الرحلةThe Journey

يحيى

Yahya (AS)

Yahya (John)

Also known as: John the Baptist

Dates unknown · step 27 of 28 in traditional order

Prophets Named in the Quran

Son of Zakariyya, given wisdom as a child; he confirmed the coming of 'Isa.

Yahya was given wisdom while still a child. The Quran describes him as tender-hearted, pure, devout, dutiful to his parents, and never arrogant or disobedient. He was sent to confirm 'a word from Allah', which commentators understand to mean 'Isa, who according to hadith was his maternal cousin.

The Quran sends peace upon him 'the day he was born, the day he dies and the day he is raised alive' (19:15). Historical reports say he was killed by a ruler of his time for upholding the law of Allah.

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Life journey

  1. Associated Jerusalem (al-Quds) القدس
  2. Associated Damascus دمشق
    A shrine in the Umayyad Mosque of Damascus is traditionally said to hold his head.

In the Quran

19:12-15 3:39 21:90

Places in their life

The Dome of the Rock on the Haram al-Sharif, Jerusalem
The Dome of the Rock on the Haram al-Sharif, Jerusalem
Photo: Godot13, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque, Damascus
The courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque, Damascus
Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sources

  • The Quran (Maryam 19:12–15; Al 'Imran 3:39)
  • Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith of the Mi'raj, on 'the two maternal cousins')
  • Ibn Kathir, Qasas al-Anbiya'
Draft, awaiting scholarly review.