بِسۡمِ اللهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ
Words are placed in the Quran not randomly out of chance. There is a whole meaning and context to a certain Surah and placement of words that Allah wishes to highlight to the reader. One such example can be found in the story of Zakariya alaihsalam in the Quran.
Words are placed in the Quran not randomly out of chance. There is a whole meaning and context to a certain Surah and placement of words that Allah wishes to highlight to the reader. One such example can be found in the story of Zakariya alaihsalam in the Quran.
Just
reading through these passages one wouldn't come to notice this
subtlety unless we do what Allah tells us to do in Surah 4:82
(Ponder/Reflect/Think Deeply) about the Quran.
Notice the two verses below and how the plea of Zakariya alaihsalam is the same but the words (his old age and his wife being barren) are swapped around.
قَالَ
رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِى غُلَـٰمٌ۬ وَقَدۡ بَلَغَنِىَ ٱلۡڪِبَرُ
وَٱمۡرَأَتِى عَاقِرٌ۬ۖ قَالَ كَذَٲلِكَ ٱللَّهُ يَفۡعَلُ مَا يَشَآءُ
(Please note it's Qala Rabbi and not Rabba as shown above - copying error)
He said: "O my Lord! How can I have a son when I am very old, and my wife is barren?" (Allâh) said: "Thus Allâh does what He wills."
(Surah Ale Imran - 3:40)
قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِى غُلَـٰمٌ۬ وَڪَانَتِ ٱمۡرَأَتِى عَاقِرً۬ا وَقَدۡ بَلَغۡتُ مِنَ ٱلۡڪِبَرِ عِتِيًّ۬ا
(Please note it's Qala Rabbi and not Rabba as shown above - copying error)
He said: My Lord! How can I have a son when my wife is barren and I have reached infirm old age?
(Surah Maryam - 19:8)
He said: My Lord! How can I have a son when my wife is barren and I have reached infirm old age?
(Surah Maryam - 19:8)
A brief recap into the story is essential for us to try to understand why this placement of words by Allah Almighty.
The story of Zakariya alaihsalam is mentioned in the Quran in two places - one in Surah Ale Imran (Surah 3) and the other in Surah Maryam (Surah 19). There is another mention of Zakariya alaihsalam in Surah 21 but not in as much detail as in Surah 3 and 19.
The main theme behind the story of Zakariya alaihsalam is that both him and his wife were very old - way past the age of a normal couple having children. And he longed for a son so that the Prophetic legacy can continue from his forefathers down to his offspring (if he had one). But his wife had remained barren during their life.
Analysing Surah Ale Imran:
The interesting thing is when he made the dua instantenously (sort of) he spoke straight away of his main concerns - looking at himself first. Therefore he said, I'm old first and then his secondary concern was that his wife was barren.
For example if I want to make a dua for myself about having a child. And I see a couple walking down a street with a beautiful baby. And at that moment, I just wished that I was a father too. Then a thought strikes me looking at them (just like Zakariyya alaihsalam made dua after seeing the provision of Maryam salamunalaiha) that "Oh Allah! Please grant me a child!". Then the first thing that will come to my mind is 'am I capable of having a child?'. Thoughts about my income, my economical situation, my circumstances and then secondary to these would be thoughts about my spouse, my family situation etc etc. The idea is that first of all I will think instantaneously about myself.
Hence the mentioning of his concerns of old age first and then his wife being barren in this passage.
Analyzing Surah Maryam:
Analysing Surah Ale Imran:
35. The wife of Imran said, "My
Lord, I have vowed to You what is in my womb, dedicated, so accept from
me; You are the Hearer and Knower."
36. And when she delivered her,
she said, "My Lord, I have delivered a female," and God was well aware
of what she has delivered, "and the male is not like the female, and I
have named her Mary, and have commended her and her descendants to Your
protection, from Satan the outcast."
37. Her Lord accepted her with a
gracious reception, and brought her a beautiful upbringing, and
entrusted her to the care of Zechariah. Whenever Zechariah entered upon
her in the sanctuary, he found her with provision. He said, "O Mary,
where did you get this from?" She said, "It is from God; God provides to
whom He wills without reckoning."
(Comment: When he is given the duty to take care of Maryam salamunalaiha, he sees that she gets provision from her Rabb without measure. Hence he makes a dua to Allah asking him for a son - somewhat alluding to a miracle happening because of his old age and wife being barren.)
38. Thereupon Zechariah prayed to his Lord; he said, "My Lord, bestow on me good offspring from Your presence; You are the Hearer of Prayers."
(Comment: When he is given the duty to take care of Maryam salamunalaiha, he sees that she gets provision from her Rabb without measure. Hence he makes a dua to Allah asking him for a son - somewhat alluding to a miracle happening because of his old age and wife being barren.)
38. Thereupon Zechariah prayed to his Lord; he said, "My Lord, bestow on me good offspring from Your presence; You are the Hearer of Prayers."
(Comment: One of the key words here is هُنَالِكَ
"Thereupon, Zakariyya prayed to his Lord" - From the Arabic Dictionary - hunalika means at that place at that time from the word huna. Some translators have translated it as 'At that time'. So we learn that Zakariya alaihsalam already had this thought of wanting to have a child in his mind. Then upon seeing the power of Allah when he saw the provision miraculously being provided for Maryam salamunalaiha, he made the dua for himself at that time.)
"Thereupon, Zakariyya prayed to his Lord" - From the Arabic Dictionary - hunalika means at that place at that time from the word huna. Some translators have translated it as 'At that time'. So we learn that Zakariya alaihsalam already had this thought of wanting to have a child in his mind. Then upon seeing the power of Allah when he saw the provision miraculously being provided for Maryam salamunalaiha, he made the dua for himself at that time.)
39. Then the angels called out to
him, as he stood praying in the sanctuary: "God gives you good news of
John; confirming a Word from God, and honorable, and moral, and a
prophet; one of the upright."
40. He said, "My Lord, how will I
have a son, when old age has overtaken me, and my wife is barren?" He
said, "Even so, God does whatever He wills."
Surah Ale-Imran (Verses 35-40)
The interesting thing is when he made the dua instantenously (sort of) he spoke straight away of his main concerns - looking at himself first. Therefore he said, I'm old first and then his secondary concern was that his wife was barren.
For example if I want to make a dua for myself about having a child. And I see a couple walking down a street with a beautiful baby. And at that moment, I just wished that I was a father too. Then a thought strikes me looking at them (just like Zakariyya alaihsalam made dua after seeing the provision of Maryam salamunalaiha) that "Oh Allah! Please grant me a child!". Then the first thing that will come to my mind is 'am I capable of having a child?'. Thoughts about my income, my economical situation, my circumstances and then secondary to these would be thoughts about my spouse, my family situation etc etc. The idea is that first of all I will think instantaneously about myself.
Hence the mentioning of his concerns of old age first and then his wife being barren in this passage.
Analyzing Surah Maryam:
2. A mention of the mercy of your Lord towards His servant Zechariah.
3. When he called on his Lord, a call in seclusion.
(Comment: From this verse, we learn that Zakariya alaihsalam is making this dua in seclusion. In seclusion also tells us, he has had more time to think and reflect on his dua. In comparison to Surah 3:38, where he made the dua 'at that time'.)
4. He said, "My Lord, my bones
have become feeble, and my hair is aflame with gray, and never, Lord,
have I been disappointed in my prayer to you.
5. "And I fear for my dependents after me, and my wife is barren. So grant me, from Yourself, an heir.
(Comment: Notice also in the passage in Ale-Imran he doesn't mention his wife being barren. He also pours out his thoughts more to Allah in this passage. Raising concerns about his bones and grey hair.)
6. To inherit me, and inherit from the House of Jacob, and make him, my Lord, pleasing."
7. "O Zechariah, We give you good news of a son, whose name is John, a name We have never given before."
8. He said, "My Lord, how can I have a son, when my wife is barren, and I have become decrepit with old age?"
(Comment: As he has more time to reflect, now he talks about his wife being barren as the primary concern because if she is barren, then there is nothing he can do. So that is now a bigger concern than his old age hence the words coming before his old age. This is the powerful wisdom in the Quran.)
9. He said, "It will be so, your Lord says, 'it is easy for me, and I created you before, when you were nothing.'"
(Comment: Notice here, where the primary concern is his wife being barren, which requires a miracle to be granted from Allah, Allah replies that it is indeed easy for Allah to create a baby in a barren womb because he created man before when he was nothing even without a womb - creation of Adam alaihsalam. In comparison to the reply in Ale-Imran where the angels replied - 'Allah does what he wills')
Surah Maryam (Verses 2-9)
Interestingly, can an old man still have children? Medically and scientifically, yes he can. It is not out of the realms of possibility.
But can a barren woman have children? Well, medically and scientifically she can't. Unless a miracle is bestowed upon her by Allah Almighty.
So the wife being barren is the bigger hindrance to him having a child rather then him being old.
Hence the mentioning of his concerns of his wife being barren first and then his old age in this passage.
Conclusion:
The Quran quite beautifully highlights the human behavior and thought patterns. Men of great wisdom such as the Messengers of Allah have more guidance and wisdom in their speech and thoughts. The changing around of these two concerns is not by random chance and randomly swapped places. Allah is teaching us something even if it is in minute detail such as this. By seeing the words swapped places, we will reflect more on these passages and extract more from the teachings of the Quran.
When we make duas for ourselves instantly, our primary concerns are normally to look within our capacities. When a dua is made in seclusion, with more time to reflect then the bigger concern could be not much to do with ourselves, but secondary factors could play a bigger role in our wishes to be fulfilled.
How does the Quran do this time and time again? How can a man from the desert with no literary skills come up with brilliance of this magnitude?
Surah Maryam (Verses 2-9)
Interestingly, can an old man still have children? Medically and scientifically, yes he can. It is not out of the realms of possibility.
But can a barren woman have children? Well, medically and scientifically she can't. Unless a miracle is bestowed upon her by Allah Almighty.
So the wife being barren is the bigger hindrance to him having a child rather then him being old.
Hence the mentioning of his concerns of his wife being barren first and then his old age in this passage.
Conclusion:
The Quran quite beautifully highlights the human behavior and thought patterns. Men of great wisdom such as the Messengers of Allah have more guidance and wisdom in their speech and thoughts. The changing around of these two concerns is not by random chance and randomly swapped places. Allah is teaching us something even if it is in minute detail such as this. By seeing the words swapped places, we will reflect more on these passages and extract more from the teachings of the Quran.
When we make duas for ourselves instantly, our primary concerns are normally to look within our capacities. When a dua is made in seclusion, with more time to reflect then the bigger concern could be not much to do with ourselves, but secondary factors could play a bigger role in our wishes to be fulfilled.
How does the Quran do this time and time again? How can a man from the desert with no literary skills come up with brilliance of this magnitude?
The Ultimate knowledge lies with Allah the Most High. Hence ending with the words
'Allah knows best'.
All Guidance is from Allah the Most High.
Inspiration
for Quranic literary exploration is from Bro Nouman Ali Khan (may Allah
grant him and his family the best in this dunia and the next)
If
there is anybody (native Arabic speakers probably) who has more
knowledge of these words that have been highlighted, maybe can help us
understand this exquisite choice of words from Allah SubhanawaTaala much
better.
If
Bro Nouman or anyone who knows Bro Nouman, you do read this post by any
chance, let me know if what I've said makes any sense and if you've
highlighted this before in any of your works :)
Anything good from this is from Allah the Most High. Any shortcomings are from the evils of my own self.
May the Peace/Blessings and Mercy of Allah be on all of you.
(I'm not
doing any ijtehaad from the Quran as is haraam(forbidden) for a layman
like me to do. I'm just presenting what strikes me as powerful example
by Allah the Most High and if I have erred then I seek refuge in Allah
and I stand to be corrected.)
