Stories
Zakariyya and Yahya
An old man's prayer, and John the Baptist
3 min, Intro
Zakariyya (Zechariah) was the guardian of the young Maryam. In old age, with a wife thought barren, he prayed secretly for an heir. He was given Yahya, known in the Bible as John the Baptist.
Draft written with AI help: awaiting scholar review
The thread
Zakariyya, guardian of the young Maryam, sees God provide for her, and prays quietly for a child of his own. He is old, and his wife is thought barren. He is given Yahya, the son Christians know as John the Baptist.
Guardian of Maryam
This story starts with someone else's child. When the infant Maryam was dedicated to God's service, lots were drawn, and Zakariyya became her guardian.
Whenever he went in to her in the prayer niche, he found provisions with her. He asked where they came from. She said: "It is from God. God provides for whom He wills without measure."
Seeing this, the Qur'an says, Zakariyya prayed there and then for a child of his own.
فَتَقَبَّلَهَا رَبُّهَا بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنࣲ وَأَنۢبَتَهَا نَبَاتًا حَسَنࣱا وَكَفَّلَهَا زَكَرِيَّاۖ كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيۡهَا زَكَرِيَّا ٱلۡمِحۡرَابَ وَجَدَ عِندَهَا رِزۡقࣱاۖ قَالَ يَٰمَرۡيَمُ أَنَّىٰ لَكِ هَٰذَاۖ قَالَتۡ هُوَ مِنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرۡزُقُ مَن يَشَآءُ بِغَيۡرِ حِسَابٍ ٣٧
37 Her Lord graciously accepted her and caused her to grow in a good manner, and entrusted her to the care of Zachariah. Every time Zachariah entered her prayer chamber, he found with her some provision. He said, “O Mary, where did this come from?” She said, “It is from Allah, for Allah provides for whom He wills without measure.”
Seeing God's gifts to Maryam, Zakariyya asked for a child of his own.
A quiet prayer
What does an old man say when he asks God for a child? Surah Maryam begins with Zakariyya calling on his Lord in a private, quiet prayer: my bones have grown weak and my head is white with age, yet I have never been disappointed in my prayers to You.
He was told of a son named Yahya, a name given to no one before.
Zakariyya was amazed. How, he asked, being old with a barren wife? The answer: it is easy for Me; I created you before, when you were nothing.
He asked for a sign. The sign was silence: for three nights he would not speak to people, though nothing was wrong with him. He came out of the sanctuary and signalled to them to glorify God, morning and evening.
إِذۡ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥ نِدَآءً خَفِيࣱّا ٣ قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي وَهَنَ ٱلۡعَظۡمُ مِنِّي وَٱشۡتَعَلَ ٱلرَّأۡسُ شَيۡبࣱا وَلَمۡ أَكُنۢ بِدُعَآئِكَ رَبِّ شَقِيࣱّا ٤
3 When he called upon his Lord in private.
4 He said, “My Lord, my bones have grown feeble, and gray hair has spread across my head, yet never have I been disappointed in my prayer to You, my Lord.
Zakariyya had never been disappointed in prayer. In old age, he was promised a son.
Yahya, the promised son
So who was the boy with a name given to no one before? Yahya was told to hold firmly to the Scripture. He was given wisdom while still a child, along with tenderness and purity. He was devoted to his parents and was not arrogant.
The Qur'an greets him: peace on him the day he was born, the day he dies, and the day he is raised alive.
He confirmed a "word from God", which commentators understand as 'Isa, his relative. Christians know Yahya as John the Baptist.
يَٰيَحۡيَىٰ خُذِ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ بِقُوَّةࣲۖ وَءَاتَيۡنَٰهُ ٱلۡحُكۡمَ صَبِيࣱّا ١٢ وَحَنَانࣱا مِّن لَّدُنَّا وَزَكَوٰةࣱۖ وَكَانَ تَقِيࣱّا ١٣ وَبَرَّۢا بِوَٰلِدَيۡهِ وَلَمۡ يَكُن جَبَّارًا عَصِيࣱّا ١٤ وَسَلَٰمٌ عَلَيۡهِ يَوۡمَ وُلِدَ وَيَوۡمَ يَمُوتُ وَيَوۡمَ يُبۡعَثُ حَيࣱّا ١٥
12 [Allah said], “O John, hold the Scripture with all your strength.” And We gave him wisdom when he was still a child, 13 as We made him compassionate and righteous, and he was fearing Allah, 14 and dutiful to his parents, and he was not an oppressor or disobedient. 15 Peace be on him the day he was born, the day he will die, and the day he will be raised up to life again!
The Qur'an greets Yahya with peace on the day he was born and the day he is raised.