Zakariyya and Yahya
Allah tells us of His servant Zakariyya, who asked Allah to grant him a son who would be a Prophet after him. The story has already been given in detail at the beginning of Surah Maryam and also in Surah `Imran. Here an abbreviated version is given.
﴿ إِذۡ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ ۥ ﴾
(when he cried to his Lord) means, in secret, hiding it from his people.
﴿ رَبِّ لَا تَذَرۡنِى فَرۡدً۬ا ﴾
(O My Lord! Leave me not single,) means, with no child and no heir to stand among the people after me.
﴿ وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡوَٲرِثِينَ ﴾
(though You are the Best of the inheritors.) This is a supplication and form of praise befitting the topic. Allah says:
﴿ فَٱسۡتَجَبۡنَا لَهُ ۥ وَوَهَبۡنَا لَهُ ۥ يَحۡيَىٰ وَأَصۡلَحۡنَا لَهُ ۥ زَوۡجَهُ ۥۤۚ ﴾
(So We answered his call, and We bestowed upon him Yahya, and cured his wife for him.) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Sa`id bin Jubayr said: "She was barren and never had a child, then she gave birth.''
﴿ إِنَّهُمۡ ڪَانُواْ يُسَـٰرِعُونَ فِى ٱلۡخَيۡرَٲتِ ﴾
(Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds,) means, acts of worship and acts of obedience towards Allah.
﴿ وَيَدۡعُونَنَا رَغَبً۬ا وَرَهَبً۬اۖ ﴾
(and they used to call on Us with hope and fear,) Ath-Thawri said, "Hoping for that (reward) which is with Us and fearing that (punishment) which is with Us.''
﴿ وَڪَانُواْ لَنَا خَـٰشِعِينَ ﴾
(and they were Khashi`in before Us.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that this means, sincerely believing in that which was revealed by Allah. Mujahid said: "Truly believing.'' Abu Al-`Aliyah said: "Fearing.'' Abu Sinan said: "Khushu` means the fear which should never leave our hearts.'' It was also reported from Mujahid that the Khashi`in are those who are humble.'' Al-Hasan, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak said, "The Khashi`in are those who humble themselves before Allah.'' All of these suggestions are close in meaning.
﴿ وَٱلَّتِىٓ أَحۡصَنَتۡ فَرۡجَهَا فَنَفَخۡنَا فِيهَا مِن رُّوحِنَا وَجَعَلۡنَـٰهَا وَٱبۡنَهَآ ءَايَةً۬ لِّلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ ﴾
(91. And she who guarded her chastity, We breathed into her through Our Ruh, and We made her and her son a sign for nations.)