Al-Anbiyā’ (The Prophets): (89 - 90) And Zechariah, when he called...

Know that the Almighty explained the turning of Zechariah (peace be upon him) to his Lord when affliction touched him, due to his solitude. He desired someone to keep him company, strengthen him in his religious and worldly affairs, and be his successor after his death. So, he supplicated to God with a sincere prayer, knowing that God was capable of granting this, even though the situation—due to old age and other factors—had led him and his wife to despair according to custom. Ibn Abbas (may God be pleased with him) said: His age was one hundred, and his wife's age was ninety-nine.

Regarding His saying: {And You are the best of inheritors}, there are two interpretations:

1. He mentioned this as part of his supplication as praise for his Lord, to reveal his knowledge that the ultimate return of all matters is to God Almighty.
2. It is as if he said: "If You do not grant me someone to inherit from me, I do not care, for You are the best inheritor."

As for His saying: {So, We responded to him}, meaning We did what he requested because of his asking. In this is a great honor for him. Therefore, scholars say that the response (Istijābah) is a reward because it involves honoring the supplicant.

As for His saying: {And We granted him Yahya}, this is like an explanation of the response. Concerning the interpretation of {And We set right his wife for him}, there are three opinions:

1. We set her right for childbirth by removing the usual impediment to conception. This is most fitting for the story.
2. We set right her character. She was known for bad temper and sharp speech that used to hurt him, and God made this correction a favor upon him.
3. God Almighty made her righteous in religion. For her righteousness in faith is one of the greatest aids for him in being a caller to God Almighty. It is as if he asked his Lord for aid in both religion and worldly matters through both the child and the spouse. This third opinion seems closer to the apparent meaning, because when one says, "God set so-and-so right," the most apparent meaning relates to religion.

Know that His saying: {And We granted him Yahya, and We set right his wife for him} indicates that the conjunction wāw (and) does not imply sequence, because setting the wife right should precede the gift of the child, yet God mentioned it afterward in the wording.

The Almighty then clarified the truth of what we mentioned by saying: {Indeed, they used to hasten to good deeds}. He intended Zechariah, his son, and his family. He clarified that He gave them what they requested and supported each other because their way was to hasten to good deeds. Hastening to obedience to God Almighty is one of the greatest merits a person can be praised for, as it indicates great eagerness for obedience.

As for His saying: {And they used to call upon Us in hope and fear} (It is also read raghaban wa ruhban), this is like His saying: {Who fears the Hereafter and hopes for the mercy of his Lord}. The meaning is that they combined two things with performing and hastening to good deeds:

1. Fleeing to God due to longing for His reward (raghbah) and fear of His punishment (ruhb).
2. Khushūʿ (reverence/humility), which is the firm fear established in the heart. Thus, the khāshiʿ (one possessing reverence) is the cautious one who is not overly bold in matters for fear of sin.

(The Tenth Story: The Story of Mary, peace be upon her)

{And [mention] the one who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her of Our spirit and made her and her son a sign for the worlds}