سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 41
قَالَ رَبِّ ٱجْعَل لِّىٓ ءَايَةً ۖ قَالَ ءَايَتُكَ أَلَّا تُكَلِّمَ ٱلنَّاسَ ثَلَـٰثَةَ أَيَّامٍ إِلَّا رَمْزًا ۗ وَٱذْكُر رَّبَّكَ كَثِيرًا وَسَبِّحْ بِٱلْعَشِىِّ وَٱلْإِبْكَـٰرِ ﴿41﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
He said: "O my Lord! Make a sign for me." Allâh said: "Your sign is that you shall not speak to mankind for three days except with signals. And remember your Lord much (by praising Him again and again), and glorify (Him) in the afternoon and in the morning."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَالَ
qāla
He said
رَبِّ
rabbi
My Lord
ٱجْعَل
ij'ʿal
make
لِّىٓ
lī
for me
ءَايَةًۭ ۖ
āyatan
a sign
قَالَ
qāla
He said
ءَايَتُكَ
āyatuka
your sign
أَلَّا
allā
(is) that not
تُكَلِّمَ
tukallima
you will speak
ٱلنَّاسَ
l-nāsa
(to) the people
ثَلَـٰثَةَ
thalāthata
(for) three
أَيَّامٍ
ayyāmin
days
إِلَّا
illā
except
رَمْزًۭا ۗ
ramzan
(with) gestures
وَٱذْكُر
wa-udh'kur
And remember
رَّبَّكَ
rabbaka
your Lord
كَثِيرًۭا
kathīran
much
وَسَبِّحْ
wasabbiḥ
and glorify (Him)
بِٱلْعَشِىِّ
bil-ʿashiyi
in the evening
وَٱلْإِبْكَـٰرِ
wal-ib'kāri
and (in) the morning
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.
41. Zakariya said, "My Lord! Then appoint a sign for me." Allah said, "Your sign is that you will not be able to speak to people for three days except by gestures [43]. And remember your Lord much during those days, and glorify Him morning and evening."
[43]
The Angels’ Conversation with Sayyiduna Zakariyya and the Glad Tidings of a Son:
Thus, Allah Almighty accepted Zakariyya’s (peace be upon him) supplication. Once, while he was standing in the mihrab performing prayer, the angels gave him the glad tidings of a son. Allah Almighty Himself chose the name of this son as Yahya and also described his qualities, which were as follows:
(1) Allah Almighty Himself named him Yahya and informed that no human had ever been given this name before;
(2) He will confirm the Word of Allah, that is, Prophet ‘Isa (peace be upon him);
(3) He will be a leader of Bani Isra’il and will reform the corrupt state of this nation;
(4) He will be hasur, meaning he will have no inclination towards women nor towards sinful acts. And above all,
(5) He will be a prophet and among the pure ones.
Thus, when Zakariyya (peace be upon him) heard from the angels the glad tidings of such a noble and distinguished son, he presented before Allah the very impediments to childbirth which had caused him to lose hope for offspring, with feelings of both joy and astonishment. In response to his question, Allah Almighty said that despite such impediments, Allah has the power and can do as He wills.
Now Zakariyya’s next question was to be shown a sign of the establishment of pregnancy, when this extraordinary event was about to occur. Allah Almighty said that the sign would be that he would not be able to speak to people for three consecutive days; thus, he would communicate through gestures of the hand, eyes, and eyebrows. During those days, his tongue would only be able to move for the remembrance of Allah. Therefore, during those days, engage in Allah’s glorification and remembrance as much as possible, morning and evening.
It should be noted that the most well-known form of divine revelation is that Jibril Amin descends upon the heart of the Prophet and conveys the revelation, or sometimes comes in human form and converses with the Prophet, and this is the type of revelation that is not only for the Prophet but also for the Ummah. But here, instead of a single angel, the word “al-mala’ikah” (the angels) is used, and this is a special type of revelation, and it pertains only to the addressee. That is, the angels converse with the addressee, and it is not necessary for such an addressee to be a prophet, nor is it necessary to convey such revelation to others. Thus, such a conversation was also held by the angels with Maryam (peace be upon her), even though she was not a prophet. What is the nature of such revelation? There is no explicit statement about this type in the Book and Sunnah. In fact, if it is said that human intellect is incapable of understanding it and the tongue is unable to describe it, that would be absolutely correct.
[43]
The Angels’ Conversation with Sayyiduna Zakariyya and the Glad Tidings of a Son:
Thus, Allah Almighty accepted Zakariyya’s (peace be upon him) supplication. Once, while he was standing in the mihrab performing prayer, the angels gave him the glad tidings of a son. Allah Almighty Himself chose the name of this son as Yahya and also described his qualities, which were as follows:
(1) Allah Almighty Himself named him Yahya and informed that no human had ever been given this name before;
(2) He will confirm the Word of Allah, that is, Prophet ‘Isa (peace be upon him);
(3) He will be a leader of Bani Isra’il and will reform the corrupt state of this nation;
(4) He will be hasur, meaning he will have no inclination towards women nor towards sinful acts. And above all,
(5) He will be a prophet and among the pure ones.
Thus, when Zakariyya (peace be upon him) heard from the angels the glad tidings of such a noble and distinguished son, he presented before Allah the very impediments to childbirth which had caused him to lose hope for offspring, with feelings of both joy and astonishment. In response to his question, Allah Almighty said that despite such impediments, Allah has the power and can do as He wills.
Now Zakariyya’s next question was to be shown a sign of the establishment of pregnancy, when this extraordinary event was about to occur. Allah Almighty said that the sign would be that he would not be able to speak to people for three consecutive days; thus, he would communicate through gestures of the hand, eyes, and eyebrows. During those days, his tongue would only be able to move for the remembrance of Allah. Therefore, during those days, engage in Allah’s glorification and remembrance as much as possible, morning and evening.
It should be noted that the most well-known form of divine revelation is that Jibril Amin descends upon the heart of the Prophet and conveys the revelation, or sometimes comes in human form and converses with the Prophet, and this is the type of revelation that is not only for the Prophet but also for the Ummah. But here, instead of a single angel, the word “al-mala’ikah” (the angels) is used, and this is a special type of revelation, and it pertains only to the addressee. That is, the angels converse with the addressee, and it is not necessary for such an addressee to be a prophet, nor is it necessary to convey such revelation to others. Thus, such a conversation was also held by the angels with Maryam (peace be upon her), even though she was not a prophet. What is the nature of such revelation? There is no explicit statement about this type in the Book and Sunnah. In fact, if it is said that human intellect is incapable of understanding it and the tongue is unable to describe it, that would be absolutely correct.
