Allah tells us of His servant Zakariyya, who asked Allah to grant him a son
who would be a Prophet after him. The story has already been given in detail at
the beginning of Surah Maryam and also in Surah `Imran. Here an abbreviated
version is given.
[إِذْ نَادَى
رَبَّهُ]
(when he cried to his Lord) means, in secret, hiding it from his people.
[رَبِّ لاَ تَذَرْنِى
فَرْداً]
(O My Lord! Leave me not single,) means, with no child and no heir to stand
among the people after me.
[وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ
الْوَرِثِينَ]
(though You are the Best of the inheritors.) This is a supplication and form
of praise befitting the topic. Allah says:
[فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ
وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ يَحْيَى وَأَصْلَحْنَا لَهُ زَوْجَهُ]
(So We answered his call, and We bestowed upon him Yahya, and cured his wife
for him.) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Sa`id bin Jubayr said: "She was barren and
never had a child, then she gave birth.''
[إِنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ
يُسَارِعُونَ فِى الْخَيْرَتِ]
(Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds,) means, acts of worship and
acts of obedience towards Allah.
[وَيَدْعُونَنَا
رَغَباً وَرَهَباً]
(and they used to call on Us with hope and fear,) Ath-Thawri said, "Hoping
for that (reward) which is with Us and fearing that (punishment) which is with
Us.''
[وَكَانُواْ لَنَا
خـشِعِينَ]
(and they were Khashi`in before Us.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn
`Abbas that this means, sincerely believing in that which was revealed by Allah.
Mujahid said: "Truly believing.'' Abu Al-`Aliyah said: "Fearing.'' Abu Sinan
said: "Khushu` means the fear which should never leave our hearts.'' It was also
reported from Mujahid that the Khashi`in are those who are humble.'' Al-Hasan,
Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak said, "The Khashi`in are those who humble themselves
before Allah.'' All of these suggestions are close in meaning.
[وَالَّتِى
أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهَا مِن رُّوحِنَا وَجَعَلْنَـهَا وَابْنَهَآ
ءَايَةً لِّلْعَـلَمِينَ ]
(91. And she who guarded her chastity, We breathed into her through Our Ruh,
and We made her and her son a sign for nations.)
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