The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 19
PT. 16 MARYAM CH. 19 Viselje‘QigjzjęsśJL قَالَ رَبِّ اجْعَلْ تِي ايَةً قَالَ يَتُكَ أَلَّا He said, “My Lord appoint. 11 for me a token. ' God said, 'Thy token is that thou shalt not speak to the people for "three full days and nights. '2155 "3:42. تُكَلِمَ النَّاسَ ثَلْثَ لَيَالٍ سَوِيًّا or set up a sign, token or mark by which a person or thing might be known. a means, a sign, token or mark by which a person or thing is known, a message or communication sent from one person to another; a person or individual; a whole company of people; a verse or a chapter of the Quran; a miracle, an evidence or a proof; an example or a warning; a Divine commandment (Lane, Aqrab & Mufradāt), See also 2:130. (sawwa) سوی is derived from سويا brought the glad tidings to Zachariah. In verse 8 Zachariah is mentioned as having been addressed by God; in the present verse, however, he is described as having been addressed by one angel while in 3:40 it is stated that several angels called to him. These three statements seem to be mutually contradictory and the critics of Islam like Wherry have not failed to represent this fact as such. But in reality there is no such contradiction. According to the Quran when a Divine revelation of exceptional importance descends upon a Prophet of God, a number of angels, in accordance with the nature of its importance, are made to accompany it for its safeguarding (35:2) but only one angel representing all of them and on their behalf is entrusted with the duty to convey the Divine revelation to the Prophet. Thus the speaking of one angel means the speaking of all of them and therefore to say that one or many angels spoke to a Prophet makes no difference. Similarly, there is no contradiction in the words "God said" or "the angels said", because angels only speak to a Prophet as God's representatives and as His servants convey to him the which again is derived from (sawiya) which means, it became straight and even and rightly set. (sawwa) means, he made it equal, uniform, even. (55 (sawiyyun) means, equal, symmetrical, smooth and even; straight; whole; in good condition. means, a young man uniform in make or symmetrical, without disease and without fault or defect (Lane & Aqrab). Commentary: Zachariah beseeches God to appoint for him a token or to give him a commandment (the word a also meaning 'a commandment' as given under "Important Words" above) by acting upon which he might give palpable expression to his feeling of extreme gratefulness for the most (token). They say ſi. e. he put unusual favour God has bestowed Divine Message. 2155. Important Words: 1933