The story of prophet Zakaria

Introduction:

The story of prophet Zakaria is very interesting and inspiring to every Muslim. Therefore, every Muslim should learn the story of prophet Zakaria. Prophet Zakaria was one of the virtuous prophets who were mentioned in the Holy Quran. His full name was Zakaria ibn Muslim, ibn Sadouq. The lineage of prophet Zakaria goes back to prophet Sulaiman ibn Dawood. His lineage also stretched to Yehuda ibn prophet Yaqub. Zakaria worked as a carpenter. Zakaria was mentioned in the Holy Quran eight times. The story of prophet Zakaria was mentioned in surahs Mariam and al-Imran. Allah sent prophet Zakaria as a prophet to Bani Israel. Prophet Zakaria urged and invited Bani Israel to worship Allah Alone.

                     “وَزَكَرِيَّا وَيَحْيَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَإِلْيَاسَ ۖ كُلٌّۭ مِّنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ”

The time of prophet Zakaria:

Prophet Zakaria was born in a time of corruption and bad manners of Bani Israel. Bani Israel used to do bad deeds. They were disobedient to Allah and deviated the straight path of Allah a lot. The kings of Bani Israel were not true believers. These kings hated the religion of Allah as well as the pious people of religion. Such kings prosecuted the good, kind and pious people. Prophet Zakaria suffered from that injustice and prosecution. The bad king ordered Zakaria to be killed. The king wanted to kill prophet Yahya ibn Zakaria only to satisfy his mistress. There was no justification for the murderer of prophet Yahya ibn Zakaria.

“أَفَكُلَّمَا جَآءَكُمۡ رَسُولُۢ بِمَا لَا تَهۡوَىٰٓ أَنفُسُكُمُ ٱسۡتَكۡبَرۡتُمۡ فَفَرِيقًا كَذَّبۡتُمۡ وَفَرِيقًا تَقۡتُلُونَ”

Zakaria made dua to have a son:

Prophet Zakaria witnessed an age of injustice and aggression of the kings of Bani Israel. However, it was the fate and destiny of prophet Zakaria not to have a son of his own. Nevertheless, Zakaria made a sincere dua to Allah to grant him a son. When Zakaria felt the effects of old age on his feeble body, he felt lonely. Therefore, Zakaria resorted to making dua to Allah. Allah is All-Hearing and Quick to Respond. First, Allah made Zakaria in the care of chaste Mariam. Second, Zakaria got the good news from the honorable angels that his wife was pregnant. Moreover, Zakaria and his wife knew that the baby would be a boy. Therefore, the story of prophet Zakaria teaches us a lot of lessons.

“وَزَكَرِيَّآ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥ رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْنِى فَرْدًۭا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلْوَٰرِثِينَ ۝ فَٱسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُۥ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُۥ يَحْيَىٰ

وَأَصْلَحْنَا لَهُۥ زَوْجَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ يُسَٰرِعُونَ فِى ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَبًۭا وَرَهَبًۭا ۖ وَكَانُوا۟ لَنَا خَـٰشِعِينَ”

More good news to Zakaria:

Taking the chaste Mariam in his care, Zakaria saw for himself the ability of Allah. Whenever Zakaria entered Mariam’s room, he saw food and drink with her. In addition, Zakaria would see winter fruit in summer, and summer fruit in winter. He knew very well that Mariam did not leave her room. This increased the certainty of Zakaria that Allah is Capable of doing everything. Zakaria grew more confident that his future son would inevitably come one day. Despite the fact that Zakaria’s wife was barren, Zakaria was full of hope that Allah would give him a son one day. Finally Zakaria’s dreams came true when the honorable angels told him the good news.

“كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا زَكَرِيَّا ٱلْمِحْرَابَ وَجَدَ عِندَهَا رِزْقًۭا ۖ قَالَ يَـٰمَرْيَمُ أَنَّىٰ لَكِ هَـٰذَا ۖ قَالَتْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرْزُقُ

مَن يَشَآءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍۢ ۝ هُنَالِكَ دَعَا زَكَرِيَّا رَبَّهُۥ ۖ قَالَ رَبِّ هَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنكَ ذُرِّيَّةًۭ طَيِّبَةً إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ ٱلدُّعَآءِ”

The news was too good to believe:

Although Zakaria had long made dua to Allah to give him a baby boy, Zakaria could not believe himself. For this reason, Zakaria asked Allah to give him a clear sign that it would be real. Therefore, the clear sign was that Zakaria would keep silent for three days. During these three days Zakaria did not speak to any humans. Nothing prevented Zakaria from talking to people. However, it happened that Zakaria did not talk to anyone. Allah that zakaria could do is to mention and glorify allah. Allah did not only give Zakaria a baby boy, but also the boy was peerles in his name. The boy’s name was yahya. no one bore the name before yahya. .

“قَالَ رَبِّ ٱجْعَل لِّىٓ ءَايَةًۭ ۖ قَالَ ءَايَتُكَ أَلَّا تُكَلِّمَ ٱلنَّاسَ ثَلَـٰثَ لَيَالٍۢ سَوِيًّۭا ۝ فَخَرَجَ عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلْمِحْرَابِ فَأَوْحَىٰٓ

إِلَيْهِمْ أَن سَبِّحُوا۟ بُكْرَةًۭ وَعَشِيًّۭا”

More characteristics of Yahya:

Yahya was truly a blessed son to zakaria. First, Yahya was a good believer. In addition, Yahya was one of the honorable prophets of allah. Third, Yahya was a grateful son to his parents. Moreover, Allah gave Yahya knowledge and wisdom while he was still a youngman. when children went to play with yahya, he told then that he did not have time to play with them. this was because yahya was busy gaining knowledge and caring for all the creatures of allah. allah honored yahya when allah sent greeting and peace upon yahya the day when he was bor the day when he died and on the day when he would be resurrected as a living human.

“يَـٰيَحْيَىٰ خُذِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِقُوَّةٍۢ ۖ وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ ٱلْحُكْمَ صَبِيًّۭا ۝ وَحَنَانًۭا مِّن لَّدُنَّا وَزَكَوٰةًۭ ۖ وَكَانَ تَقِيًّۭا ۝

وَبَرَّۢا بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ وَلَمْ يَكُن جَبَّارًا عَصِيًّۭا ۝ وَسَلَـٰمٌ عَلَيْهِ يَوْمَ وُلِدَ وَيَوْمَ يَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ يُبْعَثُ حَيًّۭا”

The death of prophet Zakaria:

There are two narratives about the death of prophet zakaria. Both narratives assure that bani israel killed prophet zakaria. it was the custom of bani israel to kill prophets and messengers. The first narrative said that when mariam gave birth to prophet isa, bani israel spread a rumor that it was zakaria who made her pregnant. Therefore, Bani Israel killed zakaria. They cut the tree in which he hid using a saw. The second narrative was that when king Herod killed Yahya, the king wanted to arrest Zakaria as well. Zakaria hid in a tree. the tree called zakaria to hide in. Satan knew about it. Satan took a piece of Zakaria’s clothes and informed the jews. They hurried to the tree and began to chop it with zakaria inside it. Finally, they killed the innocent prophet zakaria.

“ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ يَكْفُرُونَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوا۟ وَّكَانُوا۟ يَعْتَدُونَ”