Selected Exegesis

Mary was one who was spoken to (muḥaddatha) and conversed with angels. This conversation represents her own dignity and prophetic tidings and is guidance-giving and glad-tidings-bearing revelation (waḥy tasdīdī wa tabshīrī), not legislative revelation and prophethood (waḥy wa nubuwwat tashrīʿī). The essence of her being was blessed with divine selection, and according to this personal selection (iṣṭifāʾ nafsī), God chose her (not preferred her) among the children of the prophets (a.s.). He also purified and elevated her from all moral vices and false accusations (not just from menstruation), and she possessed both outer and inner purity, and purity of soul.

God also chose her from among all women of the world, past and future, to become a mother without a husband; meaning her relative selection (iṣṭifāʾ nisbī) was due to this characteristic of bearing a child without a husband, not that she was superior to all women of all times and places in all aspects of knowledge and piety.