Lessons We Learn From Prophet Yahya's Life

Yahya bin Zakaria was a humble and ascetic prophet who used to worship Allah as Allah is supposed to be worshiped. He used to sit with the scholars and knowledgeable men since he was young. He used to humble himself before them even though he was a prophet and he had great wisdom.He reached levels of closeness to Allah where when he invoked Allah saying: "O Lord." Allah said: "At your beck and call O Yahya."

 

The Worship of Yahya (pbuh):

It was narrated that when Yahya was young he went to the home of holiness. he saw the monks and priests worshiping hard wearing clothes made of thick hair and wool. He went to his mother and said: "Mother, sew me a cloth out of thick wool and hair so that I go to the house of holiness and worship Allah with the monks and priests. His mother said: "I will wait till you father comes and gives me permission." Zakaria said: "What makes you do that? You are still a young boy." He said: "Father, haven't you seen that many boys who are younger than me encountered death?" He said: "Yes." Yahya said to his mother: "sew me a cloth out of thick wool and hair" Then she did.

He wore the cloth that his mother made him and then he headed towards the home of holiness and started worshiping Allah along with the monks till the cloth ate out of his flesh.

 

 

His Tears of Fear of Allah:

 

It was narrated that Yahya used to cry a lot because of his fear of Allah. One day he noticed that he became very thin and so Allah inspired to him: "O Yahya you cried till your body turned thin. I swear to My Glory and Honor, if you take one look at hell you would wear iron rather than cloth and cry till your tears eat out of your flesh."

Zakaria said to his son Yahya: "Son, what makes you do this? I asked My lord to grant you to me so that you relieve my soul?" He said: "You are the one who commanded me to do this." Zakaria said: "When was that, son?" Yahya said: "Didn't you say: "There is an obstacle between heaven and hell, none can cross it but the ones who cry because of fear of Allah""? Zakaria said: "Yes." He said: "Then work hard. Your matter is different than my matter."

 

It was narrated that before he advises the children of Israeel Zakaria used to turn right and left to see if Yahya is present. If he was present, Zakaria never mentions heaven or hell.

 

Once Zakaria was preaching when Yahya came rapping his head with a cloak and he sat among people. Zakaria turned right and left looking for Yahya and didn't find him. Thus he said: "My beloved Jibraeel told me that Allah said that in hell there is a mountain called Al-Sakran. Under that mountain there is a valley called Al-Ghadban it rages when The Most Gracious is angry. In that valley there is a well that is one hudnred years of travel long. In that well there are coffins of fire. In those coffins there are boxes of fire, clothes of fire, and chains of fire."

Yahya raised his head saying: "O how unaware we are of Al-Sakran" then he fell unconcious on his face.

 

The Traps of Iblees:

 

Imam Rida (Pbuh) says in Al-Amali Book: "Iblees used to come to all the prophets starting Adam till Issa (pbut). He used to talk to them and ask them about matters. None was tougher than Yahya bin Zakaria on Iblees.

Yahya once said to Iblees: "O Abou Mourra, I want you to do me a favor." Iblees said: "You are greater and more honored than being rejected by me. Ask me whatever you want, I will not oppose you."

Yahya said: "O Abou Mourra, I want you to show me your traps by which you hunt humans."

Iblees said: "I will do it because I love and honor you." He gave him a date on the next day.

 

In the next morning, Yahya sat in his house waiting for Iblees. He closed all his doors. Then he suddenly felt that Iblees is present and that he entered through a small hall in the house. Iblees's face was a monkey's face. He had the body of a pig. His eyes had a cleaved vertically. His teeth were a single bone. He had no chin and no beard. He had four hands. Two in his chest and two in his abdomen. His legs, feet and toes were backwards. He had wrapped his weighst with a peice of cloth made of red, yellow, green and all the colors. He also had big bell in his hand and an egg on his head. Hung on the egg there is an iron chain.

 

Yahya stared at him and then said: "what is this around your weighst?" He said: "This is the prostitude. I created it and adorned it to them."

 

Yahya said: "What are these colored threads?" He said: "These are the dyes of woman. Any woman who dies her hair had one of these colors. Thus people are allured by it."

 

Yahya said: "What is this bell in your hand?" He said: "This represents every pleasure that one attains from drums, flutes and musical instruments. People gather but they don't enjoy it but when i ring my bell amongst them they start feeling the music. Some start dancing. Some start cracking their fingers and some start undressing."

 

Yahya said: "Which matter harms your eyes the most?" He said: "Women. They are my traps. When the prayers and curses of the righteous people gather against me I escape towards women to cure myself with them."

 

Yahya said: "What are these chains in that egg?" He said: "By that I deviate the hearts of the righteous ones."

 

Yahya said: "Did you ever defeat me?" He said: "NO, but you have a trait that I like."

Yahya said: "What is it?" He said: "You eat a lot. When you feel full you don't pray and worship as when you aren't."

Yahya said: "I promise Allah that I will never allow myself to eat till satietion till I meet Him."

Iblees said: "I promise Allah that I will never advise a Muslim till I meet him." Then he left and never came back to him again." (1)

 

It was said that one day, boys in the age of Yahya said to him: "Let us play." He said to them: "I wasn't created for playing." He used to eat grapes and tree leaves. Also it was said that he used to eat barley bread.

 

Imam Sadiq (Pbuh) said: "A man came to Issa bin Mariam (pbuh) and said to him: "O Soul of Allah, I fornicated. Purify me." Issa commanded all the people to come to purify this man. When they gathered and the man was in the hole he cried: "He must not punish me he who has or had a punishment from Allah." All people left except Yahya and Issa (pbut). Yahya came near him and said: "O sinner, adivse me." He said: "Don't leave your self for your desires as you will indeed perish." Yahya said: "Give me more advice." He said: "Don't shame a sinner by his sin." Yahya said: "Give me more advice." He said: "Don't ever get angry." Yahya said: "That is enough for me." (2)

 

Imam Abou Al-Hassan The First said: "Yahya bin Zakaria (pbut) used to cry. He never laughed. Issa bin Mariam (pbut) used to laugh and cry. What Issa used to do is better than that of Yahya." (3)

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(1) Al-Amali Book- Qisas Al-Anbiya' Book p477

(2) Man La Yahdurodu Al-Faqeeh p475

(3) Usul Al-Kafi 2/665.