سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 38
هُنَالِكَ دَعَا زَكَرِيَّا رَبَّهُۥ ۖ قَالَ رَبِّ هَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ ٱلدُّعَآءِ ﴿38﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
At that time Zakariyâ (Zachariya) invoked his Lord, saying: "O my Lord! Grant me from You, a good offspring. You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
هُنَالِكَ
hunālika
There only
دَعَا
daʿā
invoked
زَكَرِيَّا
zakariyyā
Zakariya
رَبَّهُۥ ۖ
rabbahu
his Lord
قَالَ
qāla
he said
رَبِّ
rabbi
My Lord
هَبْ
hab
grant
لِى
lī
[for] me
مِن
min
from
لَّدُنكَ
ladunka
Yourself
ذُرِّيَّةًۭ
dhurriyyatan
offspring
طَيِّبَةً ۖ
ṭayyibatan
pure
إِنَّكَ
innaka
Indeed, You
سَمِيعُ
samīʿu
(are) All-Hearer
ٱلدُّعَآءِ
l-duʿāi
(of) the prayer
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 38){هُنَالِكَ دَعَا زَكَرِيَّا رَبَّهٗ:} Zakariya (peace be upon him) had grown old and was still childless, his wife was barren, and apparently, there was no hope for him to have children. However, seeing how Maryam (peace be upon her) was receiving out-of-season sustenance as a miraculous event, he too felt the desire in his heart that the One who provides out-of-season sustenance can also grant children in a state of despair. Thus, right there and at that moment, he prayed to Allah Almighty for righteous offspring. Some scholars have denied that Maryam (peace be upon her) received out-of-season fruits as a miraculous event and have said that it is an idiom that God-conscious people attribute every blessing (min 'indillah) to Allah Almighty. However, Zakariya’s (peace be upon him) expression of amazement and his prayer upon witnessing this state shows that the sustenance was indeed being received as a miraculous event (as a karamah). Please see the incident of Khubayb (may Allah be pleased with him) in the footnote of the previous verse, and the incident of Zakariya (peace be upon him) at the beginning of Surah Maryam.
