Page 31 - Mary: An Exemplary Muslim Woman

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When the angels said: "Mary, your Lord gives you good news of a Word
from Him. His name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, of high esteem
in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near." (Surah
Al 'Imran: 45)
Mary replied: "How can I have a boy when no man has touched
me and I am not an unchaste woman?" (Surah Maryam: 20), thereby in-
dicating her chastity. Gabriel told her that:

He [Gabriel] said: "It will be so." Allah creates whatever He wills. When
He decides on something, He just says to it, "Be!" and it is. (Surah Al
'Imran: 47)
He said: "It will be so." Your Lord says: "That is easy for Me. It is so that
We can make him a Sign for humanity and a mercy from Us. It is a mat-
ter already decreed." So she conceived him and withdrew with him to a
distant place. (Surah Maryam: 21-22)
By Allah's will, Mary became pregnant with the Prophet Jesus
(pbuh) and yet remained a virgin. Her pregnancy was independent of
this world's usual cause-and-effect relationship. The circumstances of

his conception were among the features of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) mir-
acles.

Mary's Withdrawal

Allah reveals "So she conceived him and withdrew with him to a
distant place" (Surah Maryam: 22). In this distant place to which she re-
treated, Allah supported her with His grace and protection and met all
of her material and psychological needs during her pregnancy.
No doubt, Mary withdrew from her society for many reasons. For
example, Allah removed her from her people's criticism, for they could
not understand her miraculous situation. This also enabled her to spend
this period in a state of contentment and peace. Later on, by another mir-

Harun Yahya (Adnan Oktar)