Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 3:37)

Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 3:37)

By: Mohammad Sobhanie

Upbringing of Maryam (SA)

بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

فَتَقَبَّلَهَا رَبُّهَا بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ وَأَنبَتَهَا نَبَاتًا حَسَنًا وَكَفَّلَهَا زَكَرِيَّا ۖ كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا زَكَرِيَّا الْمِحْرَابَ وَجَدَ عِندَهَا رِزْقًا ۖ قَالَ يَا مَرْيَمُ أَنَّىٰ لَكِ هَٰذَا ۖ قَالَتْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ ‎﴿٣٧﴾

3:37 So her Lord accepted her with good acceptance and caused her to grow in a good manner and put her in the care of Zakaria. Every time Zakaria entered upon her in the prayer chamber, he found with her provision. He said, “O’ Mary, from where is this (coming) to you?” She said, “It is from Allah (SWT). Indeed, Allah (SWT) provides for whom God wills without account.”

Commentary: When “Hannah” (حَنَّة) discovered that she had given birth to a girl whose custody could not easily be released to the temple^[1], she named her Maryam (i.e., one who worships and serves). Hannah prayed to Allah (SWT) to protect her and her descendants from Shaytan:

فَلَمَّا وَضَعَتْهَا قَالَتْ …. وَإِنِّي سَمَّيْتُهَا مَرْيَمَ وَإِنِّي أُعِيذُهَا بِكَ وَذُرِّيَّتَهَا مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ ‎﴿٣٦﴾‏

3:36 But when she delivered her, she said: “And I have named her Mary, and I seek refuge for her in You and (for) her descendants from Satan, the expelled (from the mercy of Allah (SWT)).”

By naming her Maryam, she renewed her vow to dedicate her new born girl to the temple, despite not being a boy. Allah (SWT) accepted Maryam with satisfaction^[2]:

فَتَقَبَّلَهَا رَبُّهَا بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ …. ‎﴿٣٧﴾

3:37 So her Lord accepted her with good acceptance…

The word “Taqabbala” (تَقَبَّلَ) means “to accept willingly and gladly” and “Ghabul” (قَبُولٍ) means “acceptance”. The phrase “Biqabūlin Hasanin” (بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ) has the same connotation as “Taqabbala” (تَقَبَّلَ). The phrase (فَتَقَبَّلَهَا رَبُّهَا) echoes that Allah (SWT) chose Maryam gladly, willingly, and with satisfaction. The phrase (بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ) stresses that her acceptance came with full pleasure^[3],[4].

Hannah also prayed to Allah (SWT) to protect her and her descendants from Shaytan. Allah (SWT) answered this prayer by saying, “And made her grow up a good growing” (وَأَنبَتَهَا نَبَاتًا حَسَنًا). Allah (SWT) bestowed guidance on her and her offspring and granted them a pure life free from the whispers of Shaytan and untouched by his misleading suggestions. Allah (SWT) accepted Maryam with full pleasure (بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ) and grant her a purified life (نَبَاتًا حَسَنًا)^[5].

As said earlier, Maryam’s (SA) father (Imran) passed away before her birth. Her mother brought her to Bait Al-Maqdis after her birth, brought her next to Jewish scholars and said: “This child is dedicated to the temple; one of you should take care of her^[6].”

Maryam (SA) was born to a distinguished family, and the marks of excellence were visible on her face. The scholars in the temple disputed among themselves to obtain the privilege of her custody. They agreed to decide by a lot in which Zakaria’s (AS) name was drawn. Allah (SWT) refers to this episode in Verse 3:44 (Chapter Aal-e-Imran).

The remaining part of verse refers to the upbringing of Maryam in the temple under the guardianship of prophet Zakaria (AS) (زَكَرِيَّا). The Verse states: “So her Lord…put her in the care of Zakaria” (وَكَفَّلَهَا زَكَرِيَّا).

As Maryam (SA) grew up, her excellence and nobility became more visible. She reached a position where the Verse says, “Every time Zakaria entered upon her in the prayer chamber, he found with her provision” (كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا زَكَرِيَّا الْمِحْرَابَ وَجَدَ عِندَهَا رِزْقًا). Zakaria asked her, “O’ Mary, from where is this (food coming) to you?” (يَا مَرْيَمُ أَنَّىٰ لَكِ هَٰذَا) She replied, “It is from Allah (SWT)” (هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ). “Indeed, Allah (SWT) provides for whom God wills without account” (إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ).

Maryam’s (SA) answer implied that the food was heavenly. Had the food been familiar and common to Zakaria (AS), he was interested in learning the name of the person who had brought the food. In this case, Maryam’s answer was vague, and a vague reply was not appropriate for the dignity of Maryam (SA). Since Zakaria (AS) realized the food was heavenly, he was satisfied with Maryam’s (AS) response.

In addition, the heavenly food made Zakaria (AS) realize Maryam’s (SA) honor and noble prestige in Allah’s (SWT) eyes. He got an irresistible urge to invoke Allah (SWT) to grant him a child with honor, dignity, and prestige like Maryam (SA), which will be discussed in the commentary of Verse 3:38 (Chapter Aal-e-Imran).

The interpretation and commentary about the phrase “without account” (بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ) can be found in the commentary of Verse 3:27 (Chapter Aal-e-Imran).

[1] Tafseer-e-Namoona, Vol.2, P. 527

[2] Al-Mizan, Vol.3, P. 271

[3] Tafseer-e-Namoona, Vol.2, P. 524

[4] Al-Mizan, Vol. 3, P. 271

[5] Al-Mizan, Vol. 3, P.271

[6] Tafseer-e-Namoona, Vol. 2, P.529