Al-Qur'an Surah Maryam Verse 10

Mufti Taqi Usmani

He said, “My Lord, make for me a sign.” He said, “Your sign is that you will not (be able to) speak to the people for three (consecutive) nights, even though you will be sound in health.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Zachariah said, “My Lord! Grant me a sign.” He responded, “Your sign is that you will not ˹be able to˺ speak to people for three nights, despite being healthy.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

Zachariah said, “My Lord, give me a sign.” He said, “Your sign is that you will not be able to speak to people for three nights, despite being sound.”

A. J. Arberry

He said, 'Lord, appoint to me some sign.' Said He, 'Thy sign is that thou shall not speak to men, though being without fault, three nights.'

Abdul Haleem

He said, ‘Give me a sign, Lord.’ He said, ‘Your sign is that you will not [be able to] speak to anyone for three full [days and] nights.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

He said: my Lord appoint for me a sign. Allah said: thy sign is that thou shalt not speak unto mankind for three nights, while sound.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

(Zakariya) said; "O my Lord! give me a Sign." "Thy Sign," was the answer, "Shall be that thou shalt speak to no man for three nights, although thou art not dumb."

Abul Ala Maududi

Zechariah said: "Lord, grant me a Sign." Said He: "Your Sign is that you shall not be able to speak to people for three nights, though you will be otherwise sound."

Ahmed Ali

He said: "O Lord, give me a token." "Though sound," He answered, "you will not talk to any one for three nights running."

Ahmed Raza Khan

He said, “My Lord, give me a sign”; He said, “Your token is that you will not speak to people for three nights, although in proper health.”

Ali Quli Qarai

He said, ‘My Lord! Appoint a sign for me.’ He said, ‘Your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three complete nights.’

Ali Ünal

(Zachariah) prayed: "My Lord, appoint a sign for me." "Your sign," He said, "is that you will not be able to speak to people for three nights."

Amatul Rahman Omar

He (- Zachariah) said, `My Lord! appoint for me a commandment.´ (The Lord) said, `The commandment for you is that you shall not speak to people for three successive (days and) nights, being in sound health.

English Literal

He said: "My Lord, make/put for me a sign/evidence." He said: "Your sign/evidence (is) that you do not converse/talk (to) the people three nights straight ."

Faridul Haque

He said, "My Lord, give me a sign"; He said, "Your token is that you will not speak to people for three nights, although in proper health."

Hamid S. Aziz

He said, "Thus it will be. Your Lord says, ´It is easy for Me, for I created you at first when yet you were nothing.´"

Hilali & Khan

[Zakariya (Zachariah)] said: "My Lord! Appoint for me a sign." He said: "Your sign is that you shall not speak unto mankind for three nights, though having no bodily defect."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

He said: So (it will be). Thy Lord says: It is easy for Me, and indeed I created thee before, when thou wast nothing.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

He said: My Lord! give me a sign. He said: Your sign is that you will not be able to speak to the people three nights while in sound health.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

He said: My Lord! Appoint for me some token. He said: Thy token is that thou, with no bodily defect, shalt not speak unto mankind three nights.

Muhammad Sarwar

Zachariah asked, " Lord, show me evidence (if this is a heavenly news)." The Lord said, "The evidence for it is that you must not speak (to any mortal) though you are in good health for three nights (and days)."

Qaribullah & Darwish

He (Zachariah) said: 'Lord, make for me a sign' He replied: 'Your sign is that you shall not speak to people for three nights being without fault'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

He [Zakariyya] said: "My Lord! Appoint for me a sign." He said: "Your sign is that you shall not speak unto mankind for three nights, though having no bodily defect."

Wahiduddin Khan

He said, "My Lord, grant me a sign!" He said, "Your sign will be that you will not speak to anyone for three successive days and nights, although sound in body."

Talal Itani

He said, “My Lord, give me a sign.” He said, “Your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three nights straight.”

Tafsir jalalayn

He said, `Lord, appoint for me some sign', namely, some indication of my wife's becoming pregnant. Said He, `Your sign, for this, is that you shall not speak to people, that is, that you [should] refrain from speaking to them, but not [from speaking] the remembrance of God, exalted be He, for three nights, that is, together with the days thereof, as [stated] in [srat] l `Imrn, `for three days' [Q. 3;41], while [you are] in sound health' (sawiyyan, a circumstantial qualifier referring to the subject of the verb tukallima, `you shall [not] speak') in other words, despite there being no defect [in you].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Sign of the Pregnancy

Allah, the Exalted, informed about Zakariyya that he said,

قَالَ رَبِّ اجْعَل لِّي ايَةً

He (Zakariyya) said;"My Lord! Appoint for me a sign."

"Give me a sign and a proof of the existence of that which You have promised me, so that my soul will be at rest and my heart will be at ease with Your promise."

Similarly Ibrahim said,

رَبِّ أَرِنِى كَيْفَ تُحْىِ الْمَوْتَى

قَالَ أَوَلَمْ تُوْمِن

قَالَ بَلَى وَلَـكِن لِّيَطْمَيِنَّ قَلْبِى

My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead.

He (Allah) said;"Do you not believe"

He said;"Yes (I believe), but to put my heart at ease." (2;260)

Then Allah says,

قَالَ ايَتُكَ

He said;"Your sign is..."

meaning, "Your sign will be..."

أَلاَّ تُكَلِّمَ النَّاسَ ثَلَثَ لَيَالٍ سَوِيًّا



that you shall not speak unto mankind for three nights, though having no bodily defect.

Meaning, `your tongue will be prevented from speaking for three nights while you are healthy and fit, without any sickness or illness.'

Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Ikrimah, Wahb, As-Suddi, Qatadah and others said,

"His tongue was arrested without any sickness or illness."

Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said,

"He used to recite and glorify Allah, but he was not able to speak to his people except by gestures."

Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn Abbas said,
ثَلَثَ لَيَالٍ سَوِيًّا
(three nights, though having no bodily defect),

"The nights were consecutive."

However, the first statement that is reported from him and the majority is more correct.

This Ayah is similar to what Allah, the Exalted, said in Surah Al Imran,

قَالَ رَبِّ اجْعَل لِّيَ ايَةً


قَالَ ايَتُكَ أَلاَّ تُكَلِّمَ النَّاسَ ثَلَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ إِلاَّ رَمْزًا وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ كَثِيرًا وَسَبِّحْ بِالْعَشِيِّ وَالاِبْكَارِ


He said;"O my Lord! Make a sign for me."

(Allah) said "Your sign is that you shall not speak to mankind for three days except with signals. And remember your Lord much, and glorify (Him) in the afternoon and in the morning. (3;41)

This is a proof that he did not speak to his people for these three nights and their days as well.

إِلاَّ رَمْزًا
(except with signals),

Meaning, with bodily gestures, this is why Allah says in this noble Ayah