THE STORY OF THE PROPHET YAHYA/JOHN (AND PROPHET ZECHARIAH) - The Birth of Yahya (John), the Child whom Prophet Zakaria (Zechariah) desired

The Prophet Zechariah (Zakaria/Zakariya) is the father of Prophet John (Yahya). That said, Prophet John was born when Prophet Zechariah had reached the age of ninety years. Prophet Zechariah longed for a child who would become his heir. He always prayed to Allah SWT to be blessed with a son who could continue his preaching to the Children of Israel. He does not want if he dies, the Children of Israel will lose the leader and will live in disasters and immorality. Even they can add or subtract the contents of the Torah as they please.

Every day, Prophet Zechariah  (Zakaria/Zakariya) routinely goes to Baitul Maqdis to take care it and worship in it. He also always visited Mary (Maryam) there. When Prophet Zechariah was in Mary's room, he was amazed by a miracle that Mary obtained fruits from Allah SWT without asking or trying. What Mary did was continue to worship Allah SWT, and Allah SWT glorified Mary by giving His gifts. After learning about the glory of Mary, Prophet Zechariah prayed to Allah SWT to be given a good child.

Surah Ali Imran verse 38:

هُنَالِكَ دَعَا زَكَرِيَّا رَبَّهُۥۖ قَالَ رَبِّ هَبۡ لِي مِن لَّدُنكَ ذُرِّيَّةٗ طَيِّبَةًۖ إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ ٱلدُّعَآءِ  ٣٨

38.  At that, Zechariah called upon his Lord, saying, "My Lord, grant me from Yourself a good offspring. Indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication."

Allah SWT answered the prayer of Prophet Zechariah. When he was worshiping in his chamber, suddenly the atmosphere changed with the presence of angels. Prophet Zechariah heard the good news from the angel that Allah SWT would give him a child named Yahya (John) who would later become a prophet. Prophet Zechariah was happy and grateful to hear the good news. He will become a father. He hopes that he will have a son who has the attitude of maintaining faith and honesty like Mary.

Surah Ali Imran verse 39:

فَنَادَتۡهُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَهُوَ قَآئِمٞ يُصَلِّي فِي ٱلۡمِحۡرَابِ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحۡيَىٰ مُصَدِّقَۢا بِكَلِمَةٖ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَسَيِّدٗا وَحَصُورٗا وَنَبِيّٗا مِّنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ  ٣٩

39.  So the angels called him while he was standing in prayer in the chamber, "Indeed, Allah gives you good tidings of John, confirming a word from Allah and [who will be] honorable, abstaining [from women], and a prophet from among the righteous."

Surah Maryam verse 7:

يَٰزَكَرِيَّآ إِنَّا نُبَشِّرُكَ بِغُلَٰمٍ ٱسۡمُهُۥ يَحۡيَىٰ لَمۡ نَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ مِن قَبۡلُ سَمِيّٗا  ٧

7.  [He was told], "O Zechariah, indeed We give you good tidings of a boy whose name will be John. We have not assigned to any before [this] name."

But Prophet Zechariah was still surprised by the news. He felt that this did not make sense because he was very old and his wife was barren. So he asked the angel. Allah says with the best answer.

Surah Ali Imran verse 40:

قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِي غُلَٰمٞ وَقَدۡ بَلَغَنِيَ ٱلۡكِبَرُ وَٱمۡرَأَتِي عَاقِرٞۖ قَالَ كَذَٰلِكَ ٱللَّهُ يَفۡعَلُ مَا يَشَآءُ  ٤٠

40.  He said, "My Lord, how will I have a boy when I have reached old age and my wife is barren?" The angel said, "Such is Allah; He does what He wills."

Surah Maryam verses 8-9:

قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِي غُلَٰمٞ وَكَانَتِ ٱمۡرَأَتِي عَاقِرٗا وَقَدۡ بَلَغۡتُ مِنَ ٱلۡكِبَرِ عِتِيّٗا  ٨ قَالَ كَذَٰلِكَ قَالَ رَبُّكَ هُوَ عَلَيَّ هَيِّنٞ وَقَدۡ خَلَقۡتُكَ مِن قَبۡلُ وَلَمۡ تَكُ شَيۡ‍ٔٗا  ٩

8.  He said, "My Lord, how will I have a boy when my wife has been barren and I have reached extreme old age?"

9.  [An angel] said, "Thus [it will be]; your Lord says, 'It is easy for Me, for I created you before, while you were nothing.' "

To be more convinced, Prophet Zechariah wanted to know the signs that his wife was actually pregnant. The angel answered that Prophet Zechariah could not speak to humans for three days.

Surah Ali Imran verse 41:

قَالَ رَبِّ ٱجۡعَل لِّيٓ ءَايَةٗۖ قَالَ ءَايَتُكَ أَلَّا تُكَلِّمَ ٱلنَّاسَ ثَلَٰثَةَ أَيَّامٍ إِلَّا رَمۡزٗاۗ وَٱذۡكُر رَّبَّكَ كَثِيرٗا وَسَبِّحۡ بِٱلۡعَشِيِّ وَٱلۡإِبۡكَٰرِ  ٤١

41.  He said, "My Lord, make for me a sign." He Said, "Your sign is that you will not [be able to] speak to the people for three days except by gesture. And remember your Lord much and exalt [Him with praise] in the evening and the morning."

Surah Maryam verse 10:

قَالَ رَبِّ ٱجۡعَل لِّيٓ ءَايَةٗۖ قَالَ ءَايَتُكَ أَلَّا تُكَلِّمَ ٱلنَّاسَ ثَلَٰثَ لَيَالٖ سَوِيّٗا  ١٠

10.  [Zechariah] said, "My Lord, make for me a sign." He said, "Your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three nights, [being] sound."

One day, Prophet Zechariah really couldn't speak. So, his wife is really pregnant. So Prophet Zechariah prostrated to Allah SWT. Then he came out of his chamber and advised his people with sign language to always remember Allah SWT. For three days, Prophet Zechariah still could not speak to his people in words and continued to use sign language.

Surah Maryam verse 11:

فَخَرَجَ عَلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلۡمِحۡرَابِ فَأَوۡحَىٰٓ إِلَيۡهِمۡ أَن سَبِّحُواْ بُكۡرَةٗ وَعَشِيّٗا  ١١

11.  So he came out to his people from the prayer chamber and signaled to them to exalt [Allah] in the morning and afternoon.

After three days, Prophet Zechariah can speak as before. So he told the good news from angels to his wife (Ilisabat) that they would have a son named Yahya (John). His wife was happy with the news, but she still felt surprised because she was a barren woman. Prophet Zechariah explained that Allah is Omnipotent over all things, such as when Allah created Prophet Adam directly from clay without a father and mother.

The happy time has arrived. The wife of Prophet Zechariah gave birth to a healthy boy. Prophet Zechariah and his wife were happy and grateful for the birth of their baby. Yahya grew up well by being cared for by his parents. Yahya became a child of faith and holiness. He loves Allah SWT, and Allah SWT loves him.

Surah Al-Anbiya' verse 90:

فَٱسۡتَجَبۡنَا لَهُۥ وَوَهَبۡنَا لَهُۥ يَحۡيَىٰ وَأَصۡلَحۡنَا لَهُۥ زَوۡجَهُۥٓۚ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ يُسَٰرِعُونَ فِي ٱلۡخَيۡرَٰتِ وَيَدۡعُونَنَا رَغَبٗا وَرَهَبٗاۖ وَكَانُواْ لَنَا خَٰشِعِينَ  ٩٠

90.  So We responded to him, and We gave to him John, and amended for him his wife. Indeed, they used to hasten to good deeds and supplicate Us in hope and fear, and they were to Us humbly submissive.

Reference:

·   As Sayyid, Kamal and Anis, Selma (Translator). 2005. Kisah-kisah Terbaik Alquran. Jakarta: Pustaka Zahra.

·       mafiadoc.com_25-kisah-para-nabi_5a17d36a1723ddce5c8a2001 (PDF)