John the Baptist

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

So the angels called him while he was standing in prayer in the chamber, "Indeed, Allāh gives you good tidings of John, confirming a word¹ from Allāh and [who will be] honorable, abstaining [from women], and a prophet from among the righteous."

And Zechariah and John and Jesus and Elias - and all were of the righteous.

[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."¹

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

[Allāh said], "O John, take the Scripture [i.e., adhere to it] with determination." And We gave him judgement [while yet] a boy

And affection from Us and purity, and he was fearing of Allāh

And dutiful to his parents, and he was not a disobedient tyrant.

And peace be upon him the day he was born and the day he dies and the day he is raised alive.

And indeed, I fear the successors¹ after me, and my wife has been barren, so give me from Yourself an heir

Who will inherit me¹ and inherit from the family of Jacob. And make him, my Lord, pleasing [to You]."

[He was told],¹ "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."

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

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

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 supplicate¹ Us in hope and fear, and they were to Us humbly submissive.