وَاِذۡ قَالَتِ الۡمَلٰٓـئِكَةُ يٰمَرۡيَمُ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ اصۡطَفٰٮكِ وَطَهَّرَكِ وَاصۡطَفٰٮكِ عَلٰى نِسَآءِ الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ
يٰمَرۡيَمُ اقۡنُتِىۡ لِرَبِّكِ وَاسۡجُدِىۡ وَارۡكَعِىۡ مَعَ الرّٰكِعِيۡنَ
ذٰ لِكَ مِنۡ اَنۡۢـبَآءِ الۡغَيۡبِ نُوۡحِيۡهِ اِلَيۡكَؕ وَمَا كُنۡتَ لَدَيۡهِمۡ اِذۡ يُلۡقُوۡنَ اَقۡلَامَهُمۡ اَيُّهُمۡ يَكۡفُلُ مَرۡيَمَ وَمَا كُنۡتَ لَدَيۡهِمۡ اِذۡ يَخۡتَصِمُوۡنَ
Translation
(3:42) Then came the time when the angels said: 'O Mary! Behold, Allah has
chosen you, and made you pure, and exalted you above all the women in the world.
(3:43) O Mary! Remain devout to your Lord, and prostrate yourself in worship,
and bow with those who bow (before Him).' (3:44) (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,43 and you
were not with them when they disputed about it.
Commentary
43. They drew lots to decide who should be the guardian of Mary, whose mother
had consecrated her to the service of God in the Temple. Since she was a girl,
it was a delicate matter as to who from among the priests of the Temple would
be the appropriate person to take care of her.