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Surah Al-Anbiyaa · Meccan

21:90 Al-Anbiyaa (The Prophets)

فَٱسۡتَجَبۡنَا لَهُۥ وَوَهَبۡنَا لَهُۥ يَحۡيَىٰ وَأَصۡلَحۡنَا لَهُۥ زَوۡجَهُۥٓۚ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ يُسَٰرِعُونَ فِي ٱلۡخَيۡرَٰتِ وَيَدۡعُونَنَا رَغَبࣰ ا وَرَهَبࣰ اۖ وَكَانُواْ لَنَا خَٰشِعِينَ

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

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

Mubarakpuri (King Fahd Complex)

So We answered his call, and We bestowed upon him Yahya, and cured his wife for him. Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used to call on Us with hope and fear, and they were Khashi`in before Us

Juz
17
Page
329
Ruku
283

Tafsirs (commentaries)

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Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Hafiz Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Zakariyya and Yahya

Allah tells us of His servant Zakariyya, who asked Allah to grant him a son who would be a Prophet after him. The story has already been given in detail at the beginning of Surah Maryam and also in Surah `Imran. Here an abbreviated version is given.

إِذْ نَادَى رَبَّهُ

(when he cried to his Lord) means, in secret, hiding it from his people.

رَبِّ لاَ تَذَرْنِى فَرْداً

(O My Lord! Leave me not single,) means, with no child and no heir to stand among the people after me.

وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْوَرِثِينَ

(though You are the Best of the inheritors.) This is a supplication and form of praise befitting the topic. Allah says:

فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ يَحْيَى وَأَصْلَحْنَا لَهُ زَوْجَهُ

(So We answered his call, and We bestowed upon him Yahya, and cured his wife for him.) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Sa`id bin Jubayr said: "She was barren and never had a child, then she gave birth."

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ يُسَارِعُونَ فِى الْخَيْرَتِ

(Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds,) means, acts of worship and acts of obedience towards Allah.

وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَباً وَرَهَباً

(and they used to call on Us with hope and fear,) Ath-Thawri said, "Hoping for that (reward) which is with Us and fearing that (punishment) which is with Us."

وَكَانُواْ لَنَا خـشِعِينَ

(and they were Khashi`in before Us.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that this means, sincerely believing in that which was revealed by Allah. Mujahid said: "Truly believing." Abu Al-`Aliyah said: "Fearing." Abu Sinan said: "Khushu` means the fear which should never leave our hearts." It was also reported from Mujahid that the Khashi`in are those who are humble." Al-Hasan, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak said, "The Khashi`in are those who humble themselves before Allah." All of these suggestions are close in meaning.

Source: Ibn Kathir abridged via spa5k/tafsir_api · reference

Sources

Arabic text: Tanzil project (tanzil.net) — Uthmani Hafs edition. Translations: Yusuf Ali and Pickthall (public domain) and Mubarakpuri (King Fahd Quran Printing Complex). For audio recitation sources and data-handling details, see the privacy policy .