3
Yahya bin Ya`mar recited it, (
آز ََْ ََر ََِْر َآَذ
)"He has reminded of your Lord's mercy to Hisservant Zakariyya.''The word
Zakariyya
in the
Ayah
has been recited withelongation and also shortened. Both recitations are well-known. He was a great Prophet from the Prophets of theChildren of Israel. In
Sahih
Al-Bukhari, it is recorded
(
that the Prophet said about Zakariyya
)
that He was acarpenter who used to eat from what he earned with hisown hand through carpentry.Concerning Allah's statement,
َِ ءاَِ َُر ىَدَ ْذِإ
٣
When he called his Lord
(
with
)
a call in secret.He only made his supplication secretly because itis more beloved to Allah.This is similar to what Qatadah said concerning this
Ayah
,
َ ءاَِ َُر ىَدَ ْذِإِ
(When he called out his Lord
(
with
)
a call in secret),"Verily, Allah knows the pious heart and he hearsthe hidden voice.''
ِﻡ َُْْا ََهَو ِإ بَر َلَ ...
He said: "My Lord! Indeed my bones have grownfeeble...''meaning, "I have become weak and feeble instrength.''
...ًَْ ُسْأا َََْاَو ...
and gray hair has
Ashta`al
on my head,means the gray hair has burned into the blackhair. The intent is to inform of weakness and oldage, and its external and internal traces.