Does the hadith "Many men have reached perfection, but no women have reached perfection except Mary, daughter of 'Imran, and Asiya, wife of Pharaoh" mean that women cannot achieve perfection in faith, and that a woman will not be able to reach the status of Asiya, Mary, Khadijah, and Fatimah? And does the Quranic preference for Mary, "And has chosen you above the women of the worlds," make her superior to the other women mentioned in the hadith? And how can a Muslim woman practice what Mary was praised for—virginity and seclusion from men—if marriage is desirable and monasticism is forbidden in Islam?

The revelatory texts regarding the virtues of women like Asiya, Mary, Aisha, Khadijah, and Fatima were not mentioned to deter women from competing in good deeds, but rather to affirm a rank of excellence for them that others will not attain. However, the doors of possible perfection for those who came after them have not been closed. If a Muslim woman loves these women and sincerely emulates them in striving for God's pleasure, she is given glad tidings of accompanying them in Paradise. Paradise is not exclusive to those who reach the perfection of Mary, peace be upon her, but it is a reward for believing doers of good deeds. And Mary was praised for safeguarding her chastity in obedience to their law at that time. As for our Sharia, marriage is the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and there is no monasticism in Islam. Choosing acts of obedience is not by their difficulty but by their permissibility and the good they produce. Perfection has degrees, and servants should strive for the perfection possible for them by following God's law and being content with His decree.