MSI Press Blog

  In Islam, Mary — Maryam in Arabic — is deeply revered, honored far more than many non‑Muslims realize. She is the only woman mentioned by name in the Qur’an and has an entire chapter dedicated to her: Surah Maryam . Here’s how her role is understood: 🌿 Maryam: The Pure and Chosen One The Qur’an calls her “chosen above all women of the worlds” (Qur’an 3:42). She is celebrated for her faith, chastity, and obedience to God. Muslims believe in the virgin birth of Jesus ( Isa ), seeing it as a miracle by God’s command — “Be, and it is.” Mary is not divine, nor is she part of a trinity; she is a human exemplar of devotion and purity . 🕊️ Mary in Islamic Devotion Muslims do not pray to Mary or venerate her as an intercessor. She is honored in sermons, art, and literature as a model of righteousness and courage. Her story is often told to inspire trust in God’s will , especially among women and families. ✨ Shared Reverence Across Faiths Like Catholics and Orthodox Christians, Musl...

  1. The Question Why do Christians and Jews share one sacred city — Jerusalem — while Muslims hold two, Mecca and Medina , and also revere Jerusalem? The answer lies not in rivalry, but in revelation and memory — how each faith locates its encounter with the Divine. 2. Judaism: Jerusalem as Covenant Center For Jews, Jerusalem is the heart of the covenant — the city chosen by God, the site of the Temple , and the place where heaven and earth meet. King David made Jerusalem the capital of Israel. Solomon built the First Temple there, the dwelling place of God’s presence ( Shekhinah ). Even after the Temple’s destruction, Jews pray facing Jerusalem. The city symbolizes return, restoration, and divine nearness — “Next year in Jerusalem” remains the closing line of Passover. Jerusalem is not just geography; it is the axis of sacred history . 3. Christianity: Jerusalem as Fulfillment For Christians, Jerusalem is sacred because it is the stage of Christ’s passion, death, and resurre...

  Most people think the hardest question in religion is Does God exist? But the deeper, older, more human question is simpler and more unsettling: What do we even mean by “the Divine”? Across cultures, the Divine is not a single idea. It is a constellation — a set of intuitions, metaphors, and experiences that different peoples have tried to name with the language available to them. When we ask What is the Divine? we are really asking How do human beings encounter the sacred? And that answer changes depending on where you stand. 1. The Divine as a Person In many traditions, the Divine is Someone — relational, intentional, responsive. Christianity speaks of a God who loves, grieves, forgives, and seeks relationship. Islam names Allah through 99 attributes — Merciful, Just, Compassionate — each a window into divine personality. Judaism often avoids naming God at all, not out of distance but reverence: the Divine is too alive, too holy, too present to be reduced to a label. Her...