إِذ نادىٰ رَبَّهُ نِداءً خَفِيًّا
When he silently invoked his Lord in a private prayer.
قالَ رَبِّ إِنّي وَهَنَ العَظمُ مِنّي وَاشتَعَلَ الرَّأسُ شَيبًا وَلَم أَكُن بِدُعائِكَ رَبِّ شَقِيًّا
He said, “My Lord, my bones have grown frail, and my head is aflame with white hair. Yet, my Lord, I have never been unhappy in my prayer to You.
وَإِنّي خِفتُ المَوالِيَ مِن وَرائي وَكانَتِ امرَأَتي عاقِرًا فَهَب لي مِن لَدُنكَ وَلِيًّا
And I fear the successors after me, and my wife is barren, so grant me from Yourself an heir.
يَرِثُني وَيَرِثُ مِن آلِ يَعقوبَ ۖ وَاجعَلهُ رَبِّ رَضِيًّا
Who will inherit from me and the family of Jacob. And make him, my Lord, pleasing.”
يا زَكَرِيّا إِنّا نُبَشِّرُكَ بِغُلامٍ اسمُهُ يَحيىٰ لَم نَجعَل لَهُ مِن قَبلُ سَمِيًّا
“O Zechariah, We give you good news of a son, named John, a name We’ve never given before.”
قالَ رَبِّ أَنّىٰ يَكونُ لي غُلامٌ وَكانَتِ امرَأَتي عاقِرًا وَقَد بَلَغتُ مِنَ الكِبَرِ عِتِيًّا
He asked, “My Lord, how can I have a son when my wife is barren, and I have reached an advanced age?”
قالَ كَذٰلِكَ قالَ رَبُّكَ هُوَ عَلَيَّ هَيِّنٌ وَقَد خَلَقتُكَ مِن قَبلُ وَلَم تَكُ شَيئًا
He replied, “So it will be; your Lord says, ‘It is easy for Me, just as I created you before, when you were nothing.’”
قالَ رَبِّ اجعَل لي آيَةً ۚ قالَ آيَتُكَ أَلّا تُكَلِّمَ النّاسَ ثَلاثَ لَيالٍ سَوِيًّا
He asked, “My Lord, give me a sign.” He replied, “Your sign is that you won’t speak to people for three consecutive nights.”
فَخَرَجَ عَلىٰ قَومِهِ مِنَ المِحرابِ فَأَوحىٰ إِلَيهِم أَن سَبِّحوا بُكرَةً وَعَشِيًّا
Exiting the sanctuary, he signaled to his people to praise morning and evening.
يا يَحيىٰ خُذِ الكِتابَ بِقُوَّةٍ ۖ وَآتَيناهُ الحُكمَ صَبِيًّا
“O John, adhere firmly to the Scripture.” We gave him wisdom while still a boy.
وَحَنانًا مِن لَدُنّا وَزَكاةً ۖ وَكانَ تَقِيًّا
And affection from Us, and purity, and he was deeply devout.