Tafsir of Maryam 19:11

"Then he came out to his people from the mihrab." (i.e., from the place of prayer, as narrated from Ibn Zayd, or from the chamber, as has been said. The origin of the mihrab, as al-Tabarsi stated, is the seat of the noblemen where one fights in its defense for the sake of his family. The place of worship is called a mihrab because the worshiper is like one who fights against Satan within it. Applying the term mihrab to what is known today in mosques is for this reason, and it is a later innovation that did not exist during the time of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti composed a small treatise on this, which he titled I‘lam al-Arib bi-Huduth Bid‘at al-Maharib (Informing the Intelligent about the Emergence of the Innovation of Mihrabs).

It is narrated that his people were behind the mihrab, waiting for the door to be opened for them so they could enter and pray. While they were in this state, he came out to them with his complexion altered, so they were uneasy regarding him and said: "What is the matter with you?"

"And he signaled to them" (i.e., he gestured and made a sign to them, as is narrated from Qatadah, Ibn Munabbih, al-Kalbi, and al-Qurtubi, and it is one of the two narrations from Mujahid, to which the Almighty's saying, "except by gesture," bears witness). It is narrated from Ibn Abbas that he wrote for them on the ground: "That you glorify [Allah] morning and evening," which is the other narration from Mujahid, though with the wording "on the dust" instead of "on the ground." Ikrimah said: He wrote it on a piece of paper, and the application of the term "revelation" (wahy) to writing is found in the speech of the Arabs. Among these is the saying of Antarah: Like the script of scrolls from the era of Chosroes, which were presented to a stammering foreigner; and the saying of Dhu al-Rummah: Except for the four dark ones which are like the remnants of a script upon the depths of scrolls.

"That" (an) is either explanatory or a particle preceding an infinitive, in which case the preposition ba is implied before it. The intention by "glorification" is prayer, figuratively by way of the relationship of inclusion; this is what is narrated from Ibn Abbas, Qatadah, and a group. "Morning and evening" are adverbials of time for it. The intention by this, as Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Abu al-Aliyah, is the dawn prayer and the afternoon prayer. Some said that "glorification" is upon its literal meaning, which is declaration of transcendence, meaning: declare your Lord transcendent at both ends of the day. Perhaps he, peace be upon him, was commanded to glorify [Allah] in gratitude and to command his people [to do the same].

The author of al-Tahrir wa al-Tahbir said: "I hold a subtle meaning regarding this, which is that he singled out glorification for mention because it is the common practice that whoever sees a wonder, or sees in it a marvelous creation or strange wisdom, says: 'Subhan Allah' (Glorified is Allah), 'Glorified is the Creator, Majestic is His Majesty.' So, when he saw the occurrence of the child from an elderly, barren man, he wondered at that, so he glorified and commanded them to glorify."

His commanding them to glorify is a sign of the occurrence of a marvelous matter. It is also said that he, peace be upon him, had informed his people of what he had been given glad tidings of before the sign was set. When speech became impossible for him, he signaled to them of the occurrence of what he had been given glad tidings of—a marvelous matter—so they rejoiced at that.

Talha recited "That you glorify Him" (an sabbihu-hu), with the pronoun returning to Allah the Almighty. Ibn Ghazwan narrated from Talha "That you glorify" (an sabbih-na), with an emphatic nun.