هُنَالِكَ دَعَا زَكَرِيَّا رَبَّهُۥ ۖ قَالَ رَبِّ هَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ ٱلدُّعَآءِ 38
Translations
At that, Zechariah called upon his Lord, saying, "My Lord, grant me from Yourself a good offspring. Indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication."
Transliteration
Hunalika da'a Zakariyyā rabbahu qāla rabbi hab lī min ladunka dhurriyyatan tayyibatan innaka samī'u ad-du'ā'
Tafsir (Explanation)
At that moment (when Zachariah witnessed the miraculous provision for Mary), Zachariah called upon his Lord, supplicating: 'My Lord, grant me from You righteous offspring, indeed You are the Hearer of supplications.' This ayah demonstrates Zachariah's faith and hope despite his advanced age and his wife's infertility. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that Zachariah's dua was answered with the birth of Yahya (John the Baptist), demonstrating Allah's power to grant children even in seemingly impossible circumstances, and highlighting the importance of sincere supplication combined with faith.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Mary's story in Surah Ali 'Imran (3:37), where Zachariah witnessed the miraculous provision of fruit to Mary in her sanctuary. This sight rekindled his hope and prompted his supplication for offspring despite his old age. The context emphasizes divine provision and the power of sincere dua as a means of receiving blessings.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, 'Nothing is more honored by Allah the Most High than supplication' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3371). Additionally, Surah Maryam (19:4-6) provides the fuller account of Zachariah's dua and Allah's response with the glad tidings of Yahya.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that sincere dua backed by faith is a means of receiving Allah's blessings, and that no circumstance is too difficult for Allah to resolve. It reminds us to turn to Allah in supplication for righteous children and good progeny, maintaining hope and trust even when worldly means seem exhausted.
Related Ayahs
الٓمٓ
Alif, Lām, Meem.
إِذْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَـٰعِيسَىٰٓ إِنِّى مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَىَّ وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَجَاعِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوكَ فَوْقَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَىَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ فِيمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ
[Mention] when Allāh said, "O Jesus, indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify [i.e., free] you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you [in submission to Allāh alone] superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that in which you used to differ.
وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ فَيُوَفِّيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
But as for those who believed and did righteous deeds, He will give them in full their rewards, and Allāh does not like the wrongdoers.
كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ ۗ وَلَوْ ءَامَنَ أَهْلُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُم ۚ مِّنْهُمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ
You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allāh. If only the People of the Scripture had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient.