Surah Maryam, Ayah 4

Which was revealed in Makkah

Muhammad bin Ishaq recorded a Hadith of Umm Salamah in his Sirah, and Ahmad bin Hanbal recorded from Ibn Mas`ud, the story of the Hijrah (migration) to Ethiopia from Makkah. The narration mentions that Ja`far bin Abi Talib recited the first part of this Surah to An-Najashi and his companions.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

The Story of Zakariyya and His Supplication for a Son The discussion about the separate letters has already preceded at the beginning ofSurat Al-Baqarah.

Concerning Allah's statement,

ذِكْرُ رَحْمَتِ رَبِّكَ

(A reminder of the mercy of your Lord) This means that this is a reminder of Allah's mercy upon His servant Zakariyya. Yahya bin Ya`mar recited it, (ذَكَّرَ رَحْمَةَ رَبكَ عبدَه زكريا) "He has reminded of your Lord's mercy to His servant Zakariyya." The word Zakariyya in the Ayah has been recited with elongation and also shortened. Both recitations are well-known. He was a great Prophet from the Prophets of the Children of Israel. In Sahih Al-Bukhari, it is recorded that the Prophet said about Zakariyya that He was a carpenter who used to eat from what he earned with his own hand through carpentry. Concerning Allah's statement,

إِنِّي وَهَنَ الْعَظْمُ مِنِّي وَاشْتَعَلَ الرَّ‌أْسُ شَيْبًا

"Here I am that bones within me have turned feeble, and the head has flared up grey with old age." - 19:4

Human body becomes weak with the aging of bones, because it is the bones which keep the body firm and upright. When bones lose their strength, the whole body turns weak.

The literal meaning of اشْتَعَالَ is a sudden burst of fire. Here the word is used as a simile for grey hair covering the head like a glow of fire.

Mention of one's needs in supplication is desirable

Here Sayyidna Zakariyya (علیہ السلام) before making his supplication, mentioned about his weakness and old age by referring to his bones. One of the reasons for this was, as pointed out in the translation, that in his peculiar circumstances i.e. his old age and physical weakness, it was not appropriate for him to ask for a child. Another reason given by Imam Qurtubi in his commentary is, that for possible acceptance of supplication it is better to mention one's weakness, destitution and inadequacy. For this reason religious scholars have emphasized that one should recount Allah Ta` ala's blessings and his own exigency before making his supplication.

Zachariah, or Zakariyyah, who was the chief administrator of the Haykal (Solomon’s temple) was married to Mary’s mother’s sister. Maryam was only five years old when her father, Imran, died. After his death, Zachariah was appointed in his place as the leader of the priests. At that time, Mary, in fulfillment of the pledge made by her mother, was placed in the service of the Haykal. As Zachariah was a close relative of hers and also the chief of the Haykal, he was given the responsibility of bringing her up. Zachariah silently prayed to God and the prayer was granted in an astonishing and wonderful manner. This shows what real prayer is. True prayer is a spontaneous expression of the firm belief that all powers vest in God. Man receives every single thing only on His giving it to him, and no one can own a thing if He does not confer it on him. True prayer needs to be directed solely towards the one and only God. That is why true prayer gushes forth when one is alone—when there is nobody present except God and oneself.