Benefits

A silent prayer was made because it carries a higher likelihood of being accepted. Doubt should not arise in this regard from the word نَادَىٰ which seems to imply proclaiming out loud, since nidaa too is often used interchangeably with du’aa.

Instead of requesting the rectification of his kinsmen, which was also a method of protecting the faith, he specifically asked for a child, perhaps due to the originality of righteousness within an individual having a greater impact upon the masses at the time of exhorting them.

Adding the mention of Al Yaqoob in this verse is textual proof of the fact that inheritance in wealth is not the intended meaning. This is because the relatives mentioned in the verse are surely closer in relation to the one being inherited from than Sayidna Yahya (alayhis salaam). How is it then possible for the distant relative to receive inheritance in the presence of the closer one? In addition, wealth and material possessions not being a main concern of the Prophets (alayhimus salaam) is a rational proof upon wealth not being intended here. Would they seek children only to protect their wealth from being inherited by others? If someone says, this was done to stop the relatives from spending it in disobedience, the reply will be: even then there is no accountability on the ancestor for which one would need to take precautions. The word meeraath being specific to material inheritance, or to things of acquisition, is refuted in the verse where Allah Most High says,

ثُمَّ أَوۡرَثۡنَا ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱصۡطَفَيۡنَا مِنۡ عِبَادِنَاۖ

In this issue the position of Ahl al-Sunnah is strengthened from the books of the Shia also. Hence in the Ruh al-Ma‘aani the following narrations can be found:

فقد روى الكليني في «الكافي» عن أبـي البختري عن أبـي عبد الله جعفر الصادق رضي الله تعالى عنه أنه قال: إن العلماء ورثة الأنبياء وذلك أن الأنبياء لم يورثوا درهماً ولا ديناراً وإنما ورثوا أحاديث من أحاديثهم فمن أخذ بشيء منها فقد أخذ بحظ وافر

ومن ذلك أيضاً ما رواه الكليني في «الكافي» عن أبـي عبد الله رضي الله تعالى عنه قال: إن سليمان ورث داود وإن محمداً صلى الله عليه وسلم ورث سليمان عليه السلام

Obviously, it is not possible for this last inheritance to pertain to wealth, in any way.

In Al Imran, the catalyst for this supplication was mentioned to be the witnessing of extraordinary events at the hands of Maryam (alayhas aalam). There is no contradiction since it is possible for the initial desire to have occurred then, and the expression thereof to have occurred based on this.

If doubt arises from يَرِثُنِى, since it seems to suggest that the desire of Zakariya (alayhis salaam) was for this son to remain after his death, and the verse of Surah al-Anbiya “فَٱسۡتَجَبۡنَا لَهُ” also alludes to the prayer being accepted, whereas Yahya (alayhis salam) was martyred during the life of Zakariya (alayhis salam), the reply will be as follows: either يَرِثُنِى will be taken in a general sense implying the remaining of essence or that of ones path, way of living and remnants worthy of following (baqaa al-dhaat aw baqaa al-aathaar), or that the story narrated of Yahya’s martyrdom during Zakariya’s life is not established. With respect to the first reply, the question remains that the remnants of Zakariya (alayhis salam) himself were sufficient. It seems far-fetched for him to supplicate with this intention. Rather the purpose was clearly that in his lifetime he would propagate the faith, and after his passing a suitable successor should take over. It goes without saying that his lifestyle and remnants will remain after his passing. The reply then will be that perhaps the teachings of multiple luminaries and the lasting of their numerous remnants is more effective and far-reaching in rectifying the masses than that of a single luminary and a single set of remnants.