The Secret of Repeating “O Mary”

The repetition of the phrase “O Mary” in the second verse indicates both the greatness of the matter and the continuation of the angels’ dialogue with Mary (a.s.), as it contains a new address and command. Both the glad tidings of a child and conversations with angels had precedents, such as the stories of Zechariah and Abraham (a.s.). However, Mary (a.s.) possessed a distinction beyond these, as the angels said to her: “…and He has chosen you above the world’s women”.(169) This statement in fact prepared the ground for other commands, after which they said: “O Mary, be obedient to your Lord, and prostrate and bow down with those who bow [in worship]”; meaning that in response to that choosing and purification, she should remain in constant humility, prostration, and bowing.

Mary (a.s.) implemented this guidance in the best possible way, such that God says about her: “And she confirmed the words of her Lord and His books, and was of the devoutly obedient”.(170) This verse confirms Mary’s (a.s.) implementation of the divine command “O Mary, be obedient to your Lord, and prostrate and bow down with those who bow [in worship]”.

Note: 1. The angels’ call and their discourse with Mary (a.s.) was certainly by God’s command, as they never speak without God’s command: “Rather they are [His] honoured servants. They do not venture to speak ahead of Him, and they act by His command”.(171) Therefore, the angels’ message was the conveyance of the divine message.

This call, which is God’s special revelation, was of the nature of action-revelation (waḥy fiʿl) rather than legal-revelation (waḥy ḥukm); meaning that the inclination toward devotion and the heart’s desire for prostration and inner tendency toward bowing were all of the nature of actions, not rulings. Therefore, the notion of Mary’s (a.s.) prophethood is unfounded, and informational prophethood and similar matters should not be confused with legislative prophethood; meaning that she only received the inclination toward these matters, not that a new ruling came to her as religious law, just as the mother of Moses (a.s.) received action-revelation, not legal-revelation. The explanation of this difference was discussed in the section on Imamate.