قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى وَهَنَ ٱلْعَظْمُ مِنِّى وَٱشْتَعَلَ ٱلرَّأْسُ شَيْبًا وَلَمْ أَكُنۢ بِدُعَآئِكَ رَبِّ شَقِيًّا 4
Translations
He said, "My Lord, indeed my bones have weakened, and my head has filled with white, and never have I been in my supplication to You, my Lord, unhappy [i.e., disappointed].
Transliteration
Qala rabbi inni wahana al-'azmu minni washtaa'ala al-ra'su shayban walam akun bidu'a'ika rabbi shaqiyya
Tafsir (Explanation)
Zachariah (peace be upon him) addresses Allah expressing his physical weakness due to old age—his bones have become frail and his hair has turned white—yet he affirms that he has never been disappointed or forsaken in his supplications to Allah. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this demonstrates Zachariah's unwavering faith and trust in Allah's mercy despite his advanced age, setting the stage for his request for a righteous heir. The ayah emphasizes the contrast between human physical limitations and the unlimited power of Allah to grant supplications.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within Surah Maryam's narrative about Zachariah's prayer for offspring. The context reflects Zachariah's desperation as he advanced in age without children, leading him to privately supplicate to Allah (19:3). This ayah is part of his direct address to Allah, expressing his condition while maintaining complete trust in divine response—a prelude to the miraculous birth of Yahya (John the Baptist).
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The supplication of a person continues to be granted as long as he does not supplicate for something sinful or for severing of kinship, and he does not become impatient.' (Sahih Muslim 2735). This hadith relates to Zachariah's statement that he was never disappointed by his supplications to Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that physical weakness and age should never diminish our faith or hope in Allah's response to sincere supplication; rather, acknowledging our limitations deepens our reliance on Allah's infinite power and mercy. For believers today, it exemplifies that consistent, heartfelt dua combined with trust in Allah transcends human circumstances and opens doors to divine miracles.