قَالَ أَلَمْ 712 مریم
كهيعص ﴿۱﴾ ذِكْرُ رَحْمَتِ رَبِّكَ عَبْدَهُ زَكَرِيَّا ﴿۲﴾ إِذْ نَادَى رَبَّهُ نِدَاءً خَفِيًّا ﴿۳﴾
﴾1﴿ Kaaaf-Haa-Yaa-'Ayyyn-Saaad
﴾2﴿ Zikru rahmati Rabbika 'abdahoo Zakariyya
﴾3﴿ Iz naadaa Rabbahoo nidaaa'an khafiyyaa
﴾1﴿ Kaaaf-Haa-Yaa-'Ayyyn-Saaad
﴾2﴿ This is a mention of the mercy of your Lord upon His servant, Zekariah
﴾3﴿ When he called upon his Lord in secret with a humble supplication
And another name for this surah is Kaf Ha Ya 'Ayn Sad (كهيعص).
Relevancy:
This relates to Surah Al-Kahf, as Surah Al-Kahf addresses the doubts of the polytheists by proving the incapability of the righteous. In this surah (Surah Maryam), the remaining doubts are addressed by affirming the servitude of the righteous servants to Allah, the Exalted
Claim of this surah:
The answers to the doubts pertain to the prophets and angels, affirming their servitude, with the basis of this claim found in verses (93 and 58). The affirmation of monotheism (Tawhid) is established through five methods:
1. Affirmation of the servitude of prophets and angels: Establishing that even the highest of creations are servants of Allah.
2. Rejection of various forms of shirk (polytheism):
Shirk in worship: Associating partners with Allah in acts of worship. Shirk in supplication: Calling upon others besides Allah. Shirk in control and authority: Believing others have independent control or authority. Refutation of compulsory intercession (Shafa'ah Qahriyyah)**: The idea that intercession can occur without Allah's permission is invalidated. Rejection of attributing offspring to Allah: Denying the claim that Allah has taken a son or child. Emphasis on Allah's Beautiful Names (Asma'ul Husna): Highlighting Allah’s unique attributes without repetition to affirm His singularity and perfection.
Summary of the surah:
In this surah, there are three sections:
The first section extends up to verse (63). It emphasizes the servitude ('ubudiyyah) of the prophets (anbiya'). Six prophets are mentioned in detail: Zakariya (peace be upon him), Isa (peace be upon him), Maryam (peace be upon her), Ibrahim (peace be upon him), Musa (peace be upon him), Ismail (peace be upon him), and Idris (peace be upon him). The servitude of the prophets is summarized in verse (58). The warning of the Hereafter follows the story of Isa (AS) from verse (37) to verse (40).
The glad tidings of the Hereafter are given in verses (60) to (63).
These are the disjointed letters (حروف مقطعات), and their true meaning is known only to Allah, the Exalted. The profound wisdom behind them lies in demonstrating the miraculous nature of the Qur'an and the inability of humans to replicate it. According to a narration from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him): Kaf (ک) signifies that Allah is sufficient (Kafi). Ha (هـ) signifies that Allah is the guide (Hadi). Ya (ی) signifies that the hand of Allah is dominant over all (Yadullah Ghalib). Ayn (ع) signifies that Allah is all-knowing (Alim) of everything. Sad (ص) signifies that Allah is truthful (Sadiq) in His promises.
This is the response to the doubt concerning Zakariya (Pease be upon him). The doubt raised is that the creation of a son for Zakariya (Pease be upon him) indicates his ability and control, which could imply that he deserves worship. The essence of the answer is as follows:
Zakariya (Pease be upon him) was a servant (abd), and there are clear signs of his servitude:
He was in need of the mercy of his Lord: This is evident as he called upon Allah with humility and made supplications. Signs of aging were apparent on him: His bones had weakened, and his head was covered with gray hair, indicating his frailty. He feared for his lineage: He was concerned about who would inherit after him and was in need of a successor. He was dependent on signs: He sought a sign to assure him of Allah’s promise. His old age overtook him: He had reached a stage of life where human ability is diminished. He was created and limited: When his tongue was temporarily silenced, it showed his dependence on Allah’s will. Thus, Zakariya (AS) could not be divine or worthy of worship. The verse highlights that the story of Zakariya (AS) serves as a reminder and lesson to affirm monotheism (tawhid). It emphasizes his servitude ('ubudiyyah) and reliance on Allah. The reference to "mercy" in the verse points to the acceptance of Zakariya’s supplication as a manifestation of Allah’s mercy. Importantly, it is clarified that Allah is not compelled to grant such mercy; it is out of His own will and kindness.
In this verse, the weakness and supplication of Zakariya (AS) are mentioned, serving as evidence that humility and discretion in supplication are part of proper etiquette in prayer. This is also reflected in Surah Al-A'raf (7:55).