Christianity
Islam
John the Baptist / Yahya ibn Zakariyya
The forerunner whose birth to elderly Zachariah and Elizabeth was itself a miracle, born to prepare the way for Jesus. In Christianity he is the last of the prophets, who baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. In Islam, Yahya ibn Zakariyya is a prophet described as wise from childhood, pure and devout, who confirmed the Word of God — one of the very few prophets given a name by God before birth.
In Different Traditions
Christianity
John the Baptist
- Rol
- Forerunner of Christ; last of the Old Testament prophets; baptizer of Jesus
- Key Texts
- Luke 1:5–25, 57–80; 3:1–22; Matthew 11:11; John 1:6–8, 19–34
Islam
Yahya ibn Zakariyya
- Rol
- Prophet; named by God before birth; confirmed the Word of God
- Key Texts
- Quran 3:39; 6:85; 19:7–15; 21:90