Midhun J Francis Kochukallanvila, SJ
The Feast of the Annunciation invites both Christians and Muslims to reflect on our own submission to God through Mary’s obedience to the will of God, which enables the Word of God to enter the world (Jn 1:14; Q 3:45). In the Gospel, the Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she would bear a son (Lk 1:28–38), who is the Incarnate Logos (John 1:1, 14). In Islam, the Quran relates that angels told Maryam that Allah had chosen her for the extraordinary birth of Jesus (Q 3:42-47; 19:16–21), who is also called the Word of God, meaning a prophet created by God’s command. Despite these theological differences on the “Word”, both traditions highlight submission of Mary to God’s will as complete trust in God, who became a model for true faith for believers in both religions. Any extremist violence against the will of God, whether it is religiously justified or not, betrays the spirit of submission and compassion that Mary embodies.
Mary of Nazareth: The Revolutionary in Trusting God
In the Bible, we read that the archangel Gabriel greets Mary: “Hail, full of grace; the Lord is with you” (Lk 1:28), which highlights Mary’s unique role, and her fiat seals her cooperation with God’s plan. Gerald Fagin notes: “Mary at her Annunciation models faith for us. She shows us that faith is also obedience and submission. Mary trusted in God’s promises, and her ‘yes’ was not passive submission but an active position rooted in hope and trust. She surrendered her own will to the divine word. Through this surrender, the Incarnation was possible. She brings God to people, to the entire humanity. Mary’s response is the essence of discipleship. This response initiates the mission of Jesus Christ to humanity. Mary’s role is to cooperate with God’s will, which makes her the first and most faithful disciple. Gerald Fagin writes: “Mary’s fiat calls Christians to trust and obedience. We respond to the gift of God’s call in our lives. We say yes in hope and trust. We say ‘yes’ to something being born in us that must grow and mature and take a shape we cannot predict.”
Maryam of Islam: The Icon of Unshakable Trust
In the Quran, similarly, Maryam is honored and recounts the annunciation of Jesus to her. Gabriel appears with the good news: “Allah gives you good news of a Word from Him” (Q 3:45). Mary asks: “My Lord, how can I have a child when no man has even touched me?” The angel reassures her: “So be it. Allah creates what He wills. When He decrees a thing, He only says, ‘Be!’ and it is” (Quran 3:47). In Quranic traditions, Allah’s creative word gives birth to Jesus without human fatherhood. The Quran repeatedly emphasizes Mary’s purity and chosen status as Gabriel says: “O Mary, indeed Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds. O Mary, be devoutly obedient to your Lord and prostrate and bow with those who bow” (Q 3:42-43). The Islamic hadith declares Maryam “the best of the women of her time.” (Musnad Ahmad) She is regarded as “Best of the women of the world/her time” (Sahih Muslim). The Quran shows her quietly accepting Allah’s will and trusting the divine decree, even when she does not fully understand it. The angel’s answer, “Allah creates what He will. ‘Be,’ and it is” (Quran 3:47), echoes Mary’s Christian fiat. Believing in God means surrendering to His wisdom.
The Fiat Conspiracy: How Surrender Becomes the Ultimate Power
Both the Christian and Islamic accounts make submission to God’s will the centerpiece of Mary’s response. Her “yes” to God is submission. In both traditions, she does not require explanations or guarantees. Her fiat is the archetype of this submission. Mary identifies herself as “the Lord’s servant” (Luke 1:38). Similarly, the Quran portrays her as a devout worshipper who prostrates in prayer (Quran 3:42-43). Both scriptures show Mary acting in humility. In Christianity, Mary is called “Handmaid of the Lord.” In Islam, she is repeatedly called “Abdah” (a female servant of Allah). Her example teaches that submission involves seeing oneself as God’s servant (Jesus elevated the term servant towards children of God) with full trust. Neither tradition portrays Mary as having all the answers. In Luke, she wonders how the conception will occur (Luke 1:34), and God answers her (Lk 1:35). In the Quran, Mary asks how she can have a child when untouched (Q 3:47), and Allah replies: “When He decrees a thing, He only says to it ‘Be!’ and it is.” Mary accept God’s decree without demanding proof. Mary’s trust in God shows that true faith often precedes understanding. Both faiths stress that the Annunciation is God’s initiative. Gabriel’s role underscores that the miracle comes from God alone. In Christianity, the Holy Spirit “overshadows” Mary (Luke 1:35), and Jesus is called “the Son of God.” In Islam, the miracle is Allah’s creative word (“Be!”) acting on Maryam. In both cases, Mary cooperates, but the initiative belongs to God, which highlights that the will of God, not human agendas, ultimately moves history.
The Revolutionary Power of Peaceful Witnessing of God
Mary becomes the first to bear witness to the Incarnation. Her life became missionary who brings God to the world. In Islam, Maryam’s story testifies to the power of God and the truth of Jesus’ prophetic mission, which inspires believers to a life of humble witness to the Word of God. Christian missionaries believe Mary’s faith to be a model for proclaiming the Gospel through service. Similarly, many Muslim scholars point out that Maryam’s story invites others to submission to the will of God. This means exemplifying spiritual devotion and compassion. Mary’s submission supports dialogue between these two communities. Certain fundamentalist tendencies that insist other religions are “against God” betray a misunderstanding of both God and mission. To claim that God needs humans to protect Him, or to set oneself up as God’s guardian against other faiths, reverses the relationship of Creator and creature. God is not under human control and does not need human protection. We as Christians and Muslims have the duty to protect human dignity and life. Mission and witness rooted in Mary’s example call for humility, compassionate service, and respect for conscience—not denunciation or the politicization of faith. Where believers act to “defend” God by attacking or excluding others, they are failing the Gospel and the prophetic witness common to both scripture and the Quran. True Christian witness protects humanity, irrespective of religious membership.
Religion Becomes Idolatry: The Mask of Piety Worn by God’s Protectors
The themes of obedience and mercy in Mary’s story stand in stark contrast to the ideology of violent extremism. Terror and aggression against innocents in the name of God betray true faith. The Bible contains numerous injunctions against shedding innocent blood. Jesus forbids violence in His name: “Put your sword back in its place…for all who draw the sword will die by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). Paul tells Christians to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). Those who use violence against the helpless and inoffensive are decried (Deut 27:25; Pro 6:17). Christian teaching is clear, any killing innocents or anyone or inciting terror is never justified by religion. Even calling another a fool is equated with killing. The call is to love all. Likewise, in Islam, religious authorities have overwhelmingly denounced terrorism. Islam is a religion of peace and mercy and forbids harming innocents. Yusuf al-Qaradawi calls an attack on innocents “a grave sin,” citing Quran 5:32: “Whoever kills a human being…it shall be as if he has killed all mankind.” Islamic law is explicit that warfare does not include civilians (Quran 22:39-40). The lives of Muslims, Christians, and Jews are sacred (Quran 5:32-33). The word “jihad,” properly understood, means striving in God’s cause—usually the greater jihad, the struggle against one’s own ego and sin. Mary’s example reclaims jihad as spiritual struggle and compassionate action, not violent conquest. Both traditions agree that those who kill and terrorize are acting against God’s will.
Conclusion: We are all Mary now—Our ‘Yes’ as an Act of Love against War
On the Feast of the Annunciation, Christians and Muslims remember Mary’s encounter with the divine. In both faiths, she is the most radiant example of believing submission. With deep humility, she says to God’s messenger: “Let it be unto me according to your word” (Lk 1:38). She trusts in God even when His plan surpasses human understanding. The Feast of the Annunciation teaches that true faith involves complete surrender to God’s will and compassionate service to others. Finally, the Church and the Muslim community alike must resist any rhetoric that places God under human guardianship or uses the language of “protecting God” to justify hatred or violence. God is sovereign, and the creator does not need human defense. Humanity needs protection from the ravages of violence and hatred. Any form of war or aggression that targets innocents in the name of God is unacceptable. Believers are called to protect human life and dignity, rejecting exclusionary violence and to challenge those religious voices, whether individuals, groups, or media outlets, that preach hostility in God’s name. True devotion to God is shown in defending the vulnerable, pursuing justice, and building peace across religious boundaries. Mary stands for that.
