Tafsir of Surah Aal Imran - Verse 38

The Supplication of Zakariyya, and the Good News of Yahya's Birth

When Zakariyya saw that Allah provided sustenance for Maryam by giving her the fruits of winter in summer and the fruits of summer in winter, he was eager to have a child of his own. By then, Zakariyya had become an old man, his bones feeble and his head full of gray hair. His wife was an old women who was barren. Yet, he still supplicated to Allah and called Him in secret,

رَبِّ هَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنْكَ

(O my Lord! Grant me from Ladunka,) from You,

ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً

(A good offspring) meaning, a righteous offspring,

إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَآءِ

(You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation.) Allah said,

فَنَادَتْهُ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّى فِى الْمِحْرَابِ

(Then the angels called him, while he was standing in prayer in the Mihrab,) meaning, the angels spoke to him directly while he was secluded, standing in prayer at his place of worship. Allah told us about the good news that the angels delivered to Zakariyya,

أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحْيَـى

(Allah gives you glad tidings of Yahya, ) of a child from your offspring, his name is Yahya. Qatadah and other scholars said that he was called Yahya (literally, `he lives') because Allah filled his life with faith.

Allah said next,

مُصَدِّقاً بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ

(believing in the Word from Allah) Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said, and also Al-Hasan, Qatadah, `Ikrimah, Mujahid, Abu Ash-Sha`tha, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Ad-Dahhak, and several others said that the Ayah,

مُصَدِّقاً بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ

(believing in the Word from Allah) means, "Believing in `Isa, son of Maryam."

Abu Al-`Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Qatadah and Sa`id bin Jubayr said that Allah's statement,

وَسَيِّدًا

(And Sayyidan) means, a wise man. Ibn `Abbas, Ath-Thawri and Ad-Dahhak said that Sayyidan means, "The noble, wise and pious man." Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib said that Sayyid is the scholar and Faqih. `Atiyah said that Sayyid is the man noble in behavior and piety. `Ikrimah said that it refers to a person who is not overcome by anger, while Ibn Zayd said that it refers to the noble man. Mujahid said that Sayyidan means, honored by Allah.

Allah's statement,

وَحَصُورًا

(And Hasuran) does not mean he refrains from sexual relations with women, but that he is immune from illegal sexual relations. This does not mean that he does not marry women and have legal sexual relations with them, for Zakariyya said in his supplication for the benefit of Yahya,

هَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنْكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً

(Grant me from You, a good offspring), meaning, grant me a son who will have offspring, and Allah knows best.

Allah's statement,

وَنَبِيًّا مِّنَ الصَّـلِحِينَ

(A Prophet, from among the righteous) delivers more good news of sending Yahya as Prophet after the good news that he will be born. This good news was even better than the news of Yahya's birth. In a similar statement, Allah said to the mother of Musa,

إِنَّا رَآدُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَـعِلُوهُ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

(Verily, We shall bring him back to you, and shall make him one of the Messengers.) 28:7

When Zakariyya heard the good news, he started contemplating about having children at his age. He said,

قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لِي غُلَـمٌ وَقَدْ بَلَغَنِي الْكِبَرُ وَامْرَأَتِى عَاقِرٌ قَالَ

("O my Lord! How can I have a son when I am very old, and my wife is barren" (He) said...) meaning the angel said,

كَذَلِكَ اللَّهُ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَآءُ

("Thus Allah does what He wills.") meaning, this is Allah's matter, He is so Mighty that nothing escapes His power, nor is anything beyond His ability.

قَالَ رَبِّ اجْعَل لِّى ءَايَةً

(He said: "O my Lord! Make a sign for me") meaning make a sign that alerts me that the child will come,

قَالَ ءَايَتُكَ أَلاَّ تُكَلِّمَ النَّاسَ ثَلَـثَةَ أَيَّامٍ إِلاَّ رَمْزًا

((Allah) said: "Your sign is that you shall not speak to the people for three days except by signals.") meaning, you will not be able to speak except with signals, although you are not mute. In another Ayah, Allah said,

ثَلَـثَ لَيَالٍ سَوِيّاً

(For three nights, though having no bodily defect.) 19:10

Allah then commanded Zakariyya to supplicate, thank and praise Him often in that condition,

وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ كَثِيرًا وَسَبِّحْ بِالْعَشِىِّ وَالإِبْكَـرِ

(And remember your Lord much and glorify (Him) in the afternoon and in the morning. )

We will elaborate more on this subject in the beginning of Surah Maryam (chapter 19), Allah willing.

Commentary

1\. While looking at the first sentence of this verse هُنَالِكَ دَعَا زَكَرِ‌يَّا رَ‌بَّهُ (Thereupon, Zakariyya (علیہ السلام) prayed to his Lord) - we should bear in mind that Sayyidna Zakariyya (علیہ السلام) had no offspring upto that time. He had grown old and one usually does not have children in that age, although he firmly believed that Allah, in His ultimate power, could change the usual phenomenon and bless him with an offspring even at his advanced age. But he had not personally witnessed the unusual divine acts - such as he did when he saw unusual and out-of-season eatables provided for Sayyidah Maryam and that was why he did not have the courage to extend his hand of prayer for an offspring. Now when he saw the miracle with his own eyes, he was persuaded for such prayer under the belief that Allah, who can provide a servant with out-of season fruits, would also bless him with an offspring, even in this late age, and so he prayed.

2\. The second sentence of the verse - 'He said: قَالَ رَ‌بِّ هَبْ لِي مِن لَّدُنكَ ذُرِّ‌يَّةً طَيِّبَةً "O my Lord, grant me from Your own (power) a goodly progeny."' - tells us that making prayers to have children is a blessed practice of the prophets and the righteous.

In another verse Allah Almighty has said: وَلَقَدْ أَرْ‌سَلْنَا رُ‌سُلًا مِّن قَبْلِكَ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ "And We sent messengers before you and provided them with wives and children"- (13:38).It means that children are among the blessings of Allah which were bestowed on the Holy Prophet as well as on other prophets.

Now, should someone try to stop the birth of children, by any means, he will not only rebel against nature but will also deprive him-self of having acted in harmony with the common and agreed practice of prophets (علیہم السلام) The Holy Prophet of Islam ﷺ has given great importance to the question of marriage and children, so much so that he did not allow anyone to avoid married life and children inspite of his capability, and refused to take such a person as a member of his community of followers. He said:

(1) النکاح من سُنتی

(2) فمن رغب عن سنتی فلیس مِنِی

(3) تَزوَجوا الودودَ الولودَ فاِنِی مکاثر بکم الامم

(1) Marriage is my sunnah (way).

(2) So, whoever turns away from my sunnah, he is not from me.

(3) Therefore, marry a woman who is loving and fertile, for I shall compete with other communities on the basis of your numbers.

In another verse, Allah Almighty praises those who pray before Him to have a wife in marriage, have children and have them grow good and righteous. He says:

وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَ‌بَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّ‌يَّاتِنَا قُرَّ‌ةَ أَعْيُنٍ

And those who say: '0 our Lord, bless us with such among our wives and our children as be the delight of our eyes. (25:74)

Hasan al-Basri, (رح) says that the Qur'anic expression - قُرَّ‌ةَ أَعْيُنٍ 'qurrata a` yun' (literally: coolness or luster of the eyes; meaning someone dearly loved and cherished) - here means that the maker of prayer sees his children and wife devoted in obedience to Allah.

It appears in a hadith that Umm Sulaym ؓ requested the Holy Prophet ﷺ to pray for his attendant, Sayyidna Anas ؓ . He made the following prayer for him:

الھم اَکثِر مالہ و ولدہ وبارک لہ فیما اعطیتہ

0 Allah, increase his wealth and his children and make him prosper in what You have bestowed on him.

It was the outcome of this very prayer that Sayyidna Anas ؓ had about a hundred children and was also blessed with an ample measure of wealth.

God blessed Zachariah (Zakariyya) with an offspring in his old age; provided sustenance to Mary in her shrine; created Jesus without a father, and brought into being chaste and upright people who were descendants of Abraham, so that they could be chosen to communicate the message of God to human beings. God did not grant these blessings to His people for no good reason: He found them so deserving that he showered them with His blessings. These were the people who had no material expectations from their children; their happiness rested upon their children’s dedication and devotion to the cause of God. These were the people who wanted their children to be safe from Satan and join the band of believers. They were not given to jealousy and ill-will on seeing goodness in others. It was through their good influence that their children too were in control of their selves and became one with those who truly remembered God: who chose the right way, abandoning the path that leads one astray. Such are the people whom God provides for out of His special mercy, and who have His special blessings showered upon them.