كٓهيعٓصٓ١

Kāf, Hā, Yā, ʿAyn, Ṣād.¹

[This is] a mention of the mercy of your Lord to His servant Zechariah

When he called to his Lord a private call [i.e., supplication].

He said, "My Lord, indeed my bones have weakened, and my head has filled¹ with white, and never have I been in my supplication to You, my Lord, unhappy [i.e., disappointed].

And indeed, I fear the successors¹ after me, and my wife has been barren, so give me from Yourself an heir

Who will inherit me¹ and inherit from the family of Jacob. And make him, my Lord, pleasing [to You]."

[He was told],¹ "O Zechariah, indeed We give you good tidings of a boy whose name will be John. We have not assigned to any before [this] name."

He said, "My Lord, how will I have a boy when my wife has been barren and I have reached extreme old age?"

[An angel] said, "Thus [it will be]; your Lord says, 'It is easy for Me, for I created you before, while you were nothing.'"

[Zechariah] said, "My Lord, make for me a sign." He said, "Your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three nights, [being] sound."¹

So he came out to his people from the prayer chamber and signaled to them to exalt [Allāh] in the morning and afternoon.