Overall meaning : When Zechariah, peace be upon him, witnessed the miraculous wonders with which Allah had honoured Mary, he yearned for Allah’s grace and felt an overwhelming desire to have a child of his own. Thereupon he earnestly prayed to his Lord, saying, ‘Lord, grant me of Your own grace righteous offspring. You hear my prayer and You are able to answer it.’
Sure enough, Allah answered his prayer. As he stood praying in his place of worship, the angels came to him with the good news from Allah of a son with marvellous qualities to be born to him, called John (Yahya), to confirm the truth of Jesus, peace be upon him, to be the master of his people—as he was endowed with good qualities, excellent character, vast knowledge and deep devoutness, who would abstain from lawful earthly delights including marriage, and would be a prophet from among the righteous.
Zechariah, peace be upon him, marvelled at Allah’s perfect power and wondered how this could possibly happen when he had reached old age and his wife was sterile. The divine response was simple and conclusive: Thus it is: Allah does what He wills.
Zechariah, peace be upon him, asked Allah for a sign of the birth of this child, which would set his mind at rest and in which he would find reassurance. His sign, Allah Almighty informed him, would be that for three days and three nights he would not be able to speak to people, not due to any harm or disease, and that he would communicate with them entirely by gestures. During this period, Allah commanded him, he should remember his Lord much, and glorify and praise Him evening and morning.