John The Baptist’s Prayer

John the Baptist was a Jewish itinerant preacher in the early first century AD. John is revered as a major religious figure in Christianity, Islam, the Bahá’í Faith, and Mandaeism. He is called a prophet by all of these faiths, and is honored as a saint in many Christian traditions. Other titles for John include John the Forerunner in Eastern Christianity and “the prophet John (Yaḥyā)” in Islam. To clarify the meaning of “Baptist”, he is sometimes alternatively called John the Baptizer.

John The Baptist

John The Baptist

  1. (The angels called out to him on God’s behalf:) “O Zachariah! We give you the glad tidings of a son whose name will be Yahyā (John). We have not given this name to anyone before.”

  2. He said: “My Lord! How shall I have a son when my wife is barren and I have already reached infirmity in old age?”

  3. (The angel) answered (quoting God): “Just so. Your Lord says: ‘It is easy for Me – assuredly I did create you before, when you had been nothing.’ ”

  4. (Zachariah) prayed: “My Lord, appoint a sign for me.” “Your sign,” He said, “is that you will not be able to speak to people for three nights.”

  5. So he (Zachariah) came out to his people from the sanctuary (where he had been praying in the Temple), and signified to them: “Glorify your Lord at daybreak and in the afternoon.”

  6. (John was born, and when he grew up, We commanded him:) “O John! Hold fast to the Book (the Torah), with (all your) strength!” And We granted him sound, wise judgment (and true understanding of God’s Law) while he was yet a little boy;

  7. And (the gift of) compassion from Our Presence, and purity. He was very pious and righteous,

  8. And dutiful towards his parents; and he was never unruly, rebellious.

  9. So peace be upon him on the day he was born and the day of his death, and the day when he will be raised to life.

(Quran 19: 7-15)

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