The purpose of this Book
1
Many have set out to write a narrative of the events (concerning 'Īsā al-Masīh) that have taken placea among us. 2 In fact, those who from the beginning were eye witnesses of these events and servants of the word passed on to us the account of what they had seen. 3 It seemed good to meb also, to write an orderly account for you, most noble Theophilus,c after I had carefully investigated everything from that period of time. 4 My purpose is that you may know for certain the truth of the message you have been taught (concerning al-Masīh 'Īsā).The Angel Jibrīl announces the birth of Prophet Yahyā to Prophet Zakarīyā (Peace be upon them)
5 In the time of Herod,d king of Judea, there lived a Jewish prieste named Zakarīyā, who was part of the priestly division of Abijah. His wife, Elizabeth, was also descended from Hārūn. 6 They were both righteous in the sight of Allah and blameless, walking in all the commands and requirements of the Lord. 7 They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive and they were both elderly.f
8 It so happened, when Zakarīyā was serving as a Jewish priest before Allah and his priestly division was on duty, 9 that he was chosen by lot, according to Jewish priestly custom, to enter the Lord's Bayt ul-Muqaddasg to burn incense.h 10 The whole assembly was praying outside at the time for burning incense.
11 While he was there, an angel of the Lord appeared,i standing to the right of the place for burning incense.j 12 When he saw the angel, Zakarīyā was shaken and overwhelmed with fear. 13 But the angel said to him, ‘Don't be afraid, Zakarīyā! Your du'ā has been answered and your wife, Elizabeth will bear you a son. You are to name him Yahyā.k 14 He will be your joy and delight, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or alcohol. He will be filled with the Holy Spiritl even in his mother's womb. 16 He will turn back many of the Banī Isrā'īl to the Lord their God. 17 And he is the one who will go ahead of the Lord, in the spirit and power of Ilyās,m to turn the hearts of the parents towards their children,n and the rebellious to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’o
18 Zakarīyā said to the angel, ‘How can I be sure about this? I'm an old man and my wife is elderly too.’p
19 The angel answered him, ‘I am Jibrīl, and I stand in the presence of Allah. I was sent to speak to you and announce this good news to you. 20 But now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day these things happen, because you did not believe my message, which will be fulfilled in its appointed time.’
21 Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zakarīyā and were surprised that he was taking so long in al-Bayt ul-Muqaddas. 22 When he came out, he was not able to speak to them, and they realised he had seen a vision in al-Bayt ul-Muqaddas. He kept making signs to them with his hands and remained unable to speak.
23 When the time of his service in al-Bayt ul-Muqaddas was completed, he left to go home. 24 Soon after this, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months did not appear in public. 25 ‘This is what the Lord has done for me,’ she said. ‘Now he has shown his concern for me by taking away my disgrace among the people.’
The Angel Jibrīl (pbuh) announces the birth of 'Īsā al-Masīh (hpbuu) to Maryam (pbuh)
26 In the sixth month, the angel Jibrīl was sent from Allah to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin who was engaged to be married to a man named Yūsuf from the house of Dāwūd. The virgin's name was Maryam. 28 The angel came to her and said, ‘As-salāmu 'alaykum, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’
29 Maryam was deeply disturbed by his message and wondered what this greeting might mean. 30 The angel said to her, ‘Don't be afraid, Maryam, for you have found grace from Allah. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to name him 'Īsā.q 32 He will be great and will be called spiritual Son of al-Muta'āli.r The Lord Allah will give him the throne of his father Dāwūd. 33 He will reign over the house of Ya'qūb forever; his kingship will never end.’s
34 ‘How can this happen,’ Maryam asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’t
35 The angel replied, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of al-Muta'āli will overshadow you. For this reason, the child to be born will be holy.u He will be called the spiritual Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is expecting a child in her old age; she who was called infertile is now in her sixth month of pregnancy. 37 For nothing is impossible with Allah.’v
38 Maryam said, ‘I am the Lord's servant. May it happen to me as you have said.’
Then the angel left her.
Hazrat Maryam (pbuh) visits Hazrat Elizabeth (pbuh)
39 In those days Maryam set off and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea. 40 There she went into Zakarīyā's house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Maryam's greeting, the baby leaped for joy in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She exclaimed in a loud voice, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child in your womb! 43 And how is it that the mother of my Lordw has come to me? 44 For as soon as I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb leaped for joy and gladness. 45 You are blessed because you have believed that the Lord will fulfil what he has said to you.’
Hazrat Maryam's (pbuh) Nashīd
46 Then Maryam said,
‘My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices greatly in Allah my Saviour,x
48 for he has looked with favour on the humble status of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for al-Qādiry has done great things for me.
Al-Quddūsz is his name.
50 His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
51 He has done mighty acts with his arm,a
He has scattered those whose hearts are proud.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
but the humble he has honoured.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things,
but the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped the Banī Isrā'īl, his servant,
remembering his mercy.
55 This is what he promised to our ancestors,
to Ibrāhīm and his descendants forever.’b
56 Maryam stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
The birth of Prophet Yahyā (pbuh)
57 The time came for Elizabeth to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown such great mercy to her and they rejoiced with her.
59 On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zakarīyā after his father. 60 But his mother said, ‘No! He is to be called Yahyā.’
61 They said to her, ‘None of your relatives has that name.’
62 They signalled with their hands to his father to ask what he would like the child to be called. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, ‘His name is Yahyā.’ Everyone was astonished.
64 Immediately Zakarīyā's mouth was opened and his tongue released, and he started to speak, praising Allah. 65 Everyone in the neighbourhood was filled with awe, and throughout the entire hill country of Judea, people were talking about all these events. 66 Everybody who heard pondered them and asked, ‘What is this child going to be?’ For the Lord's hand was with him.
Prophet Zakarīyā's (pbuh) Nashīd
67 The child's father Zakarīyā was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:
68 ‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of the Banī Isrā'īl,
for he has shown his concern and redeemed his people.
69 He has raised up a strong kingc in the house of Dāwūd, his servant,
who will bring salvation for us,d
70 just as he said through his holy prophets from past ages.
71 This salvation is from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us.
72 Allah has shown mercy to our ancestors
and has remembered his holy covenant,
73 - the oath which he swore to Ibrāhīm our father.e
that we might worship him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness in his presence all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called a prophetf of al-Muta'āli.
For you will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his ways,g
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
through the forgiveness of their sins.
78 Out of the merciful hearth of our God,
the dawn from heaven will break upon us,
79 to shine on those in darkness
and those living in the shadow of death,i
to guide our feet into the way of peace.’
80 The child grew and became strong in spirit. He lived in the wilderness until the time of his public appearance to the Banī Isrā'īl.