1Kāf, Hā, Yā, 'Ayn, Ṣād.⁷⁴⁸

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

3When he called to his Lord a private call [i.e., supplication].

4He said, "My Lord, indeed my bones have weakened, and my head has filled⁷⁴⁹ with white, and never have I been in my supplication to You, my Lord, unhappy [i.e., disappointed].

5And indeed, I fear the successors⁷⁵⁰ after me, and my wife has been barren, so give me from Yourself an heir

6Who will inherit me⁷⁵¹ and inherit from the family of Jacob. And make him, my Lord, pleasing [to You]."

7[He was told],⁷⁵² "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."

8He said, "My Lord, how will I have a boy when my wife has been barren and I have reached extreme old age?"

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

10[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."⁷⁵³

11So he came out to his people from the prayer chamber and signaled to them to exalt [Allāh] in the morning and afternoon.

12[Allāh said], "O John, take the Scripture [i.e., adhere to it] with determination." And We gave him judgement [while yet] a boy

13And affection from Us and purity, and he was fearing of Allāh

14And dutiful to his parents, and he was not a disobedient tyrant.

15And peace be upon him the day he was born and the day he dies and the day he is raised alive.

16And mention, [O Muḥammad], in the Book [the story of] Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east.

17And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen. Then We sent to her Our Angel [i.e., Gabriel], and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man.

18She said, "Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, [so leave me], if you should be fearing of Allāh."

19He said, "I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy [i.e., son]."

20She said, "How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?"

21He said, "Thus [it will be]; your Lord says, 'It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter [already] decreed.'"

22So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a remote place.

23And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, "Oh, I wish I had