The Story of Prophet Yahya (John)

Summary

8) Prophet Yahya was born and grew up to be a very pious prophet. His personality is quite different from others, almost perfect. When he was a child, when others were busy playing, the prophet Yahya was very diligent and serious in studying the Torah so that he memorized one book. He spent time in the synagogue and worshiped God. He was also very loving and sympathetic to mankind, animals and other creatures of God. Prophet Yahya was also very helpful to both his parents, he never disobeyed and was not arrogant. Prophet Yahya never got married because he gave his whole life to worship Allah. And he often cried when he studied the verses of God’s testimony and when he delivered in his sermon so that it touched the hearts of many people. Therefore, he was very much loved by his followers.

9) One day, someone told the king who was ruling at that time that the people loved the prophet Yahya more than their own king. At the same time, the king is in love with his own nephew and wants to marry her. Out of jealousy, the king began to observe what the prophet Yahya was doing. At one time, the prophet Yahya had preached about Allah’s prohibition on marriage with his own mahram and punishment on those who did so. The king became angry because he felt that the prophet Yahya was rude for giving a sermon that was right on his nose. However, at that time the king did not marry his nephew because he did not want his people to rebel.

10) The king’s nephew is an evil woman, he has his own tricks. He still wants to marry his uncle so he has seduced the king earlier in the ceremonies at the palace. He had a seductive body and he seduced his uncle with dancing, singing, and more until the king felt that he needed to marry his nephew. Finally, the evil woman managed to win the heart of her uncle to marry her and put the conditions of marriage, she wanted the head of the prophet Yahya as her dowry.

11) So the prophet Yahya died and was beheaded while worshiping Allah.

12) The special thing about the people in this story is that Allah has raised their degrees so high that Allah named the surahs in the Qur’an in conjunction with their names, namely surah Maryam, in conjunction with a special woman in the sight of Allah, and surah Al-Imran, in conjunction with Imran family members namely Imran, Hannah, Maryam and Isa.

Detailed of Story

John’s Childhood

John was born a stranger to the world of children who used to amuse themselves, as he was serious all the time. Most children took delight in torturing animals whereas, he was merciful to them. He fed the animals from his food until there was nothing left for him, and he just ate fruit or leaves of trees. John loved reading since childhood. When he grew up, Allah the Exalted called upon him:

“O John! Hold fast to the Scripture (The Torah).” And We gave him wisdom while yet a child. Al-Quran [19: 12]

John’s Qualities

Allah guided him to read the Book of Jurisprudence closely; thus, he became the wisest and most knowledgeable man of that time. Therefore, Allah the Almighty endowed him with the faculties of passing judgments on people’s affairs, interpreting the secrets of religion, guiding people to the right path, and warning them against the wrong one.

John reached maturity. His compassion for his parents, as well as for all people and all creatures, increased greatly. He called people to repent their sins. There are quite a number of traditions told about John. Ibn Asaker related that one time his parents were looking for him and found him at the Jordan River. When they met him, they wept sorely, seeing his great devotion to Allah, Great and Majestic.

Ibn Wahb said that, according to Malik, grass was the food of John Ibn Zechariah, and he wept sorely in fear of Allah. A chain of narrators reported that Idris Al-Khawlawi said: “Shall I not tell you he who had the best food? It is John Ibn Zechariah, who joined the beasts at dinner, fearing to mix with men.”

Why John Always Wept

Ibn Mubarak stated that Wahb Ibn Al-Ward narrated that Zechariah did not see his son for three days. He found him weeping inside a grave which he had dug and in which he resided. “My son, I have been searching for you, and you are dwelling in this grave weeping!” “0 father, did you not tell me that between Paradise and Hell is only a span, and it will not be crossed except by tears of weepers?” He said to him: “Weep then, my son.” Then they wept together.

Other narrations say that John said: ‘The dwellers of Paradise are sleepless out of the sweetness of Allah’s bounty; that is why the faithful must be sleepless because of Allah’s love in their hearts. How far between the two luxuries, how far between them?” They say John wept so much that tears marked his cheeks.

John’s Love of Nature

He found comfort in the open and never cared about food. He ate leaves, herbs, and sometimes locusts. He slept anywhere in the mountains or in holes in the ground. He sometimes would find a lion or a bear as he entered a cave, but being deeply absorbed in praising Allah, he never heeded them. The beasts easily recognized John as the prophet who cared for all the creatures, so they would leave the cave, bowing their heads.

John sometimes fed those beasts, out of mercy, from his food and was satisfied with prayers as food for his soul. He would spend the night crying and praising Allah for His blessings. When John called people to worship Allah, he made them cry out of love and submission, arresting their hearts with the truthfulness of his words.

A conflict took place between John and the authorities at that time. A tyrant king, Herod Antipas, the ruler of Palestine, was in love with Salome, his brother’s daughter. He was planning to marry his beautiful niece.

The marriage was encouraged by her mother and by some of the learned men of Zion, either out of fear or to gain favor with the ruler. On hearing the ruler’s plan, John pronounced that such a marriage would be incestuous. He would not approve it under any circumstance, as it was against the Law of the Torah.

John’s Cruel Death

John’s pronouncement spread like wildfire. Salome was angry, for it was her ambition to rule the kingdom with her uncle. She plotted to achieve her aim. Dressing attractively, she sang and danced before her uncle. Arousing his lust, Herod embraced her, he offered to fulfill whatever she desired. At once she told him: “I would love to have the head of John, because he has defiled your honor and mine throughout the land.

If you grant me this wish, I shall be very happy and will offer myself to you.” Bewitched by her charm, he submitted to her monstrous request. John was executed and his head was brought to Salome. The cruel woman gloated with delight. But the death of Allah’s beloved prophet was avenged. Not only she, but all the children of Israel were severely punished by invading armies which destroyed their kingdom.