Because these three junctures are the most taxing for the children of Adam, God—exalted is He—bestowed His salutation of peace upon John at each of them, saying:
“And peace be upon him the day he was born, the day he dies, and the day he is raised alive.” (19:15)

Saʿīd ibn Abī ʿArūbah narrated from Qatādah that al-Ḥasan said: John and Jesus once met. Jesus said to him, “Ask God to forgive me, for you are better than I.” John replied, “Ask Him to forgive me, for you are better than I.” Jesus insisted, “You are better than I; I invoked peace upon myself, whereas God has conferred peace upon you.” By God, he recognized John’s excellence. (1)

Regarding the Almighty’s words elsewhere, “and honorable, chaste, and a prophet among the righteous” (3:39), some have said that “chaste” (ḥaṣūr) means one who never approaches women. Others offered a different interpretation—closer to Zechariah’s plea, “Grant me from Your own presence a goodly offspring” (3:38).

Imam Aḥmad reported (2): ʿAffān related to us; Ḥammād related to us; ʿAlī ibn Zayd informed us, from Yūsuf ibn Mihrān, from Ibn ʿAbbās, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“There is no human being descended from Adam who has not sinned or contemplated a sin—except John son of Zechariah. And no one should ever say, ‘I am better than Jonah son of Mattā.’”

ʿAlī ibn Zayd ibn Judʿān was criticized by several leading scholars; his ḥadīths are deemed objectionable. (3)

Ibn Khuzaymah and al-Dāraqutnī also transmitted the report through Abū ʿĀṣim al-ʿAbbādānī from ʿAlī ibn Zayd ibn Judʿān in an expanded form, after which Ibn Khuzaymah remarked, “It does not meet our standard.”

Ibn Wahb said: Ibn Lahīʿah told me, from ʿUqayl, from Ibn Shihāb, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ once came upon his Companions as they were discussing the virtues of the prophets. One said, “Moses is the one to whom God spoke.” Another said, “Jesus is the spirit of God and His word.” Another said, “Abraham is the close friend of God.” (4)(5) The Prophet ﷺ then said, “Where is the martyr, son of a martyr, who wore coarse haircloth and lived on tree leaves out of fear of sin?” Ibn Wahb explained: He meant John son of Zechariah. (6)

Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq—who is known for tadlīs—also reported, from Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd al-Anṣārī, from Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib, that Ibn al-ʿĀṣ told him he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:
“Every child of Adam will arrive on the Day of Resurrection burdened with a sin—except John son of Zechariah.” (7)