كهيعص ١

Kaf, Ha, Ya, ‘Ayn, Sad. (Only Allah and the Messenger [blessings and peace be upon him] know the real meaning.)

ذِكْرُ رَحْمَتِ رَبِّكَ عَبْدَهُ زَكَرِيَّا ٢

This is an account of the mercy of your Lord (bestowed) upon His (chosen) servant Zakariyya (Zacharias),

إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ نِدَاءً خَفِيًّا ٣

When he called upon his Lord in a low voice (charged with politeness and submissiveness).

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي وَهَنَ الْعَظْمُ مِنِّي وَاشْتَعَلَ الرَّأْسُ شَيْبًا وَلَمْ أَكُن بِدُعَائِكَ رَبِّ شَقِيًّا ٤

He submitted: ‘O my Lord, my bones have grown tender and (my) head has turned white like a flame due to old age and, O my Lord, I have never been unblessed when supplicating You.

وَإِنِّي خِفْتُ الْمَوَالِيَ مِن وَرَائِي وَكَانَتِ امْرَأَتِي عَاقِرًا فَهَبْ لِي مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّا ٥

And I fear my (disbelieving) relatives (may ruin the blessing of Din [Religion]) after my (soul departs) and my wife (too) is barren. So bless me from Your presence with an heir (son),

يَرِثُنِي وَيَرِثُ مِنْ آلِ يَعْقُوبَ ۖ وَاجْعَلْهُ رَبِّ رَضِيًّا ٦

(The one) who should be my heir (of divine blessing), and also the heir of (the chain of Prophethood from) the Children of Ya‘qub (Jacob). And, O my Lord, (also) make him a recipient of Your Pleasure.’

يَا زَكَرِيَّا إِنَّا نُبَشِّرُكَ بِغُلَامٍ اسْمُهُ يَحْيَىٰ لَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُ مِن قَبْلُ سَمِيًّا ٧

(Allah said:) ‘O Zakariyya (Zacharias), indeed We give you the good news of a son whose name shall be Yahya (John). We have not given this name to anyone before him.’

قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِي غُلَامٌ وَكَانَتِ امْرَأَتِي عَاقِرًا وَقَدْ بَلَغْتُ مِنَ الْكِبَرِ عِتِيًّا ٨

(Zakariyya [Zacharias]) submitted: ‘My Lord, how can there be a son to me whilst my wife is barren, and I have shrivelled (into extreme debility) on account of old age?’

قَالَ كَذَٰلِكَ قَالَ رَبُّكَ هُوَ عَلَيَّ هَيِّنٌ وَقَدْ خَلَقْتُكَ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَمْ تَكُ شَيْئًا ٩

(He) said: ‘(Don’t be amazed.) It will be the same way.’ Your Lord said: ‘It is easy for Me (to create a son). Certainly, I created you (too) before, whilst you were (just) nothing.’

قَالَ رَبِّ اجْعَل لِّي آيَةً ۚ قَالَ آيَتُكَ أَلَّا تُكَلِّمَ النَّاسَ ثَلَاثَ لَيَالٍ سَوِيًّا ١٠

(Zakariyya [Zacharias]) submitted: ‘My Lord, set a sign for me.’ He said: ‘Your sign is that, despite good health, you shall not be able to speak to the people for three nights (and days).’

فَخَرَجَ عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ مِنَ الْمِحْرَابِ فَأَوْحَىٰ إِلَيْهِمْ أَن سَبِّحُوا بُكْرَةً وَعَشِيًّا ١١

Then (Zakariyya [Zacharias]) came out from his worshipping chamber to his people and conveyed to them (i.e., made them understand) by gestures to glorify (Allah) morning and evening.

يَا يَحْيَىٰ خُذِ الْكِتَابَ بِقُوَّةٍ ۖ وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْحُكْمَ صَبِيًّا ١٢

O Yahya (John)! Hold fast to (Our) Book (the Torah). And We granted him wisdom and vision (i.e., Prophethood) whilst yet a child,

وَحَنَانًا مِّن لَّدُنَّا وَزَكَاةً ۖ وَكَانَ تَقِيًّا ١٣

And (blessed him) with sympathy and tenderness and purity and virtuousness from Our kind presence, and he was very Godfearing.

وَبَرًّا بِوَالِدَيْهِ وَلَمْ يَكُن جَبَّارًا عَصِيًّا ١٤

(He was) greatly righteous (and dutiful) to his parents, and was neither disobedient nor arrogant (like common boys).

وَسَلَامٌ عَلَيْهِ يَوْمَ وُلِدَ وَيَوْمَ يَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ يُبْعَثُ حَيًّا ١٥

And peace be on Yahya (John) the day he was born, the day he dies, and the day he will be raised up alive!

وَاذْكُرْ فِي الْكِتَابِ مَرْيَمَ إِذِ انتَبَذَتْ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا مَكَانًا شَرْقِيًّا ١٦

And, (O My Esteemed Beloved,) recite the account of Maryam (Mary) in the Book (the Holy Qur’an) when she separated from her family (adopting seclusion for worship and) moved to the eastern house.

فَاتَّخَذَتْ مِن دُونِهِمْ حِجَابًا فَأَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهَا رُوحَنَا فَتَمَثَّلَ لَهَا بَشَرًا سَوِيًّا ١٧

So she adopted veiling from them (the family and the people so that the absolute divine beauty unveils Himself). Then We sent towards her Our Spirit (the angel, Gabriel), who appeared before her in complete form of a human being.

قَالَتْ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِالرَّحْمَٰنِ مِنكَ إِن كُنتَ تَقِيًّا ١٨

(Maryam [Mary]) said: ‘I seek refuge with the Most Gracious (Lord) from you if you fear (Allah).’

قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَنَا رَسُولُ رَبِّكِ لِأَهَبَ لَكِ غُلَامًا زَكِيًّا ١٩

(Jibra’il [Gabriel]) said: ‘I am only a messenger from your Lord. (I have come) to bestow upon you a pure son.’

قَالَتْ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِي غُلَامٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِي بَشَرٌ وَلَمْ أَكُ بَغِيًّا ٢٠

(Maryam [Mary]) said: ‘How can there be a son to me, whereas no man has even touched me, nor am I unchaste?’