John (ﷺ)... wait, the rule: ﷺ only after Prophet Muhammad. John is a prophet, so use "(pbuh)" as in the original? The rules say other honorifics written in words stay words in Malay. "(pbuh)" is an abbreviated honorific for another prophet, so keep it as-is. Yahya (pbuh) dilahirkan sebagai orang asing di dunia kanak-kanak yang biasanya bermain-main, kerana beliau sentiasa serius. Kebanyakan kanak-kanak gemar menyeksa haiwan, sedangkan beliau pula penyayang terhadap mereka. Beliau memberi haiwan-haiwan itu makanannya sehingga tidak tinggal apa-apa untuk dirinya, dan beliau hanya memakan buah-buahan atau daun-daun pokok. Yahya gemar membaca sejak kecil. Apabila beliau dewasa, Allah Yang Maha Tinggi memanggilnya:

John (pbuh) was born a stranger to the world of children who used to amuse themselves, as he was serious all the time. Most children took delight in torturing animals whereas, he was merciful to them. He fed the animals from his food until there was nothing left for him, and he just ate fruit or leaves of trees. John loved reading since childhood. When he grew up, Allah the Exalted called upon him:

"Wahai Yahya! Berpeganglah teguh kepada Kitab (Taurat)." Dan Kami telah memberinya hikmah ketika ia masih kanak-kanak.

"O John! Hold fast to the Scripture (The Torah)." And We gave him wisdom while yet a child.

(Surah Maryam 19:12)

(Ch 19:12 Quran).

Allah membimbingnya untuk membaca Kitab Fiqh dengan teliti; maka dengan itu, dia menjadi lelaki yang paling bijaksana dan paling berilmu pada zamannya. Oleh itu, Allah yang Maha Kuasa mengurniakannya kemampuan untuk memutuskan urusan manusia, menafsirkan rahsia agama, membimbing manusia ke jalan yang benar, dan memberi amaran kepada mereka terhadap jalan yang salah.

Allah guided him to read the Book of Jurisprudence closely; thus, he became the wisest and most knowledgeable man of that time. Therefore, Allah the Almighty endowed him with the faculties of passing judgments on people's affairs, interpreting the secrets of religion, guiding people to the right path, and warning them against the wrong one.

John mencapai kematangan. Kasih sayangnya kepada kedua ibu bapanya, serta kepada semua manusia dan semua makhluk, bertambah besar. Dia menyeru manusia supaya bertaubat daripada dosa-dosa mereka.

John reached maturity. His compassion for his parents, as well as for all people and all creatures, increased greatly. He called people to repent their sins.

Terdapat cukup banyak riwayat yang diceritakan tentang Yahya. Ibnu 'Asakir meriwayatkan bahawa suatu ketika kedua ibu bapanya mencari beliau, lalu mendapati beliau di Sungai Yordan. Apabila mereka bertemu dengannya, mereka menangis teresak-esak, melihat betapa besarnya kesungguhan beliau dalam beribadat kepada Allah, Yang Maha Agung lagi Maha Mulia.

There are quite a number of traditions told about John. Ibn Asaker related that one time his parents were looking for him and found him at the Jordan River. When they met him, they wept sorely, seeing his great devotion to Allah, Great and Majestic.

Ibn Wahb meriwayatkan bahawa, menurut Malik, rumput ialah makanan Yahya bin Zakariyya, dan dia menangis dengan teruk kerana takutkan Allah. Satu rantaian perawi melaporkan bahawa Idris Al Khawlawi berkata: "Tidakkah aku beritahu kamu siapa yang mempunyai makanan terbaik? Dialah Yahya bin Zakariyya, yang makan malam bersama haiwan-haiwan kerana takut bercampur dengan manusia."

Ibn Wahb said that, according to Malik, grass was the food of John Ibn Zakariyah, and he wept sorely in fear of Allah. A chain of narrators reported that Idris Al Khawlawi said: "Shall I not tell you he who had the best food? It is John Ibn Zakariyah, who joined the beasts at dinner, fearing to mix with men."

Ibnu Al-Mubarak meriwayatkan bahawa Wahb bin Al-Ward meriwayatkan bahawa Zakariyya tidak melihat anaknya selama tiga hari. Dia mendapati anaknya sedang menangis di dalam sebuah kubur yang telah digalinya dan di situlah dia tinggal. "Wahai anakku, aku telah mencarimu, dan engkau tinggal di dalam kubur ini sambil menangis!" "Wahai ayah, bukankah ayah pernah memberitahuku bahawa antara Syurga dan Neraka hanya ada sejengkal jarak, dan ia tidak akan dapat dilintasi kecuali dengan air mata orang-orang yang menangis?" Lalu ayahnya berkata kepadanya: "Kalau begitu, menangislah, wahai anakku." Maka mereka pun menangis bersama-sama.

Ibn Mubarak stated that Wahb Ibn Al-Ward narrated that Zakariayah did not see his son for three days. He found him weeping inside a grave which he had dug and in which he resided. "My son, I have been searching for you, and you are dwelling in this grave weeping!" "O father, did you not tell me that between Paradise and Hell is only a span, and it will not be crossed except by tears of weepers?" He said to him: "Weep then, my son." Then they wept together.

Riwayat-riwayat lain menyebut bahawa Yahya (pbuh) berkata: "Penghuni syurga tidak tidur kerana kemanisan nikmat Allah; kerana itulah orang beriman mesti tidak tidur kerana cinta kepada Allah di dalam hati mereka. Alangkah jauhnya antara dua kenikmatan itu, alangkah jauhnya antara keduanya?" Mereka berkata bahawa Yahya menangis begitu banyak sehingga air mata membekas di pipinya.

Other narrations say that John (pbuh) said: "The dwellers of Paradise are sleepless out of the sweetness of Allah's bounty; that is why the faithful must be sleepless because of Allah's love in their hearts. How far between the two luxuries, how far between them?" They say John wept so much that tears marked his cheeks.

Dia mendapati ketenangan di alam terbuka dan tidak pernah mempedulikan makanan. Dia memakan daun-daunan, herba, dan kadang-kadang belalang. Dia tidur di mana-mana sahaja di pergunungan atau di dalam lubang-lubang di tanah. Kadang-kadang dia mendapati seekor singa atau beruang ketika memasuki sebuah gua, tetapi kerana dia begitu tenggelam dalam memuji Allah, dia tidak pernah mengendahkan mereka. Haiwan-haiwan itu dengan mudah mengenali John sebagai nabi yang menjaga semua makhluk, lalu mereka akan keluar dari gua itu sambil menundukkan kepala.

He found comfort in the open and never cared about food. He ate leaves, herbs, and sometimes locusts. He slept anywhere in the mountains or in holes in the ground. He sometimes would find a lion or a bear as he entered a cave, but being deeply absorbed in praising Allah, he never heeded them. The beasts easily recognized John as the prophet who cared for all the creatures, so they would leave the cave, bowing their heads.

Yahya kadang-kadang memberi makan binatang-binatang itu, kerana belas kasihan, daripada makanannya sendiri, dan dia berpuas hati dengan doa sebagai makanan bagi jiwanya. Dia akan menghabiskan malam dengan menangis dan memuji Allah atas nikmat-nikmat-Nya.

John sometimes fed those beasts, out of mercy, from his food and was satisfied with prayers as food for his soul. He would spend the night crying and praising Allah for His blessings.

Ketika Yahya memanggil manusia untuk beribadah kepada Allah, dia membuat mereka menangis kerana cinta dan kepatuhan, dan hati mereka tertawan oleh kebenaran kata-katanya.

When John called people to worship Allah, he made them cry out of love and submission, arresting their hearts with the truthfulness of his words.

Satu konflik berlaku antara Yahya dan pihak berkuasa pada masa itu. Seorang raja zalim, Herodes Antipas, pemerintah Palestin, jatuh cinta kepada Salome, anak saudara lelakinya. Dia bercadang untuk mengahwini anak saudaranya yang cantik itu. Perkahwinan tersebut digalakkan oleh ibunya dan oleh sebahagian ulama Zion, sama ada kerana takut atau untuk mendapatkan kedudukan di sisi pemerintah.

A conflict took place between John and the authorities at that time. A tyrant king, Herod Antipas, the ruler of Palestine, was in love with Salome, his brother's daughter. He was planning to marry his beautiful niece. The marriage was encouraged by her mother and by some of the learned men of Zion, either out of fear or to gain favor with the ruler.

Apabila mendengar rancangan raja itu, John menegaskan bahawa perkahwinan sedemikian adalah sumbang mahram. Dia tidak akan meluluskannya dalam apa jua keadaan, kerana ia bertentangan dengan Hukum Taurat.

Pengumuman Yahya tersebar dengan pantas. Salome marah kerana cita-citanya ialah memerintah kerajaan bersama bapa saudaranya. Dia merancang untuk mencapai matlamatnya. Dengan berpakaian menarik, dia menyanyi dan menari di hadapan bapa saudaranya. Tarikannya membangkitkan nafsu Herod. Memeluknya, Herod menawarkan untuk memenuhi apa sahaja yang diingininya. Serta-merta dia berkata kepadanya: "Saya sangat ingin mendapatkan kepala Yahya, kerana dia telah mencemarkan maruah tuanku dan maruah saya di seluruh negeri. Jika tuanku mengabulkan permintaan ini, saya akan sangat gembira dan akan menyerahkan diri saya kepada tuanku." Terpukau dengan pesonanya, Herod tunduk kepada permintaannya yang mengerikan itu. Yahya dihukum bunuh dan kepalanya dibawa kepada Salome. Wanita yang kejam itu bersorak gembira dengan penuh kepuasan. Namun kematian nabi kekasih Allah itu telah dibalas. Bukan sahaja dia, tetapi seluruh anak-anak Israel telah dihukum dengan teruk oleh tentera penceroboh yang memusnahkan kerajaan mereka.

John's pronouncement spread like wildfire. Salome was angry, for it was her ambition to rule the kingdom with her uncle. She plotted to achieve her aim. Dressing attractively, she sang and danced before her uncle. Her arousing Herod's lust. Embracing her, he offered to fulfill whatever she desired. At once she told him: "I would love to have the head of John, because he has defiled your honor and mine throughout the land. If you grant me this wish, I shall be very happy and will offer myself to you." Bewitched by her charm, he submitted to her monstrous request. John was executed and his head was brought to Salome. The cruel woman gloated with delight. But the death of Allah's beloved prophet was avenged. Not only she, but all the children of Israel were severely punished by invading armies which destroyed their kingdom.