(7–11) “O Zechariah, We give you glad tidings of a son whose name will be John—a name We have not given to anyone before him.” He said, “My Lord, how can I have a son when my wife is barren and I have reached extreme old age?” He said, “So it shall be. Your Lord says, ‘It is easy for Me, just as I created you before, when you were nothing.’” He said, “My Lord, appoint a sign for me.” He said, “Your sign is that you will not speak to people for three nights, though you are sound.” Then he came forth from the prayer chamber to his people and signaled to them to glorify Allah morning and evening.”

That is, Allah Most High gave him glad tidings through the angels of John, and Allah Himself named him John. It was a name befitting the one who bore it: he would live a physical life, thereby completing the blessing, and he would live a spiritual life—the life of the heart and soul—through revelation, knowledge, and religion.

“A name We have not given to anyone before him.” That is, no one before him had been given this name. It may also mean: We had never before made anyone his equal or peer. This would be glad tidings of his perfection, his possession of praiseworthy qualities, and his surpassing those who preceded him. On this interpretation, however, the general wording must necessarily be qualified to exclude Abraham, Moses, Noah—peace be upon them—and others who were unquestionably superior to John.

Thus, when he received the glad tidings of the child for whom he had prayed, he found it extraordinary and was astonished. He said: “My Lord, how can I have a son,” when the impediment to having a child exists in both me and my wife? It was as though, when he prayed, he had not called this impediment to mind because of the intensity of what filled his heart and his immense longing for a child. Yet when his prayer was accepted, he was astonished. Allah therefore answered him:

“So it shall be. Your Lord says, ‘It is easy for Me.’”

That is, the matter is extraordinary according to normal experience and Allah’s customary way in creation. Yet Allah Most High has the power to bring things into existence without their usual causes, and that is easy for Him. It is no more difficult than creating him before, when he was nothing.

“He said, ‘My Lord, appoint a sign for me.’” That is, a sign by which my heart may be reassured. This was not doubt concerning Allah’s word. Rather, it was as Abraham—peace be upon him—said: “My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead.” He said, “Do you not believe?” He replied, “Yes indeed, but so that my heart may be reassured.” Thus, he sought an increase in knowledge and to attain certainty through direct sight after possessing certainty through knowledge.

Allah, in His mercy toward him, granted his request. He said: “Your sign is that you will not speak to people for three nights, though you are sound.” Another verse states: “For three days, except by gestures.” The meaning is the same, for the period is sometimes expressed in terms of nights and at other times in terms of days, and both expressions convey the same duration.

This was one of the wondrous signs: he was prevented from speaking and rendered unable to do so for three days, without being mute or afflicted by any ailment. Rather, he remained sound and without defect. This was among the proofs of Allah’s power, which transcends ordinary norms. Nevertheless, he was prevented only from speech addressed to other human beings. As for glorifying Allah, declaring His oneness, remembering Him, and similar acts, he was not prevented from them. Thus, Allah says in another verse: “Remember your Lord often and glorify Him in the evening and the morning.”

His heart was therefore reassured, and he rejoiced at these tremendous glad tidings. He obeyed Allah’s command to show gratitude by worshipping and remembering Him. He devoted himself to worship in his prayer chamber, then came forth from it to his people and signaled to them—that is, by gesture and indication—“to glorify Allah morning and evening,” because the glad tidings of John were a religious benefit to them all.