“Wa-kānat mina al-qānitīn”
“She was among the devout.” (al-Taḥrīm 66:12, excerpt)
The verse praises Mary. “Kānat” is feminine singular, while “al-qānitīn” is a masculine sound plural. The expression places her among the broad class of devout worshippers; in Arabic the masculine plural can designate a class including both sexes.
A feminine explanatory paraphrase may bring out the reference to Mary, but it must not replace the Qur’anic wording. The grammar does not deny that Mary is female, nor does it imply an error. The form and its broad referent have to be distinguished.
This is a case where nominal choice expresses classification, not merely numerical agreement.