Surah is prefixed with a longest set of Quranic initials
- Kaaf.Haa.Yaa.`Ayn.Saad (19:1).
Note: Quranic initials prefixed to the initialed suras are primarily element(s) of God’s oath to affirm crucial or unusual event(s) stated in the Surah including other roles while they are also the factual derived from the Arabic text that Quran is from God as given in the table below:
Note: The occurrence of these five Arabic letters is maintained at certain frequency in the Arabic text of the surah, which is a physical proof that the Quran has come from God not to have any traces of doubt about its revelation as well as to accept it as our guidance to find the straight path for ourselves.
A secret call of Zachariah to his Lord
- There is mention of your Lord’s mercy to His servant Zachariah (19:2), when He had called a secret call to his Lord (19:3). He said, “My Lord, indeed me, has weakened the bone from me and has flared the head white, and I do not be unblessed in Your supplication my Lord (19:4). And indeed, I have feared of the successors after me, and my wife has been barren. So, grant for me a heir from Yours (19:5); he will inherit me and will inherit of a family of Jacob, and make him pleasing my Lord.” (19:6).
Note: Zachariah made a secret call to his Lord for a heir for his family and a family of Jacob when he has been in old age and his wife has been barren and they had no possibility of having a child.
God responded to Zachariah’s secret call
- “O Zachariah, indeed, we give you good news of a boy, his name is John; we do not assign name to it before.” (19:7). He said, “My Lord, how can be a boy for me while my wife has been barren, and indeed, I have reached extremity of the old age?” (19:8). He said, “Thus that said your Lord: it is easy for Me, and certainly, I have created you before and you do not be anything.” (19:9). He said, “My Lord, make for me a sign.” He said, “Your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three nights in a row.” (19:10). So he had come to his people from the sanctuary, then he signaled to them that you shall glorify (God) the morning and the evening (19:11).
Note: God responded to Zachariah’s secret call and gave him a good news of a son named John and gave him a sign that he would not speak to his people for consecutive three nights while he signaled his family to glorify Him day and night.
God granted John to Zachariah
- O John, you shall uphold the scripture with strength. And we had given him the wisdom at childhood (19:12), and affection from us and purity, and he has been righteous (19:13), and being dutiful to his parents, and he was not a disobedient tyrant (19:14). And peace upon him a day he has been born and a day he dies, and a day he will be raised to life (19:15).
Note: God has given wisdom to John at his childhood and has affection and purity from Him making him being dutiful to his parents.
The Gabriel visited Mary to give her a news of a pure son
- And you shall mention Mary in the scripture, when she had withdrawn from her family to an eastern place (19:16). So she had taken a barrier from them, then we sent to her our Spirit that he appeared to her just like a human being (19:17). She said, “Indeed, I seek refuge in the Gracious, from you if you have been God fearing.” (19:18). He said, “I am just a messenger of your Lord that I can bestow to you a pure son.” (19:19). She said, “How can be a son for me, when a man does not touch me, nor do I be unchaste.” (19:20). He said, “Thus that your Lord said, `It is easy for Me, and that we will make him a sign for the people and a mercy from us, and it has been a matter is decreed.’ ” (19:21). So she had born him, then she withdrew with him to a faraway place (19:22).
Note: God made Mary honorable for her chastity and a portent for the people being a mother of Jesus.
Jesus, son of Mary, who spoke when he has been an infant
- Then the birth process had come to her by a trunk of the palm tree. She said, “Oh! I wish I had died before this happened, and I have been forgetful in oblivion.” (19:23). Then he had called to her from her beneath that you do not grieve; your Lord has certainly placed a stream beneath yourself (19:24). And shake with a trunk of the palm tree towards you, it will drop ripe dates for you (19:25). So eat and drink, and cool eye. So if you see anyone from a human being, then say, “Indeed, I have made a vow of silence to the Gracious that I will not speak to any human being today.” (19:26). Then She had come with him to her family carrying him. They said, “O Mary, you have certainly brought an amazing thing (19:27). O sister of Aaron, your father has not been a bad man, nor has your mother been unchaste.” (19:28). Then She had pointed to him. They said, “How can we speak to whoever has been a child in the crib?” (19:29). He said, “Indeed, I am a servant of God. He has given me the scripture and has made me a prophet (19:30). And He has made me a blessed wherever I have been and He has enjoined me with the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata) as long as I have been alive (19:31), and being dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me an unblessed disobedient (19:32). And the peace upon me a day I have been born, and a day I will die, and a day I will be raised to life.” (19:33). That was Jesus, son of Mary, a statement of the truth which they dispute about it (19:34).
Note: Jesus, son of Mary has been blessed to be a servant of God and He made him a prophet who had observed salat prayer and paid zakah as long as he has been alive while there is no dispute about Jesus that he has been a son of Mary confirming from his birth process.
God decrees a matter just to say to it be
- It has not been for God that He should take a son. Glory is His; when He has decreed a matter, then He only says to it, “Be,” so it is (19:35). And indeed, God is my Lord and your Lord; so you shall worship Him. This is a straight path.” (19:36). Then has differed the parties among themselves. So, woe to those who have disbelieved of witnessing a great day (19:37). You shall hear with them and shall see a day they will come to us, but the wrongdoers are in clear error today (19:38). And you shall warn them a day of the Regret, when the matter has been decided, while they are in heedlessness and they do not believe (19:39). Indeed, we will inherit the earth and whoever is on it; and to us they will be returned (19:40).
Note: It is not befitting for God to have a son and when He has decreed any matter He only says to it, “Be,” so it is, and those who have differed in this matter have disbelieved of witnessing a great day of the Regret.
Abraham asked his father not to worship other than the Gracious
- And mention Abraham in the scripture. Indeed, he has been a saint prophet (19:41). When he said to his father, “O my father, why do you worship which does not hear, nor does it see, nor does it benefit in anything about you? (19:42). “O my father, indeed to me, certainly has come to me of the knowledge what does not come to you; so you shall follow me, I will guide you to an even path (19:43). O my father, you do not worship the Satan; indeed, the Satan has been disobedient to the Gracious (19:44). O my father, indeed, I fear that a punishment will touch you from the Gracious, then you would be a friend of the Satan.” (19:45).
Note: Abraham, a saint prophet asked his father not to worship other than God to be punished as a friend of the Satan who has been disobedient to God.
Abraham’s father warned Abraham about stoning him
- He said, “Are you a hater of my gods, O Abraham? Surely, if you do not stop, I will surely stone you. So leave me alone.” (19:46). He said, “Peace upon you. I will ask forgiveness for you to my Lord; indeed, He has been Kind to me (19:47). And I abandon you and what you call other than God and I call my Lord. It may have been that I would not be an unblessed to my Lord in invocation.” (19:48).
Note: Abraham’s father warned Abraham about stoning him but he promised his father to ask forgiveness for him to his Lord, which was a mistake Abraham committed has been mentioned in (60:4) as the believer cannot ask forgiveness to God for the sin of the idolater or the disbeliever.
Abraham has been blessed with Isaac and Jacob
- Then when he abandoned them and what they worship other than God, and we bestowed to him Isaac and Jacob, and we had made each a prophet (19:49). And we had bestowed to them from our mercy and we made for them high with a promise of truth (19:50).
Note: God has blessed Abraham with Isaac and Jacob who were made prophet with high position as well as were bestowed mercy from their Lord.
Moses has been a messenger prophet who spoke to God directly
- And mention Moses in the scripture. Indeed, he has been a chosen one and has been a messenger prophet (19:51). And we had called him from the right side of the Mount and had brought him near for conversation (19:52). And we had bestowed to him from our mercy, his brother Aaron as a prophet (19:53).
Note: God came down to the earth to directly speak to Moses, a messenger prophet while He bestowed mercy on him choosing his brother Aaron as a prophet.
Ismael has been a messenger prophet
- And mention Ismail in the scripture. Indeed, he has been a truthful one to the promise and has been a messenger prophet (19:54). And he has done to enjoin with the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata) to his people, and he has been pleasing one with his Lord (19:55).
Note: Ismail enjoined his people to observe salat prayer and to pay zakah indicates that salah and zakah has been in practice before the revelation of the Quran.
Idris has been a saint prophet
- And mention Idris in the scripture. Indeed, he has been a saint prophet (19:56). And we had raised him to a high position (19:57).
Note: Idris has been a saint prophet who has been grandfather of Noah from historical perspective and has been chosen as a prophet before Noah.
Prophets were humble to their Lord’s revelations
- Those – who are the ones God has bestowed favor upon them of the prophets, from descendants of Adam and from whom we had carried with Noah and of descendants of Abraham and Israel, and from whom we had guided and had chosen. When were recited to them revelations of the Gracious, they had fallen being prostraters, and weeping (19:58).
Note: Adam is not a prophet but Noah is while God has mentioned above 9 prophets by name: John, Jesus, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Ismael and Idris who have been blessed with His revelations being chosen from descendants of Adam, and from those whom have been carried with Noah, and descendants of Abraham, Isaac as well as whom He has guided and has chosen.
The people down the generation abandoned the Salat Prayer
- Then has succeeded after them, the successors have abandoned the salat prayer (al-salata), and have followed the lusts that they will meet evil (19:59), except whoever has repented and has believed, and has done as righteous, then those will enter the Paradise and they will not be wronged in anything (19:60). Gardens of Eden, which the Gracious in the unseen has promised to His servants. Indeed, it has been His promise to come (19:61). They will not hear any vain talk in it except peace, and for them in it there are their provisions day and night (19:62). That is the Paradise which we make inheritance among our servants whoever has been righteous (19:63).
Note: Those who have abandoned salat prayer down the generation will meet evil while those who have repented and believed as well as have done as righteous will inherit Gardens of Eden, which has been promised to them, which is to come.
Angels come down only by permission of their Lord
- And we do not descend except by your Lord’s command. To Him belongs what is before ourselves and what is behind ourselves, and what is between that. And your Lord has not been forgetful (19:64). Lord of the heavens and the earth, and whatever between them; so, you shall worship Him and shall be steadfast in His worship. Do you know any likeness for Him? (19:65).
Note: It is God’s system that the angels and the Spirit (Gabriel) visit to whomever He has chosen among His servants with His command (16:2). Thus, they do not come down except by permission of their Lord who is Lord of the heavens and the earth, and whatever between them while the prophet had to worship God being steadfast in His worship disregarding what was saying the ignorant people around him.
Most people have difficulty to believe in the resurrection
- And the human says, “When have I died that I will surely be brought back to life?” (19:66). Does not the human remember that we have created him before while he was not anything? (19:67). So, by your Lord, we will surely gather them and the devils, then we will surely present them around Hell, kneeling (19:68). Then we will surely drag out from each group which of them was worst rebellion against the Gracious (19:69). Then we are surely best Knower of those – they are most worthy of burning therein (19:70). And not from you except of its passing. It has been an inevitability upon your Lord is a decreed (19:71).
Note: Even those who are concern about the resurrection have difficulty to believe in it while they will be gathered around Hell and then each group will be dragged into it for burning in it.
The God fearing will be saved from Hell while the disbelievers will suffer in it
- Then we will save those who have feared (God), and we will leave the wrongdoers therein, kneeling (19:72). When our clear revelations are recited to them, those who have disbelieved say to those who have believed, “Which of the two groups is better in position and best in meeting?” (19:73). And how many of a generation have we destroyed before themselves – they were better in possession and influence (19:74). Say, “Whoever has been in the astray, then the Gracious surely will extend for him an extension until when they have seen what they are promised either the punishment or the Hour; then they will know whoever he is worst in position and weaker in power.” (19:75). And God increases guidance of those who have accepted guidance, while the enduring righteous deeds are better for reward at your Lord and are better for return (19:76).
Note: The God fearing will be saved from Hell for better reward as He had increased their guidance for accepting His guidance while the wrongdoers will be left therein as they had disbelieved when the clear revelations were recited to them and had gone astray.
God has recorded what the disbelievers say
- Have you then seen the one who has disbelieved in our revelations and said, “I will surely be given wealth and children”? (19:77). Has he looked into the unseen or has he taken a pledge from the Gracious? (19:78). Nay, we will record what he says, and will prolong for him from the increasing punishment (19:79). And we make him inherit what he says, and he will come to us as individual (19:80). And they have taken gods other than God that they may be an honor for them (19:81). Nay, they will deny their worship and will be their opponents (19:82). Do you not see that we have sent the devils upon the disbelievers to incite them an incitement? (19:83). So you do not make haste upon them; of course, we are counting for them a number (19:84). A day we gather the righteous to the Gracious as a delegation (19:85). And we will drive the guilty to Hell as thirsty (19:86). They will have no power of the intercession except whoever has taken a pledge with the Gracious (19:87).
Note: Those who have disbelieved in God’s revelations said that they will be given wealth and children, while God has recorded their statements and will prolong their punishment as they have taken gods other than God and He has sent the devils upon them to incite. A day the Gracious will gather the righteous as delegation and will drive the guilty to Hell, who will have no power of intercession with Him.
It is not befitting for God to have a son
- And they said, “The Gracious has taken a son!” (19:88).Certainly, you have come with a blasphemous thing (19:89). The heavens to be to shatter from it, and the earth to split asunder, and the mountains to crumble in devastation (19:90). That they have invoked for the Gracious a son (19:91). It does not befit for the Gracious that He should take a son (19:92). Everyone whoever in the heavens and the earth is not but a servant of the Gracious (19:93). Certainly, He has enumerated them and has counted them a counting (19:94). All of them being their coming to Him on a day of the Resurrection as individual (19:95).
Note: God has taken a son is a blasphemous statement when uttered as if the heavens are shattering, the earth is splitting asunder and the mountains are crumbing in devastation. He has counted those who have made such statement since everyone in the heavens and the earth is His servant.
The Gracious has made the Quran easy to have His affection
- Indeed, those who have believed and have done the righteous deeds, for them the Gracious will bestow affection (19:96). So we have indeed made it (Quran) easy in your (prophet) tongue that you may give good news to the righteous with it (Quran) and may warn a hostile people with it (Quran) (19:97). And how many of a generation we have destroyed before themselves? Can you perceive anyone from them, or hear any sound for them? (19:98).
Note: The Quran has been made easy for the prophet in his language to give good news to the righteous and to warn a hostile people while God has reminded us that He has destroyed many generations in the past not to reflect upon what had been sent down to them from Him.
In brief, the Surah may be reviewed reflecting that: it is prefixed with a longest set of Quranic initials; a secret call of Zachariah to his Lord who responded his call and granted him a son, John and made him a prophet; an angel visited to Mary to give her a good news of a son, Jesus and made him a prophet, and Jesus spoke even being an infant and no dispute about Jesus that he has been a son of Mary; Abraham asked his father not to worship other than God but his father warned him about stoning him if he would not stop; Abraham was granted Isaac and Jacob, who were made prophet with high position; Moses has been a messenger prophet directly spoke to God; Ismael has been a messenger prophet who enjoined his people to observe salah and pay zakah; Idris has been a saint prophet who has been raised to high position; angels descend only by their Lord’s permission; most people have difficulty to believe in the resurrection; the God fearing will be saved from Hell but the disbelievers will suffer in it; God has recorded what the disbelievers in His revelations said and will drive them to Hell; God has counted those who made a statement that He has taken a son; Quran has been made easy for the prophet in his language to give a good news to the righteous and to warn a hostile people; God has reminded us that He destroyed many generations in the past not to reflect upon His revelations.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (4/16/2021).