A Discussion of the Narrations

1. The Guardianship and Nourishment of Mary (a.s.)

From Abū Jaʿfar (a.s.) who said: “…The prophets drew lots for her, and the lot fell to Zechariah, her sister’s husband, who became her guardian and brought her into the mosque. When she reached the age of menstruation that women reach, and she was the most beautiful of women, she would pray and the prayer niche would shine with her light. Zechariah would enter upon her and find with her winter fruits in summer and summer fruits in winter, so he said: “From where does this come to you?’ She said, ’It is from God’“.(87)

Note: a. The drawing of lots and casting of lots that was done for the guardianship of Mary (a.s.) was among the Abrahamic prophets; meaning a number of non-ulū l-ʿazm prophets who were contemporaries of Zechariah had proposed guardianship of Mary (a.s.), and when they could not reach a definite conclusion, they drew lots.

Some have considered those who drew lots to be religious scholars (aḥbār) and recorded their number as 29.(88)

God would provide Mary (a.s.), who was engaged in worship in her prayer niche, with winter fruits in summer and summer fruits in winter, and this matter astonished Zechariah, who had become her guardian through the drawing of lots.

2. Lady Fāṭima (a.s.) and Heavenly Sustenance

One day ʿAlī (a.s.) said to Fāṭima (a.s.): “O Fāṭima! Do you have anything?” She said: “No, by the One who has made your right great, we have not had anything to offer you for three days.” He said: “Why didn’t you tell me?” She said: “The Messenger of God (s.a.w.) forbade me from asking you for anything, saying: ‘Do not ask your cousin for anything; if he brings you something of his own accord, accept it, but do not ask him.’” He said: Then the Imam (a.s.) went out and met a man from whom he borrowed a dinar. He returned with it in the evening and met al-Miqdād ibn al-Aswad who said to him: “What brings you out at this hour?” He said: “By the One who has made your right great, O Commander of the Faithful, it is hunger!” The narrator said: I asked Abū Jaʿfar (a.s.): “Was the Messenger of God (s.a.w.) alive?” He said: “Yes, the Messenger of God (s.a.w.) was alive.” [The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.)] said: “This is what brought me out, and I have borrowed a dinar, but I will give preference to you with it,” and he gave it to him. He returned to find the Messenger of God (s.a.w.) sitting and Fāṭima praying, with something covered between them. When she finished, she brought forth that thing, and it was a bowl of bread and meat. He said: “O Fāṭima! Where did this come from?” She said: “It is from God. Indeed God provides for whoever He wishes without reckoning.” The Messenger of God (s.a.w.) said: “Shall I tell you of something similar to you and her?” He said: “Yes.” He said: “Like Zechariah when he entered upon Mary in the prayer niche and found provisions with her. He said: ‘O Mary! From where does this come to you?’ She said: ‘It is from God. Indeed God provides for whoever He wishes without reckoning.’” They ate from it for a month, and it is the bowl from which al-Qāʾim (a.s.) will eat, and it is with us.(89)

One day ʿAlī (a.s.) asked Lady Fāṭima: “Is there anything in the house?” Fāṭima (a.s.) replied: “We have had nothing for three days.” Then Imam ʿAlī (a.s.) left the house and borrowed a dinar. On his way, he met al-Miqdād who was hungry, so he gave the dinar to him in preference over himself. When he returned home, the Prophet (s.a.w.) was there, and Zahra (a.s.) was praying, with something covered between them. After her prayer, Lady Zahra (a.s.) brought forth that thing, which was a large bowl full of bread and meat. The Commander of the Faithful asked: “Where is this food from?” Lady Zahra (a.s.) answered: “It is from God. Indeed, God provides for whoever He wishes without reckoning.” Then the Prophet (s.a.w.) related to them a similar story about Lady Mary (a.s.).

Shaykh al-Ṭūsī has narrated this tradition in his book Majālis from Ḥudhayfa ibn al-Yamān as part of the story of the “Khaybarī velvet,” which the Prophet (s.a.w.) had obtained from Khaybar along with Jaʿfar ibn Abī Ṭālib and gave to ʿAlī (a.s.). The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) sold it in the Medina market for a thousand mithqāls of gold and distributed all of it among the poor of the Emigrants (muhājirūn) and Helpers (anṣār). The next day, the Messenger of God (s.a.w.) invited himself and some of his companions who were with him to Ali’s (a.s.) house and said to ʿAlī (a.s.): “Yesterday you received a thousand mithqāls of gold. Today, host me and these companions of mine.” The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.), without saying anything, hosted the Messenger of God (s.a.w.) and his companions, saying out of modesty and nobility: “Yes, O Messenger of God! With pleasure and comfort, enter O Prophet of God, you and those with you.”

Ḥudhayfa ibn al-Yamān says: “We were five people: myself, ʿAmmār, Salmān, Abū Dharr, and al-Miqdād, who went with the Prophet (s.a.w.) to Ali’s (a.s.) house.”

The story of the “bowl” (jafna) (a large bowl of heavenly bread and meat) is shared among the traditions of this event with slight variations: ʿAlī (a.s.) entered upon Fāṭima (a.s.) seeking some provisions from her and found in the middle of the house a bowl of porridge (tharīd) steaming with abundant meat on it, its fragrance like musk. ʿAlī (a.s.) carried it and placed it before the Prophet (s.a.w.) and those present with him. We ate from it until we were full, yet nothing decreased from it, neither little nor much. The Prophet (s.a.w.) stood and went to Fāṭima (a.s.) and said: “O Fāṭima, where did this food come from?” She responded, and we heard their conversation, saying: “It is from God. Indeed, God provides for whoever He wishes without reckoning.” The Prophet (s.a.w.) came out to us with tears in his eyes saying: “Praise be to God who did not cause me to die until I saw for my daughter what Zechariah (a.s.) saw for Mary. When he would enter her prayer chamber, he would find provisions with her and say: “O Mary, from where does this come to you?” She would say: “It is from God. Indeed, God provides for whoever He wishes without reckoning.”“(90)

Such traditions can also be found in Sunni exegetical works like the exegesis of al-Bayḍāwī.(91) Al-Zamakhsharī has also narrated a tradition with the same content with great reverence.(92)

One of the central elements of these traditions is the status of self-sacrifice (īthār) of the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.), the sweet fruit of which manifested in this way.

Just as Mary’s special sustenance did not reach others, it is possible that the heavenly food of the household of infallibility and purity (a.s.) was also not for general consumption. If some traditions state that they ate from it for a month,(93) this refers to the spiritual uniqueness of that tangible and perceptible sustenance. Evidence of this sustenance’s special nature is that it still exists and the blessed presence of the Master of the Age (a.s.) benefits from it.