سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْۣبِيَآءِ

Surah Al-Anbiyaa (21) — Ayah 90

The Prophets · Meccan · Juz 17 · Page 329

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فَٱسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُۥ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُۥ يَحْيَىٰ وَأَصْلَحْنَا لَهُۥ زَوْجَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ يُسَـٰرِعُونَ فِى ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَبًا وَرَهَبًا ۖ وَكَانُوا۟ لَنَا خَـٰشِعِينَ ﴿90﴾

Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

So We answered his call, and We bestowed upon him Yahyâ (John), and cured his wife (to bear a child) for him. Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used to call on Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before Us.

Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning

فَٱسْتَجَبْنَا fa-is'tajabnā So We responded
لَهُۥ lahu to him
وَوَهَبْنَا wawahabnā and We bestowed
لَهُۥ lahu on him
يَحْيَىٰ yaḥyā Yahya
وَأَصْلَحْنَا wa-aṣlaḥnā and We cured
لَهُۥ lahu for him
زَوْجَهُۥٓ ۚ zawjahu his wife
إِنَّهُمْ innahum Indeed, they
كَانُوا۟ kānū used (to)
يُسَـٰرِعُونَ yusāriʿūna hasten
فِى fī in
ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ l-khayrāti good deeds
وَيَدْعُونَنَا wayadʿūnanā and they supplicate to Us
رَغَبًۭا raghaban (in) hope
وَرَهَبًۭا ۖ warahaban and fear
وَكَانُوا۟ wakānū and they were
لَنَا lanā to Us
خَـٰشِعِينَ khāshiʿīna humbly submissive

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

(Ayah 90) ➊ { فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهٗ وَ وَهَبْنَا لَهٗ يَحْيٰى وَ اَصْلَحْنَا لَهٗ زَوْجَهٗ:} By “rectifying his wife” is meant removing her barrenness and making her capable of bearing children. Here, there is a question that apparently the sequence should be: We accepted his prayer, rectified his wife for him, and granted him Yahya, because the stage of the child comes after the wife is rectified. The answer is that the “waw” (and) is not always for sequence. Here, the mention of granting Yahya (peace be upon him) comes first because the prayer was for a son, so to state the acceptance of the prayer, the granting of Yahya is mentioned first, then the answer is given to the question of how a son was born from such an old and barren wife.

➋ { اِنَّهُمْ كَانُوْا يُسٰرِعُوْنَ فِي الْخَيْرٰتِ :} That is, Zakariya (peace be upon him), his wife, and Yahya (peace be upon him) used to hasten in good deeds and would call upon Us with hope and fear, and were humble only before Us. It can also mean that among all those prophets whose mention has passed before, these three qualities were found in all of them. It is understood that for the acceptance of prayer, these three things are of great importance. It is also understood that these great people did not have the ability to grant healing, remove difficulties, or grant children, rather, they used to hasten in good deeds and would pray to Allah Almighty alone with fear and hope, and Allah Almighty, considering their great status in servitude, would accept their prayer in a miraculous way.

➌ {وَ يَدْعُوْنَنَا رَغَبًا وَّ رَهَبًا :} That is, they used to call upon Us in such a way that on one hand, they had hope for Our reward, and on the other hand, fear of Our punishment, and this is the highest level of servitude, as He said: «{ يَدْعُوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَّ طَمَعًا }» [ السجدۃ : ۱۶ ] “They call upon their Lord in fear and hope.” Some Sufi elders say that worshipping Allah out of desire for Paradise or fear of Hell is bargaining; worship should be only for Allah’s pleasure. This verse refutes them; the noble prophets are at the highest level of closeness to Allah, and regarding them it is said: «{ يَدْعُوْنَنَا رَغَبًا وَّ رَهَبًا }» That is, they used to call upon Us in such a way that on one hand, they had hope for Our reward, and on the other hand, fear of Our punishment, and this is the highest level of servitude. Ignorant Sufis do not know that Paradise will be attained by Allah’s pleasure and Hell is the result of Allah’s wrath. As for bargaining, Allah Himself has made a bargain with His servants, He said: «{ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ اشْتَرٰى مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ اَنْفُسَهُمْ وَ اَمْوَالَهُمْ بِاَنَّ لَهُمُ الْجَنَّةَ }» [ التوبۃ : ۱۱۱ ] “Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties in exchange for Paradise for them.”

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

90. 1 The necessary details of Prophet Zakariya (AS) praying for offspring in old age and Allah granting it to him have already been mentioned in Surah Al-Imran and Surah Ta-Ha. Here too, reference is made to it in these words.

90. 2 That is, she was barren and unable to bear children; We removed this defect of hers and granted her a righteous child.

90. 3 Thus, for the acceptance of supplication, it is necessary to observe those matters which have been specifically mentioned here. For example, supplicating and beseeching Allah with persistence and humility, hastening in good deeds, calling upon the Lord with a mixture of fear and hope, and expressing humility and submissiveness before Him.

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

So We answered his prayer and granted him Yahya, and made his wife fit for bearing a child. Indeed, they used to hasten towards good deeds, and would call upon Us with hope and fear [80], and they were humble before Us.

[80]
Those Who Hope for Paradise and the Sufis:

Some Sufi individuals say that the person who worships Allah in hope of Paradise or out of fear of His punishment is not a true lover, and they have spread this view so much that even the general public could not remain unaffected by it. Thus, a poet says:
“This is not a trade, it is the worship of God;
O unknowing one, even abandon the desire for reward.”
However, Allah describes this quality of the Prophets that they used to call upon Us with hope and fear. Thus, in this verse, there is a complete refutation of such Sufis, for who can be a greater lover of Allah than the Prophets?
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