And peace on him on the day he was born...

And peace on him on the day he was born, and on the day he dies, and on the day he is raised to life.” (19:14) Allah, the Beneficent declares in Qur’an, “And Zakariyya, when he cried to his Lord O my Lord!

Leave me not alone; and Thou art the best of inheritors.” (21:89) Allah, the Merciful replies in connection of these verses: “So We responded to him and gave him Yahya and made his wife fit for him, surely they used to hasten, one with another in deeds of goodness and to call upon Us hoping and fearing; and they were humble before Us.” (21:90) According to Sa’id bin ‘Abdullah once he asked some questions to Imam al-Mahdi when he was very young and was sitting on a lap of his father Imam Al-Hasan ‘Askari Sa’id bin ‘Abdullah asked Imam to explain the meaning of “Kaf-Ha-ya-Ain-Suad.” Imam at once said that there is a great secret behind of these letters.

Allah has given the knowledge of these letters to Zakariyya and the last Prophet, Muhammad al-Mustafa. It is said that Zakariyya requested the Almighty to make him know the names of the people of the cloak. By the order of Allah Archangel Gabriel approached him and taught him the names of the people of the cloak.

When Zakariyya was reciting the names of Muhammad, ‘Ali, Fatimah, hasan his tension and sadness dissipated at once but when he recited the name of husayn, his throat was choked and he started crying. Then one day after reciting Dua and prayer he asked Allah the reason of his crying by reciting the name husayn.

Allah, the beneficent told him about the incident of Karbala by revelation: ‘Kaf’ means Karbala, ‘Ha’ means the martyrdom of the son of Rasul Ya’ means Yazid, ‘Ain’ means thirst and hunger of the family of husayn. ‘Suad’ means Patience of Imam al-Husayn. When Zakariyya heard this, he felt, too much sorrow. He could not come out from his place of worship and forbade people to come and see him. He was saddened deeply, prayed to Allah by crying at Imam’s martyrdom. He said, “O, Allah!

You will test your al-Mustafa’s heart by grievances and troubles for the people of world to spread the principles and laws of Islam! Imam ‘Ali and Fatimah will also mourn and wear black dress for Imam al-Husayn’s martyrdom!” He prayed, “My Lord! Grant me a son, I will prove myself as a truthful servant. O Allah make me cry and sad for my son’s troubles and sorrow as you will make your Prophet sorrowful for his son Imam al-Husayn’s grief.” Allah the Merciful granted him a son named Yahya.