The Quranic story of Mary begins while she is still in her mother's womb. The mother of Mary, said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate to You what is in my womb for Your service. So accept this of me, for You hear and know all things. When she was delivered, she said, ‘O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child’ - and God knew best what she brought forth – ‘And no wise is the male like the female. I have named her Mariam, and I commend her and her offspring to Your protection from Satan, the Rejected.'" Mariam literally means "maidservant of God." While she had expected her baby to be a male who would grow up to be a scholar or religious leader, God had a better plan. God is the best of planners.