Prophet's Story

THE STORY OF PROPHET ZAKARIA

Prophet Zechariah was the father of Prophet Yahya his only son who was born after he reached the age of ninety. Since Hanna's wife, Maryam's aunt, Zakaria had longed for a child who would become her heir. Day and night he prayed unceasingly and pleaded with God for a son who would be able to carry on his task of leading the Children of Israel. It worries that when it dies without leaving a surrogate, his people will lose their leaders and will return to their ways of living full of silence and obedience and maybe even they will change the law of Moses by increasing or decreasing the Torah at will them. In addition, he, as a man, wants his descendants to be unbroken and to continue from generation to generation as long as God permits and allows.

The Prophet Zakaria every day as a routine duty went to the great mihrab to pray and visit Maryam son-in-law who was handed over to the mihrab by his mother in accordance with his vows while he was still in the womb. And indeed it was Zakariah who was commissioned by the stewards of the mihrab to watch over Maryam since she was handed over by her mother. The task of supervision of Maryam was received by Zakaria through a lottery conducted by the officials of the mihrab when receiving the baby Maryam who was handed over to him was the daughter of his own wife who until then no child has been given by God.

A very amazing and surprising event Zacharias had occurred one day when he came to the mihrab as usual. He saw Maryam in one corner of the mihrab being immersed in her prayer so as not to heed her uncle who came to see her. In front of Maryam who was busy praying it was seen by Zakaria various types of summer fruits. Ask the Prophet Zechariah where the fruits of this summer came from when they were still in winter. He impatiently waited for his nephew to finish praying, he approached him and rebuked him: "O Mary, where have you got all this?"

Mary answered: "This is a gift of God that I could have without seeking and asking for. In the morning when the sun rises I get my sustenance is already in front of my eyes, as well as when the sun goes down at dusk. Why did his uncle feel astonished and astonished? Is not God able to give His provision to whom He wills without reckoning?"

Maryam bint Imran

Maryam mentioned in the story of Zechariah is the only child of Imran one of the leaders and scholars of Bani Israel. His mother brother-in-law of the Prophet Zechariah was a barren woman who since her husband Imran had not been happy if she had not had children. He felt that life without children was silent and boring. It craves offspring to be a strong binder in married life, a bearer of grief and a lover in family life. He will be so offspring that if he sees a mother humming her baby or a bird feeding her child, he feels jealous and continues to make memories that never escape from his memory.

Year after year passed, the age continued to grow, but the desire remained desires and desires still not incarnate into reality. Various ways he tried and various advice and instructions people applied, but have not brought results. And after all the efforts that derive from human intelligence and power does not bring the expected fruit, realize that Imran's wife is the only place God has the power to fulfill his wishes and is willing to fulfill them with a coveted child even though his hair is gray and his age is old. So he resolved to round his hopes to Allah prostrate day and night with solemnity and humility and promised to Allah when his request was granted, will hand over and dispense his son to Jerusalem to be a servant, guardian and maintain the holy house and will occasionally not benefit from his son for his own benefit or the benefit of his family.

The hope of Imran's wife being rounded to God is not in vain. Allah has accepted his request and offered his prayer according to what has been stated in His destiny that from the husband and wife Imran will be sent down a great prophet. So the early signs of pregnancy felt by every pregnant woman appear to Imran's wife who over time felt the movement of the fetus in her growing belly. How happy the pregnant wife is, that her dreams will come true and the silence of her household will be broken when the conceived baby is born. She and her husband began to design what would be given to the upcoming baby. If they are sitting alone, there is nothing to talk about other than the baby that will be born. The gloomy mood of sadness that always encompassed the Imran household turned into a joyous cheerful, joyful atmosphere, the face of a husband and wife of Imaran became radiant a sign of joy and happiness and a sense of despair that gripped their hearts both turned into a sense of hope for a good and brilliant later day.

But it is very true that the word pearl reads: "Man designed, God determined. Imran, much loved and dear to his wife and expected to receive her first son and accompany her when she gave birth, was suddenly taken by Izra'il and died alone in an old pregnancy, at which time usually the love between husband and wife becomes more friendly. The sadness left by the beloved husband mixed with the pain and fatigue that preceded the birth of the baby, befalling Imran's wife in the close moments of childbirth.

Thus, when Maryam was handed over by her mother to the caretaker of Jerusalem, the monks scrambled to be appointed as guardians in charge of the supervision and care of Maryam. And because no one wanted to give in, it was forced to be drawn among those who finally voted for Zachariah as God promised his mother.

The first action taken by Zakaria as an officer who was obliged to keep Maryam safe was to keep her away from the surrounding crowd and from the reach of the visitors who were ceaselessly coming to see and visit her. He was placed by Zechariah in a room above the loft of high Jerusalem that could not be reached but by using a ladder. Zechariah was proud and happy to have won the lottery to have the task of legally supervising and maintaining Maryam as his own nephew. He devoted his full love and affection to Maryam in order to replace her biological child who never came. Every chance he comes to see her, see her situation, take care of her needs and provide everything that brings her peace and joy. Not a single day did Zechariah leave his duty to visit Mary.

Zakaria's love and affection for Maryam as the daughter of his wife who was abandoned by his father increased to respect and reverence when an event occurred that indicated that Maryam was not an ordinary girl as girls others, but she was God's chosen woman for a great position and role later in life.

One day when Zachariah came as usual, visiting Mary, he found her again in his mihrab immersed in the service of remembrance and prostrating to God. He was aghast when his eyes caught the summer fruit dish in front of Maryam who was prostrating. He asked in his heart where the fruits came from, but they were still in winter, and Zachariah knew that no one but he had come to visit Mary. Mary was rebuked when she bowed down and lifted her head: "O Mary, where have you obtained this sustenance, and no one has visited you, nor have you ever left your mihrab? In addition these fruits are summer fruits that cannot be bought in the market in this winter."

Mary said: "This is God's gift to me without my trying or asking. And why do you feel astonished and amazed? Is not Allah the Almighty giving His provision to whomever He wills in a priceless quantity?"

Thus God gave his first sign as a miracle to Maryam, the holy maiden, who was prepared by Him to give birth to a great prophet named Isa Almasih.

The story of Maryam's birth and Zechariah's providence to her can be read in the Quran Surah Ali Imran verses 35 to 37 and 42 to 44.