Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary in Muslim Culture: Theological Dogma, Cultural Symbol, and Boundaries of Interpretation In Muslim culture and theology, the story of the birth of the Virgin Mary (Maryam) and the subsequent miraculous birth of her son, the Prophet Jesus (Jesus), occupies a central place, however, its interpretation is fundamentally different from Christian tradition. The concept of "immaculate conception," in its classical Christian understanding (the doctrine of the conception of the Virgin Mary without original sin), is absent in Islam. Instead, Islam offers its own deeply developed concept of the immaculate birth of Jesus (Jesus) from the Virgin Mother, which is one of the most important signs (ayah) of the omnipotence of Allah. 1. Theological Narrative in the Quran: Miracle as Proof of Monotheism The main account is contained in the suras "The Family of Imran" (3) and, especially importantly, in the sura "Maryam" (19), named after her. This Koranic narrative serves not so much as a story about the mother of the Messiah as a proof of the absolute power of God over the laws of nature. Selection of Maryam: She is chosen by Allah even before birth. Her mother, the wife of Imran (corresponding to the biblical Joachim), dedicates the yet-to-be-born child to the service of God (Quran, 3:35-36). Maryam is raised under the care of the Prophet Zakariya (Zachariah) in a place of prayer (mihrab). Annunciation: To Maryam comes not an angel in human form, as in the Gospels, but a "spirit from Our commandment" (ruhun min-amrina), taking the form of "an impeccable person" (Quran, 19:17). He informs her of the gift of a son. Her question "How can I have a son when I have not been touched by a man?" is answered: "Thus said your Lord: 'This is easy for Me. And We will make him a sign to men and a grace from Us'" (19:20-21). Wonder of Birth: After painful childbirth at the trunk of a palm tree, Maryam returns to her people with the infant Jesus in her ... Read more