[Zachariah] said, "My Lord, appoint for me a sign." A sign, [meaning] a mark. [Allah] said, "Your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three nights, sound (sawiyya)." That is: healthy, such that no illness prevents you from speaking. Qatada said: He was punished because he asked for a sign after the angels had addressed him directly and given him the glad tidings of John (Yahya), so his tongue was seized, and he became unable to articulate speech.
﴿قَالَ﴾ ﴿زَكَرِيَّا﴾ (رَبِّ اجْعَلْ لِي آيَةً﴾ عَلَامَةً ﴿قَالَ آيَتُكَ أَلَّا تُكَلِّمَ النَّاس ثَلَاث لَيَال سويا﴾ يَعْنِي: صَحِيحًا لَا يَمْنَعُكَ الْكَلَامَ مَرَضٌ. قَالَ قَتَادَةُ: إِنَّمَا عُوْقِبَ؛ لِأَنَّهُ سَأَلَ الْآيَة بعد مَا (شَافَهَتْهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ) وَبَشَّرَتْهُ بِيَحْيَى، فَأُخِذَ عَلَيْهِ لِسَانُهُ، فَجَعَلَ لَا يُبِينُ الْكَلَام
