فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ يَحْيَى وَأَصْلَحْنَا لَهُ زَوْجَهُ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَبًا وَرَهَبًا وَكَانُوا لَنَا خَاشِعِينَ ﴿۹۰﴾ وَالَّتِي أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهَا مِنْ رُوحِنَا وَجَعَلْنَاهَا وَابْنَهَا آيَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ ﴿۹۱﴾ إِنَّ هَذِهِ أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَأَنَا رَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُونِ ﴿۹۲﴾

﴾90﴿ Fastajabnaa lahoo wa wahabnaa lahoo Yahyaa Wa aslahnaa lahoo zawjah; innahum kaanoo yusaari'oona fil khairaati wa yad'oonanaa raghabanw wa rahabaa; wa kaanoo lanaa khaashi'een
﴾91﴿ Wallateee ahsanat farjahaa fanafakhnaa feehaa min roohinaa wa ja'alnaahaa wabnahaaa Aayatan lil'aalameen
﴾92﴿ Inna haaziheee ummatukum ummatanw waahidatanw wa Ana Rabbukum fa'budoon

﴾90﴿ So We responded to his prayer and granted him John, and We cured his wife for him. Indeed, they used to hasten in doing good deeds and supplicate Us in hope and fear, and they were humble before Us
﴾91﴿ And [remember] the woman who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her of Our spirit, and We made her and her son a sign for all people
﴾92﴿ Indeed, this religion of yours is one religion, and I am your Lord, so worship Me alone

[90] The method of the acceptance of Zakariyyā’s (peace be upon him) supplication and the birth of Yaḥyā (peace be upon him) is detailed in Surah Āl ‘Imrān and Surah Maryam.
Wa aṣlaḥnā lahu (We reformed for him) means that his wife, who was previously barren, was made fertile by Allah the Exalted.
Innahum kānū—after the detailed individual accounts, this is a general statement that all prophets (peace be upon them) were in constant need of Allah. Three types of their worship are mentioned:
1. Yusāri‘ūna fī’l-khayrāt — They would rush in doing all good. This refers to fulfilling all commands and avoiding all prohibitions. Musāra‘ah (rushing) here implies prioritizing the most important acts (al-ahamm fal-ahamm). Imām Rāzī uses this phrase as evidence for the infallibility (‘iṣmah) of the prophets.
2. Yad‘ūnanā raghaban wa rahaban — Along with their obedience and worship, they would present their needs to Allah, seeking help from Him alone. Raghaban means having hope in Allah’s mercy during supplication, and rahaban means having fear of His wrath. Or it means: they would supplicate to Allah both in times of ease and hardship—indicating that combining hope and fear is essential for valid worship.
3. Wa kānū lanā khāshi‘īn — They were always humble and sincere before Allah, showing that worship and supplication are not accepted without humility and sincerity.
[91] This is also a transmitted proof through Maryam and ‘Īsā (peace be upon them), showing that they were entirely dependent on the will and command of Allah the Exalted—again, a reminder of Tawḥīd.
This incident is mentioned separately from the previous stories because Maryam (peace be upon her) was not a prophet, and although ‘Īsā (peace be upon him) is involved, the uniqueness of the event warranted its distinct mention, while keeping it near the previous accounts due to thematic similarity.
The phrase aḥṣanat farjahā (she guarded her chastity) is a refutation of the false accusations made by the Jews against Maryam (peace be upon her).
Farj literally means the private part, but here it also refers metaphorically to the openings in a garment (as mentioned in some commentaries)—such as the sleeves, collar, and lower hem—emphasizing her modesty and purity. The real intent is to affirm her chastity.
Āyah (sign) is mentioned in the singular, but it refers to a whole category, thus implying multiple signs. Or, it means that both Maryam’s purity and ‘Īsā’s miraculous birth were each, in themselves, great signs.
There’s also an implied construction: ja‘alnāhā āyatan wa ibnahā āyatan lil-‘ālamīn — “We made her and her son a sign for all worlds.” This explanation is supported in the Tafsīr of Al-Qurṭubī.
The phrase lil-‘ālamīn (for all the worlds) indicates that this event was unique and unparalleled in all of creation.
[92] This is an address to all people after the prophets (peace be upon them), meant to encourage monotheism—that is, the religion of monotheism is the religion of all the prophets (peace be upon them), and your religion is also the same religion.
“And I am your Lord” expresses the unity of religion, rejecting the association of partners in Lordship and Divinity.
The word Ummah here means Shari'ah, tradition, and religion.