003:045

The Holy Qor-aan                                                                                                                    003:045

ذٰ لِكَ مِنۡ اَنۡۢـبَآءِ الۡغَيۡبِ نُوۡحِيۡهِ اِلَيۡكَ‌ؕ وَمَا كُنۡتَ لَدَيۡهِمۡ اِذۡ يُلۡقُوۡنَ اَقۡلَامَهُمۡ اَيُّهُمۡ يَكۡفُلُ مَرۡيَمَ

وَمَا كُنۡتَ لَدَيۡهِمۡ اِذۡ يَخۡتَصِمُوۡنَ

Zaa-lay-ka-min-un-baa-il-ghai-bay-noo-he-hay-alai-ka                                                           Wa-maa-koon-ta-la-dai-him-iz-yool-qoo-na                                                                                Uq-laa-ma-hoom-auy-yo-hoom-yuk-fa-lo-mar-ya-ma                                                            Wa-maa-koon-ta-la-dai-him-iz-yaukh-ta-say-moo-n.

This is an information from the Unseen. We reveal it to you.                                     And you were not with them when they were casting                                                     Their pens as to who will look after Mary.                                                                      And you were not with them when they were arguing.

• ذٰلِكَ — Zaa-lay-ka — This (= Here; refers to an aforesaid fact, person or statement; it was because; right here; such is this; that is how it is)
• مِنۡ — Min — From (= From the class, category, count, kind, parts, persons or out of)
• اَنۡۢـبَآءِ — Un-baa-aiy — Information (= pl., Account; chronicle; mystic; narration of events; news; spiritual; stories; tidings. Some translations have added the word ‘important’ before the above meanings)
• لۡغَيۡبِ — Il-ghai-bay — The Unseen (= Hidden invisible or secret realities hitherto unknown. The unknown. The unseen. Things beyond being seen. Also, refers to the unknown history of nations gone by)
• نُوۡحِيۡ — Noo-he — We reveal (= v., Disclose; explain; inform; inspire; show)
• هِ — Hay — It (= pro., s., m., 3^rd person. Refers to aforesaid news)
• اِلَيۡ — E-lai — To (= In the direction of; on; towards)
• كَ — Ka — You (= pro., s., m., 2^nd person. You single male. The addressee of this divine message is initially the Holy Prophet s.a.w and secondarily every Moslem, in fact every human being. See the Note under 002:005)
• وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses; additionally; but also; more over; though; when; while; yet; whereupon)
• مَاۤ — Maa — What (= All that; whatever; whatsoever)
• كُنۡتَ — Koon-ta — You were (= Have been since the past; were continuously)
• لَدَيۡ — La-dai — Near (= At hand; close by; in attendance; present; with)
• هِمۡ — Him — Them (= pro., pl., m., 3^rd person. Refers to the priests who were contesting for the guardianship of Mary)
• اِذۡ — Iz — When (= At the time, event, occasion or opportunity of)
• يُلۡقُوۡنَ — Yool-qoo-na — Casting (= v., Throwing out … in drawing lots as the lottery to  determine a winner from among the contestants)
• اَقۡلَامَ — Uq-laa-ma — Pens (= pl., Arrows; instrument of writing; lots; quills)
• ھُمۡ‌ — Hoom — Them (= pro., pl., m., 3^rd person. Refers to the contestants for being the guardian to Mary)
• اَيُّ — Auy-yo — Who (= Which; which one)
• ھُمۡ‌ — Hoom — Them (= pro., pl., m., 3^rd person. Refers to the contestants for being the guardian to Mary)
• يَكۡفُلُ — Yuk-fa-lo — Look after (= Act as custodian or guardian; be charged with; be in charge of; take care; take charge; take responsibility of. One translation has added the words: “Have Mary in his charge (to arrange her marriage)”
• مَرۡيَم — Mar-ya-ma — Mary (= The mother of Jesus Christ)
• وَ — Wa — And (= Conjunction that connects words, phrases or clauses)
• مَاۤ — Maa — Not (= Absolutely not; no; never)
• كُنۡتَ — Koon-ta — You were (= Have been since the past; were continuously)
• لَدَيۡ — La-dai — Near (= At hand; close by; in attendance; present; with)
• هِمۡ — Him — Them (= pro., pl., m., 3^rd person. Refers to the contestants for being the guardian to Mary)
• اِذۡ — Iz — When (= At the time, event, occasion or opportunity of)
• يَخۡتَصِمُوۡنَ — Yaukh-ta-say-moo-n — Arguing (= v., pres., Contending; disputing; fighting for quarreling; wrangling with each other about that)

* Note:00:045. This site gives simple straightforward translation of the original text. A departure from such meanings strikes out as a work of translator’s imagination. One example of this kind is “(The exalted assembly of the angels) were engaged in a discussion (over the issue of Muhammad being entrusted with the Divine mission).” Such addition appears untenable for following among other reasons.

1. The pronoun هِمۡ (= him meaning the priests contending to be Mary’s guardian) obviously refers to aforesaid pronoun ھُمۡ‌ (= hoom meaning the aforesaid priests).

2. Angels are not competent to discuss God’s decision to entrust the Holy Qor-aan to the Holy Prophet a.w and his mission to introduce Islam to the world.

3. The time-line in the verse started with Mary’s guardianship. She gave birth to Jesus some 20 years later. Jesus died 33 years later. The Holy Prophet, a.w., started receiving the Holy Qor-aan in 711 AD. So يَخۡتَصِمُوۡنَ refers to what priests discussed regarding an issue then presently debated and not of something that happened over 750 years later.