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Maryam bt. 'Imrān, or Mary (a) was the mother of Jesus (a), whose pregnancy occurred miraculously. The story of her life, from her birth to the birth of her son, Jesus (a), is narrated in Qur'an 19 of the Qur'an. In Shi'a and Sunni hadiths, Maryam (a) is considered one of the "four superior women" in the Heaven along with Fatima al-Zahra (a), Khadija bt. Khuwaylid (a), and Asiya (a).

There is no mention of Maryam's (a) life in the Gospel, but other Christian sources, as well as the Qur'an and Islamic hadiths, have provided information about Maryam's (a) life.

In Christian sources, her father's name is said to be "Joachim," and in the Qur'an^[1] and Islamic hadiths, he is mentioned as "'Imran." According to a hadith from Imam al-Baqir (a), 'Imran was an Israelite prophet. According to Ibn Ishaq's report, his lineage goes back to David (a) the prophet. 'Imran died before the birth of Maryam (a). Her mother is said to be Anne, which is transformed in Arabic as "Hanna" (Arabic: حنة), the daughter of Faqud.

In Christian texts, Maryam (a) has been referred to by numerous titles, such as the New Eve, Virgin Mary, Mother of God, the Intercessor, Mother of Divine Providence, the Seat of Wisdom, the Spiritual Vessel, the Mystic Rose, the Ark of the Covenant, the Queen of Angels, and Our Lady of Sorrows. She is also referred to in Islamic texts as "al-'Adhra'" (Chaste) and "al-Batul" which means she was detached from men or because she did not have menstruation.

Maryam (a) is said to be born twenty years before the birth of Jesus (a). However, there is no information about where she was born. According to sources, Hanna, the mother of Maryam (a), was sterile. She could not give birth to any children until the age of thirty. She prayed to God and asked Him to give her a child. Her prayer was answered, and she became pregnant with Maryam (a). Hanna vowed to God that her child will serve Bayt al-Maqdis. Verses thirty-five to thirty-seven of Qur'an 3 refer to Hanna's vow and its acceptance by God.....

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Other featured articles: Imam Ja'far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq (a) – Al-'Abbas (a) – Hadith al-Dawat wa l-Qirtas

Did you know ...

... in Ashqlan, occupied Palestine, there is a place known as Maqam Ra's al-Husayn, (pictured) which is believed to be the burial site of the blessed head of Imam al-Husayn (a)?
... Did you know that the Ja'fari madhhab is referred to as Twelver Shia because the foundations of the school, its expansion, and the development of Shia jurisprudence were primarily established during the period of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (a)?

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