This is news from the past that we reveal to you. You were not there when they drew their raffles to select Mary's guardian. You were not present when they argued with one another.

Zachariah was a righteous servant of God and one of the line of prophets God guided. The Quran names him with John, Jesus, and Elias, "all were righteous" (6:85). It counts these men among those given "the scripture, wisdom, and prophethood," and tells Muhammad to follow in their footsteps (6:89-90). The Quran does not name a specific people he was sent to. Still, it places him in the sanctuary among the Children of Israel, and he prays for an heir to "Jacob's clan" (19:6). It follows that he served his own people, the Israelites, as a man of worship in the sanctuary.
His story starts with Mary. Her mother, the wife of Amram, dedicated her unborn child to God, and God accepted the girl and raised her "under the guardianship of Zachariah" (3:35-37). The guardian was chosen by drawing lots, after an argument over who would take her (3:44). Each time Zachariah went into Mary's sanctuary, he found food with her. When he asked where it came from, she answered, "It is from GOD. GOD provides for whomever He chooses, without limits" (3:37).
"That is when" Zachariah prayed for a child of his own (3:38). Seeing God provide for Mary moved the old man to ask for what looked impossible. He prayed in secret. He told God his bones had grown brittle and his hair was "aflame with gray," that his wife had been sterile, and that he worried about his dependents after he was gone. Yet he said he had never despaired of God (19:3-6). He asked for an heir to himself and to Jacob's clan, one who would be acceptable to God (19:6, 21:89).
The angels called to him while he was praying in the sanctuary. They brought good news of a son named John, "a believer in the word of GOD, honorable, moral, and a righteous prophet" (3:39), and they said, "We never created anyone like him before" (19:7). Amazed, Zachariah asked how this could happen when he was so old and his wife sterile. The answer was that God "does whatever He wills," and that this was easy for the One who had created Zachariah himself out of nothing (3:40, 19:8-9). He asked for a sign. He was told he would not speak to people for three days except by signals, and that he should commemorate his Lord and meditate night and day (3:41, 19:10). He came out of the sanctuary and signaled his family to meditate on God day and night (19:11). God "fixed his wife for him" and gave him John (21:90). John grew up holding to the scripture, wise even in his youth, kind, pure, and good to his parents (19:12-14).
The Quran presents the whole story as "a narration about your Lord's mercy towards His servant Zachariah" (19:2). It also gives the reason his prayer was answered: he and his wife "used to hasten to work righteousness, and implored us in situations of joy, as well as fear. To us, they were reverent" (21:90). Dr. Khalifa notes that the plural "we" in that verse shows the angels took part, as they did when they brought Zachariah the news (21:90). The lessons follow from this. Nothing is beyond God, not old age and not sterility. A believer keeps praying and never loses hope. And God answers those who stay devoted to Him in good times as well as bad. Dr. Khalifa adds that Sura 19 has the most Quranic initials of any sura because it deals with matters as crucial as the miraculous birth of John and the virgin birth of Jesus (19:1).
Verses
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Her Lord accepted her a gracious acceptance, and brought her up a gracious upbringing, under the guardianship of Zachariah. Whenever Zachariah entered her sanctuary he found provisions with her. He would ask, "Mary, where did you get this from?" She would say, "It is from GOD. GOD provides for whomever He chooses, without limits."
That is when Zachariah implored his Lord: "My Lord, grant me such a good child; You are the Hearer of the prayers."
The angels called him when he was praying in the sanctuary: "GOD gives you good news of John; a believer in the word of GOD, honorable, moral, and a righteous prophet."
He said, "How can I have a boy, when I am so old, and my wife is sterile?" He said, "GOD does whatever He wills."
He said, "My Lord, give me a sign." He said, "Your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three days, except through signals. Commemorate your Lord frequently; and meditate night and day."
A narration about your Lord's mercy towards His servant Zachariah.
He called his Lord, a secret call.
He said, "My Lord, the bones have turned brittle in my body, and my hair is aflame with gray. As I implore You, my Lord, I never despair.
"I worry about my dependants after me, and my wife has been sterile. Grant me, from You, an heir.
"Let him be my heir and the heir of Jacob's clan, and make him, my Lord, acceptable."
"O Zachariah, we give you good news; a boy whose name shall be John (Yahya). We never created anyone like him before."
He said, "My Lord, will I have a son despite my wife's sterility, and despite my old age?"
He said, "Thus said your Lord: 'It is easy for Me to do. I created you before that, and you were nothing.'"
He said, "My Lord, give me a sign." He said, "Your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three consecutive nights."
He came out to his family, from the sanctuary, and signaled to them: "Meditate (on God) day and night."
And Zachariah implored his Lord: "My Lord, do not keep me without an heir, though You are the best inheritor."
We* responded to him and granted him John; we fixed his wife for him. That is because they used to hasten to work righteousness, and implored us in situations of joy, as well as fear. To us, they were reverent.
*21:90 The use of the plural tense throughout the Quran indicates participation of the angels. It is clear from 3:39 and from the Bible that the angels dealt with Zachariah extensively, as they gave him the good news about John. See Appendix 10.