Mary (
Maryam), the mother of
Jesus (
Isa), is considered one of the most righteous women in the
Islamic religion. She is mentioned more in the
Quran than in the entire
New Testament and is also the only woman mentioned by name in the Quran. According to the Quran, Jesus was born miraculously by the will of
God without a father. His mother is regarded as a chaste and virtuous woman and is said to have been a virgin. The Quran states clearly that Jesus was the result of a
virgin birth, but that neither Mary nor her son were divine. In the Quran, no other woman is given more attention than Mary and the Quran states that Mary was chosen above all women: The nineteenth chapter of the Quran,
Maryam (sura) is named after her and is, to some extent, about her life. Of the Quran's 114 suras, she is among only eight people who have a chapter named after them. Mary is specifically mentioned in the Quran, alongside
Asiya, as an exemplar for all believers. Mary plays an important role in
Islamic culture and religious tradition, and verses from the Quran relating to Mary are frequently inscribed on the
mihrab of various
mosques, including in the
Hagia Sophia.