Prophet Zakariyah (Zechariah)
Description of Zakariyah
The years had taken their toll on the Prophet Zakariyah (pbuh). He was
now old and bent with age, in his nineties. Despite his feebleness, he went to
the temple daily to deliver his sermons. Zakariyah was not a rich man, but he
was always ready to help those in need. His one disappointment in life was that
he had no children, for his wife was barren. This worried him, for he feared
there was no one after him to carry out his work. The people needed a strong
leader, for it they were left on their own, they would move away from Allah's
teachings and change the Holy Laws to suit themselves.
Zakariyah Talks to Mary
During one of his visits to the temple, he went to check on Mary, who
was living in a secluded room of the temple. He was surprised to find fresh out
of season fruit in her room. Besides him, no one had entry to her room. When he
inquired, she told him that the fruit was from Allah. She found it every
morning. But why was he so surprised, she asked him. Did he not know that Allah
provides without measure for whom He wills?
This noble girl had opened this eyes to a startling idea. Could he not
ask his Lord to bless him with a child in his old age? Even if his wife was
past childbearing age, nothing was impossible for his Gracious Lord!
Zakariyah Asks for a Son - Quranic
Allah the Almighty revealed:
'Kaf, Ha, Ya, Ain, Sad, (These
letters are one of the miracles of the Quran, and none but Allah Alone knows
their meanings). This is a mention of the Mercy of your Lord to His slave
Zakariyah. When he called out his Lord (Allah) - a call in secret, saying:
"My Lord! Indeed my bones have grown feeble, and gray hair has spread on
my head, and I have never been unblest in my invocation to You, O my Lord! And
Verily! I fear my relatives after me, since my wife is barren. So give me from
Yourself an heir, - who shall inherit me, and inherit also the posterity of
Jacob (inheritance of the religious knowledge and Prophethood, not the wealth,
etc.) And make him, my Lord, one with whom You are Well-pleased!"
Allah said: "O Zakariyah!
Verily, We give you the glad tidings of a son. His name will be Yahya (John).
We have given that name to none before him."
He said: "My Lord! How can I
have a son, when my wife is barren, and I have reached the extreme old
age."
He said: "So (it will be). Your Lord says, It is easy for Me.
Certainly I have created you before,
Zakariyah said: "My Lord! Appoint for me a sign."
He said: "Your sign is that
you shall not speak unto mankind for three nights, though having no bodily
defect."
Then he came out to his people
from Al Mihrab (a praying place or a private room, etc.), he told them by signs
to glorify Allah's Praises in the morning and in the afternoon.
It was said to his son: "O
John! Hold fast to the Scripture (The Torah)." And We gave him wisdom
while yet a child, and made him sympathetic to men as a mercy or a grant from
Us, and pure from sins (John) and he was righteous, and dutiful towards his
parents, and he was neither an arrogant nor disobedient (to Allah or to his
parents). And Salamun (peace) on him the day he was born, the day he dies, and
the day he will be raised up to life again! (Ch 19:1-15 Quran)
Almighty Allah also said:
"At that time Zakariyah
invoked his Lord, saying: "O my Lord! Grant me from You, a good offspring.
You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation."
Then the angels called him, while
he was standing in prayer in Al- Mihrab ( a praying place or a private room),
saying: "Allah gives you glad tidings of John confirming (believing in)
the Word from Allah ("Be!" - and he was! (i.e. the creation of Isa
(Jesus), son of Mariam (Mary), noble keeping away from sexual relations with
women, a Prophet, from among the righteous." He said: "O my Lord! How
can I have a son when I am very old, and my wife is barren?"
Allah said: "Thus Allah does what He wills."
He said: "O my Lord! Make a sign for me." Allah said: "Your sign
is that you shall not speak to mankind for three days except with signals. And
remember your Lord much (by praising Him again and again), and glorify Him in
the afternoon and in the morning." (Ch 3:38-41 Quran).
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