Her mother therefore entrusted her to the worshippers who lived in the Sanctuary, for Mary was the daughter of their imam and prayer-leader, and so they began to dispute over her.

It appears that she placed Mary in their care only after the child had been weaned and had already received the normal nurture given to infants. Once she handed Mary over, they argued among themselves about which of them should become her guardian. At that time their prophet, Zachariah, wished to take charge of her alone, because—according to the two opinions—his wife was either Mary’s sister or her maternal aunt. They contended with him, proposing that lots be cast. Divine decree favored him, and his lot emerged victorious, for a maternal aunt holds the same rank as a mother.

Allah the Exalted said:
“So her Lord placed her under the care of Zachariah” (Q 3:37)—meaning because his lot prevailed.
He also said:
“That is part of the tidings of the unseen which We reveal to you. You were not with them when they cast their pens to see which of them would care for Mary, nor were you with them when they disputed.” (Q 3:44).

They said: each of them threw down his own reed-pen by which he was known. They then carried Mary to a certain spot and told a boy who had not yet reached the age of accountability to draw one pen, and the pen of Zachariah, peace be upon him, was drawn. They asked for a second casting of lots by throwing their pens into the river: whichever pen moved against the current would prevail. They did so, and the pen of Zachariah moved against the flow while their pens floated with the water. They then requested a third casting: whichever pen traveled with the current while the remaining pens reversed their course upstream would win. Again Zachariah prevailed, and so he assumed her guardianship—having the strongest claim to her both by the Sacred Law and by divine decree for several reasons.

Allah the Most High said:
“Whenever Zachariah entered upon her in the sanctuary, he found provision with her. He said, ‘Mary, how has this come to you?’ She replied, ‘It is from Allah; surely Allah provides for whom He wills without measure.’” (Q 3:37).

The commentators relate that Zachariah set aside for her an honored chamber within the mosque which no one but she entered. There she worshipped Allah, and when her turn came she performed the duties of tending the House. She devoted herself to worship night and day until she became proverbial among the Children of Israel for her devotion, and her noble states and praiseworthy qualities became renowned. Indeed, whenever the Prophet of Allah, Zachariah, entered her place of worship he would find with her extraordinary sustenance outside its season—summer fruit in winter and winter fruit in summer. He would ask, “Mary, how has this come to you?” and she would reply, “It is from Allah,” meaning: provision Allah has granted me; indeed, Allah grants provision to whom He wills without reckoning.

At that moment Zachariah yearned for a child from his own loins, even though he was advanced in years. He prayed, “My Lord, grant me from Your presence a righteous offspring; indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication.” (Q 3:38).

Some said that he supplicated, “O You who grant Mary fruit out of season, grant me a child even though it be out of season.” The rest of his story and what later befell him have already been recounted earlier in his narrative.