He toiled so much that he became very thin and physically weak.

He toiled so much that he became very thin and physically weak. As a result of the piety of his soul and due to an inter revolution Yahya used to keep himself away from women and also from other children of his age and remained aloof from the material world. Then God granted him messengership in his childhood. So he began to call people to God worship addressing the audiences forcefully. He prohibited people from disobeying God’s commands.

Looking at his knowledge, capability, justice, honesty and truthfulness the Bani Israel used to make him their arbitrator for settling disputes. [1] Surah Maryam 19:9-10 Yahya was a righteous and a good-natured young man. His race was also noble and kind and he never indulged in injustice.[1] While deciding disputes he used to be harsh towards the unjust and oppressors who did not obey divine commandments. This made his enemies revengeful and finally he was martyred.

The Quran describes Yahya (a.s) in the following words: O Yahya! Take hold of the Book with strength, and We granted him wisdom while yet a child And tenderness from Us and purity, and he was one who guarded (against evil), And dutiful to his parents, and he was not insolent, disobedient. [2] King Herdolis married a woman named Herodia who had a daughter from her previous husband. The daughter was extremely beautiful and so attractive that she maddened anyone.

A grand ceremony was held on the birthday of King Herdolis. This girl staged a captivating and charming dance performance therein which made all in the audience, including the King, spellbound. The King was so much fascinated by her that he asked the girl what she desired so that he could fulfill her desire. It became a talk of the town that the King has fallen in love with his own daughter. People began to hate the king.

Prophet Yahya, in order to prevent the king from such evil scolded him harshly and publicly announced that it was an open violation of the Law [1] See Holy Quran, Surah Maryam, 19:1-14 [2] Surah Maryam 19:12-14 of Moses and that it was absolutely illegal and a criminal offence on the part of the King to cohabit with that girl. Feeling that the guardian of the Divine Law was interfering with the pleasures and joys of the mother-daughter duo, they began to conspire against Yahya (a.s).

One day when the King expressed his eagerness to go to bed with his daughter, she replied that it was impossible as long as Yahya was alive.