Quranic theme
Zachariah
17 verses
Counted among the twenty-five prophets mentioned by name in the Quran, Zachariah’s narrative is inextricably linked to his guardianship of Mary. Entrusted with her care, he would visit her in her sanctuary, only to find her already supplied with provisions (3:37). When he questioned the origin of this sustenance, Mary's simple explanation—that God provides limitlessly for whoever He will—triggered an immediate response. There and then, witnessing this divine generosity firsthand, Zachariah prayed for virtuous offspring, despite his own physical limitations (3:37-38).
How did Zachariah ask for an heir?
The Quran preserves the intense vulnerability of Zachariah’s secret supplication, framing it as a direct account of God’s grace toward His servant (19:2-3). Approaching his Lord in private, he openly described the frailties of his advancing age, pointing to his weakened bones and ashen grey hair (19:4). His wife was barren, making the prospect of fathering a child physically impossible (19:5). Yet, his request was not rooted in a desire for mere companionship. Zachariah expressed deep concern over what his kinsmen might do when he was gone, asking for a successor who could serve as a gift from God to be his heir and the heir to the family of Jacob (19:5-6). He asked that this child be well pleasing to God, anchoring his seemingly impossible request in a foundation of past answered prayers by declaring he had never prayed to his Lord in vain (19:4-6).
The unprecedented news of John
The response to his secret prayer arrived directly. While Zachariah was still standing in prayer within the sanctuary, angels called out to him with the news that God was granting him a son (3:39). This child would be named John—a name chosen exclusively by God, who noted that no one before him had ever been given this title (19:7). The angels detailed the specific spiritual weight the boy would carry: he would confirm a Word from God, and he would be noble, chaste, a prophet, and one of the righteous (3:39). In the Quranic lineage, Zachariah, John, Jesus, and Elijah are explicitly grouped together, with every one of them affirmed as righteous (6:85).
What was the sign given to Zachariah?
Stunned by the angels' announcement, Zachariah asked his Lord how this could come to pass given his extreme old age and his wife's barrenness (3:40). An angel answered with a definitive statement of divine capability: it would be so, because God does whatever He will (3:40). Seeking a physical confirmation of this life-altering news, Zachariah asked for a sign (3:41). The response was a temporary loss of speech. He was told that his sign would be an inability to communicate with anyone for three days, except by using physical gestures (3:41).
This physical restriction served as both proof of the answered prayer and a period of intense spiritual focus. Unable to converse with his community, his attention was turned entirely toward worship. He was instructed to remember his Lord often, and to celebrate His glory in the evening and at dawn (3:41).
Within this theme
Verses
All 17 verses, in mushaf order.
فَتَقَبَّلَهَا رَبُّهَا بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ وَأَنۢبَتَهَا نَبَاتًا حَسَنًا وَكَفَّلَهَا زَكَرِيَّا ۖ كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا زَكَرِيَّا ٱلْمِحْرَابَ وَجَدَ عِندَهَا رِزْقًا ۖ قَالَ يَـٰمَرْيَمُ أَنَّىٰ لَكِ هَـٰذَا ۖ قَالَتْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَآءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ
Her Lord graciously accepted her and made her grow in goodness, and entrusted her to the charge of Zachariah. Whenever Zachariah went in to see her in her sanctuary, he found her supplied with provisions. He said, ‘Mary, how is it you have these provisions?’ and she said, ‘They are from God: God provides limitlessly for whoever He will.’
هُنَالِكَ دَعَا زَكَرِيَّا رَبَّهُۥ ۖ قَالَ رَبِّ هَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ ٱلدُّعَآءِ
There and then Zachariah prayed to his Lord, saying, ‘Lord, from Your grace grant me virtuous offspring: You hear every prayer.’
فَنَادَتْهُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَهُوَ قَآئِمٌ يُصَلِّى فِى ٱلْمِحْرَابِ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحْيَىٰ مُصَدِّقًۢا بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَسَيِّدًا وَحَصُورًا وَنَبِيًّا مِّنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
The angels called out to him, while he stood praying in the sanctuary, ‘God gives you news of John, confirming a Word from God. He will be noble and chaste, a prophet, one of the righteous.’
قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِى غُلَـٰمٌ وَقَدْ بَلَغَنِىَ ٱلْكِبَرُ وَٱمْرَأَتِى عَاقِرٌ ۖ قَالَ كَذَٰلِكَ ٱللَّهُ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَآءُ
He said, ‘My Lord, how can I have a son when I am so old and my wife is barren?’ [An angel] said, ‘It will be so: God does whatever He will.’
قَالَ رَبِّ ٱجْعَل لِّىٓ ءَايَةً ۖ قَالَ ءَايَتُكَ أَلَّا تُكَلِّمَ ٱلنَّاسَ ثَلَـٰثَةَ أَيَّامٍ إِلَّا رَمْزًا ۗ وَٱذْكُر رَّبَّكَ كَثِيرًا وَسَبِّحْ بِٱلْعَشِىِّ وَٱلْإِبْكَـٰرِ
He said, ‘My Lord, give me a sign.’ ‘Your sign,’ [the angel] said, ‘is that you will not communicate with anyone for three days, except by gestures. Remember your Lord often; celebrate His glory in the evening and at dawn.’
وَزَكَرِيَّا وَيَحْيَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَإِلْيَاسَ ۖ كُلٌّ مِّنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
Zachariah, John, Jesus, and Elijah- every one of them was righteous-
ذِكْرُ رَحْمَتِ رَبِّكَ عَبْدَهُۥ زَكَرِيَّآ
This is an account of your Lord’s grace towards His servant, Zachariah,
إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥ نِدَآءً خَفِيًّا
when he called to his Lord secretly, saying,
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى وَهَنَ ٱلْعَظْمُ مِنِّى وَٱشْتَعَلَ ٱلرَّأْسُ شَيْبًا وَلَمْ أَكُنۢ بِدُعَآئِكَ رَبِّ شَقِيًّا
‘Lord, my bones have weakened and my hair is ashen grey, but never, Lord, have I ever prayed to You in vain:
وَإِنِّى خِفْتُ ٱلْمَوَٰلِىَ مِن وَرَآءِى وَكَانَتِ ٱمْرَأَتِى عَاقِرًا فَهَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّا
I fear [what] my kinsmen [will do] when I am gone, for my wife is barren, so grant me a successor––a gift from You––
يَرِثُنِى وَيَرِثُ مِنْ ءَالِ يَعْقُوبَ ۖ وَٱجْعَلْهُ رَبِّ رَضِيًّا
to be my heir and the heir of the family of Jacob. Lord, make him well pleasing [to You].’
يَـٰزَكَرِيَّآ إِنَّا نُبَشِّرُكَ بِغُلَـٰمٍ ٱسْمُهُۥ يَحْيَىٰ لَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مِن قَبْلُ سَمِيًّا
‘Zachariah, We bring you good news of a son whose name will be John––We have chosen this name for no one before him.’
قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِى غُلَـٰمٌ وَكَانَتِ ٱمْرَأَتِى عَاقِرًا وَقَدْ بَلَغْتُ مِنَ ٱلْكِبَرِ عِتِيًّا
He said, ‘Lord, how can I have a son when my wife is barren, and I am old and frail?’
قَالَ كَذَٰلِكَ قَالَ رَبُّكَ هُوَ عَلَىَّ هَيِّنٌ وَقَدْ خَلَقْتُكَ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَمْ تَكُ شَيْـًٔا
He said, ‘This is what your Lord has said: “It is easy for Me: I created you, though you were nothing before.” ’
قَالَ رَبِّ ٱجْعَل لِّىٓ ءَايَةً ۚ قَالَ ءَايَتُكَ أَلَّا تُكَلِّمَ ٱلنَّاسَ ثَلَـٰثَ لَيَالٍ سَوِيًّا
He said, ‘Give me a sign, Lord.’ He said, ‘Your sign is that you will not [be able to] speak to anyone for three full [days and] nights.’
فَخَرَجَ عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلْمِحْرَابِ فَأَوْحَىٰٓ إِلَيْهِمْ أَن سَبِّحُوا۟ بُكْرَةً وَعَشِيًّا
He went out of the sanctuary to his people and signalled to them to praise God morning and evening.
يَـٰيَحْيَىٰ خُذِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِقُوَّةٍ ۖ وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ ٱلْحُكْمَ صَبِيًّا
[We said], ‘John, hold on to the Scripture firmly.’ While he was still a boy, We granted him wisdom,