Al Imran: (39 - 40) Then the angels called him while he was...

Regarding the verse, there are two issues:

• "Fānādāhu al-Malā'ikatu" (فَنَادَاهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ): Hamzah and Al-Kisā'ī recited it with the masculine form (referring to the angels, malā'ikah).
• Feminine Form: The rest recited it with the feminine form (fānādat-hu), agreeing with the grammatical gender of the word malā'ikah (which is a plural treated as feminine singular in some contexts).
• Reasoning for Masculine/Feminine: Some suggest the masculine form is used because the verb precedes the noun. Others suggest the feminine form is used because the verb refers back to the angels (al-malā'ikah).
• "Al-Miḥrāb" (الْمِحْرَاب): Ibn 'Āmir recited it with imālah (a slight lowering of the 'a' sound), while the rest used the emphatic pronunciation (tafkhīm).
• Ibn Mas'ūd's Recitation: It is reported that Ibn Mas'ūd recited: "Then Gabriel called him" (Fānādāhu Jibrīl).

• The apparent meaning suggests the call came from the angels collectively, which is a greater honor.
• However, if external evidence indicates the caller was only Gabriel (peace be upon him), we accept that and interpret the plural usage metaphorically.
• Metaphorical Usage: This is similar to saying, "So-and-so eats fine foods and wears precious garments," meaning he eats from this category and wears from this category, even though he hasn't eaten all foods or worn all garments.
• Quranic Parallel: Similar usage is found in: {Those whom the people said} (Al Imran: 173), referring to Nu'aym ibn Mas'ūd, where "the people" refers to Abū Sufyān. Al-Mufaḍḍal ibn Salama stated that when the speaker is a chief, it is permissible to refer to him in the plural because his followers are gathered with him. Since Gabriel is the chief of the angels, and he is rarely sent without a company, this usage is sound.

Regarding His Statement: {While he was standing praying in the Miḥrāb}

This indicates that prayer (Ṣalāh) was legislated in their religion. We have already explained the meaning of the Miḥrāb.

Regarding His Statement: {That Allāh gives you good tidings of Yaḥyā}

• We have previously explained tabshīr in the verse: {And give good tidings to those who believe and do righteous deeds} (Al-Baqarah: 25).
• There are two interpretations for {Allāh gives you good tidings of Yaḥyā}:
  1. Allāh had previously informed Zakariyā that there would be a prophet named Yaḥyā among the prophets who would have a noble progeny. Therefore, telling him that this prophet would be his son was good tidings concerning Yaḥyā (peace be upon him).
  2. Allāh gives you good tidings of a son named Yaḥyā.

• Ibn 'Āmir and Hamzah recited "A-nna" (أَنَّ) with a kasra (short 'i') on the hamza.
  • The kasra is used either to imply the preceding statement, "the saying," or because the call itself is a form of speech.
• The rest recited "Anna" (أَنَّ) with a fatḥa (short 'a'). This implies: "The angels called him that Allāh gives you good tidings..."

• Hamzah and Al-Kisā'ī recited "Yubashshiruka" (يُبَشِّرُكَ) with a fatḥa on the yā’, a sukūn on the bā’, and a ḍamma on the shīn.
• The rest recited "Yubashshiruka" (يُبَشِّرُكَ) (standard form).
• It was also read as "Yubashiruka" (يُبَشِّرُكَ). Abū Zayd mentioned three linguistic forms: bashshara yubashshiru bashāran, bashshara yubashshiru tabshīran, and abshara yubashshiru.

• Hamzah and Al-Kisā'ī recited "Yaḥyā" (يَحْيَى) with imālah due to the final yā’. The rest used the emphatic pronunciation (tafkhīm).
• We have already mentioned why he was named Yaḥyā in Sūrat Maryam.

Allāh mentioned three categories of attributes for Yaḥyā (peace be upon him):

Issue 1: Grammatical Status

• Al-Wāḥidī said that {Muṣaddiqan bi-Kalimatin min Allāh} is in the accusative case (naṣb) as a circumstantial adverb (ḥāl), because Yaḥyā is definite, while Muṣaddiqan is indefinite.

Issue 2: The Meaning of "A Word from Allāh" (Kalimatin min Allāh)

• Opinion 1 (Abū 'Ubaydah): It refers to a Book from Allāh. He cited the usage: "So-and-so recited a kalimah," meaning a long poem.
• Opinion 2 (The Majority View): It refers to 'Īsā (Jesus) (peace be upon him).
  • Al-Suddī narrated that the mother of 'Īsā met the mother of Yaḥyā while both were pregnant. The mother of Yaḥyā said, "Do you know I am pregnant?" Mary replied, "I am also pregnant." The wife of Zakariyā said, "What is in my womb prostrates to what is in your womb." This is the meaning of {Confirming a Word from Allāh}.
  • Ibn 'Abbās said Yaḥyā was six months older than 'Īsā, and Yaḥyā was the first to believe and confirm that he was the Word and Spirit of Allāh. Yaḥyā was killed before 'Īsā was raised.

• Why is 'Īsā called a Word (Kalimah)? (Similar to the verse in An-Nisā': 171, {The Messiah, 'Īsā son of Maryam, is the Messenger of Allāh and His Word}).
  1. Creation by the Word: He was created by the Word of Allāh, "Be" (Kun), without a father's mediation. Since his creation was purely by the command "Be," he is named a Word, just as a created thing is named a creation, a potential is named power, and a desired thing is named desire. This is a common linguistic pattern.
  2. Speaking in Infancy: He spoke in infancy and was given the Book at that young age, making him a great speaker and conveyer of knowledge. He is named a Word in this sense, like saying someone is "generosity and acceptance" if he perfectly embodies those qualities.
  3. Conveying Truth: Just as a word conveys meanings and realities, 'Īsā guided people to divine realities and secrets. He is named a Word in this sense, similar to how he is named a Spirit (Rūḥ), because Allāh revived people from misguidance through him, just as a person is revived by the spirit. (Allāh called the Qur'an a Spirit: {And thus We have revealed to you a Spirit of Our command} (Ash-Shūrā: 52)).
  4. Prophecies Fulfilled: News of him was given in the books of previous prophets. When he arrived, it was said, "This is that promised Word." The metaphor here is that when someone prophesies an event, upon its occurrence, he says, "My saying has come, and my speech has arrived." This is supported by verses like: {Thus the Word of your Lord has been confirmed against those who disbelieved, that they are the companions of the Fire} (Ghāfir: 6).
  5. Name of Divine Grace: A person can be named after the Grace or Favor of Allāh. Thus, 'Īsā's proper name was "Word of Allāh" and "Spirit of Allāh."

• The Nature of the Word of Allāh: According to the Sunnī school, the Word of Allāh is an eternal attribute inherent in His Essence. According to the Mu'tazilah, it is sounds created by Allāh in a specific body, conventionally indicating specific meanings. It is self-evident that an eternal attribute or transient accidents cannot be the essence of 'Īsā (PBUH); therefore, interpretation is necessary.

• Interpretations:
  • Ibn 'Abbās: He was forbearing (ḥalīm).
  • Al-Jubbā'ī: He was a master of the believers, a leader in religion, knowledge, forbearance, worship, and piety.
  • Mujāhid: Noble before Allāh.
  • Ibn Al-Musayyab: The jurist, the scholar.
  • 'Ikrimah: One whose anger never overcame him.
• The Judge's View: A Sayyid is one who is advanced and referred to. Since he was a master in religion, he was referred to in religious matters and was a role model, encompassing all the mentioned qualities (knowledge, forbearance, nobility, chastity, asceticism, and piety).

Issue 1: Meaning of Ḥaṣūr

• Linguistically: Ḥaṣr means restraint or confinement. Ḥaṣara means to stop the belly (constipation). Al-Ḥaṣūr is one who conceals secrets. Al-Ḥaṣūr can also mean stingy or tight-fisted.
• Exegetes' Opinions:
  1. Incapable of Women: He was unable to approach women. Some attribute this to physical smallness, others to the inability to ejaculate, and others to a lack of power. In this case, Ḥaṣūr is fa'ūl meaning maf'ūl (passive), like rakūb (ridden) or ḥalūb (milked). This view is rejected because it describes a defect, and mentioning a defect in a context of praise is impermissible, nor would it merit reward or honor.
  2. The Preferred View: He refrained from women not due to inability, but due to chastity and asceticism. Ḥaṣūr is one who frequently restrains his soul, like one who eats frequently (akūl) or drinks frequently (sharūb). Restraint only occurs when the motive and ability are present; otherwise, there would be no need for frequent restraint. Thus, Ḥaṣūr is fa'ūl meaning fā'il (active).

Issue 2: Argument for Asceticism

• Our scholars use this verse to argue that abstaining from marriage is superior, as Allāh praised Yaḥyā for it, indicating this was superior in his Shari'ah. If it was superior there, it must be superior here by textual evidence (naṣṣ) and reason (ma'qūl).
  • Textual Evidence: {Those are the ones whom Allāh has guided; so follow their guidance} (Al-An'ām: 90).
  • Reason: The default is that what was established remains unless abrogated, and abrogation is contrary to the default.

• The quality of Mastery (Siyādah) points to two things:
  1. His ability to manage the welfare of creation regarding religious teaching.
  2. His management of their welfare regarding discipline, enjoining good, and forbidding evil.
• Restraint (Ḥaṣūr) points to complete asceticism.
• When these two qualities are combined, Prophethood follows, as there is nothing higher than them.

• Three Interpretations:
  1. It means he is from the offspring of the righteous.
  2. It is a praise, similar to saying a good man is "one of the righteous."
  3. His righteousness was more complete than that of other prophets. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "No prophet has existed except that he sinned or intended to sin, except for Yaḥyā, for he never sinned nor intended to sin."

• Inquiry: If Prophethood is higher than Righteousness, why mention Righteousness after Prophethood?
• Answer: Did not Solomon (PBUH) say after receiving Prophethood: {And admit me, by Your Mercy, among Your righteous servants} (An-Naml: 19)? The reality is that prophets have a baseline level of righteousness; if it were diminished, prophethood would cease. This baseline is like fulfilling obligations for us. They then differ in the degrees they exceed this baseline; whoever has a greater share is of a higher rank.

Regarding His Statement: {He said, "My Lord, how will I have a boy?"}

• Is it addressed to Allāh or the angels?
  • It cannot be addressed to the angels, as the preceding verse indicated the angels called him, and this speech must be directed to the caller. It is not permissible for a person to say to an angel, "O my Lord."
• Answer: Scholars have two views:
  1. When the angels called him and gave him the good news, Zakariyā was astonished and turned to Allāh to remove that astonishment.
  2. It is addressed to the angels, and Rabbi here refers to the Nurturer/Sustainer (Murabbī), which can be used for a created being, as one might say, "So-and-so nurtures me and treats me well."

• This was not due to doubting Allāh's power.
  • Evidence 1: Everyone knows that creating a child from semen is the usual custom ('ādah). If creation always required semen, or semen always required a creator, it would lead to an infinite regress or the creation of accidents in eternity, which is impossible. Thus, it must terminate in a creation by Allāh without semen, or from semen created by Allāh without a human intermediary.
  • Evidence 2: Zakariyā asked Allāh for it; if it were impossible, he would not have asked.

• Interpretations of his statement {How will I have a boy?}:
  1. Meaning of Annā: It means "From where?" It could also mean: Will the boy be given through the first scenario (restoring youth) or the second (giving a child in old age)? He was asking which scenario would occur. He was told, "It will be so," meaning in this current state (old age). This view is attributed to Al-Ḥasan and Al-Aṣamm.
  2. Overwhelming Joy: When someone who has despaired of something suddenly receives it, they may become overwhelmed with joy and exclaim, "How did this happen? Where did this come from?" Like someone receiving vast wealth asking, "How did you give this, and why did you grant it?" Zakariyā, being astonished by the fulfillment of his request, spoke out of immense joy.
  3. Ambiguity of Means: When the angels gave him the good news of Yaḥyā, he did not know if the child would come through a female or from his own loins. He mentioned this possibility.
  4. Relishing the Answer: When a supplicant intensely desires something and the Master promises it, the supplicant savors the promise and may repeat the question just to hear the sweet answer again. Zakariyā might have repeated the question for this reason.
  5. Forgetfulness: Sufyān ibn 'Uyaynah reported that his supplication for a child occurred sixty years before the good news, so he had forgotten the request. When he heard the news in his old age, he naturally found it astonishing based on custom, not doubting Allāh's power.
  6. Satanic Suggestion: Al-Suddī reported that Satan came to him upon hearing the news and said, "This voice is from Satan, and he is mocking you." Zakariyā became confused and said, {My Lord, how will I have a boy?}, intending to ask Allāh for a sign to prove the speech was divine revelation, not Satanic whispering.
     • Al-Qāḍī's Critique: It is not permissible for the speech of angels to be confused with Satan's whispering during revelation to prophets, as this would invalidate trust in all divine laws. However, while matters of religion are confirmed by miracles, matters concerning worldly affairs or offspring might not have the same level of miraculous confirmation, leaving room for the possibility of Satanic influence, thus prompting him to seek clarification from Allāh.

Regarding His Statement: {And my wife is barren}

• Al-Kibar is the verbal noun for becoming old. Ibn 'Abbās said that when he received the good news, Zakariyā was 120 years old, and his wife was 98 years old.

• The scholars of meaning say that anything you encounter or reach has encountered and reached you. Therefore, saying {And my wife has reached old age} (wa-amra'atī balaghat al-kibar) is permissible, just as it is permissible to say, "I met the wall" (laqītu al-ḥā'iṭ), and "The wall met me" (talaqqānī al-ḥā'iṭ).
• Inquiry: Is "I reached the town" (balaghtu al-balad) permissible in the place of "The town reached me" (balaghatnī al-balad)?
• Answer: No. The difference is that old age is like something actively seeking a person, approaching him as it manifests within him, and a person approaches a town by traveling to it. The town does not actively seek the person in the same way.

Regarding His Statement: {And my wife is barren (ʿāqir)}

• Al-'Āqir is a woman who does not give birth. The root is ʿaqara yaʿquru ʿaqran. The term can also apply to a man who cannot impregnate.
• Zakariyā mentioned his own old age alongside his wife's barrenness to emphasize the extreme improbability of the event.

Regarding His Statement: {He said, "Thus is Allāh; He does what He wills"}

• The word {He said} (Qāla) refers back to a previously mentioned speaker, which is the Lord (Ar-Rabb) mentioned in {My Lord, how will I have a boy?}. We established this could be Allāh or Gabriel.

• {Kadhālika Allāh} (Thus is Allāh): Kadhālika is the subject (mubtada') and Allāh is the predicate (khabar), meaning: "Allāh is characterized by this manner."
• {Yaf'alu mā yashā'} (He does what He wills): This is an explanation (bayān) of the previous statement, meaning He performs extraordinary acts that violate custom.

{He said, "My Lord, grant me a sign." He said, "Your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three days except by signal. And remember your Lord often and glorify Him in the evening and the early morning."}