Mary an honoured figure in both Catholicism and Islam

14 Dec 2016

By The Record

One of the key tenets of our faith is a belief in the Immaculate Conception, which establishes Mary as the unblemished, chosen Mother of Jesus, and which is celebrated on 8 December – but Mary is also revered as a figure of importance in Islam, with an entire chapter (or Surah) dedicated to her in the Qur’an. Image: Getty Images, sourced through iStock

By Caroline Smith

One of the key tenets of our faith is a belief in the Immaculate Conception, which establishes Mary as the unblemished, chosen Mother of Jesus, and which is celebrated on 8 December.

But it is not only within Catholicism that Mary is held up as a person to be revered. Among Muslims too, she is a figure of great importance, with an entire chapter (or Surah) dedicated to her in the Qur’an.

So how does Mary’s story and role differ between the two religions, and what implications might this have for interfaith dialogue?

Parish Priest at St Denis’ in Joondanna and member of the order Servants of Mary, Father Peter Porteous OSM, said that for Catholics, the Immaculate Conception helps to define Mary’s suitability to become Mother of God, with the emphasis on her becoming the Mother of God, with her own immaculate status paving the way for a Son who is untouched by sin. Jesus being the Son of God

“There is an innocence in Mary, and a purity which the Church celebrates as it recognises that by God’s grace, she was made pure,” he said.

“The reason that sin is eliminated from her is to pave the way for Mary giving birth to Jesus as the Son of God and the unblemished Lamb of God.

“Therefore in order to be perfect humanity, He has to be protected from the transmission of original sin. The Immaculate Conception of Mary becomes the vehicle by which this is made possible.”

Fr Porteous said this was further reinforced by the Virgin Birth, which established that Jesus has no earthly father, meaning that his humanity is connected to Mary, who is without sin.

“He gains his humanity from Mary and therefore Mary being immaculately conceived, he’s gaining immaculate humanity,” he said.

Followers of Islam also share a belief in the Virgin Birth, but they recognise it as an action of God testifying to the prophethood of Jesus, he added.

Imam at the Masjid Al Taqwwa (Mirrabooka Mosque), Sheik Muhammad Davids, affirmed that Mary, or Maryam, is a figure greatly respected within Islam, with her purity being emphasised in the Qur’an.

“She is the only lady mentioned by her actual name in the Qur’an whereas other great women are mentioned but not by their actual names,” he said.

“The reason being is that she was the only lady in creation never to experience monthly menstruation or lochia after the miraculous birth of Jesus (peace and blessings on them both). By this point it singles out that Mary is special and pure.”

He added that Mary’s uniqueness in this way was directly related to her role as the mother of Jesus, who is considered to be a great prophet within Islam.

“Catholicism holds the view that she is the Mother of God referring to Jesus, but Islam recognises her as the Mother of a great Prophet,” Sheik Muhammad said.

“Generally in respect of her role as a Mother and her sacrifice we hold the same views.”

The Qur’an included passages on the Virgin birth, he added, but these described Jesus’ conception as happening without the intervention of a human man, something which connects Him to other Muslim Prophets such as Adam.

“In chapter three, verse 59, (of the Qur’an) God (Allah) says: ‘Verily the likeness of Prophet Jesus before Allah is the likeness of Prophet Adam, He (Allah/God) created him from dust and then he decreed Be and though Allah/God’s divinity he was.’ This means as Prophet Adam never had parents through both male and female intervention so too is the likeness of Prophet Jesus,” Sheik Muhammad said.

In terms of Mary’s own birth and childhood, Sheik Mohammad said this too was recognised as special.

“Mother Mary’s childhood as seen through the Qur’an narration and Islamic tradition is entirely a miracle,” he said.

“She grows under direct divine protection, she is nourished daily by angels and has visions of God every day. Everything contributes to making her and her Son a sign for mankind.”

Lecturer in Systematic Theology at The University of Notre Dame Australia, Professor Matthew Ogilvie, said the shared respect for Mary in the two religions provided much scope for interfaith dialogue.

“Mary is revered in both the Christian and Islamic traditions. In Luke 1:48, Mary says that ‘all generations will call me blessed.’ The Quran 3 teaches that God has chosen Mary above all other women,” he said.

“I think that our common beliefs in Mary can be the ground for very fruitful interfaith dialogue:

This dialogue can be not only on the beliefs we hold in common, but the sources of our faith; that is, how the Gospels and the Quran came to be written with such similar stories.”