3.44 – You were not with them when they cast their pens

In the middle of the speech of the angels to Mary, this verse takes a break to directly address the messenger in a kind of “aside.” The messenger was “not with them” at the time of the story, which seems to imply that he would not have known this story if Allah had not revealed it to him. Instead, “We inspired you (with) it.” Similar expressions appear at 11.49; 12.102; and 28.44. See the response to these expressions at 28.44.

The detail about those who “cast their pens” is not found in the Gospel accounts but resembles a detail from a Christian apocryphal work known as the Proto-Gospel of James. In addition, the angels’ speech omits a very important affirmation related to the identity of Jesus that Gabriel was careful to announce twice in the Gospel (Luke 1:32, 35). See the discussion of this omission at Q 19.21.