21. [al-Anbiyaa, Mecca 73]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَزَكَرِيَّا إِذْ نَادَى رَبَّهُ ...  

21: 89.  And (remember) Zakariya, when he cried to his Lord:

C2745. See 19:2-15, and 3:38-41.

Zakariya was a priest; both he and his wife were devout and punctilious in their duties. They were old, and they had no son. He was troubled in mind, not so much by the vulgar desire to have a son to carry on his line, but because he felt that his people were not unselfishly devout, and there would be no sincere work for Allah unless he could train up someone himself.

He was given a son Yahya (John the Baptist), who added to the devout reputation of the family, for he is called "noble, chaste, and a prophet," (3:39). All three, father, mother, and son, were made worthy of each other, and they repelled evil by their devout emulation in virtue.

... رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْنِي فَرْدًا...

"O my Lord! leave me not without offspring,

...وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْوَارِثِينَ ﴿٨٩﴾

though Thou art the best of inheritors.

C2746. 'It is not that I crave a personal heir to myself: all things go back to Thee, and Thou art the best of inheritors: but I see no one around me sincere enough to carry on my work for Thee; wilt Thou give me one whom I can train?'

فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ يَحْيَى وَأَصْلَحْنَا لَهُ زَوْجَهُ...  

21: 90.  So We listened to him: and We granted him Yahya:

We cured his wife's (barrenness) for him.

C2747. Aslaha: to improve to mend, to reform, to make better. Here, with reference to Zakariya's wife, the signification is twofold:

1.     that her barrenness would be removed, so that she could become a mother; and

2.      her spiritual dignity should be raised in becoming the mother of John the Baptist; and by implication his also, in becoming the father of John.

...إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَبًا وَرَهَبًا...

These three were ever quick in emulation in good works:

they used to call on Us with love and reverence,

...وَكَانُوا لَنَا خَاشِعِينَ ﴿٩٠﴾

and humble themselves before Us.

Asad’s Version:

21:89

AND [thus did We deliver] Zachariah when he cried out unto his Sustainer: "O my Sustainer! Leave me not childless! But [even if Thou grant me no bodily heir, I know that] Thou wilt remain when all else has ceased to be!" 85

(21:90)

Arabic Source and Roman Transliteration Arabic   فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ يَحْيَىٰ وَأَصْلَحْنَا لَهُ زَوْجَهُ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَبًا وَرَهَبًا ۖ وَكَانُوا لَنَا خَاشِعِينَ &#x21E8 Transliteration   Faistajabna lahu wawahabna lahu yahya waaslahna lahu zawjahu innahum kanoo yusariAAoona fee alkhayrati wayadAAoonana raghaban warahaban wakanoo lana khashiAAeena &#x21E8

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning Muhammad Asad   And so We responded unto him, and bestowed upon him the gift of John, having made his wife fit to bear him a child: [and,] verily, these [three] would vie with one another in doing good works, and would call unto Us in yearning and awe; and they were always humble before Us. &#x21E8 M. M. Pickthall   Then We heard his prayer, and bestowed upon him John, and adjusted his wife (to bear a child) for him. Lo! they used to vie one with the other in good deeds, and they cried unto Us in longing and in fear, and were submissive unto Us. &#x21E8 Shakir   So We responded to him and gave him Yahya and made his wife fit for him; surely they used to hasten, one with another In deeds of goodness and to call upon Us, hoping and fearing and they were humble before Us. &#x21E8 Yusuf Ali   So We listened to him: and We granted him Yahya: We cured his wife's (Barrenness) for him. These (three) were ever quick in emulation in good works; they used to call on Us with love and reverence, and humble themselves before Us. &#x21E8 Wahiduddin Khan   So We heard his prayer and bestowed John upon him and made his wife fit to bear him a child. They used to hasten to do good and they called on Us in hope and fear, and they were always humble towards Us. &#x21E8 [Progressive Muslims]   So We responded to him, and We granted him John, and We cured his wife. They used to hasten to do good, and they would call to Us in joy and in fear. And to Us they were reverent.

[[ Asad’s notes –

85 Lit., "Thou art the best of inheritors" - a phrase explained in note 22 on 15:23. The words interpolated by me between brackets correspond to Zamakhshari's and Razi's interpretation of this phrase. For more detailed references to Zachariah, father of John the Baptist, see 3:37

ff. and 19:2 if.

86 Lit., "for We had made his wife fit for him", i.e., after her previous barrenness. ]]