The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 16
CH. 19 MARYAM 8. God said, 'O Zachariah, "We give thee glad tidings of a son PT. 16 U USI يُزَكَرِيَّا إِنَّا نُبَشِّرُكَ يَحْيَى لَمْ نَجْعَلْ لَّهُ مِنْ قَبْلُ سَمِيَّا whose name shall be Yahya We have not made any one b before him of that name. '2152 3:40; 21:91. 19:66. invokes Divine mercy by referring to his extreme old age and to the barrenness of his wife. He prays fervently and in all humility. He asks for no worldly gains. He prays only for a righteous heir. He felt that righteousness had altogether disappeared from his family and his relations had consigned God to oblivion. He knew that the House of Israel was about to be deprived forever of the boon of prophethood but still he had not despaired of God's mercy. He hoped that something yet might happen which should save his people and the House of Israel from utter spiritual ruin. He was extremely anxious that the Israelites might not reject the last Israelite Prophet and might still avert the impending wrath of God. This was Zachariah's wish which he expressed in words full of pathos. He prayed that an heir be born to him who might warn the Israelites to take heed and not to deprive themselves of the light of prophethood by rejecting their own bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire (Matt. 3:11). Yahyā tried his utmost to make the task of Jesus easy and to prepare the Jews to accept him. But his efforts proved vain. He himself was imprisoned and murdered. His people rejected him as well as his great successor, Jesus. They even sought to kill the latter on the cross. Zachariah's prayer was only partly fulfilled as Divine decree had also to be implemented. So Yaḥyā was born to Zachariah in fulfilment of his prayer but he (Yaḥyā) failed to soften the hearts of his people. They did not believe in Jesus and thus could not avert the wrath of God and became deprived forever of the light of prophethood which was the real object of Zachariah's prayer. The Divine will prevailed and prophethood became transferred from the House of Israel to that of Ishmael. 2152. Important Words: Low (of that name) is derived from i. e. he سما و سمى الرجل زيداً They say سمی | last Prophet. It appears from the Bible SO that the whole mission of Yaḥyā for whose birth Zachariah had fervently prayed consisted in preparing the way for Jesus. He says: I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to named the man Zaid. Low means, it means, I سموت اليه ببصری. became high 1930 raised my eye towards him. ✓ means, competitor or contender for superiority, in eminence or glory or excellence; a like or an equal; a namesake of another. (means, he is thy namesake or he is thy equal