Was Zakariyya a King?

In this post we shall be looking at Zakariyya. Although the historical Zechariah was a priest, did Allah's boss at the time of composing his verses think that he was a king or some other leader?

S 19:2-6  A dhikr of your lord’s mercy, his slave Zakariyya, / When he invoked his lord stealthily. / He said: Lord, the bones have weakened from me and the head has flamed hoary and I was not distressed in the supplication to you, lord. / I have feared the mawali after me and my woman was infertile. So give me from you a protector / Inheriting me and inheriting from Ya’qub’s family. And make him, lord, pleasing.

The author has him asking his 'lord' to give him a protector who would 'inherit him'. One can inherit from a man but inherit a man?

Might the author have his audience understand a 'protector' who would succeed him? Now, the author evidently read literature derived from one or two Syriac sources. I'm not au fait of Syriac but I am familiar with Hebrew, a related language, and in Hebrew the word ירש yarash means both 'inherit' and 'succeed someone'.

From an article:

Was John a chief, master, or leader?

There is another problematic term in S. 3:39. Many English translations render it this way:

And the angels called to him, standing in the Sanctuary at worship, 'Lo, God gives thee good tidings of John, who shall confirm a Word of God, a chief (sayyidan), and chaste, a Prophet, righteous.' ArberryAnd an angel cried out to him as he was standing praying in the chamber (and said) that 'God gives thee the glad tidings of John, to confirm the Word from God,- of a chief and a chaste one, and a prophet from amongst the righteous.' PalmerThe Angels called to him while he was standing to the contact-method in the temple enclosure: "God gives you good tidings of John, authenticating the word from God, and a master, and steadfast, and a prophet from the upright." Free MindsAnd the angels called out to him when he was standing in the sanctuary worshipping, saying: 'Allah gives you glad tidings of John, who shall confirm a Word from Allah. He shall be a master and chaste, a Prophet and from the righteous.' QaribullahAnd the angels called out to him while he was standing, offering prayer at his place of worship, “Indeed Allah gives you glad tidings of Yahya (John), who will confirm a Word (or sign) from Allah, - a leader, always refraining from women, a Prophet from one of Our devoted ones.” QadriWhen he was standing during prayer in his place of worship, the angels called him saying, "God gives you the glad news of the birth of your son, John who will be a confirmation of (Jesus) the Word of God. He will become a chaste, noble leader and one of the righteous Prophets. M. SarwarAs he stood praying in the Mahrab (a prayer place in the sanctuary) the angels called out to him saying: "Allah gives you good news of a son to be named John, he will confirm the word of Allah, he will be a great leader, chaste and a Prophet from among the righteous." MalikThen the angels called him and he was offering prayer standing at his place of worship, no doubt Allah gives you glad tidings of Yahya who shall confirm a word from Allah, a chief and chaste and prophet from amongst Our righteous. Kanz-ul-Eeman, English translation by Professor Shah Farid-ul-HaqueSo the angels called him, and he is standing/keeping praying, in the prayer's niche: "That God announces good new to you with John confirming with a word from God and a master and restricting himself (chaste), and a prophet from the correct/righteous people." Literal Translation by Mohamed & Samira Ahmed

Using the adjective "chaste", the author of the Qur'an seems to echo that John the Baptist was not married and lived withdrawn from society in a desert region (Mark 1:1-8). Similarly, the term "righteous" apparently echos that John preached repentance and instructed people to live righteous lives (Luke 3:1-20).

However, the term sayyid (master, lord, chief, leader) is not appropriate for John. In patriarchal societies it is hardly possible that a young man, the only child born to aged parents, and himself unmarried and childless, could be a chief or leader among his people. John did not have a leadership position in his society. True, he challenged even the most powerful when he charged king Herod with indecent behavior and injustice (Luke 3:19), but he did so as "a voice calling in the desert" (Luke 3:4; Isaiah 40:3), not from an established position of power and leadership in society.

Thus, calling him a chief or master, is ignorant of how John really lived and preached. Perhaps this is the reason that other Muslim translators chose to render this term differently?

And the angels called to him as he stood praying in the sanctuary: Allah giveth thee glad tidings of (a son whose name is) John, (who cometh) to confirm a word from Allah, lordly, chaste, a prophet of the righteous. Pickthall

While he was standing in prayer in the chamber, the angels called unto him: "Allah doth give thee glad tidings of Yahya, witnessing the truth of a Word from Allah, and (be besides) noble, chaste, and a prophet,- of the (goodly) company of the righteous." Yusuf Ali

So the angels called him while he was standing in prayer in the chamber, "Indeed, Allah gives you good tidings of John, confirming a word from Allah and [who will be] honorable, abstaining [from women], and a prophet from among the righteous." Saheeh InternationalThen the angels called him, while he was standing in prayer in Al-Mihrab (a praying place or a private room), (saying): "Allah gives you glad tidings of Yahya (John), confirming (believing in) the Word from Allah [i.e. the creation of 'Iesa (Jesus), the Word from Allah ("Be!" - and he was!)], noble, keeping away from sexual relations with women, a Prophet, from among the righteous." Al-Hilali & Khan

Thereupon, as he stood praying in the sanctuary, the angels called out unto him: "God sends thee the glad tiding of [the birth of] John, who shall confirm the truth of a word from God, and [shall be] outstanding among men, and utterly chaste, and a prophet from among the righteous." Muhammad Asad

Pickthall is still somewhat close to the translations quoted in the first part. Nevertheless, "lordly" (in appearance? in behavior? or what does he mean?) is already quite a difference to actually "being a lord". And the other translators turn the term into a moral quality which has no longer any connection with actual power.

However, one cannot say with certainty that the translation "honorable" is wrong for the simple reason that the word sayyid is one of many unclear words in the Qur'an. Nobody really knows what it means. It is another element of the incoherence of the Qur'an, its unclear language and use of strange words.

The word sayyid occurs one more time in the Qur'an, in S. 12:25, where even those translators which chose to render the term as "honorable" or "noble" in S. 3:39 are quite unanimous that it means lord and/or master:

So they both raced each other to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back: they both found her lord (sayyidaha) near the door. She said: "What is the (fitting) punishment for one who formed an evil design against thy wife, but prison or a grievous chastisement?" Yusuf AliAnd they raced with one another to the door, and she tore his shirt from behind, and they met her lord and master at the door. She said: What shall be his reward, who wisheth evil to thy folk, save prison or a painful doom? PickthallSo they raced with one another to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back. They both found her lord (i.e. her husband) at the door. She said: "What is the recompense (punishment) for him who intended an evil design against your wife, except that he be put in prison or a painful torment?" Al-Hilali & KhanAnd they both rushed to the door; and she [grasped and] rent his tunic from behind - and [lo!] they met her lord at the door! Said she: "What ought to be the punishment of one who had evil designs on [the virtue of] thy wife - [what] but imprisonment or a [yet more] grievous chastisement?" Muhammad AsadThey raced to the door; and she tore his shirt from behind. They encountered her master by the door. She said, 'What is the recompense of him who purposes evil against thy folk, but that he should be imprisoned, or a painful chastisement?' Arberry

From the context, it is quite clear that the wife (after her unsuccessful attempt to seduce Joseph and commit adultery with him) is appealing to her sayyid not because he is honorable or noble — after all, she knows very well that she is trying to get him to do something unjust, and the author of the Qur'an is aware that he is going to punish Joseph although he is innocent —, but because he has the power to give a verdict and bring punishment on Joseph.

Therefore, S. 12:25 supports the interpretation of sayyid as having the meaning of lord and master (or chief, leader, etc.), and thus strengthens those translations which render it this way also in S. 3:39.

Some translations render sayyid as "husband" in S. 12:25, but that is certainly not a literal meaning (and, if it were, it would constitute another error regarding John the Baptist!), but most translators are apparently convinced it means "lord" or "master" (here), and the reason that they translate the same word differently in S. 3:39 seems to reflect an awareness that it does not fit the person of John. Qur'an Problem: How did John confirm Jesus?

But there is a reference to inheriting human beings in quran.

S 4:19 Those who have believed, it is not lawful for you to inherit women unwillingly. And do not constrain them to steal some of what you have given them except that they commit obvious fahishah. And live with them with kindness. But if you dislike them, then perhaps you dislike a thing and Allah has put much good in it.

The Jalalayn on this verse:

O you who believe it is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will read either karhan or kurhan as alternative forms that is to say coercing them into this. In pre-Islamic times they used to inherit women from their kin and if they so wished they could marry a woman without a dowry or marry her off and take the dowry for themselves or prevent her from marriage until she gave up what she had inherited or until she died and they could inherit from her. They were thus forbidden such practices; neither debar them your former wives from marrying others by retaining them while you have no desire for them yourselves only to harm them; so that you may go off with part of what you have given them of the dowry except when they commit flagrant read mubayyina ‘making it clear’ or mubayyana ‘clear’ lewdness such as adultery or rebellion then you have the right to coerce them until they redeem themselves to you or forfeit their dowries. Consort with them in kindness that is being decent in speaking to them with regard to their expenditure and lodging; for if you hate them then be patient; it may happen that you hate a thing wherein God has set much good that is to say perhaps He does this when He provides you with a righteous child through them. Altafsir.com -تفسير ايآت القرآن الكريم (74-0-19-4)

But I doubt that Zakariyya wanted to inherit a son of his :)) But if he were some sort of ruler, it would make sense that he might want a successor.