Zakariya (a.s.) Used Mary’s (a.s.) Place of Worship as a Wasilah

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Maryam’s (a.s.) place of worship was used as a wasilah, a means of approach, by Zakariya (a.s.).  Allah (s.w.t.) Says: 

سُوۡرَةُ آل عِمرَان

فَتَقَبَّلَهَا رَبُّهَا بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ۬ وَأَنۢبَتَهَا نَبَاتًا حَسَنً۬ا وَكَفَّلَهَا زَكَرِيَّا‌ۖ كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيۡهَا زَكَرِيَّا ٱلۡمِحۡرَابَ وَجَدَ عِندَهَا رِزۡقً۬ا‌ۖ قَالَ يَـٰمَرۡيَمُ أَنَّىٰ لَكِ هَـٰذَا‌ۖ قَالَتۡ هُوَ مِنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرۡزُقُ مَن يَشَآءُ بِغَيۡرِ حِسَابٍ (٣٧) 

Right graciously did her Lord Accept her: He Made her grow in purity and beauty; to the care of Zakariya was she assigned.  Every time that he entered (her) chamber to see her, he found her supplied with sustenance.  He said, “O Mary!  Whence (comes) this to you?”  She said, “From Allah: for Allah Provides sustenance to whom He Pleases, without measure.” (Surah Ali ‘Imran:37) 

In the very next verse, Allah (s.w.t.) Mentioned Zakariya’s (a.s.) prayer at this very spot: 

سُوۡرَةُ آل عِمرَان

هُنَالِكَ دَعَا زَڪَرِيَّا رَبَّهُ ۥ‌ۖ قَالَ رَبِّ هَبۡ لِى مِن لَّدُنكَ ذُرِّيَّةً۬ طَيِّبَةً‌ۖ إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ ٱلدُّعَآءِ (٣٨) 

There did Zakariya pray to his Lord saying, “O my Lord!  Grant unto me from You a progeny that is pure; for You are He that Hears prayer!” (Surah Ali ‘Imran:38) 

The Qur’an Itself has eliminated uncertainty by using the word, “hunalika”, “there”.  We know from the Qur’an that Zakariya (a.s.) routinely woke up in the later part of the night to pray.  And once he heard of the miracle of the fruits from Maryam (a.s.), by inspiration, he chose specifically the chamber in which Maryam (a.s.) lived.  If he had offered his prayer there by accident and not by intent, the insertion of “hunalika” would have been superfluous.  The Qur’an is never superfluous.  This is confirmation that a sacred spot can also serve as a source of intermediation.