In the series titled “Literary Elegance in the Noble Qur’an,” we have now reached the 20th post.
In the previous part we discussed expressions found in the Qur’an such as:
- “Allahﷻ is near.”
- “Allahﷻ is with you.”
- “Allahﷻ is with the patient.”
We explained how such phrases should be understood. When it is said that Allahﷻ is near, should we understand it to mean that He is physically beside us? Or should we understand that He remains where He is and observes us while being fully aware of us? We explained these matters yesterday.
Allahﷻ descends to the lowest heaven
After the program ended, some brothers asked a question. They said: there is a hadith which says that Allahﷻ descends to the lowest heaven—how should we understand that? Since this question is related to what we discussed yesterday, let us clarify that first before moving on to the main topic.
The Messenger of Allahﷻ, Muhammad ﷺ , said that our Lord, the Blessed and Exalted, descends every night to the heaven of this world.
The phrase “the heaven of the world” refers to the first heaven relative to us. When viewed from above it would be the last heaven, but from our perspective here it is the first heaven above the earth.
So what happens is that Allahﷻ descends every night to the heaven closest to the earth. When does this occur? The hadith says that it occurs during the last third of the night.
Let us divide the night into three parts for understanding. Suppose night begins at 6 p.m. and ends at 6 a.m. That makes twelve hours. If we divide those twelve hours into three equal portions, each portion becomes four hours:
- 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. – first portion
- 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. – second portion
- 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. – third portion
The hadith states that after two-thirds of the night have passed, Allahﷻ descends to the lowest heaven. At that time Allahﷻ calls out:
“Is there anyone making supplication so that I may answer him?
Is there anyone asking so that I may give him?
Is there anyone seeking forgiveness so that I may forgive him?”
This is the wording of the hadith. The question arises: How should we understand this hadith?
Because yesterday we discussed verses that say Allahﷻ is close to us—even closer than the jugular vein. Since the meaning seems related, the brothers asked that this hadith also be explained.
There is also another narration of the same hadith which states that the descent occurs when half of the night has passed, or when two-thirds of the night have passed. These narrations are found in Sahih Muslim and other collections.
Now how should we interpret this? Previously we explained that if a text allows a literal meaning without any contradiction, then the literal meaning can be accepted. But in some situations, a literal interpretation becomes problematic. When that happens we must understand the statement in a way consistent with other established truths.
So here there are two possible ways of understanding the hadith:
- A literal meaning: Allahﷻ descends.
- A figurative meaning: Allahﷻ shows special mercy and attention at that time.
We say that the second meaning is the correct one.
Why? Because if we interpret it literally, it creates a logical problem.
The hadith says Allahﷻ descends during the last third of the night—around 2 a.m. in our example. But the earth is round, and time differs across regions. Even if it is 10 p.m. here, somewhere else in the world it is already 2 a.m. If it becomes 11 p.m. here, somewhere else it is still 2 a.m. If it becomes midnight here, somewhere else it is still 2 a.m.
Because the earth rotates, there is always some place on earth where it is the last third of the night. So if we say Allahﷻ literally descends at that time, it would mean that He would be continuously descending every moment of the day, because the last third of the night is always occurring somewhere on earth.
If that were the case, then Allahﷻ would constantly remain in the lowest heaven and not on the Throne, which contradicts other texts that affirm that Allahﷻ is above the Throne.
Therefore the literal meaning cannot be intended here.
Instead, the meaning is that during the latter part of the night Allahﷻ grants special mercy and acceptance to those who wake and pray. Worship performed in the late night is beloved to Allahﷻ, so He gives extra attention and mercy to those servants.
Even though this explanation relates to a hadith, it also aligns with Qur’anic verses we discussed yesterday. For example, the Qur’an says that Allahﷻ is closer than the jugular vein. Does that mean Allahﷻ is physically sitting beside our neck? Obviously not. It means He is fully aware of us and closely attentive to us.
Similarly, Allahﷻ states that He is above the Throne. If Allahﷻ has already informed us that He is above the Throne, then statements about nearness cannot contradict that. They must be understood in a way that preserves both truths.
Allahﷻ also says in Surah As-Sajdah (32:5) that He manages the affairs from the heaven to the earth. Managing affairs includes answering supplications, forgiving sins, and granting help. The Qur’an states that Allahﷻ administers these matters from the heaven.
Therefore when the hadith says Allahﷻ descends, the meaning is not a literal physical movement. Rather it indicates increased mercy and attention toward those who worship during the night.
Some people respond differently. They say: “You do not understand Allahﷻ properly. Allahﷻ is capable of being in many places at once.” They argue that Allahﷻ could be on the Throne and at the same time in the lowest heaven.
But this reasoning opens the door to confusion. If we say Allahﷻ can be everywhere physically, then others could claim that Allahﷻ is present in idols, stones, or shrines. Someone could even claim that Allahﷻ exists inside a human being.
We do not deny the hadith. We accept it. But we interpret it in a way that preserves the oneness and transcendence of Allahﷻ.
The statement “Allahﷻ descends” is therefore a literary expression, similar to expressions used in everyday language. For example, when two people are negotiating over a price and one says, “Come down a little,” it does not mean the person must physically descend from somewhere. It means he should reduce the price.
If someone asks 1000 and another offers 900, we might say, “Come down a bit.” The word “come down” here means lower the price, not physically descend.
Likewise, the phrase “Allahﷻ descends” indicates that Allahﷻ’s mercy becomes more accessible and abundant at that time.
Unfortunately some groups mock this explanation and claim that we are denying the hadith. Their only response is: “Why is Allahﷻ not able to do it?”
But this question itself is flawed. Allahﷻ does whatever He wills, but He does not act in ways that contradict the principles He Himself established.
For example, can Allahﷻ die? Someone might ask: “Why can’t Allahﷻ die if He wishes?” But we know Allahﷻ is eternal and does not die. Similarly, can there be two gods? If someone says Allahﷻ could become two or three if He wished, that would contradict the very meaning of monotheism.
Such arguments lead to absurd conclusions.
Therefore, when we interpret these texts we must do so in a way that preserves the attributes of Allahﷻ and the principle of tawḥīd.
Yesterday we also discussed the phrase that Allahﷻ is closer than the jugular vein. No one understands that literally as Allahﷻ physically sitting inside a person’s neck. Rather it means closeness in knowledge and awareness.
The same principle applies here.
When a word has multiple meanings, we must choose the meaning that fits the context and preserves the dignity appropriate to the one being described. If a literal meaning leads to an interpretation that contradicts established truths, then we choose the figurative meaning.
The Word of Allahﷻ
There are many examples of this principle. One such example appears in a verse concerning the Prophetﷺ Yahya(AS) (Alahis Salam) (John the Baptist in Bible) in Surah Āl-ʿImrān (3:39).
Yahya(AS) was the son of Zakariya(AS); Zakariya(AS) did not have children until a very old age. His hair had turned completely white and his bones had grown weak. Only then did he pray to Allahﷻ saying:
“My bones have grown weak and my head is filled with grey hair. Yet I ask You to grant me a child, an heir.”
For a long time Allahﷻ had not granted him a child. But when he made that supplication in his old age, Allahﷻ decided to grant it. However, Allahﷻ first gave him glad tidings. Because a child cannot be given instantly; it would take months for the child to be born.
So Allahﷻ announced to him the good news: a child named Yahya(AS) would be born.
Muṣaddiqan bi-kalimatin min Allāh — he will confirm the Word of Allahﷻ.
The “Word of Allahﷻ” may refer to the scripture; it can mean that he will confirm the revelation of Allahﷻ. It can also refer to Isa ibn Maryam. According to the circumstances, this meaning also fits. Yahya(AS) and Isa lived in the same period; they were almost like contemporaries, people of the same age, almost like classmates. Because of this, Yahya(AS) acknowledged that Isa was created by the command of Allahﷻ. When many among the Jews rejected this and criticized Isa as someone born in an improper way, Yahya(AS) accepted him. Therefore he confirmed the “Word of Allahﷻ,” meaning he acknowledged Isa as one created by Allahﷻ’s command.
Thus Allahﷻ says: I will give you a child. And what kind of child will he be? He will confirm the Word of Allahﷻ. This may refer to Isa, or it may refer to the scriptures — that he will confirm the revelations of Allahﷻ. The expression “Word” can also refer to revelation, so there is no problem in understanding it that way.
Sayyidan — he will be a leader.
The child given to you will possess the qualities of leadership. Some people are born with such qualities from childhood itself; they grow with that character and later emerge as leaders. Your child will have that capacity.
Ḥaṣūran — this is the word whose meaning creates the discussion.
Allahﷻ says he will also be Ḥaṣūr, and this word is the one that requires explanation.
Nabiyyan — he will also be a Prophetﷺ.
Allahﷻ is telling Zakariya(AS): I will give you a son, and I will also make that son a Prophetﷺ. He will be a leader, he will confirm the Word of Allahﷻ, and he will be a Prophetﷺ.
Then Allahﷻ uses the word ḥaṣūr.
In Surah Āl-ʿImrān (3:39) this word appears. The commonly mentioned meaning for ḥaṣūr is “a person who has no inclination toward women.” In Arabic the term can refer to someone who does not desire women, someone who has no interest in marriage, or someone lacking sexual capability. It can also be used for a person who has the ability but restrains himself, or someone who naturally has little inclination in that matter. Thus the word ḥaṣūr carries several possible meanings:
- someone without sexual capability,
- someone who has no interest in women,
- someone who restrains himself from such desires.
However, when many commentaries explain this verse, they simply write that Yahya(AS) was a person without masculinity, meaning he had no sexual capability at all.
But when a word has multiple meanings, the interpretation chosen should be one that preserves dignity and is suitable for a Prophetﷺ. It should match the status of the Prophetﷺ.
Yet many commentaries claim that Yahya(AS) was a man without masculinity, someone who had no inclination toward women at all. They support this interpretation by citing certain hadith reports.
One such narration is attributed to Abu Huraira and appears in works attributed to Al-Tabarani such as al-Kabīr and al-Awsat. In that narration it is reported that the Prophetﷺ said: “All the children of Adam will meet Allahﷻ having committed some sin — except Yahya(AS) , the son of Zakariya(AS).”
According to that narration, every human being commits some sin before meeting Allahﷻ, and Allahﷻ may punish them or forgive them out of mercy. But Yahya(AS) alone would meet Allahﷻ without committing that particular sin.
What sin is implied here? They interpret it as the sin connected with looking at women with desire. They claim Yahya(AS) was protected from this because he supposedly lacked masculinity and therefore never had such desire.
Some even narrate another shocking report claiming that the Prophetﷺ picked up a small twig from the ground and said that Yahya(AS) ’s male organ was like that twig — implying it was extremely small or undeveloped.
Would the Prophetﷺ ever speak in such a way? Yet such narrations exist in some books, and they use them to argue that ḥaṣūr means Yahya(AS) had no masculinity.
But when we examine the chain of transmission of these narrations, serious problems appear. One narrator in the chain is Hajjāj ibn Sulaymān, who was known for reporting rejected narrations. Scholars described his reports as munkar — narrations that contradict the Qur’an or stronger authentic reports.
Other scholars stated that many of his narrations come through a narrator named Layth, and such reports are unreliable. The narration about Yahya(AS) also comes through this route, making it weak.
Furthermore, the content of the narration itself raises major issues. It suggests that all Prophetﷺs — from Ibrahim(Alahis Salam) to the Prophetﷺ Muhammad ﷺ — would meet Allahﷻ having committed that sin, except Yahya(AS) . This fabrication effectively lowers the status of all the other Prophets.
Early scholars like Abdullah ibn Masud, Abdullah ibn Abbas, and later scholars such as Mujahid, Ikrimah, and Saʿid ibn Jubayr were quoted in some reports giving interpretations related to abstaining from women. But these reports often lack authentic chains of transmission.
Even a narration attributed to Ibn Abbas explaining ḥaṣūr as “a man without sexual emission” comes through a narrator named Kabūs, whom many scholars declared weak. Scholars such as Ahmad ibn Hanbal stated that Kabūs should not be relied upon. Others said his reports are weak or unreliable.
Some even recorded that Kabūs once gave false testimony in court, and the judge ordered that he be punished for it. A person who gives false testimony cannot be trusted to transmit reports reliably.
Therefore these narrations cannot be used as proof.
Some scholars, such as Muhammad ﷺ al-Shawkani in his commentary Fath al-Qadīr, rejected such interpretations on logical grounds. He explains that Allahﷻ mentions Yahya(AS) as a praise and a glad tiding to Zakariya(AS). When giving glad tidings about a child, would anyone describe the child with a defect?
If someone were told: “You will have a blind child,” would that be considered good news? But saying “you will have a child with excellent sight” would be good news. In the same way, describing the child as lacking masculinity would not be praise.
Allahﷻ praises the child by saying he will confirm the Word of Allahﷻ, he will be a leader, and he will be a Prophetﷺ. All of these are qualities of honor. How then could the same verse suddenly describe him with a deficiency?
Shawkani also argues that if someone lacks a certain ability from birth, that is not a moral achievement. A blind person cannot claim virtue for not looking at forbidden things, because he simply cannot see. A mute person cannot boast that he never lies, because he cannot speak at all. True virtue is when a person has the ability yet restrains himself.
Therefore interpreting ḥaṣūr as someone lacking masculinity is incorrect.
Some others tried another interpretation: that ḥaṣūr means a person who had desire but chose never to marry. According to them, Yahya(AS) had the ability to marry but deliberately remained unmarried.
Some scholars of the Shāfiʿī school reportedly used this interpretation to argue that remaining unmarried could be superior to marriage. The scholar Fakhr al-Din al-Razi mentions this view in his commentary, though he himself rejects it.
But this interpretation also raises questions. If someone truly lacked masculinity, then naturally he would have no wife or children. But if AS) had no masculinity, it would imply he could not marry or have offspring at all.
However, there are indications that he did have a family and descendants.
Hasur : One who exercised self-control and restraint
Therefore, instead of interpreting ḥaṣūr as a deficiency, it can be understood in a dignified way: a man who exercised self-control and restraint in matters concerning women. That interpretation preserves honor.
Consider the prayer of Zakariya(AS) (Zechariah). He prayed for a child and said: “Grant me a child who will be my heir and also an heir to the family of Yaqub(AS) (Jacob).”
Yaʿqub(AS) was an ancestor in the lineage of Prophets descending from Ibrahim (Abraham) through Ishaq (Isaac). Zakariya(AS) was asking that the Prophetic lineage should continue and not end.
He was not merely asking for a child for himself; he was asking that the chain of descendants continue from generation to generation. If he had no child, that lineage would end with him. Therefore, he prayed for an heir who would continue that chain.
Thus, when he asked for a child, he was asking that the line descending from Yaʿqub(AS) should not be cut off but should continue through future generations.
That is why in his supplication, in Surah Maryam (19:6), this prayer appears. When he asks for a child as an heir, the meaning is not simply that he wants a son. He says two things in his prayer:
“O Allahﷻ, grant me a child who will be an heir to me and also an heir to the family of Yaqub (Jacob).”
Yaʿqub(AS) lived many generations earlier. So when he says the child should be an heir to Yaʿqub(AS), it does not mean a direct inheritance in the ordinary sense. What he is asking is that the lineage should continue, that the chain of descendants should not be cut off.
If he himself had no child, that lineage would end. And even if he were given a son but that son had no children, the lineage would still end. If Yahya(AS) were given to him but Yahya(AS) had no children, then the line would stop there. Yahya(AS) would have neither son nor daughter, and the lineage would end with him. In that case the chain descending from Yaʿqub(AS) would come to a halt.
But Zakariya (AS) did not ask merely for a child; he asked for a continuing chain that should not be cut off. He asked for an heir for himself and also continuity for the descendants of Yaʿqub(AS). If that continuity were to exist, it would not be enough that Zakariya(AS) himself have a child. That child must also have children. Zakariya(AS) must have a child, and Yahya(AS) must also have children; only then would the lineage continue.
If Zakariya(AS) were given a son but Yahya(AS) had no children, the chain would be cut there as well. Then after Yahya(AS) there would be no one remaining from the descendants of Yaʿqub(AS). That is not what Zakariya(AS) asked for. He asked for a line that would continue and not be severed.
Allahﷻ accepted his supplication and granted him a child. Why did he ask for that child? He asked so that the lineage would continue, that the descendants would multiply. He prayed that their family line should remain from generation to generation. That is the meaning of his words: “Grant me a child who will be an heir to me and also an heir to the family of Yaʿqub(AS).”
This does not mean a direct heir to Yaʿqub(AS) in the immediate sense. Normally a person’s heir is the child born to him. But when he says heir to Yaʿqub(AS), he means the continuation of the generational line. If he had no child, that chain would end. But if he were given a child and that child continued the lineage, then the descendants of Yaʿqub(AS) would not come to an end.
Now consider this carefully: if Yahya (AS) himself had children, that would clearly show that he possessed masculinity. If he had offspring, he must have been a man capable of fathering children. Therefore, the claim that he lacked masculinity cannot stand.
Every messenger who came before him had wives and offspring
Furthermore, Allahﷻ states in Surah ar-Raʿd (13:38): “We sent many messengers before you, and We gave them wives and descendants.”
Allahﷻ says this addressing Muhammad ﷺ tﷺ. Every messenger who came before him had wives and offspring. No Prophet was without a spouse, and no Prophet was without children. Even if we do not know the details of their families, we must accept that they had families.
Take the example of Ayyub(AS) (Job). Even if we do not know all the details of his children, the Qur’anic principle tells us that Prophets were given wives and offspring. Therefore it is not correct to say that a Prophetﷺ lived without marriage or without children.
If Allahﷻ says that all messengers were given wives and descendants, how can one claim that Yahya(AS) alone was different? Why should the word ḥaṣūr be interpreted as “one without masculinity”? The interpretation should match the dignity of a Prophetﷺ and should agree with other Qur’anic verses.
In ordinary human society, a lack of masculinity is considered a serious deficiency. People may tolerate many shortcomings — lack of wealth, lack of health — but if someone is called unmanly, it is considered a severe insult. If such a description were attached to a Prophetﷺ, people would mock him and undermine his mission.
Imagine if people said that a Prophet lacked masculinity; they would ridicule him and refuse to listen to his preaching. How could Allahﷻ choose such a description when announcing good news about a Prophet?
When Allahﷻ gives glad tidings of a child and praises that child — saying he will be righteous, a leader, and a Prophet — how could the same announcement include a statement that he lacks masculinity? That would contradict the tone of praise.
Moreover, in that same verse (13:38), Allahﷻ clearly states that the messengers had wives and children. Therefore the interpretation that Yahya(AS) lacked masculinity cannot be correct.
Some Christians claim that Isa(AS) ibn Maryam never married. But from the Islamic perspective we do not accept that claim. Even if historical records do not mention it, the Qur’anic principle indicates that the Prophets had wives and offspring.
Sometimes children may die young, and people may not speak about them later. For example, the Prophetﷺ Muhammad ﷺ had a son named Ibrahim(RA) who died as a child. If a child dies early, people may not talk about him much, but that does not mean the Prophetﷺ had no children.
Therefore whether it is Isa(AS), Ayyub(AS), or Yahya(AS) , the Qur’anic principle shows that they had wives and descendants.
There is another passage about Yahya(AS) that also supports this understanding. After Yahya(AS) was born, Allahﷻ gave glad tidings about him and granted him knowledge from an early age. Allahﷻ says: “O Yahya(AS) , hold firmly to the Book.”
Allahﷻ granted him scripture and wisdom even in childhood. Then Allahﷻ praises him further, saying that peace is upon him on the day he was born, the day he dies, and the day he will be raised again alive.
Salām indicates protection from defects and harm
The word “salām” indicates protection from defects and harm. When people say “salām,” it is a prayer that one be safe from harm. But when Allahﷻ declares “peace upon him,” it means that Allahﷻ has granted him safety from deficiencies.
If Allahﷻ Himself declares peace upon Yahya (AS) — on the day of his birth, the day of his death, and the day of resurrection — that indicates that he was free from such defects. Therefore, interpreting ḥaṣūr as a physical deficiency contradicts this description.
There is also another verse supporting the idea that Prophets had descendants. In Surah al-Anʿām (6:85–87) Allahﷻ lists several Prophets, including Zakariya (AS), Yahya (AS), Isa (AS), Ilyas (AS), Ismaʿil(AS), Yunus (AS), and Lut(AS). After mentioning them, Allahﷻ says that He also guided their fathers and their descendants.
If the verse speaks about their descendants, it indicates that these Prophets had offspring. If someone had no children, how could his descendants be mentioned in such a context?
Thus the presence of descendants shows that these Prophets possessed normal human capability. Therefore, interpreting the word ḥaṣūr as “one without masculinity” does not fit.
When a word has multiple meanings, the meaning chosen should preserve the honor appropriate to a Prophetﷺ. It should not introduce a degrading interpretation that contradicts the Qur’an.
Some people say that ḥaṣūr means that Yahya(AS) had desire but deliberately chose not to marry. Others say it means he restrained himself from such desires. But if that interpretation implies avoiding marriage despite having the ability, it also becomes problematic.
Because the Prophetﷺ Muhammad ﷺ taught that marriage is part of his way. Those who turn away from marriage entirely are not following his path. Marriage is encouraged for those who have the ability. Thus the correct interpretation must preserve both dignity and consistency with the teachings of Islam.
Therefore, the meaning of ḥaṣūr should be understood in a way that reflects self-control and moderation, not deficiency. Just as people differ in many aspects of life, people also differ in the intensity of their desires. Some require frequent satisfaction, some less, and some are content with minimal inclination.
In that sense, Yahya(AS) may be understood as a person who had great restraint and moderation regarding such matters. This interpretation preserves the honor of the Prophetﷺ and aligns with the Qur’anic context.
Allahﷻ used this word only for him. If Yahya(AS) alone is described with the term ḥaṣūr, and no other Prophetﷺ is described that way, then what does it mean? It means that in matters relating to women he was extremely disciplined and restrained. He would marry, but he would remain within limits. Other Prophets might have had more than one wife, but he would remain within a more limited boundary. When someone is described as a person who remains within limits, that is understood as praise. No one considers it an insult or humiliation.
But without reflecting on this properly, some explanations claim that Yahya(AS) had no masculinity at all. Such interpretations appear in some commentaries and sermons. When people ask why such things are said, the answer is that those commentators simply repeated what they saw written in earlier works of tafsir. Many scholars compiling tafsir gathered every opinion they found. Without carefully analyzing whether the report was weak or fabricated, they included it. Their intention was to show that they had collected every view, but many of those views are weak or even false.
Therefore, when Allahﷻ used the word ḥaṣūr about Yahya(AS) , the correct meaning is that he had exceptional self-control and restraint in matters of desire. It cannot mean that he had no masculinity. If it meant he had no children, that would contradict the Qur’an. If it meant he had no wife, that would contradict the verse stating that Prophets were given wives and descendants. The interpretation must be one that does not contradict other Qur’anic teachings.
Thus the appropriate meaning is that he was a person of strong self-discipline, someone who controlled his desires more than others. To understand this further, we can look at a hadith of the Prophet ﷺ.
Marriage is mandatory as per Hadeeth
A group of people came from outside Madinah and went to the houses of the wives of Muhammad. They asked them about the private acts of worship that the Prophet performed at home. Their reasoning was this: the acts he performs in the mosque can be seen by everyone, but the acts he performs inside the house can only be known through his wives.
So they asked the wives of the Prophet about his worship. This narration is reported by Anas ibn Malik.
The wives explained to them some of the acts of worship the Prophet used to perform — how he prayed, how he fasted, and other practices.
After hearing this, the men began discussing among themselves. One of them said:
“The Messenger of Allah may do a small amount of worship and that may be enough for him, because Allah has forgiven his past and future. But for us, that will not be enough. Therefore, I will never marry. I will devote myself entirely to worship.”
Another one said: “I will fast continuously and never break my fast.”
Another said: “I will never sleep on a mattress. I will sleep only on the bare ground.”
They thought that by abandoning these things they would become more devoted to Allah.
Later the wives informed the Prophet about what those men had said. When the Prophet ﷺ heard this, he came out and addressed the people. After praising Allah, he said:
“What is the matter with people who say such and such things? As for me, I fear Allah more than all of you and I am more conscious of Him than all of you. Yet I fast and I break my fast. I pray and I sleep. And I marry women.”
Then he concluded with a decisive statement: “Whoever turns away from my way is not from me.”
This shows clearly that deliberately abandoning marriage is not considered a virtue in Islam. Marriage is part of the natural and prophetic way of life. If someone has the ability to marry but refuses marriage thinking it is more pious, that person is actually abandoning the path of the Prophet.
Therefore, when the Qur’an describes Yahya (John the Baptist) as ḥaṣūr, it cannot mean that he avoided marriage as a form of worship. That interpretation would contradict the teaching of the Prophet ﷺ.
The correct understanding is that Zakhariya(AS) was a person of great self-control and restraint, not someone who rejected marriage or lacked masculinity.