be like maryam (as): lessons on achieving her greatness

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Last time, we touched upon the amazing Khadijah (رضي الله عنها) and how we could become just like her in our daily lives.

Today, we’re going to go back even further in Islamic history and learn how we can be just like Maryam Bint Imran (عليها السلام)—to embody the traits and character that made her to be chosen as the greatest woman among all of the worlds…

One of the most notable things about Maryam (عليها السلام) in Islam is how devoted she was to her faith.

Take note that she was like this before she was blessed with the miracle of becoming the mother of ‘Isa (عليه السلام).

In the Qur’an, Allah says:

“And mention, [O Muhammad], in the Book [the story of] Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east. And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen.” {19:16–17}

We know that Maryam secluded herself so she could worship Allah as much as she wanted.

In fact, she loved dhikr so deeply and was so inclined toward worship that she even felt shy to be around others—even her own family. Bayyinah Institute comments on how she felt this way not because she thought she was better than others, but because she thought she was unworthy.

SubhanAllah.

She had this incredible humility within her.

Allah also goes out of His way to praise her:

“So her Lord accepted her with good acceptance and caused her to grow in a good manner and put her in the care of Zechariah.” {3:37}

This is a detail that is often lost in translation. Allah is explaining how Maryam took advantage of her righteous upbringing to become a righteous Muslim woman with beautiful character. All of this was because of how devoted she was to Him.

So how can we be like that?

By intentionally taking time out of our lives for Allah.

Now obviously, Maryam lived in a time where she could dedicate long periods to worship without many of the responsibilities we have today—working, studying, running errands, and everything else.

But we should still try to replicate her example.

Set aside time that belongs to Allah and Allah alone.

Why else do you think she was named among the greatest women of all creation?

Because she prioritized the very purpose for which every single one of us was created.

“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” {51:56}

She perfected that purpose.

Look at your schedule and ask yourself:

• Can your Sunday reset include more worship?

• Can you improve your morning routine so you don’t immediately run away from your prayer mat after Fajr?

• Could you spend a few minutes making dhikr instead of listening to music?

Little things like that.

Just like what I mentioned when we were talking about Khadijah, worship in a way that Maryam (عليها السلام) would be pleased with if she saw you today.

If she were living our current reality, do you think she’d allow a busy schedule to keep her away from Allah?

No.

She would make sure Allah always came first.

And everything else would come afterwards.

In the Qur’an, Allah directly describes Maryam (عليها السلام):

“And his mother was a supporter of truth.” {5:75}

She was truthful in every aspect of her life and never inclined toward falsehood.

We should strive to become women of truth as well.

Understand what truth means as a servant of Allah.

Reflect on the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah and how they guide us toward honesty, integrity, and sincerity.

Strive to align your life with Allah’s truth.

Be honest with yourself.

Have the courage to acknowledge your strengths, your weaknesses, your desires, and your fears—especially before Allah.

Admitting your mistakes and shortcomings is the first step toward repentance and self-improvement.

Remember that Allah is Al-Ghafur, the Most Forgiving, and He loves those who humble themselves before Him.

Embrace your vulnerabilities and use them as opportunities to grow.

Understand that if you lie to yourself about your mistakes, your weaknesses, or your challenges, you may enjoy delaying that confrontation—but delaying it will never make those problems disappear.

We should also have integrity in our actions.

Our actions should reflect our faith and values, especially when we’re faced with temptations or challenges.

Whether it’s in our relationships, our careers, or our communities, let us strive to become women of integrity who stand firm upon our principles.

Never go behind people’s backs.

Never betray yourself.

Take the example of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), whose honesty and integrity earned him the title Al-Amin—the Trustworthy—even before revelation.

Encourage others to speak their truth respectfully and thoughtfully.

Create safe spaces for honest conversations.

Allah is As-Sami’, the All-Hearing.

He knows what is in our hearts.

Only then can you truly become a woman of truth, just like Maryam (عليها السلام).

Another remarkable thing about Maryam that we all know is her modesty and chastity.

But something that really stood out to me is how Allah showed us exactly how she conducted herself around men.

In the Qur’an, Allah says:

“Then We sent to her Our Angel, and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man. (17) She said, "Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, [so leave me], if you should be fearing of Allah.’” {19:17–18)

Notice how the angel appeared as a well-proportioned man.

If you know Islamic history, angels who appeared in human form were often exceptionally beautiful.

Now imagine yourself.

A handsome man approaches you. What are you going to do? Blush? Get all giggly?Keep looking at him?

These reactions can be natural lol.

But what did Maryam do?

She immediately sought refuge with Allah and told him to leave if he feared Allah.

As Muslim women, we should strive to have that same inner strength.

An attractive man should never distract us from Allah. We should lower our gaze and guard our actions as much as possible.

Most importantly, as Maryam demonstrated, we should fear Allah, because He is always watching us.

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One of the reasons I love talking about tawakkul through the story of Maryam is because her story feels so raw and human.

She reached a point where she was almost breaking down,

And then the mercy of Allah just comes to her.

This happened during the birth of ‘Isa (عليه السلام).

In the Qur’an, Allah says:

“And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, "Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten." But he called her from below her, "Do not grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream. And shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates. So eat and drink and be contented.’” {19:23–26}

When Maryam said she wished she had been forgotten, many scholars explain that she was overwhelmed by the immense responsibility before her.

Because she didn’t know if she could bear it anymore.

How relatable is that? How many times have we felt the same way during our own trials? And then what happened?

Allah told her to shake the palm tree.

A palm tree isn’t easy to shake—especially for a woman who had just given birth.

Yet Allah gave her both the command and the strength to carry it out. Then Allah gave her exact instructions on how she should respond to the people.

When He told her to point toward the baby, she obeyed without hesitation.

Even though it sounds absurd to us, because how can a baby speak and explain?

Yet Maryam believed in Allah.

The lesson is this: Allah will be there for you even when you believe you can’t bear it.

Just like Maryam (عليها السلام), you may doubt yourself and your test.

But Allah never doubts His ability to help you.

She entered her village knowing people would slander her.

Yet she knew Allah would make it easy for her.

Like her, you may reach your breaking point. But never lose your trust in Allah.

After he heals you from your breakdowns, continue trusting Him without hesitation.

That is true tawakkul.

Lastly, one of the most beautiful and my personal favourite qualities of Maryam was the way she spoke about Allah.

She mentioned Him with such eloquence, describing Him in the way that He deserves as our Lord.

In the Qur’an, Allah says:

“Every time Zechariah entered upon her in the prayer chamber, he found with her provision. He said, "O Mary, from where is this [coming] to you?" She said, "It is from Allah. Indeed, Allah provides for whom He wills without account.’” {3:37}

Linguistically, her response carries a beautiful meaning. She wasn’t only referring to the food before her.

It’s as though she was saying:

“My provision. My blessings. Everything I have...It’s all from Allah.”

We should also speak about Allah in this manner too.

For example, many of us say “God,” and that’s completely correct. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But we should also strive to say Allah often.

It is His greatest name.

He deserves to be called by it.

Another example is using His beautiful Names.

In the Qur’an, Allah says:

“Say, Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful. Whichever [name] you call - to Him belong the best names.” {7:110}

Instead of simply saying, “God is merciful,” we can say:

“Allah is Ar-Rahman.”

Instead of saying:

“Please forgive me.”

We can say:

“O Allah, You are Al-Ghafur, the All-Forgiving. Please forgive me.”

I also recommend getting a book about Allah’s 99 Names. I have this one.

They’re beautiful to learn, simple to understand, and they completely change the way you speak to Allah.

By speaking beautifully about Allah and His attributes, you honour Him. You also inspire others to reflect upon His greatness.

Just like Maryam (عليها السلام) did throughout her life.

And through her example, we too become inspired to draw closer to Allah.

And there you have it, sisters.

How to be like Maryam (عليها السلام) in your own life.

I hope you enjoyed learning from one of the greatest women in Islamic history 💎

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