Book Name:Sayyiduna Zakariyya kay Waqiat aur Sayyidah Maryam ki Shan-o-Azmat
Allah Almighty mentioned the dignity of Sayyidatuna Maryam رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا in the Holy Quran in the following manner:
وَ اِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلٰٓىٕكَةُ یٰمَرْیَمُ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ اصْطَفٰىكِ وَ طَهَّرَكِ وَ اصْطَفٰىكِ عَلٰى نِسَآءِ الْعٰلَمِیْنَ(۴۲)
Translation from Kanz-ul-Iman: And (remember) when the angels said, ‘O Maryam! Indeed Allah has chosen you and purified you well, and today (in your era), exalted you above all the women of the world.’
(Part 3, Surah Aal-e-‘Imran, Ayah 42)
It is stated in the Tafseer Siraat-ul-Jinaan that this Ayah mentions the dignity of Sayyidatuna Maryam رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا. Allah Almighty chose her for various virtues. For example, despite being a woman, she رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا was accepted as the fulfilment of the vow for the serving of Bayt-ul-Muqaddas, whereas only men used to be chosen for it. So this privilege was not granted to any other woman except her. Heavenly sustenance was sent down for her. Sayyiduna Zakariyya عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام was made her guardian (responsible for her upbringing) and Allah Almighty made her hear these attributes through angels. Allah Almighty made Sayyidatuna Maryam رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا free from sins and free from the fact of men overpowering her. She رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا was given superiority over the women of the entire world as she was given a child without a father and was made to hear the angels. (Siraat-ul-Jinaan, vol. 1, pp. 474)
Dear Islamic brothers! When Sayyidatuna Maryam رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا came to the town of Bani Israeel with Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام in her lap, then her nation severely criticised her and spoke ill of her. Sayyidatuna Maryam رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا said, ‘Ask this child everything.’ Upon this, people said, ‘What, why and how shall we converse with this child? He is a child.’ Listening to this, Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام started conversing. Allah Almighty described it in the Holy Quran in the following words: