KAF. HA. YA. AIN. SAD.2 A recital of thy Lord's mercy to his servant
Zachariah;
When he called upon his Lord with secret calling,
And said: "O Lord, verily my bones are weakened, and the hoar hairs glisten on my head,
And never, Lord, have I prayed to thee with ill success.
But now I have fears for my kindred after me;3 and my wife is barren:
Give me, then, a successor as thy special gift, who shall be my heir and an heir of the family of Jacob: and make him, Lord, well pleasing to thee."
-"O Zachariah! verily we announce to thee a son,-his name John:
That name We have given to none before him."4
He said: "O my Lord! how when my wife is barren shall I have a son, and when
I have now reached old age, failing in my powers?"
He said: So shall it be. Thy Lord hath said, Easy is this to me, for I created thee aforetime when thou wast nothing."