk about her characteristics as depicted in the Bible remember her nature is sinless and full of grace, her role is divine motherhood, her characteristics and good qualities are piety, faithfulness, trust, courage, bravery, willingness, honesty, lovingly disposed\u2026.. In the Quran you can use the same words to describe her character and her nature and yes these are full of purity, she is blessed etc. Is Mary a model of faith in the Bible the way she is in the Quran? In a sense she is more relatable to us in the Quran because all her grounding is in the human experience even though it is portrayed almost mythically with angels depicted etc and this is ultimately a point you are working up to make. So in the Quran it is ok to use the two words nature\/character interchangeably saying her nature was pure or her character was pure. However in Christianity when we talk about her nature it is something distinct from every other human nature it is pure, that is not accessible to other humans, it was pure because God exists there eternally as hypostatic union, it applies to no other human and is not humanly possible for any other human to have this characteristic in their character nor is it achievable by any human but we can learn a lot from her character as a role model but ultimately she is part of the mystery and not comparable with other human characteristics of purity that Maryam, you might have to compare in a human way that we work on and can equally relate to. Again I personally do not think you should get into any of this other detail above other than to note the distinction that they were both regarded as the mother of Jesus which in a Christian context entails her in the Mystery of Christ and Salvation and the Church to confess her not as just the Mother of Jesus but the Mother of God. IN Islam she is the mother of Jesus who is a human prophet only.<\/p>\n
So in the Quran it is fine to use the words nature\/character interchangeable and as you are describing traits too and how these are portrayed, how she showed them and how God rewarded or shaped her etc to be a model of faith. (Do you understand the difference when we say Maryam or Dee is a very pure character it will never mean the same as Mary is pure because she is pure in nature FIRST. Maryam is portrayed like me and all other humans, having to nurture her faith in a way that we struggle to resist temptation, Mary was free from sin and temptation. It is complex which is why I think keep the focus on her as a model of faith\u2026..with some comparative points relatable to Christianity. <\/p>\n
Topic: Discuss the unique characteristic of Maryam in the Quran. the Islamic Mary. <\/p>\n
Maryam in Quran<\/p>\n
Introduction<\/p>\n
Marian studies have tended to focus on two extremes (Marian studies is the specific study of Mary with a a very particular focus in Catholic theology on her role as the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Mystery of Christ and Salvation. Marian study or Mariology not that I am aware of, do not give any consideration to any other religions ideas about her. Islam doesn\u2019t deal with her Divine Motherhood or role in the Mystery of Christ and Salvation etc, Comparative religious studies on the other hand do considers her role as a model of faith in both Christianity and Islam ( I can\u2019t remember the title of this module but does it fall under comparative studies or Marian study?). If there is an author that clarifies that Marian studies has taken up with the comparative aspect of her role in both religions then it would be good to quote them directly but to my knowledge Marian studies would not consider any need to look to Islam: Christianity\u2019s emphasis of Mary\u2019s divine role is not simply as the Mother of Jesus but is in keeping with the true nature of what Christian\u2019s confess her to be as the Mother of God. <\/p>\n
(Ok do you remember what I suggested in the last essay; both Christianity and Islam portray her role as a mother first and as the mother of Jesus or Isa, so in this essay use that title for ease but yes you\u2019ve to point out in Christianity her nature and character is concerned with her Divine Motherhood or nature as the Mother of God which the Church confess her to be, so I have changed that sentence to reflect this)<\/p>\n
In Islamic understanding of while Maryam is portrayed as the mother of Isa one of Islam\u2019s most important prophets, the emphasis is primarily on her role as a model of faith characterized through her as a model woman for traits like obedience, faithfulness, piety and devotion (Try and stick to using the same terminology especially for the introduction, you are talking about her characteristics and you are talking about how she is portrayed. As you are not a Muslim or an Islamic scholar it would be better to say how Islam \u2018portrays\u2019 rather than how Islam understands things as you don\u2019t really know, I will never pretend to know how a black person understands white privilege but I can see how it is portrayed etc) . However, these two extremes different emphasis do not take away from the unique and distinguishing characteristics of Mary as a model of faith whether discussing her in Christianity or Islam (Rather than drawing out the differences you note and name them but the one area of emphasis that is similar in both and that you are looking at specifically in the Quran is her example as a model of faith and the defining characteristics around this and what if particulary in the case of Islam these characteristics entitle or enable her to be considered a prophet (You need to keep the introduction, clear, consistent and concise. Say what you are doing, why and how). are not enough to understand Mary\u2019s place or treatment in either religion and the implications of how people in either religion view her. For example, So when we discuss how and why Maryam serves as a positive role model of faith we also come to learn that while this is reinforced across many aspects of her story and depiction it also raises an interesting question about whether or not she can be considered as though a propher in her own right too? the positive representation of Maryam in Islam is widely accepted but declarations that she might have been a prophet are contested. This paper provides a nuanced characterization of Maryam in the Qur\u2019an through an in-depth review of how attitudes towards Maryam and her femininity differ (differ to what? Are you looking at the Quran only or are you comparing it to the Bible? Your title in the essay needs to reflect your intention. The title says you are looking at her in the Quran but if you are comparing them then change the title to reflect. If you are simply looking at how Quran depicts her as a model of faith, what questions this raises and what is the rational for it then the existing title is fine. If you are doing a detailed comparison with the Bible then your title must reflect that this is a comparative discussion on Mary of the Bible and Maryam of the Quran as a Model of Faith. and how these differences shape how we characterize her. By referring to particular Quran verses and scholarly commentaries, this discussion considers different hagiographies on Maryam (the hagiography of Mary and then compares it to that of Maryam?). In turn, this provides a body of evidence for demonstrating the different conceptions of Maryam and her positive representation as an ideal woman (Ok but I think what you have done here is said you are looking at different conceptions of her, that\u2019s fine if you are comparing her in the two religions but what I think you are doing here is looking at the conception of her in Islam as a model of faith and you are questioning if this also raises the possibility that she could or should be thought of as a prophet too. Either way she teaches us a lot as a model of faith and we are looking at this because of the rationalization you have given etc. Throughout the analysis, this paper suggests that Maryam\u2019s characterizations are not fixed and that while she might be represented portrayed as an the ideal model of faith, the events surrounding her life are in conflict with normal social ideals and struggle to fit the conventional hierarch or hierarchical and social structure norms of Islamic society (Good). For example, her representation as a virgin who becomes a mother without marriage is not in line with traditional Islamic values or traditions. Ultimately, this discussion reveals the uniqueness of Mary not because she is the Mother of Jesus, but through the construction of her personhood as an embodiment of faithfulness and devotion to God (I think the term you want to consistently use is as a model of faith).<\/p>\n
In both the Quran and the Bible, the Mother of Jesus is depicted as a woman of devotion and servantship and as one who understands what it means to be faithful and obedient to God. A comparison of the representation of religious or historical figures in Christianity and Islam is not new. However, studies of the Mother of Jesus are However there is a clear distinction between Christianity and Islam in how her notherhood is perceived, namely in Christianity she is confessed as the Mother of God and in Islam as the mother of a prophet. Christianity emphasies and celebrated her Divine Motherhood and role in the Mystery of Christ and Salvation. However as we come to examine Maryam of the Quran we see a very clear focus emerging on her identity and character as a model of faith. mainly premised on whether she has a divine status and whether her role as the Mother of Jesus gives her divinity or special status . The divinity-inclined studies often conclude that in Islam both Isa and Maryam are fully human thus incapable of having a divine status ( I am not sure that divinity inclined studies is an area of study? I think you have made the distinction clearly enough in just stating the difference in understanding is that Christianity view her as role as Divine Motherhood by virtue of Jesus being the Son of God and incarnate Word both human and Divine. What I said in the last essay was just note that there is divergent opinion regarding her status as what Christian\u2019s confess belief in the Mother of God ). In contrast, the Christian\u2019s notion of a prophecy of virgin conception of the Messiah who was God the son turns the Mother of Jesus into a divine figure (Ok so remember I said in the last essay Mary is the bearer of the Way, she is the vessel, the womb of Hypostatic Union etc it was one line, so she is part of the Mystery but we don\u2019t say it turns her into a Divine figure though her relationship to God is different, see the note I shared in the general introduction). Therefore, for the purpose of this assignment, I will consider the unique but non-divine characteristics of Maryam in the Quran who in contrast to the presentation of Our Lady as Mother of God is presented as a virgin with divine characteristics (I thought from the last essay and feedback that the focus was on her as a model of faith, my suggestion in that essay was the same that you cannot compare the presentation of her in this regard because by their nature they are differet so what you have got is the common ground they were both mothers, and models of faith but here can you see you are confusing the nature and characteristics. I have divine qualities and characteristics as does Maryam but I am not in my nature full of Grace and full of Divinity, see note, I think you need to keep this simple and I suggested in the last essay in several places across several paragraphs you only need to note the divergence in opinion regarding the difference in emphasis about her Divine Motherhood, don\u2019t get into explaining or comparing it because you can\u2019t compare them in this essay or you will get caught up in confusing statements and the focus I think is on Maryam as a model of faith so that is where you are using your word count.). In the analysis, this paper seeks to establish that Maryam and Mary might have similar or comparable traits because of their devotion and piety but Maryam does not carry the status of Mother of God like Mary ((Yes as mothers and models of faith but this is all you need to say on this and you say it simply once). Instead, Maryam is a single mother who through her devotion to God was chosen to be the Mother of Jesus setting her on a course that was at odds with prevalent socio-cultural norms. Her Maryam\u2019s obedience to God at the risk of personal harm thus serves as a universal model of how Muslim women ought to behave (she is a Model of faith, her characteristics apply to both men and women) ) and this devotion elevates her beyond other Islamic women. In extension, Maryam\u2019s story is relatable in as much as it demonstrates human possibility for obedience, reliance and trust her elevated status demonstrates the possibility of humans to obey God or rely on in God while still appreciating their the human attributes of vulnerability and temptation, cruelty and isolation. (I don\u2019t think you need to say aspiring to Divinity, Mary wasn\u2019t aspiring to divinity her obedience came from wanting to be obedient and please God not wanting to be perfect, but it made her perfect to God\u2026it is just another way to word it. The ideal is not perfection, we are imperfect by our nature, it is to strive to please God)<\/p>\n
The essay is organized as follows. The first part lays out the historiography of Maryam that is crucial in establishing the qualities that set her aside. The second part relates her historiography to the claims of her prophethood. The third part concludes by reviewing the implications of treating Maryam as a model for Muslim women.(Very Good this is short clear and concise)<\/p>\n
Maryam\u2019s Historiography<\/p>\n
While the Quran introduces Maryam as one chosen by God, her portrayal through different events and her reactions or responses to different challenges establishes her embodiment of the ideal Muslim woman. What makes her role as the ideal Muslim woman unique is that she is also placed above all other women (Quran 3:42044). We also learn that her own actions and conduct play an important part in depicting who she is even as one \u201cwho guarded her virginity (wa\u2019llati ahsanat farjaha)\u201d (Quran 21:91). From several passages we get the idea of a woman who is portrayed as, as a model of faith or example of how to live virtuously (Quran 3:35-36). Revelation of the truth in Islam and Christianity are notably divergent in the messengers chosen. As the Quran states Allah chose Muhammad to impart what needed to be taught. In Christianity Mary is the bearer of the Way, the Light and the Truth in her Son Jesus Christ and by whom the world was Redeemed from original sin. <\/p>\n
In both Islam and Christianity, the mother of Jesus is depicted in very different ways regarding her elevation above other women. The Quran describes Maryam bint Imran (daughter of Imran) as a woman chosen by God and purified above the women of the world (Quran 3:42044). Firstly, she is introduced as the answer to Hannah\u2019s du\u2019a though she could not have children so we sense from this point something special is happening and that Allah is capable of anything (Quran 23:50). Following this, she is above all other women including those associated with Prophet Muhammed such as Khadija and Fatima. In Christianity, Mary is first introduced to us as \u2018Oh favored one\u2019 (Luke 1: 28) and as foretold is also a virgin (Is 7:14) to be betrothed to Joseph from the house of David (Luke 1:27), understanding this she also understood that in some way her Soul magnified the Lord (Luke 1:46). <\/p>\n
The difference associated with this elevated status of the Mother of Jesus in the Quran is that she was chosen by Allah in reward for her offer of service and growth in perfection, obedience, faithfulness, and devotion to Allah (Quran 3:35-36). Like Mary, Maryam\u2019s motherhood was presented outside of the cultural norm of marriage but unlike Mary she is presented in isolation of any reference to rectifying this with a partner to be with her through the pregnancy. However, Christianity elevates her above all women because she is confessed as by depicting her as the Mother of God because Jesus the second person of the Trinity is the Messiah, the Word made flesh for the sake of Salvation came to restore humankind to God. In Islam then we see that the place of connecting humankind and God is reserved for Muhammad who received the Quran which contains the will of God in. In both religions Maryam was a virgin and the mother to Jesus or Isa who is a prophet in Islam and the Messiah or Savior in Christianity (Repitive say it once). However, Islam elevates her by focusing on her purity right from her birth as a sinless child (remember I suggested in last essay feedback quote the part of the quran where you are making these deductions from about her being pure from birth, Mary is pure from conception according to the dogma of Immaculate conception so again as suggested above be careful about getting stuck in dense dogmatic comparisons, keep the focus on her as a model of faith,\/ So if you say she was pure from birth then quote it in the Quran otherwise there is no proof that you actually know what you are saying or interpreting it correctly and you could be simply copying someone else\u2019s words, it makes Academics uneasy and nervous when you cannot quote the text. However if you do do that then how do you compare that with the Bible as the immaculate conception isn\u2019t in the Bible, this is why I think you need to be careful about discussing her nature IN COMPARISON T O MARY, etc).<\/p>\n
and later pious living; while Christianity extols her by focusing on her identity as the Mother of God and therefore part of the Mystery of Christ, the seat of Hypostatic Union and a vessel Full of Grace, sinless before God. (If you are keeping this comparison in you need to just explain it then here, because you are stating it comparatively but otherwise leave it out)<\/p>\n
In discussing Maryam\u2019s purity and sinless living, there are two points that need to be considered; that of the concept of liberation and the nuanced circumstances surrounding Maryam\u2019s birth. While both Islam and Christianity profess God\u2019s redemptive and liberating power from sin (Again if you review the other essay you will see that liberation is tied to the theme of Mercy of God in the Quran so you need to say that here too). The concept of original sin is distinctly Christian. Muslims believe that Allah is ever-compassionate thus sin cannot separate one from Allah. That worship is the cornerstone of Islam and Allah as All merciful as one who is above his creatures and never ever becomes neither a part or present to them is a central tenet of Islam. central to the belief of Muslims in Allah. Muslims believe that Allah is All -merciful and presents in the lives life of believers as the Protector; who is Just and All Merciful, Compassionate and Forgiving of sins (Quran 30:21; 39:53) for those who seek forgiveness through repentance, show obedience, and live in accordance with the five pillars of Islam. <\/p>\n
Although Maryam is portrayed as an ideal (model of faith) or model woman in both Christianity and Islam she is not the only woman to share the lessons of service and faith in the Quran. (Ok but you need to link the previous sentence otherwise it doesn\u2019t make sense why or what you have been explaining about liberation and the relevance of Mercy of God to your next sentence, What is the point is it that it puts her need to strive, or her faithfulness in context to obedience to serve God?) though she Maryam however is distinctly unique for the elevated role and identity she attains by having which is exemplified by the fact that a an entire Sura is dedicated to her in comparison to other women mentioned in the Quran such as to other women of the Quran such as Asiya who was Pharaoh\u2019s wife who endured his abuses thus serving as a model for women in abusive relationships (Quran 66: 11). This is not an endorsement of Asiya\u2019s story is not to condone patriarchal violence but rather a demonstration of values like perseverance and praying to God like Asiya did seeking for God\u2019s for assistance and justice for the oppressesion. Prayer in this instance is conveyed as enabling allowed Asiya to express hope in a loving and better future.<\/p>\n
Khadija, as a successful trader employed the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and was the first to believe Prophet Muhammad\u2019s message (What is the purpose of including her as an example?). She Maryam is a model for enterprising women on how to make a living and a model for faith because she believed the message of the Prophet (PBUH) how does this trust make her enterprising? I would think that it displays her willingness to trust and displays resilience when others may not have believed the prophet and doubted the message.. Stowasser (? Who is this, no footnote or in bibliography?) further observes that Mary\u2019s elevated status in Islam might be at on a par with that of Fatima the Prophet\u2019s daughter who is often depicted as committed to family. Though she was not a virgin, Fatima is also portrayed in as a an important model of excellence for women in Islam because she shows that the biological functions of women allow women to serve Allah in their womanhood. She Fatima is as well recognized as a-baliil for her generosity in feeding the poor (Is this a quote, can you back this up with a quranic reference point for the reader). It might also be argued that Fatima offers a more responsible and respectful model of womanhood than Mary (Mary or Maryam?) that is more in keeping with the overall tradition for Muslim women to be valued as wives and mothers since the family is the nucleus of Islamic society (Surah an -Nur 24:32; Quran 30:21; 25:74-75; 46:15) (Good).<\/p>\n
From her birth, Maryam\u2019s family history assists us in understanding her uniqueness in the context of family life:<\/p>\n
\u201c[Remember] when the wife of \u2018Imran said: My Lord! I have vowed unto Thee that which is in my belly for Thy special service. Accept it from me. Lo! Thou only Thou, art the Hearer, the Knower. (3:35)<\/p>\n
After Maryam\u2019s mother Hannah realizes the miracle that has been afforded her as a woman who was unable to give birth and who could not give birth, she names the child but also while seeking to also ensure that the Almighty will protect and deliver her and her off spring from all evil (Quran 3: 36). Here again we see the Quranic theme of Allah as all compassionate and loving Protector. In consecrating Mary (Maryam) to Allah Hannah signals the importance of service, faithfulness, and obedience for all that Allah has rewarded her with in this child. (Good)<\/p>\n
Having exemplified obedience in fulfilling her own obligations Hannah then discharges Maryam to the sanctuary and mihrab to be prepared for her own life of service to Allah which we learn was accepted and \u2018vouchsafed to her a goodly growth\u2019 under the guardianship of Zachariah (Quran 3:37). The goodly growth hinted by the Quran at 3:37 refers to Maryam\u2019s dedication and devotion to prayer and worship which makes Maryam unique in so far as it would ordinarily have been the males who would have been afforded such focus (Good). Here, worshipping God was not unique to Maryam. What makes Maryam\u2019s worship unique is her gender and the nature of worship. In Jewish culture (Why have you slipped into talking about Jewish culture nonetheless if you want to refer to Jewish culture then best to mention earlier in the essay too that Mary\/Miriam\/Maryam is no stranger to Abrahamic scholars but in the Quran she is referred to as one of the Children of Israel avoiding the term Jewish per se), it is men instead of women who dedicated or devoted themselves to a life of worship and abstention from marriage. Maryam\u2019s worship is thus unique because she was a female who devoted herself to worship unlike the norm where males alone were afforded the opportunity to dedicate themselves to worship. The honorific title of Batul bestowed on Maryam furthers her uniqueness.<\/p>\n
Accepting the conception news shows that she submitted or obeyed Allah\u2019s will and that she had faith in Allah. Maryam\u2019s obedience and purity are further supported by the miraculous speaking of the infant Jesus. Having been commanded to fast from food and speech, Maryam obeyed by remaining silent and she could not instead of defending herself from the people who were condemning her for giving birth out of wedlock. Instead, she pointed to It was the infant who spoke from the cradle and implied something special was indeed at work in the life of Maryam. Jesus\u2019 indication that spoke where he mentioned that he was God\u2019s Prophet and slave then establishes Maryam as the Mother of a prophet. To some extent it could be said the infant\u2019s speech restored Mary\u2019s image as a pious woman and safeguarded her from those who were accusing her of violating her sexual purity. This in turn reinforces the Quranic theme that Allah rewards the faithful for their obedience.<\/p>\n
Were there any wavering moments in her faithfulness that cause us to look at her in another light? Interestingly on approaching the time of child-birth Maryam wished for death. Should this wish or desire for death be construed as a lack of faith or doubt about Allah\u2019s will in a very human moment of weakness as one who was fully human? \u201cOh, would that I had died before this, and become a thing forgotten and out of sight?\u201d (Sura 19:23). The wish for death or Maryam\u2019s death may have been a form of disobedience because it would have aborted the birth of Isa yet Allah had chosen Maryam to be the mother to Isa. However, this cry for death or desire for death in Sura 19 could also possibly be interpreted as a demonstration of Maryam\u2019s selfless desire to spare others the pains of condemnation and suffering that would follow along with the anxiety regarding how of trying to conceal the child from others. Given that Mary was unmarried, she would suffer condemnation and possibly death for violating her chastity. <\/p>\n
Beyond Motherhood and Virginity is Maryam a prophet among prophets?<\/p>\n
M. E. Comb-Schilling Fierro in her chapter on female prophets in Islam notes that Islam and Christianity have traditionally excluded women or minimized the place of heterosexual bonds in divine matters and universal truths. Buisson also questions should we view Maryam as subversive or as a Quranic expression on empowerment. Both writers raise important questions about stretching Maryam\u2019s identity beyond that of Mother and Virgin to consider her Spiritual Identity as an expression of something greater than what Buisson calls \u2018the patriarchal key representation of women\u2019 in religion. (GOOD) In Islam, this can be seen in how women are largely missing from episodes where Allah sent the Archangel Jibril to the prophets. Fierro notes that Jibril was male and he was dispatched to pass truth to prophets who happened to be male. Still, Muhammad (PBUH) was a male and he is the one who received the words of truth and light in their totality. One of the tests for prophethood that Fierro puts forward is that a prophet must either receive a message or a command from God about a future happening before it happens. However, there is a danger that such information might be considered inauthentic and otherwise a form of inspiration or divination. Thus, a prophetic message or revelation should be authentic. Authenticity is to be found if God was intentional about passing the message and provides knowledge to the recipient that the message is authentic.(GOOD)<\/p>\n
Given that a prophecy should be a message or revelation that is backed by a proof of authenticity, it is prudent to test whether the Annunciation might establish Maryam as a prophet. During the Annunciation, the relevant message or revelation was that the virgin Maryam would bear a baby son. Up to this point, Maryam\u2019s foreknowledge about her pregnancy before it happened is not enough. The second limb of the test which determines authenticity requires a review of actions or conduct that proved Maryam knew that the message or revelation was authentic. <\/p>\n
The position of women prophets conflicts with the widely accepted wisdom that it is only men who received God\u2019s revelation or wahy. In line with Quran 12:109, God\u2019s revelations were received by men. Fierro further references Quran 16:43 to emphasize that God chose men to receive His messages. The exclusion of women in these Quranic verses affirm the position that Islam did not have female prophets. However, Fierro notes that Islamic scholars like Ibn Hazm contested this position by stating that there were female prophets but there were no female messengers. Nonetheless, it is hard to argue for the prophethood of women as demonstrated by the practice where angels who were supposed to pass messages did not approach women. Fierro reports that angel Jibril disappeared when Khadija removed her veil because angels are not supposed to approach women. Here, prophetic revelations are different from other messages or revelations.<\/p>\n
Tha\u2019labi in recounting one of Maryam\u2019s stories as told by Wahb ibn Munabbih mentions that Maryam had been designated to be married by the King. Consequently, she fled with Joseph while pregnant to avoid death. Later after Jesus was born, God revealed unto her that the Syrian King and Herod planned to kill Jesus and He commanded her to flee to Egypt. God further commanded her to only return to her home after Herod\u2019s death. Using the prophecy test where a prophecy is a message, revelation, or command from God about future happenings, the revelation that Herod was to kill Jesus unless Mary fled to Egypt and returned after Herod\u2019s death satisfies the test that a prophecy is a revelation about the future. In terms of authenticity, this revelation was true or authentic because Joseph received the same warning and Herod was truly looking for the baby Jesus.<\/p>\n
Prior to this, God had rewarded Maryam by easing her labor pains and providing her with food and drink to restore her energy. He had then instructed her to remain silent by saying she was fasting if any man questioned her about the infant Jesus (Sura 19: 26-27). Tha\u2019labi notes that Jews refrained from speech during fast periods. When Maryam\u2019s relatives asked her why she had fornicated thus bearing Jesus yet her parents were not wicked or unchaste, Maryam obeyed God\u2019s command to remain silent. Instead, she pointed at the infant Jesus. Although the people were angry at Mary for she wanted them to believe the infant could speak, the infant Jesus spoke where he stated that he was God\u2019s servant and a prophet. While this miracle of speaking and Jesus identifying himself as a prophet does not establish Maryam as a prophet, it is important in the claim that prophets are people who have received messages or revelations from God about the future and these messages are authentic. In this case, Maryam had received a command to avoid speaking to people questioning her chastity. The action of pointing at Isa Jesus and expecting him to defend her implies that Maryam already knew from God\u2019s message that people would question or slander her, and that it was in the infant Jesus to defending her that Allah\u2019s wisdom and Justice reveals by speaking because her fast stopped her from speaking.<\/p>\n
However, it is arguable that the command to fast and avoid speaking with people was not prophetic and that it carried similar weight to other non-prophetic commands or instructions. Instead, the import of this command to fast and remain silent when slandered was designed to introduce Isa as a prophet of Allah. Lybarger argues that the Quran might have elevated Maryam but this elevation is partially attributed to Maryam\u2019s association with Isa.(GOOD) From a cultural perspective, this association buttresses patriarchy in the sense that if Maryam had not been pregnant with Isa she would have likely been slandered and punished. However, her pregnancy with Jesus who was a prophet Prophet Isa spared her as might be seen when the infant Jesus spoke to defend Mary from slander.(Repitivie) In other words, God might have rewarded Maryam for her obedience and faithfulness, but it is Maryam\u2019s association with Jesus who was a prophet that exonerated her from persecution (Repetitive you have kind of said this already)<\/p>\n
In determining Maryam\u2019s prophethood, the miracles that happened in her life might be used to show that Maryam was not a prophet. While Fierro observes that both prophets and saints could perform miracles, saints cannot use miracles to claim prophethood. Instead, the miracles that prophets worked are different from those by saints and miracles or muji\u2019zat by prophets were essential in establishing their prophethood. Muji\u2019zat by prophets happen per God\u2019s will and they do not require a prophet to be morally perfect. However, saints perform miracles because God is rewarding them for their morality or affirming their pious living. In the case of Maryam, miracles happened in her life because God was rewarding her and honoring her pious living (Quran 3:37). In light of this, Maryam was more likely closer to be a saint in the Christian sense than a prophet in the Islamic sense and not a prophet. As previously mentioned, the messages that Maryam received about the birth of Christ and command to flee to Egypt to save Jesus from Herod might have created knowledge of the future but they do not truly establish Maryam as a prophet.(Good)<\/p>\n
How is Mary paralleled with Muhammad?<\/p>\n
Having acknowledged the esteemed or elevated status of Maryam in Islam, one might want to compare her with the Prophet Muhammad (You have not set this comparison up in your introduction and would need to explain the overall logic of it for the essay objectives as a model of faith). Takacs makes an interesting observation about how Maryam and Muhammad responded to Angel Jibril when he brought them news. When Jibril informed Maryam that she would conceive a son, Maryam responded in disbelief as she was a virgin. Similarly, when Jibril revealed unto Muhammad that he would receive the Quran, he doubted because he was illiterate or could not write. These miraculous events are unique in the sense that neither Maryam\u2019s sexuality nor Muhammad\u2019s literacy affected how God chose them. As a Takacs puts it, Mary\u2019s sexual activity did not influence her bearing of Jesus and Muhammad\u2019s intellectual activity did not impair his Quran\u2019s recitation.<\/p>\n
Maryam and Muhammad hold higher status than ordinary human beings. In Islam, Maryam is considered the most superior woman and she serves as a model for other Muslim women. Muhammad is also above other men because he received the Quran which is the Word of God. ( I am not sure that they are comparable, he is a prophet receiving the word of God, she is mother of a prophet \u2026)<\/p>\n
With the growing awareness that cross-comparison of religions or a comparative approach in hermeneutics might reduce religious intolerance (state the author\u2019s that make this claim I am not saying it is wrong but you have to back up claims with evidence think of the one\u2019s Jude likes \ud83d\ude0a , Mary\u2019s presentation in the Bible and that in the Quran share some similarities. ((you have kind of jumped between points what heading is this under is it a summary of Maryam\u2019s hierorgraphy in which case put it under that heading or are you into your summary conclusion here ? First, is Maryam\u2019s virgin conception in the Quran which mirrors the Christian-based Immaculate Conception. In both religions, Mary was a virgin. Her virginity demonstrates her purity and virtuous living. In turn, God in both religions chose her to bear Jesus because she was pure <\/p>\n
In Christianity, it is implied the Bible offers examples of God\u2019s love for those who that God chooses individuals who yield to Him and pursue holiness or righteousness. One such example of these individuals is King David whom God treated as a man after His own heart and blessed him with kingship across his generations (BIBLICAL REF). Another figure is Enoch in Old Testament whom God took away because of his sinless living. Having established how God rewarded faithfulness and pious living in the Bible, it is important to extrapolate this to consider how this applies to Mary or Maryam????? You are quoting what happens in the Bible as an example of defining her characteristics in the Quran????? Need to rectify and clarify what you are talking about here her portrayal in both books or one then be consistent use examples of the bible to discuss the Bible and Quran to discuss the Quran but don\u2019t start on one book and jump into the other. Maryam was chosen to bear Jesus as a reward for her faithfulness, obedience, and chastity. In fact, Sura Maryam shows that Maryam was sinless as she was pure from her birth and God had protected her from Satan\u2019s attack. The Bible is silent on Mary\u2019s history but the Annunciation message where Gabriel mentioned that Mary was favored by God implies that she was chosen to bear Jesus because of her qualities like chastity (Biblical ref in brackets). To this end, the rewarding of Mary in both books with the bearing of Jesus is important in demonstrating or showing that God rewards faithfulness and obedience. Consequently, God\u2019s miraculous provision for Maryam as a reward for her continued devotion and obedience to God in the face of multiple challenges establishes Maryam as an embodiment of hope (OK BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME you have mentioned this theme of Hope and it way way too late it the essay to be introducing a theme you mention it from the introduction too not just pop it up in here. People facing religious and social or cultural challenges can look up to her as a lesson that God rewards faithfulness and that people should serve God with gratitude irrespective of the trials they are facing.<\/p>\n
Maryam\u2019s life also makes a conceptual contribution to female empowerment in society. Her (Don\u2019t start sentences with her or him) The dedication she showed to God and subsequent living in the temple is unique because in the culture of the time it was men who were dedicated to God\u2019s service. Examples of these male dedications include the dedication of Samuel who was the son to Hanna and that of Yahya or John. Maryam\u2019s dedication challenges patriarchal patterns that prioritize men or place men above women in different social contexts. This example challenges the there was a perception of purity. On the one hand we confront the patriarchal focus on wome\u2019s physical impurity while considering their spiritual purity through their pious living, faithfulness and obedience to God.<\/p>\n
Conclusion<\/p>\n
Based on the reflection considering the unique characteristics of Maryam in the Quran and Mary in the Bible on this conclusion, the essay sought to review and synthesize different perspectives regarding Maryam as a unique figure and model of faith. The review of different literature has touched on different overlapping themes like Maryam\u2019s elevated status in both religions, and how the features that elevate her in Islam contribute to her presentation as the ideal Muslim woman. Key Quranic verses and references to Hadiths have been used to understand how God rewarded Maryam for her purity, obedience, faithfulness, devotion, and pious living. The theme of God rewarding people for their obedience and faithfulness is a constant in Maryam\u2019s life. Events leading to her birth reveal how her parents bore her after God heard their prayers for a child and rewarded them with Maryam. Her parents had pledged that they would dedicate the child to God\u2019s service thus Maryam was dedicated to God and she grew in the temple.<\/p>\n
Following her parent\u2019s vows dedicating her to God, Maryam grew up in the temple where she spent her days in deep devotion through worship and prayers. Her devotion combined with obedience, chastity, and faithfulness saw God reward her by choosing her to be the mother of Prophet Isa. After accepting God\u2019s will on her life, Maryam carried the pregnancy and God rewarded her obedience by miraculously providing for her during the pregnancy and labor. God also used the infant Jesus to defend her against slander. Accordingly, Maryam\u2019s selection as the mother of Jesus and the miracles attending her life following the birth of Jesus were God\u2019s way of rewarding her for her faithfulness, obedience, and pious living.<\/p>\n
Based on how Maryam led a pious life and devoted herself to God, this essay has made several substantive findings. These findings relate to how people can lead their lives and enjoy God\u2019s rewards. For Muslim women, Mary\u2019s submission to God\u2019s will and obedience should inspire them to obey God in their lives before marriage and during marriage as wives and mothers. As wives, they should respect their earthly husbands and as mothers they should contribute to the welfare of their children and their upright growth. Overall, the similarities in Maryam\u2019s presentation in the Quran and the Bible should provide a common ground for promoting religious harmony and theological discourse that reduce religious intolerance. <\/p>\n
References<\/p>\n
Fierro, Maribel. Women as Prophets in Islam<\/p>\n
Lybarger, Loren D. \u201cGender and Prophetic authority in the Maryam story: A Literary Story.\u201d The Journal of Religion, 2000, vol. 80 (2), pp. 240-270.<\/p>\n
Neuwirth, Imagining Mary, disputing Jesus.<\/p>\n
Smith, J.I. & Y.Y. Haddad, The Virgin Mary in Islamic tradition and commentary, 1989.<\/p>\n
Tha\u2019labi, Ahmad ibn Muhammad. Lives of the Prophets.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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