Author: Abdul Hai Lay'yan
The Divine Education Model in the Family of the Prophets (part 79)
The Glad Tidings of Prophet Yahya (John) (AS) and His Attributes
Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him) remained fully immersed in humility and devotion in prayer until Allah, the Exalted, answered his supplication. Then Allah sent angels to give him the glad tidings and said: “يَا زَكَرِيَّا إِنَّا نُبَشِّرُكَ بِغُلَامٍ”[1] Translation: O Zakariya! We give you the glad tidings of a son.
By His grace and generosity, Allah even chose the name of this child: “اسْمُهُ يَحْيَى”[2] Translation: His name is Yahya.
This name was unique and unprecedented, as Allah said: “لَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُ مِن قَبْلُ سَمِيًّا”[4] Translation: No one before him has ever borne this name.
This reflects the divine generosity granted to His servant Zakariya (peace be upon him), who prayed humbly, conversed privately with his Lord, and expressed both his fears and hopes, requesting from Allah a righteous offspring, fearing the deviation of people after him.
Allah presents this glad tiding in the Qur’an: “«فَنَادَتْهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي فِي الْمِحْرَابِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحْيَى مُصَدِّقًا بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَسَيِّدًا وَحَصُورًا وَنَبِيًّا مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ * قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لِي غُلَامٌ وَقَدْ بَلَغَنِيَ الْكِبَرُ وَامْرَأَتِي عَاقِرٌ قَالَ كَذَلِكَ اللَّهُ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاءُ * قَالَ رَبِّ اجْعَل لِّي آيَةً قَالَ آيَتُكَ أَلَّا تُكَلِّمَ النَّاسَ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ إِلَّا رَمْزًا وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ كَثِيرًا وَسَبِّحْ بِالْعَشِيِّ وَالْإِبْكَارِ»”[5] Translation: The angels called out to him while he was standing in the sanctuary praying: “Indeed, Allah gives you the glad tidings of Yahya, who will confirm a Word from Allah, a master, chaste, and a prophet among the righteous. Zakariya said: My Lord! How will I have a son when old age has overtaken me and my wife is barren? He said: Thus Allah does what He wills. Zakariya said: My Lord, appoint for me a sign. He said: Your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three days except by gesture. And remember your Lord much and exalt Him morning and evening.
Similarly, Allah (SWT) says: «يَا زَكَرِيَّا إِنَّا نُبَشِّرُكَ بِغُلَامٍ اسْمُهُ يَحْيَى لَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُ مِن قَبْلُ سَمِيًّا * قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لِي غُلَامٌ وَكَانَتِ امْرَأَتِي عَاقِرًا وَقَدْ بَلَغْتُ مِنَ الْكِبَرِ عِتِيًّا * قَالَ كَذَلِكَ قَالَ رَبُّكَ هُوَ عَلَيَّ هَيِّنٌ وَقَدْ خَلَقْتُكَ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَمْ تَكُ شَيْئًا * قَالَ رَبِّ اجْعَل لِّي آيَةً قَالَ آيَتُكَ أَلَّا تُكَلِّمَ النَّاسَ ثَلَاثَ لَيَالٍ سَوِيًّا * فَخَرَجَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ مِنَ الْمِحْرَابِ فَأَوْحَى إِلَيْهِمْ أَن سَبِّحُوا بُكْرَةً وَعَشِيًّا»[6] Translation: O Zakariya! We give you the glad tidings of a son named Yahya; no one before has had this name. He said: ‘My Lord! How can I have a son when my wife is barren and I am very old?’ He said: ‘Thus is it; your Lord says it is easy for Me, as I created you before when you were nothing.’ Zakariya said: ‘My Lord, give me a sign.’ He said: ‘Your sign is that you will not speak to people for three nights while being healthy.’ Then he came out to his people from the sanctuary and indicated to them to glorify Allah morning and evening.”
Allah also says: «فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ يَحْيَى وَأَصْلَحْنَا لَهُ زَوْجَهُ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَبًا وَرَهَبًا وَكَانُوا لَنَا خَاشِعِينَ» [7] Translation: “So We answered his prayer, granted him Yahya, and restored his wife to him, for they hastened in good deeds, calling upon Us with hope and fear, and were humble before Us.”
These verses demonstrate that the glad tidings of Prophet Yahya (peace be upon him) were given at the closest moments of Zakariya’s communion with his Lord and in the most honored place—the sanctuary of worship. This shows that the acceptance of prayer depends on one’s closeness to Allah, not merely the words spoken.
Zakariya’s prayer was accepted, and what people perceive as natural laws posed no obstacle. Humans often assume that the world operates under fixed, unchangeable laws and mistakenly confine Allah’s will to these laws. In reality, what humans consider laws are relative, neither absolute nor final, as human life, knowledge, and intellect are limited and cannot grasp ultimate truth or absolute laws.
Therefore, humans should maintain proper etiquette before Allah, recognize the limits of nature and their own abilities, and avoid straying into error when speaking about the possible and impossible. Human beings sometimes try to confine divine will within their limited experiences, theories, and knowledge, while Allah’s power and will transcend all limitations. [8]
To fulfil this glad tiding, Allah also “restored” Zakariya’s wife, rejuvenating her and granting her the ability to bear a child despite previous infertility. [9]
Continues…
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References:
- Maryam: 7
- Ibid.
- Sayyid Qutb, Fi Zilal al-Qur’an, vol. 4, p. 2302
- Maryam: 7
- Al-Imran: 39-41
- Maryam: 7-11
- Al-Anbiya: 90
- Sayyid Qutb, Fi Zilal al-Qur’an, vol. 1, p. 394
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Alusi, Mahmoud, Tafsir Ruh al-Ma’ani, vol. 17, p. 87
