The verse says: “When he called upon his Lord in secret.

The verse says: “When he called upon his Lord in secret.” The Arabic term /nida/ means ‘to call with a loud voice’, and the Qur’anic word /xafiyya/ means ‘in secret’ not in a low voice, since such a call cannot be performed ‘silently’, but it can be done secretly. Perhaps, the invocation of Zachariah, done in secret, was for the reason that his people would not scoff at him by saying why that old man wished Allah for a son.

Some Islamic literature indicates that the best supplication is that which is asked in secret, and the best provision is that which is sufficient. ^2 Surah Maryam – Verses 4 - 5 قَالَ رَبّ‌ِ إِنّـِي وَهَنَ الْعَظْمُ مِنّـِي وَاشْتَعَلَ الرَّأْسُ شَيْباً وَلَمْ أَكُن بِدُعَآئِكَ رَبّ‌ِ شَقِيّاً وَإِنّـِي خِفْتُ الْمَوَالِيَ مِن وَرَآءِي وَكَانَتِ امْرَأَتِي عَاقِراً فَهَبْ لِي مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيّاً 4. “He said: ‘My Lord!

verily my bones are weakened and my head is all aflame with hoariness, and, my Lord! I have never been unblessed in prayer to You.” 5. “And verily I fear my kindred after I am gone, and my wife is barren. So grant me from your presence a successor (a child).” Zachariah invoked Allah saying that his bones, the pillars of his body and its most solid parts, were weakened and his head was all aflame with hoariness.

By this statement, Zachariah might have wanted to say that the harbinger of death had been placed on his head and he had to get ready for death. Here is the verse: “He said: ‘My Lord! verily my bones are weakened and my head is all aflame with hoariness…” Then, immediately after that statement, he adds that he had been accustomed to the acceptance of his supplications by his Lord and that He had never withheld His blessings from him.

Now that he was old and feeble, he was more in need of answers to his prayers, and that he would not be unblessed. The verse continues saying: “…and, my Lord! I have never been unblessed in prayer to You.” After that, he explained his supplication to Allah, as follows: “And verily I fear my kindred after I am gone, and my wife is barren. So grant me from your presence a successor (a child).” Explanations The Arabic word /‘aqir/ is applied for a man or a woman that cannot produce offspring.

The term /’išti‘al/ means: ‘the blaze of a fire when it flames and spreads’. Thus, the holy phrase ‘and my head is all aflame with hoariness’ means that the whiteness of the hair on my head blazed like fire and has spread.

✦ ✦ ✦