He said, “My Lord, my bones have grown feeble, and gray hair has spread across my head,[2] yet never have I been disappointed in my prayer to You, my Lord.
[2] Lit., "ignited." The spread of white hair across the head is likened to igniting of fire in the bush.
Zachariah said, “My Lord, give me a sign.” He said, “Your sign is that you will not be able to speak to people for three nights,[4] despite being sound.”
He said, “Thus it will be; your Lord says, ‘It is easy for Me; We make him a sign for people and a mercy from Us. This matter has already been decreed.’”
Eat and drink, and be glad. And if you see any human being, say, ‘I have vowed silence[7] to the Most Compassionate, so I will not talk to any human being today.’”
[7] Sawm: literally means to abstain or fast from food, speech, etc.
I will distance myself from you and from all that you supplicate besides Allah, and I will supplicate my Lord; perhaps my supplication to my Lord will not go unanswered.”
And mention in the Book [the story of] Moses. He was indeed a chosen one and was a messenger and a prophet[13].
[13] A messenger (rasūl) is one who was sent by Allah to reform society with a new law, such as Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, etc. A prophet (nabī) is one who is charged by Allah to reform society following the law of the messenger before him, such as Jacob, Isaac, Solomon, etc. Prophets are more numerous than messengers.
These are the prophets whom Allah has favored from among the descendants of Adam, and from those whom We carried with Noah [in the Ark], and from the descendants of Abraham and Israel [i.e., Jacob], and from those whom We guided and chose. Whenever the verses of the Most Compassionate were recited to them, they fell down in prostration, weeping.
They will not hear therein any idle talk, except greetings of peace, and they will have their provision morning and evening[17].
[17] Whenever they wish in a successive manner, not that there will be days and nights, rather they will know the elapse of time through lights and illuminations.
[Gabriel said][18], “We do not descend except with the command of your Lord. To Him belongs all that is before us, all that is behind us, and all that is in between. Your Lord is never forgetful.
[18] In reply to the Prophet’s wish that Gabriel would visit him more frequently.
There is none among you except that he will pass over it[20]; a decree from your Lord that must be fulfilled.
[20] Referring to the bridge of As-Sirāt, which is placed over Hell. Everyone will pass on it. The believers will cross it easily, each according to their faith, whereas the disbelievers and the hypocrites will fall into the Fire from the bridge.
When Our verses are recited to them in all their clarity, the disbelievers say to the believers, “Which of the two parties is better in terms of dwellings and superior in social gatherings?”[21]
Say, “Whoever is following misguidance, the Most Compassionate will give him respite, until they see what they were warned of – be it the punishment [in this world] or the Hour – only then will they realize who is in a worse abode and who has a smaller following.”
Have you seen the one[22] who rejects Our verses and says, “I will surely be given wealth and children [if I am resurrected]?”
[22] Al-‘Ās ibn Wāi’l, a staunch enemy of Islam in Makkah, not only disbelieved in resurrection; rather, he expected that he would be given wealth and children if resurrected.
We will inherit what he boasts of[23], and he will come to Us all alone.
[23] He is falsely aspiring for wealth and children in the Hereafter, not only Allah will not give him anything in the Hereafter; rather, He will seize what he owned in the worldly life at the time of his death.
