After speaking about his vulnerabilities and weakness, Zechariah/Zakariyya is given the "good news" of a child.  The child is miracle, a gift from God and a foreshadowing of the struggle of Maryam and the birth of Jesus/'Isa.    ...

One of the reason I have been drawn to the Islamic Mary or Maryam is the idea of a shared figure between various religious traditions and the interactions between them.  This led me to the emerging field of Interreligious Studies and to th...

After describing his plight, Zechariah/Zakariyya moves to discussing his fears and asking God for a child.  He seeks a heirwho will continue his prophetic and spiritual legacy. 

Verse 3 and 4 of the chapter of Mary (surat Maryam) captures about the private call of Zechariah/Zakariyya as he prays to have a child.  Before he makes his please, he speaks about his weakness - his brittle bones and white hair - and emph...

The second verse of the Chapter of Mary (Surat Maryam) speaks about mercy, especially mercy in regards to the Prophet Zechariah/Zakariyya  having a child.  I discuss how mercy is a major theme of the Qur'an and how it manifests in the...