Let's Read, This is the Complete Story of Prophet Zakaria and Prophet Yahya AS
Prophet Zakaria, his father Nabi Yahya realized and knew that the members of his family, his brothers, his cousins and his nephews were bad people of Bani Israel who did not hesitate to break religious laws and commit immorality, because of faith and their sense of religion has not penetrated properly in their hearts, so they are easily tempted and fall into the valley of evil and disobedience. He fears that when his death comes and leaves them without an heir who can continue his leadership over his people, that they will become more corrupt and more daring to commit crimes and disobedience, there is even a possibility that they will make changes in the Torah and misuse the laws religion
That concern always disturbs Zakaria's mind in addition to the sadness in his heart that since he was married until he reached the age of ninety, God has not blessed him with a son whom he longs for to be his successor to lead and lead the Children of Israel. He was somewhat comforted from his sadness and anxiety while he was in charge of looking after Maryam who could be considered as his own child. However, his sadness and his strong desire to have offspring were awakened again when he witnessed the miracle of the food served in Maryam's mihrab. He thought in his heart that nothing is impossible in the power of God. God who has given sustenance to Maryam in a state of being alone, helpless and trying,
One late night, Zakaria sat in his mihram in silence, focusing his thoughts on the greatness of God while praying and praying with solemnity and complete confidence. With a meek voice, he said in his prayer: "Oh my God, give me a son who will inherit me and inherit part of Ya'qub's family, who will continue my leadership and guidance to Bani Isra'il. I am afraid that after me, the members of my family will be destroyed again in his belief and faith if I leave him to die without a leader to replace me. Oh my God,
God said approving Zakaria's request: "O Zakaria We give you good news, you will have a son named Yahya who is pious who approves the books of God to be a leader who is followed and defends himself from lust and the temptation of the devil and will become a prophet."
Zakaria said: "Oh my God how will I have a child when my wife is a barren woman and I myself am old."
God answered with His words: "That is an easy thing for Me. Didn't I create you when you didn't even exist at that time?"
Zakaria said: "Oh my God, give me a sign that my wife is pregnant." God said: "It is a sign for you that you cannot speak to people for three days in a row except with gestures. And mention My name as much as possible and glorify it in the evening and in the morning."
Prophet Yahya bin Zakaria (as) is not told much by the Quran except that he was given knowledge and wisdom while he was still a child and that he was a son who was devoted to his parents and was not a proud and disobedient person. He is known to be intelligent, sharp minded since he was young, very diligent in worshiping day and night that it affected his body health and made him emaciated, his face pale and his eyes sunken.
He was known by his people as a scholar who mastered religious questions, memorizing the Torah book, so that he became a place to ask questions about religious laws. He has the courage to take a decision, is not afraid of being scolded by people and does not ignore threats from the authorities in his efforts to uphold the truth and fight falsehood.
He always encourages people who have sinned to repent of their sins. And as a sign of repentance they were bathed { baptized } in the Jordan river, a custom that still exists among Christians and because Prophet Yahya was the first person to hold the ceremony, he was nicknamed "Yahya the Baptist".
It is said that Herod the ruler of Palestine at that time loved his own niece named Herodia, a beautiful, beautiful, tall and slender girl and wanted to marry her. The girl along with her mother and the rest of the family agreed to the marriage plan, but Nabi Yahya opposed it and issued an opinion that the marriage could not be carried out because it was against the law of Moses which forbade a man to marry his own niece.
The news of Herodus and Herodia's marriage plan and Prophet Yahya's fatwa forbidding it spread throughout the city and became the talk of people in all places where people gather. Herodia, the beautiful girl-to-be, felt sad and angry at Nabi Yahya who had issued a fatwa forbidding her marriage to her own uncle, which fatwa had brought reactions and opinions among the wider community. He was afraid that his uncle Herodus, the husband-to-be, could be influenced by the fatwa of Prophet Yahya and had to cancel the marriage that he had been looking forward to and longed for.
Faced with Prophet Yahya's fatwa and the community's reaction, Herodia did not remain silent. Armed with her beauty and good looks, she tried to influence her future husband's uncle so that the marriage plan was carried out according to plan. With make-up and stimulating clothes, she went to visit her uncle Herod who was suffering from love-sickness. Asked Herodus to his niece, his future wife who looked more beautiful than usual: "My sweet, what can I do for you. Say I will obey all your requests, your coming here at this time must be driven by something urgent that you want to convey to me. Tell me without hesitation, my love, I am ready to serve all your needs and desires."
Herodia replied: "If the Lord King pleases, then I only have one request that encourages me to come to visit my Lord at this time. My only request is the head of Yahya bin Zakaria, the man who has disrupted our plans and defamed the name of Tuan Raja and my family's name in all place and direction. So that he beheaded. How satisfied my heart and how grateful I am, if you are willing to grant me this request."
Herodus, who was infatuated and captivated by Herodia's beauty and beauty, did not hesitate to face the request of his future wife and could not do but submit to her will by ignoring the voice of his conscience and the call of his common sense. Thus it was not long before Yahya bin Zakaria's blood-stained head was brought and placed in front of his beloved Herodia who smiled as a sign of happiness and satisfaction that her desire to take revenge on Yahya had been fulfilled and the main obstacle that would prevent her marriage plan had been removed, even though her actions brought down God's curse upon himself, his king and the entire Bani Isra'il.
The story about Zakaria and Yahya described above is narrated by the Al-Quran, surah Maryam verse 2 to verse 15, surah Ali Imran verse 38 to verse 41 and surah Al-Anbiya' verse 89 to verse 90.