The Islamic Mary: Maryam Through the Centuries (Younus Mirza) - Review
Protestants have always struggled
with what to do with Mary. While traditionally they have affirmed the virginal
conception/birth of Jesus, in part because Matthew and Luke suggest the
possibility. They may continue to hold this view in part because they believe
it supports Jesus’ divinity or because they regard it as a foundational element
of the doctrine of biblical inerrancy. At the same time, because Mary plays
such an important role in Roman Catholicism, this can be viewed as a strike
against giving her such a prominent place in Protestant thought. What is notable
about Mary is that, in addition to her role in Christianity as the mother of
Jesus, she also plays a major role in Islam. While Muslims deny the divinity of
Jesus, they do affirm the perpetual virginity of Mary. This may surprise many
Christians. So, maybe it's time to hear a word from within Islam about Mary
(AKA Maryam).
Younus Y. Mirza has undertaken the
task of exploring Mary's role in Islam from the earliest days to the present in
his book The Islamic Mary: Maryam Through the Centuries. Mirza is the
founding director of the Barzini Institute for Global Virtual Learning at
Shenandoah University, and the co-author with John Kaltner of The Bible
and the Qur'an: Biblical Figures in the Islamic Tradition. While writing
that book, Mirza became fascinated with Mary and her role in Islam. Mirza wrote
this new book, The Islamic Mary, hoping that by lifting up the role of
Mary, a Jewish woman who gave birth to the founder of Christianity, in Islam,
he might contribute to greater understanding among these three related faith
traditions. In fact, Mirza notes that while "the term Abrahamic still
holds currency, new books have emerged discussing the Islamic Mary or Maryam.
These books build on the ecumenical spirit of the early discussions on Abraham, but it highlights a new figure who opens innovative possibilities regarding
Christian-Muslim relations, spirituality, and women and religion" (p. 9).
At the very least, focusing on Mary opens a new avenue for conversation among
the two largest religions in the world.
With this ecumenical/interfaith
possibility in mind, Mirza begins his exploration of the story of Mary by
examining "Maryam in the Qur'an" (chapter 1). Here, we examine how
Mary is situated within the Qur'an as a "Qur'anic Daughter." Note
that in the Qur'an, Maryam’s story begins with her role as a daughter, not as a
mother. It appears that the Qur’an may draw on the story of her birth in the
Protoevangelium of James as well as other noncanonical sources. In this
account, the prophet Zakariyya (father of John the Baptist) serves as Maryam's
protector. In the Qur'an, Maryam is described as one of the spiritual elites to
whom God speaks. The question that emerges in the Qur'an and continues to be
raised is whether she is the greatest woman of her time or of all. Then there
is her role as mother of 'Isa (Jesus). Interestingly, in this account, Joseph
is absent. Instead, Maryam gives birth to ‘Isa in isolation, while her
pregnancy begins after she is touched by the angel Jibril (Gabriel). As one can
see, the Islamic story is quite different from the one we find in Matthew and
Luke. Mirza writes that "The Qur'an presents Maryam as an independent
figure with her own genealogy and miracles, specifically her birth, labor, and
inner thoughts and prayers." (p. 31).
Maryam appears not only in the
Qur'an, but as Mirza reveals in chapter two, we also find "Maryam in the
Prophetic Literature." In this chapter, Mirza discusses her appearances in
the Hadiths and in the biography of Muhammad. One example is a story in the
biography of Muhammad, where his followers go to the Christian kingdom of
Abyssinia. Upon their arrival, word of the Islamic embrace of Maryam provides an
entry point for the group, creating an opportunity for trade. She appears in
numerous other places in these texts, often serving as an exemplar, along with
Muhammad's wives and his daughter Fatima, along with 'Asiya, Pharaoh's wife in
the story of Moses. These stories reveal reverence for the Islamic Mary.
We move in chapter three to
"Maryam in Theology." Because Mary figures prominently in the Qur'an,
the Hadiths, and other prophetic literature, it was necessary to find a place
for her in Islamic theology. The question that Muslim scholars faced concerned
her role in the Islamic story. This included questions of whether she was a
prophet or ranked among the greatest of women. She plays a different role in
Shi'i theology because here, Fatima, wife of Ali and daughter of Muhammad, has
the preeminent role. Still, she was an honored person, worthy of being
emulated. From there, we move on to the chapter titled "Maryam and
Mysticism" (Chapter 4). In this chapter, Mirza explores Mary's place
within Islamic mysticism, including in Sufi thought. Here, Maryam serves as a
model of spiritual devotion and sainthood, especially in terms of being a model
of celibate asceticism.
Islamic Art is different in many
ways from that found in Christianity. In large part, this is due to the
rejection of depictions of God and of Muhammad. Nevertheless, because art comes
in a variety of forms, including film, Maryam appears in Islamic art. Her place
in Islamic art forms is discussed in Chapter Five, "Maryam in Islamic Art
and Film." Regarding depictions of Maryam, some reflect aniconism and
others offer full depictions, in part because she was not considered a prophet
by most scholars. Thus, she could be portrayed in ways that a prophet might
not. She is portrayed by various artists “as a nourisher, ancestral mother, or
as a spiritual guide” (p. 123).
The final chapter of Mirza’s The Islamic Mary discusses "Maryam in Contemporary Times." In this
chapter, Mirza brings Mary’s Islamic story up to the present day. It is here
that Mirza focuses his attention on Mary's role as a bridge between
Christianity and Islam. He introduces us to a pilgrimage site in Turkey near
Ephesus, where Maryam supposedly lived. Both Muslims and Christians gather to
honor at this location to venerate this beloved saint. He also notes that
Vatican II's Nostra Aetate makes note of Islam's reverence for Mary. The
same is true of the more recent document, “A Common Word.” In sharing how
Christian scholars have taken notice of Mary, Mirza makes note of the work of
Rev. Daniel Madigan, SJ, who suggests that Muhammad should not be seen in
competition with Jesus, but instead Muhammad might be seen as a type of Mary.
That is, Muhammad and Mary both bear God's Word, but they are not the Word.
Another parallel here is that even as Mary is depicted as a Virgin, so Muhammad
is depicted as illiterate, but both can bring about the Word of God. I thought
that this was a fascinating insight. There are also feminist engagements with
Mary from both Christian and Muslim scholars that reveal similarities of
vision. The important thing here is that Mary could serve as a bridge for
contemporary interfaith conversations between Christians and Muslims.
As Mirza points out in his
conclusion to The Islamic Mary, Mary/Maryam remains an important figure
in the modern world for both religions. As such, she can serve as a bridge
between the two. Therefore, in his view, more attention needs to be paid to
Mary in the pursuit of finding that common word. With that in mind, we can see
in Mary/Maryam an important figure around whom we can gather. That might be
difficult for some Protestants, but perhaps the fact that Mary plays such an
important role in Islam can open spaces for Protestants to embrace Mary as
well. All in all, Mirza’s The Islamic Mary is a fascinating, accessible,
and in my estimation, very important book that can build bridges between the
two communities at a critical moment in world history.
A copy of The Islamic Mary can be purchased at your favorite retailer, or at my Amazon Affiliate or Bookshop.org affiliate.
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