The wife of Zakariyya (alayhis salaam)

The wife of Zakariyya (alayhis salaam)

Her name is Isha‘. She is the sister of Hannah and the aunt of Maryam (alayhas salaam). Referring to her, Allah says in the Quran: “We made his (Zakariyya’s) wife fit for him.” Some of the scholars have interpreted this as We have mended and corrected her ways. Yahya (alayhis salaam) was born to her while she was in her old age. Based on this, Eesa (alayhis salaam) is the daughter’s son of Yahya’s (alayhis salaam) aunt. The daughter’s son is often referred to as a son. It is for this reason that Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam has referred to both of them as cousins.

Lesson: Good character is such a great thing that Allah praised her for it. O women! Reform and mend your ways as we have explained in the previous part of Bahishti Zewar.