Tafsir of Al Imran 3:41

"Appoint" (al-ja'l) may be in the sense of "making" (tas-yir), in which case it takes two objects: the first is "a sign" (ayah), and the second is "for me" (li). The precedence [of the prepositional phrase] is what justifies "a sign" being the subject (mubtada') when analyzed grammatically. It may also mean "creation" or "bringing into existence," in which case it takes one object, which is "a sign," and "for me" is then in the position of an accusative state (hal) from "a sign," because if it were to follow it, it would be an adjective for it, and the adjective of an indefinite noun, if it precedes it, is parsed as a state from it, as has been pointed out more than once. It is also permissible for it to be related to what is implied by it, and its precedence is for the sake of importance and to create anticipation for what follows.

(He said, "Your sign is that you shall not speak to the people") i.e., you will not be able to speak to them without any [physical] ailment, which is more appropriate for it being a sign and more consistent with what is in Surah Maryam. Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Jubayr ibn Mu'tam that he said: His tongue was restrained in his mouth until it filled it, preventing him from speaking, and the sign in it was that he was not prevented from remembrance (dhikr) and glorification (tasbih). By both interpretations, the inability to speak is compulsory (idtirari). Abu Muslim said: It is voluntary (ikhtiyari), meaning: Your sign is that you will be commanded not to speak except for remembrance and glorification. It is not hidden that this is far-fetched here.

According to this, and the two aforementioned views, it is possible that the "inability to speak" refers only to its literal meaning, which is the apparent one. It is also possible that it is a metonymy for fasting (sawm), for in that time, when they fasted, they would not speak to anyone. 'Ata' favored this, but it is contrary to the apparent meaning; moreover, accepting it depends on a transmitted authority (tawqif). The "speaking to people" was specifically mentioned to indicate that he was not forbidden from speaking the remembrance of Allah, the Exalted.

(For three days) i.e., consecutive. Some said: The meaning is three days and their nights. It is also said: The speech is based on the omission of a genitive (mudaf), i.e., the nights of three days, because of His saying, the Exalted, in Surah Maryam: "three nights." The truth is that the sign was the inability to speak for six periods, but at one time it was limited to mentioning "three days" thereof, and at another to "three nights," and that which was not mentioned in each was made subordinate to what was mentioned. It is said: The days were mentioned first because the day of every night is before it according to the people's reckoning at that time, and its being after it is specific to the Arabs, as has been indicated. This was challenged by the argument that the sign of the nights is earlier in terms of revelation, as the Surah containing it is Meccan, while the Surah containing the sign of the days is Medinan. On this basis, the first appearance of this sign was at night, and the day is subordinate to the night that precedes it, according to what the Arab calculation entails. Reflect on this, for the discussion requires further refinement.

The restraining of the tongue was made a sign of the conception so that the duration might be dedicated to the remembrance of Allah, the Exalted, and thanking Him, fulfilling the right of the blessing, as if it were said to him: The sign of the attainment of the blessing is that you be restrained from speech except for thanking Him. The best answer to what was asked is what is taken from the question itself, as was said to Abu Tammam: "Why do you say what we do not understand?" He replied, "Why do you not understand what is said?" This is based on the fact that his asking for the sign was for the purpose of receiving the blessing with gratitude. Perhaps his words indicate that through the context; otherwise, there is a hiddenness in that, as is not hidden.

'Abd al-Razzaq and others recorded from Qatadah that the restraint of his tongue, peace be upon him, was a form of punishment, as he requested the sign after the angels had spoken to him with the glad tidings. Perhaps this "offense" was of the category: "The good deeds of the righteous are the evil deeds of those drawn near." Despite this, a favorable assumption inclines toward the first view, and I do not trust the weak-footed on the path of Qatadah.

(Except by gesture [ramzan]) i.e., by signaling. Its origin is movement; it is said: irtamaza means he moved. From this, the sea is called al-ramuz. Al-Tayyibi recorded from Ibn Abbas that Nafi' ibn al-Azraq asked him about al-ramz, and he said: "Signaling with the hand and nodding with the head." He asked, "Do the Arabs know that?" He replied, "Yes, have you not heard the saying of the poet: 'There is nothing in the heaven of the Merciful that does not gesture to Him, and nothing on earth is a refuge'?" Mujahid said that the ramz here was moving the lips. Others said: writing on the ground, or signaling with the index finger, or a faint voice. It is said: Everything that causes a disturbance in understanding is a ramz. This is a disconnected exception (istithna' munqati') based on the premise that ramz is signaling and conveying meaning without speech, and thus it is not of the same category as that from which it is excepted. It is permitted that it be a connected exception, based on the fact that the intent of "speaking" is whatever meaning is intended by it, and there is no doubt that ramz is of that category. It is not hidden that this interpretation is contrary to the apparent meaning; if it were adopted, there would be no disconnected exception in the world at all, since every exception could be interpreted in such a way as to make it connected, and no one argues for that.

Ibn al-Shajari contested the accusative case of the exception here entirely and claimed that "ramzan" is an accusative object (ma'ful bihi) made so by the implied omission of a preposition, the origin being "that you shall not speak to people except by gesture." Thus, the operator before "except" is emptied in this style to act upon what follows it, evidenced by the fact that if you were to delete "except" and the negation particle, the speech would remain sound. You say in a case like "I met none except Zayd": "I met Zayd," and in "None went out except Zayd": "Zayd went out." Likewise, if you said: "Your sign is that you speak to people by gesture," it would be sound. This is not the case with [the standard] exception; if you said: "The people are not in the house except Zayd" or "except Zayd," then deleted the negation and "except," saying: "The people are in the house Zayd [nominative] or Zayd [accusative]," it would not be sound. The same applies to the disconnected [exception], such as: "The people did not go out except a donkey"; if you said: "The people went out a donkey," it would not be sound. This was stated by Al-Safaqsi.

Yahya ibn Wathab read "illa rumzan" with two dammahs, the plural of rumuz, like rasul and rusul. It was also read "wa ramazan" with two fathahs, the plural of ramiz, like khadim and khadam, which is a rare form of plural. According to both readings, it is a state (hal) from both the subject and the object, i.e., "signaling to one another." A similar usage is the saying of 'Antarah: "Whenever you meet two, [the] shudders of your buttocks tremble and take flight." Abu al-Baqa' permitted that rumzan—on the reading of the dammah—be an infinitive (masdar), making the mim originally vowelless, and the dammah incidental for harmony, like yusr and yusr. According to this, its parsing does not differ.

(And remember your Lord) i.e., during the days of [the] restraint, in gratitude for that blessing, as is indicated by the reference to the title of Lordship (Rububiyyah). It is said: It is possible that the command for remembrance is in gratitude for the blessing in general, not specifically for those days, and that it should be during all the days of pregnancy so that its blessings might return to him. The one that comes to mind is the first, and the sentence confirms what preceded it and clarifies the purpose of it. The conjunction was problematized from two aspects: first, the conjunction of the performative (insha') with the declarative (ikhbar); and second, the conjunction of a confirmative with a confirmative. The response is that it is conjoined to an omitted word, i.e., "be grateful and remember." It is also said: It is not far-fetched to make the command [in the form of] a declarative, conjoined to "shall not speak," so it is in the estimation of "that [the] speech [is restricted] and you remember your Lord." It is not hidden what is in that.

(Much) is an adjective for an omitted infinitive or time, i.e., "much remembrance" or "for a long time." (And glorify in the evening) which is from the meridian to sunset; this was said by Mujahid. It is also said: From the afternoon until the passing of the beginning of the night. (And the morning) i.e., its time, which is from dawn until the forenoon. The genitive was implied because ibkar (with a kasrah on the hamzah) is not a time, so the parallel would not be good; this is what was said. This is based on the view that ashi (evening) is the plural of ashiyah, the specific time, to which Abu al-Baqa' went. What the majority went to is that it is also an infinitive (masdar), not a plural. Al-Jawhari's words point to this; so understand. It was read "wa al-abkar" with a fathah on the hamzah, and it is then the plural of bikr, like sahar, in word and meaning, and it is rarely used. It is said: The intent of "glorification" is prayer, evidenced by its being restricted to the time, as in His saying, the Exalted: "So glory be to Allah when you enter the evening and when you enter the morning." It is also said: It is vocal remembrance, just as the intent of "remembrance" is heart-felt remembrance. By both interpretations, there is no redundancy in mentioning glorification along with remembrance. The al in the two times is for generality. It is more far-fetched for one to make it for the specific (ahd), i.e., the evening and morning of those three days. The prepositional phrase is related to what is implied by it and is not of the category of the "contest of operators" (tanazu') as is well-known, though some have permitted it, in which case the command for remembrance is also restricted to these two times. Some claimed that its restriction with "much" indicates that it does not imply repetition, but even if it were conceded that it is restricted only to that, "much" is more specific than repetition.

And from the perspective of the "inner meanings" (batun): In the verses, Zakariyya, peace be upon him, was a man of advanced age, a guide for the people. When he saw what he saw, the jealousy of prophethood moved, so he asked his Lord for a literal child who would take his place in educating and guiding the people. He said: (My Lord, grant me from You a good offspring) i.e., purified from the filth of occupation with other than Him, separate from its [own] desires, sanctified from its lusts. (The angels called to him while he was standing) on the leg of service (praying in the prayer niche/mihrab), which is the place of watchfulness and the struggle against the self, (that Allah gives you glad tidings of Yahya). He was named this because whoever witnesses the Truth in the beauty of His prophethood, his heart lives after the death of intermission (fatra), or because he is enlivened by prophethood and martyrdom. (Confirming a word from Allah), which is what the angel brings down upon the sanctified hearts, (and a master/sayyid), which is he whom the light of the awe of the Truth’s majesty has overcome. Al-Sadiq said: He is the one who is distinct from the creation in attribute, state, and character. Al-Junayd said: He is the one who has been generous with the two realms in seeking his Lord. Ibn 'Ata' said: He is the one realized with the truth of the Truth. Ibn Mansur said: He is the one who is devoid of human attributes and adorned with the qualities of Lordship. Muhammad ibn 'Ali said: He is the one whose states are equal in prohibition and giving, rejection and acceptance. (And a chaste man/hasuran), which is he who is restricted and prevented from all desires and protected by eternal protection. Al-Iskandarani said: He is the one who is purified from the created worlds and what is in them. (And a prophet), i.e., elevated in rank by the descent of revelation upon him, and counted (among the righteous), who are the people of the front rank of the hosts of souls witnessing the Truth in the mirrors of creation. He said, out of magnification of the blessing: (How will I have a boy) when (old age has reached me), which is one of the customary obstacles, (and my wife is barren), which is another preventing factor. (He said, "Thus does Allah do what He wills") according to what wisdom requires. (He said, "My Lord, appoint for me a sign") of the conception, so that I may thank You for this blessing, since thanking the Bestower is an obligation, and by it divine gifts endure. (He said, "Your sign is that you shall not speak to the people") by your tongue being restrained from conversing with them, so that your concern is directed to your Lord, and your outward and inward [self] is occupied with Him, (except by gesture), by which you push away the constriction of the heart when in need. The reality of "gesture" according to the Gnostics is the exposing of the secret and informing of the heart to the heart by the attribute of moving the chain of connection between the speaker and the spoken to. (And remember your Lord much) by purifying the intention from fleeting thoughts and gathering the concerns by the attribute of clarifying the secret in intimate prayer and the astonishment of the soul in witnessing. (And glorify) i.e., declare your Lord free from partnership in existence (in the evening and the morning) by annihilation and subsistence.

If you wish to apply what is in the horizons to what is in the souls, you say: (There Zakariyya called upon) his preparedness (his Lord; he said, "My Lord, grant me from You a good offspring"), which is the pure soul sanctified from deficiencies. (Indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication) from one who is truthful in the request. (The angels called to him), the spiritual powers, (while he was standing), rising to complete the creation, (praying) and supplicating in the niche of beseeching Allah, the Exalted, who overflows upon the receptacles according to their capacities, (that Allah gives you glad tidings of Yahya), which is the living spirit by the spirit of the Truth and the divine attributes. (Confirming a word from Allah), which is what the angels of inspiration bring from before the Absolute Bestower, (and a master), not possessed by the soul's desires, (and a chaste man), i.e., going to extremes in abstaining from worldly pleasures, (and a prophet) by what he receives from the realm of the dominion (Malakut), and counted (among the righteous), of that presence, those who fulfill the rights of the Truth and the creation, due to his being characterized by subsistence after annihilation. (He said) My Lord, (how) i.e., in what way (will I have a boy when old age has reached me) and the weakening of natural powers, (and my wife), which is the animal soul, (is barren), sterile from giving birth to the likes of this boy, for the living does not beget except the living. (He said, "Thus does Allah"), in the strangeness of the matter, (do what He wills) of the wonders that one who is restricted by looking at the familiar and remained a prisoner in the prison of habits considers unlikely. (He said, "My Lord, appoint for me a sign") of that, so that I may thank You, seeking the rain of Your increasing blessings, which have no end. (He said, "Your sign is that you shall not speak to the people"), which are what he finds comfort in from permissible pleasures, (three days), which are the day of annihilation in actions, the day of annihilation in attributes, and the day of annihilation in the essence, (except by gesture), i.e., a small amount that necessity requires. (And remember your Lord), who nurtured you until He brought you to this end, (much), since He bestowed upon you much good. (And glorify), i.e., declare your Lord free from the deficiencies of being restricted by manifestations (in the evening and the morning), i.e., the two times of sobriety and erasure.

Some of those who adhere to the mention of "inner meanings" mentioned in applying what is in the horizons to what is in the souls that the physical powers are the "wife of the house of the spirit," which vowed what was in its power of the tranquil soul, so it gave birth to the feminine "soul." Then Zakariyya "the thought" took charge of it, and Zakariyya entered the niche of the brain, finding with her a provision of intuitive meanings that had been revealed to her by her purity. There, Zakariyya "the thought" called out, through the synthesis of those meanings, and requested a child sanctified from the filth of nature. So Allah, the Exalted, heard his supplication, and the angels of spiritual powers called to him while he was standing in his matter, synthesizing the information, praying to his Lord by bringing down the lights in the niche of the brain: (That Allah gives you glad tidings of Yahya), the "intellect," confirming 'Isa "the heart," which is a word from Allah, due to its sanctification from the world of bodies, (and a master) of all types of powers, (and a chaste man) from having contact with nature, (and a prophet) by reporting of knowledges and truths and teaching morals, and ordered in the rank of the righteous, who are the abstracted ones and those brought near to the presence. (He said, "How will I have") that (when it has reached me) the old age that is the end of the stage, (and my wife), which is the soul's natural disposition, (is barren) of the pure light. So he asked for a sign for that, and it was said to him: The sign of that is the withholding from conversing with the physical powers in attaining their objectives of pleasures (for three days), each day being a complete contract of the stages of life, which is ten years, (except) by hidden signaling. And he was commanded to remember during these days, which, with the first ten, are the years of discernment: forty years.

Finished. It is close to what I mentioned, and perhaps what I mentioned—despite my weakness—is better than it. The door of interpretation is wide, and the inner meanings of the Book of Allah, the Exalted, are uncountable.