Surah Al Imran ayat 41 Tafsir Quran 3:41

﴿قَالَ رَبِّ اجْعَل لِّي آيَةً ۖ قَالَ آيَتُكَ أَلَّا تُكَلِّمَ النَّاسَ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ إِلَّا رَمْزًا ۗ وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ كَثِيرًا وَسَبِّحْ بِالْعَشِيِّ وَالْإِبْكَارِ﴾
[ آل عمران: 41]

3:41 He said, "My Lord, make for me a sign." He Said, "Your sign is that you will not [be able to] speak to the people for three days except by gesture. And remember your Lord much and exalt [Him with praise] in the evening and the morning."

He said ‘My Lord! Appoint for me a sign’ that is an indication of my wife’s pregnancy. He said ‘Your sign for this is that you shall not speak to men that is you shall refrain from speaking to them but not from remembrance of God save by tokens gestures for three days and nights. And remember your Lord often and glorify perform prayer at evening and dawn’ at the end of the day and at its beginning.

Zakariya added: May I be given, O Allah, my Creator, a sign that would satisfy my reason. He was told What serves to indicate the fact shall be your inability to talk to people for three days. You shall be able to communicate with them only by making signs. Meanwhile praise Allah frequently and glorify Him and extol His glorious attributes in the evening and in the early morning

The Supplication of Zakariyya, and the Good News of Yahya's Birth When Zakariyya saw that Allah provided sustenance for Maryam by giving her the fruits of winter in summer and the fruits of summer in winter, he was eager to have a child of his own.
By then, Zakariyya had become an old man, his bones feeble and his head full of gray hair.
His wife was an old women who was barren.
Yet, he still supplicated to Allah and called Him in secret, رَبِّ هَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنْكَ ( O my Lord! Grant me from Ladunka, ) from You, ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً ( A good offspring ) meaning, a righteous offspring, إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَآءِ ( You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation. ) Allah said, فَنَادَتْهُ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّى فِى الْمِحْرَابِ ( Then the angels called him, while he was standing in prayer in the Mihrab, ) meaning, the angels spoke to him directly while he was secluded, standing in prayer at his place of worship.
Allah told us about the good news that the angels delivered to Zakariyya, أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحْيَـى ( Allah gives you glad tidings of Yahya, ) of a child from your offspring, his name is Yahya.
Qatadah and other scholars said that he was called Yahya ( literally, `he lives' ) because Allah filled his life with faith. Allah said next, مُصَدِّقاً بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ ( believing in the Word from Allah ) Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said, and also Al-Hasan, Qatadah, `Ikrimah, Mujahid, Abu Ash-Sha`tha, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Ad-Dahhak, and several others said that the Ayah, مُصَدِّقاً بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ ( believing in the Word from Allah ) means, "Believing in `Isa, son of Maryam." Abu Al-`Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Qatadah and Sa`id bin Jubayr said that Allah's statement, وَسَيِّدًا ( And Sayyidan ) means, a wise man.
Ibn `Abbas, Ath-Thawri and Ad-Dahhak said that Sayyidan means, "The noble, wise and pious man." Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib said that Sayyid is the scholar and Faqih.
`Atiyah said that Sayyid is the man noble in behavior and piety.
`Ikrimah said that it refers to a person who is not overcome by anger, while Ibn Zayd said that it refers to the noble man.
Mujahid said that Sayyidan means, honored by Allah. Allah's statement, وَحَصُورًا ( And Hasuran ) does not mean he refrains from sexual relations with women, but that he is immune from illegal sexual relations.
This does not mean that he does not marry women and have legal sexual relations with them, for Zakariyya said in his supplication for the benefit of Yahya, هَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنْكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً ( Grant me from You, a good offspring ), meaning, grant me a son who will have offspring, and Allah knows best. Allah's statement, وَنَبِيًّا مِّنَ الصَّـلِحِينَ ( A Prophet, from among the righteous ) delivers more good news of sending Yahya as Prophet after the good news that he will be born.
This good news was even better than the news of Yahya's birth.
In a similar statement, Allah said to the mother of Musa, إِنَّا رَآدُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَـعِلُوهُ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ( Verily, We shall bring him back to you, and shall make him one of the Messengers. ) 28:7 When Zakariyya heard the good news, he started contemplating about having children at his age.
He said, قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لِي غُلَـمٌ وَقَدْ بَلَغَنِي الْكِبَرُ وَامْرَأَتِى عَاقِرٌ قَالَ ( "O my Lord! How can I have a son when I am very old, and my wife is barren" (He ) said...) meaning the angel said, كَذَلِكَ اللَّهُ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَآءُ ( "Thus Allah does what He wills." ) meaning, this is Allah's matter, He is so Mighty that nothing escapes His power, nor is anything beyond His ability. قَالَ رَبِّ اجْعَل لِّى ءَايَةً ( He said: "O my Lord! Make a sign for me" ) meaning make a sign that alerts me that the child will come, قَالَ ءَايَتُكَ أَلاَّ تُكَلِّمَ النَّاسَ ثَلَـثَةَ أَيَّامٍ إِلاَّ رَمْزًا ( (Allah ) said: "Your sign is that you shall not speak to the people for three days except by signals.") meaning, you will not be able to speak except with signals, although you are not mute.
In another Ayah, Allah said, ثَلَـثَ لَيَالٍ سَوِيّاً ( For three nights, though having no bodily defect. ) 19:10 Allah then commanded Zakariyya to supplicate, thank and praise Him often in that condition, وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ كَثِيرًا وَسَبِّحْ بِالْعَشِىِّ وَالإِبْكَـرِ ( And remember your Lord much and glorify (Him ) in the afternoon and in the morning.
) We will elaborate more on this subject in the beginning of Surah Maryam ( chapter 19 ), Allah willing.

(3:41) Zechariah said: 'O my Lord! Appoint a sign for me.' *41 The angel said: 'The sign for you shall be that you shall not speak to men for three days except by gesture. Remember your Lord and extol His glory by night and by day.' *42

He said, "My Lord, make for me meaning

*41).
Here the request is made for some specific sign to be given by means of which Zechariah would come to know in advance when the unusual incident of the birth of a child to a couple, where the male was old and the female both old and barren, would take place.

*42).
The real purpose of this discourse is to disclose to the Christians the error of their belief in Jesus as God and as the son of God.
The subject is introduced by mentioning the birth of John ( peace be on him ), anothermiraculous birth which had taken place only six months before the birth of the Messiah ( peace be on him ) and among his own relatives.
God wants to make the Christians ask themselves why the miraculous birth of Jesus should make him God when the similarly miraculous birth of John did not make him so.

 

The Supplication of Zakariyya, and the Good News of Yahya's Birth When Zakariyya saw that Allah provided sustenance for Maryam by giving her the fruits of winter in summer and the fruits of summer in winter, he was eager to have a child of his own.
By then, Zakariyya had become an old man, his bones feeble and his head full of gray hair.
His wife was an old women who was barren.
Yet, he still supplicated to Allah and called Him in secret, رَبِّ هَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنْكَ ( O my Lord! Grant me from Ladunka, ) from You, ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً ( A good offspring ) meaning, a righteous offspring, إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَآءِ ( You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation. ) Allah said, فَنَادَتْهُ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّى فِى الْمِحْرَابِ ( Then the angels called him, while he was standing in prayer in the Mihrab, ) meaning, the angels spoke to him directly while he was secluded, standing in prayer at his place of worship.
Allah told us about the good news that the angels delivered to Zakariyya, أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحْيَـى ( Allah gives you glad tidings of Yahya, ) of a child from your offspring, his name is Yahya.
Qatadah and other scholars said that he was called Yahya ( literally, `he lives' ) because Allah filled his life with faith. Allah said next, مُصَدِّقاً بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ ( believing in the Word from Allah ) Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said, and also Al-Hasan, Qatadah, `Ikrimah, Mujahid, Abu Ash-Sha`tha, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Ad-Dahhak, and several others said that the Ayah, مُصَدِّقاً بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ ( believing in the Word from Allah ) means, "Believing in `Isa, son of Maryam." Abu Al-`Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Qatadah and Sa`id bin Jubayr said that Allah's statement, وَسَيِّدًا ( And Sayyidan ) means, a wise man.
Ibn `Abbas, Ath-Thawri and Ad-Dahhak said that Sayyidan means, "The noble, wise and pious man." Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib said that Sayyid is the scholar and Faqih.
`Atiyah said that Sayyid is the man noble in behavior and piety.
`Ikrimah said that it refers to a person who is not overcome by anger, while Ibn Zayd said that it refers to the noble man.
Mujahid said that Sayyidan means, honored by Allah. Allah's statement, وَحَصُورًا ( And Hasuran ) does not mean he refrains from sexual relations with women, but that he is immune from illegal sexual relations.
This does not mean that he does not marry women and have legal sexual relations with them, for Zakariyya said in his supplication for the benefit of Yahya, هَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنْكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً ( Grant me from You, a good offspring ), meaning, grant me a son who will have offspring, and Allah knows best. Allah's statement, وَنَبِيًّا مِّنَ الصَّـلِحِينَ ( A Prophet, from among the righteous ) delivers more good news of sending Yahya as Prophet after the good news that he will be born.
This good news was even better than the news of Yahya's birth.
In a similar statement, Allah said to the mother of Musa, إِنَّا رَآدُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَـعِلُوهُ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ( Verily, We shall bring him back to you, and shall make him one of the Messengers. ) 28:7 When Zakariyya heard the good news, he started contemplating about having children at his age.
He said, قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لِي غُلَـمٌ وَقَدْ بَلَغَنِي الْكِبَرُ وَامْرَأَتِى عَاقِرٌ قَالَ ( "O my Lord! How can I have a son when I am very old, and my wife is barren" (He ) said...) meaning the angel said, كَذَلِكَ اللَّهُ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَآءُ ( "Thus Allah does what He wills." ) meaning, this is Allah's matter, He is so Mighty that nothing escapes His power, nor is anything beyond His ability. قَالَ رَبِّ اجْعَل لِّى ءَايَةً ( He said: "O my Lord! Make a sign for me" ) meaning make a sign that alerts me that the child will come, قَالَ ءَايَتُكَ أَلاَّ تُكَلِّمَ النَّاسَ ثَلَـثَةَ أَيَّامٍ إِلاَّ رَمْزًا ( (Allah ) said: "Your sign is that you shall not speak to the people for three days except by signals.") meaning, you will not be able to speak except with signals, although you are not mute.
In another Ayah, Allah said, ثَلَـثَ لَيَالٍ سَوِيّاً ( For three nights, though having no bodily defect. ) 19:10 Allah then commanded Zakariyya to supplicate, thank and praise Him often in that condition, وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ كَثِيرًا وَسَبِّحْ بِالْعَشِىِّ وَالإِبْكَـرِ ( And remember your Lord much and glorify (Him ) in the afternoon and in the morning.
) We will elaborate more on this subject in the beginning of Surah Maryam ( chapter 19 ), Allah willing.

( He ) Zachariah ( said: My Lord ) O my Lord! ( Appoint a token for me ) regarding my wife’s pregnancy. ( (The angel ) said: The token unto thee) about your wife’s pregnancy ( (shall be ) that thou shalt not speak) will not be able to speak ( unto mankind three days ) without being dumb ( except by signs ) by moving your lips, eyebrows, eyes and hands; it is also said: except by writing on the ground. ( Remember your Lord ) with your tongue and heart ( much ) in all circumstances, ( and praise (Him ) in the early hours of night and morning) pray in the morning and at night as you used to do.

He said: "O my Lord! Make a sign for me." Allah said: "Your sign is that you shall not speak to mankind for three days except with signals. And remember your Lord much (by praising Him again and again), and glorify (Him) in the afternoon and in the morning."

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