Mary The Blessed Virgin Of Islam

Why do Muslims revere the Virgin Mary? This book throws light on the reasons for the importance of Mary as a spiritual figure in Islam. It provides the background for an understanding of her symbolic importance to Muslim men and women, both as an individual and together with her son Jesus. It poses such questions as: Is Mary to be regarded not only as the highest woman in all creation, but is she also to be counted among the prophets who received revelation? The traditional scholarly discussions about Mary's life and characteristics, from the perspective of Sunni Islam in the classical period which took place over the centuries in regions stretching from Central Asia to Spain, provide a fascinating debate on the subject, of interest to Muslims as well as non-Muslims and those concerned with comparative religion, interfaith dialogue, and women's studies.