Surah Ali 'Imran, Ayah 37
Quran 3:37 · Family of Imran · Madani · Para 3 · Page 54
فَتَقَبَّلَهَا رَبُّهَا بِقَبُوْلٍ حَسَنٍ وَّاَنْۢبَتَهَا نَبَاتًا حَسَنًا ۙ وَّكَفَّلَهَا زَكَرِیَّا ؕۚ كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَیْهَا زَكَرِیَّا الْمِحْرَابَ ۙ وَجَدَ عِنْدَهَا رِزْقًا ۚ قَالَ یٰمَرْیَمُ اَنّٰی لَكِ هٰذَا ؕ قَالَتْ هُوَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللّٰهِ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ یَرْزُقُ مَنْ یَّشَآءُ بِغَیْرِ حِسَابٍ ۟
Transliteration
Fataqabbalaha rabbuhabiqaboolin hasanin waanbataha nabatan hasananwakaffalaha zakariyya kullama dakhalaAAalayha zakariyya almihraba wajadaAAindaha rizqan qala ya maryamu annalaki hatha qalat huwa min AAindi Allahi innaAllaha yarzuqu man yashao bighayri hisab
Saheeh International
So her Lord accepted her with good acceptance and caused her to grow in a good manner and put her in the care of Zechariah. Every time Zechariah 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 Allāh. Indeed, Allāh provides for whom He wills without account."
Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir
Allah graciously accepted the dedication and brought her up well. He made the hearts of His pious servants incline caringly to her and put her in the care of the Prophet Zachariah. Whenever Zachariah would enter her place of worship he would find wholesome food there. So, he asked her, ‘O Mary, where did you get this food from?’ She replied, ‘This food is from Allah. Allah gives to whomever He wishes in abundance without account’.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)
So her Lord (Allah) accepted her with goodly acceptance. He made her grow in a good manner and put her under the care of Zakariyya. Every time he entered the Mihrab to (visit) her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: "O Maryam! From where have you gotten this?" She said, "This is from Allah." Verily, Allah provides sustenance to whom He wills, without limit (37)
Maryam Grows Up; Her Honor is with Allah
Allah states that He has accepted Maryam as a result of her mother's vow and that He,
وَأَنبَتَهَا نَبَاتًا حَسَنًا
(made her grow in a good manner) meaning, made her conduct becoming, her mannerism delightful and He made her well liked among people. He also made her accompany the righteous people, so that she learned righteousness, knowledge and religion.
وَكَفَّلَهَا زَكَرِيَّا
(And put her under the care of Zakariyya) meaning, Allah made Zakariyya her sponsor. Allah made Zakariyya Maryam's guardian for her benefit, so that she would learn from his tremendous knowledge and righteous conduct. He was the husband of her maternal aunt, as Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Jarir stated, or her brother-in-law, as mentioned in the Sahih,
فَإِذَا بِيَحْيَى وَعِيسىٰ، وَهُمَا ابْنَا الْخَالَةِ
(I saw John and 'Isa, who are maternal cousins.)
We should state that in general terms, what Ibn Ishaq said is plausible, and in this case, Maryam was under the care of her maternal aunt. The Two Sahihs recorded that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ decided that 'Amarah, the daughter of Hamzah, be raised by her maternal aunt, the wife of Ja'far bin Abi Talib, saying,
الْخَالَةُ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْأُمِّ
(The maternal aunt is just like the mother.)
Allah then emphasizes Maryam's honor and virtue at the place of worship she attended,
كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا زَكَرِيَّا الْمِحْرَابَ وَجَدَ عِندَهَا رِزْقًا
(Every time he entered the Mihrab to (visit) her, he found her supplied with sustenance.)
Mujahid, 'Ikrimah, Sa'id bin Jubayr, Abu Ash-Sha'tha, Ibrahim An-Nakha'i, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi' bin Anas, 'Atiyah Al-'Awfi and As-Suddi said, "He would find with her the fruits of the summer during winter, and the fruits of the winter during summer." When Zakariyya would see this;
قَالَ يَا مَرْيَمُ أَنَّىٰ لَكِ هَٰذَا
(He said: "O Maryam! From where have you gotten this?") meaning, where did you get these fruits from?
قَالَتْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ
(She said, "This is from Allah." Verily, Allah provides sustenance to whom He wills, without limit.)