Al-Qur'an Surah Ali 'Imran Verse 44

Mufti Taqi Usmani

This is a part of the news of the unseen We reveal to you (O Prophet!). You were not with them when they were casting their pens (to decide) who, from among them, should be the guardian of Maryam, nor were you with them when they were quarrelling.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

This is news of the unseen that We reveal to you ˹O Prophet˺. You were not with them when they cast lots to decide who would be Mary’s guardian, nor were you there when they argued ˹about it˺.

Ruwwad Translation Center

This is from the stories of the unseen that We reveal to you [O Prophet]; you were not with them when they cast lots as to which of them should take guardianship of Mary, nor were you with them when they disputed about it.

A. J. Arberry

(That is of the tidings of the Unseen, that We reveal to thee; for thou wast not with them, when they were casting quills which of them should have charge of Mary; thou wast not with them, when they were disputing.)

Abdul Haleem

This is an account of things beyond your knowledge that We reveal to you [Muhammad]: you were not present among them when they cast lots to see which of them should take charge of Mary, you were not present with them when they argued [about her].

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

This is of the tidings of things hidden which We reveal unto thee and thou wast not with them when they cast their reeds as to which of them should take care of Maryam, nor wast thou with them when they disputed.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This is part of the tidings of the things unseen, which We reveal unto thee (O Messenger!) by inspiration; Thou wast not with them when they cast lots with arrows, as to which of them should be charged with the care of Mary; Nor wast thou with them when they disputed (the point).

Abul Ala Maududi

(O Muhammad!) We reveal to you this account from a realm which lies beyond the reach of your perception for you were not with them when they drew lots with their pens about who should be Mary's guardian, and you were not with them when they disputed about it.

Ahmed Ali

This is news of the Unknown that We send you, for you were not there when they cast lots with quills (to determine) who should take care of Mary, nor when they disputed it.

Ahmed Raza Khan

These are tidings of the hidden, which We secretly reveal to you (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him); and you were not present with them when they threw their pens to draw lots, to know who should be the guardian of Maryam; nor were you present with them when they were quarrelling. (Yet you know of these things – this is a proof of your being a Prophet.)

Ali Quli Qarai

These accounts are from the Unseen, which We reveal to you, and you were not with them when they were casting lots [to see] which of them would take charge of Mary’s care, nor were you with them when they were contending.

Ali Ünal

(O Messenger:) that is of the tidings of the things of the unseen (the things that took place in the past and have remained hidden from people with all their truth), which We reveal to you, for you were not present with them when they drew lots with their pens about who should have charge of Mary; nor were you present with them when they were disputing (about the matter).

Amatul Rahman Omar

These are some of the important accounts of the things unseen We have revealed to you. You were not present with them when they (- the priests) cast their quills (to decide) as to which of them should have Mary in his charge (to arrange her marriage); and you were not with them when they (- the exalted assembly of the angels) were engaged in a discussion (over the issue of Muhammad being entrusted with the Divine mission).

English Literal

That (is) from the unseen`s/absent`s information/news, We inspired/transmitted it to you, and you were not at/by them when they throw their pens/small arrows used for gambling draws, (to see) which of them sponsors/supports Mary, and you were not at/by them when they argue/controvert (amongst themselves).

Faridul Haque

These are tidings of the hidden, which We secretly reveal to you (O dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him); and you were not present with them when they threw their pens to draw lots, to know who should be the guardian of Maryam; nor were you present with them when they were quarrelling. (Yet you know of these things - this is a proof of your being a Prophet.)

Hamid S. Aziz

When the angel said, "O Mary! Verily, Allah gives you the glad tidings of a Word from Him; his name shall be the Messiah Jesus, the son of Mary, honoured in this world and the Hereafter and of those whose place is nigh to Allah.

Hilali & Khan

This is a part of the news of the Ghaib (unseen, i.e. the news of the past nations of which you have no knowledge) which We inspire you with (O Muhammad SAW). You were not with them, when they cast lots with their pens as to which of them should be charged with the care of Maryam (Mary); nor were you with them when they disputed.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

O Mary, be obedient to thy Lord and humble thyself and bow down with those who bow.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

This is of the announcements relating to the unseen which We reveal to you; and you were not with them when they cast their pens (to decide) which of them should have Marium in his charge, and you were not with them when they contended one with another.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

This is of the tidings of things hidden. We reveal it unto thee (Muhammad). Thou wast not present with them when they threw their pens (to know) which of them should be the guardian of Mary, nor wast thou present with them when they quarrelled (thereupon).

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), that was some of the news about the unseen, that We have revealed to you. You were not among those who cast lots by throwing their arrows to find out who would take custody of Mary, nor were you among those who disputed the matter.

Qaribullah & Darwish

This is from the news of the unseen. We reveal it to you (Prophet Muhammad). You were not present when they cast their quills to see which of them should look after Mary, nor were you present when they were disputing.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

This is a part of the news of the Ghayb (Unseen) which We reveal to you. You were not with them, when they cast lots with their pens as to which of them should be charged with the care of Maryam; nor were you with them when they disputed.

Wahiduddin Khan

This is an account of the unseen, which We reveal to you. You were not with them when they drew lots as to which of them should be Mary's guardian and you were not with them when they disputed with one another.

Talal Itani

These are accounts from the Unseen, which We reveal to you. You were not with them when they cast their lots as to which of them would take charge of Mary; nor were you with them as they quarreled.

Tafsir jalalayn

That, which has been mentioned of the matter of Zachariah and Mary, is of the tidings of the Unseen, of the news of what was unknown to you. We reveal it to you, O Muhammad (s), for you were not with them, when they were casting quills, in the water, drawing their lots so that it be manifested to them, which of them should have charge of, [which of them should] bring up, Mary; nor were you with them, when they were disputing, about the custodianship of Mary, such that you might have known it and related it; but truly you know it only through revelation.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَنبَاء الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيكَ

This is a part of the news of the Ghayb which We reveal.

"and narrate to you (O Muhammad),"

وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يُلْقُون أَقْلَمَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ يَكْفُلُ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يَخْتَصِمُونَ



You were not with them, when they cast lots with their pens as to which of them should be charged with the care of Maryam; nor were you with them when they disputed.

meaning, "You were not present, O Muhammad, when this occurred, so you cannot narrate what happened to the people as an eye witness. Rather, Allah disclosed these facts to you as if you were a witness, when they conducted a lottery to choose the custodian of Maryam, seeking the reward of this good deed."

Ibn Jarir recorded that Ikrimah said,

"Maryam's mother left with Maryam, carrying her in her infant cloth, and took her to the rabbis from the offspring of Aaron, the brother of Musa. They were responsible for taking care of Bayt Al-Maqdis (the Masjid) at that time, just as there were those who took care of the Ka`bah.

Maryam's mother said to them, `Take this child whom I vowed (to serve the Masjid), I have set her free, since she is my daughter, for no menstruating woman should enter the Masjid, and I shall not take her back home.'

They said, `She is the daughter of our Imam,' as Imran used to lead them in prayer, `who took care of our sacrificial rituals.'

Zakariyya said, `Give her to me, for her maternal aunt is my wife.'

They said, `Our hearts cannot bear that you take her, for she is the daughter of our Imam.' So they conducted a lottery with the pens with which they wrote the Tawrah, and Zakariyya won the lottery and took Maryam into his care."'

Ikrimah, As-Suddi, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi bin Anas, and several others said that;

the rabbis went into the Jordan river and conducted a lottery there, deciding to throw their pens into the river. The pen that remained afloat and idle would indicate that its owner would take care of Maryam.

When they threw their pens into the river, the water took all the pens under, except Zakariyya's pen, which remained afloat in its place.

Zakariyya was also their master, chief, scholar, Imam and Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him and the rest of the Prophets