Qur'anic verses - The family of Zechariah:

Zechariah, or Zakariya in Arabic, was a priest; both he and his wife were devout and punctilious in their duties. They were old, and they had no son. In his old age, Zechariah, cried to God to have a heir to inherit the higher duty of the priestly family that is to carry God's message, not selfish worldly things.

All three, father, mother, and son, were made worthy of each other, and they rebelled evil by their devout emulation in virtue.

Zakariya and his son John, the precursor of Jesus, were regarded among the ranks of the Righteous who led solitary lives. God said about those Preachers of Truth, peace be upon them:

And Zakariya and John, and Jesus and Elias: All in the ranks of the Righteous.

[Qur'an 6: 85]

Elias is the same as Elijah, who was a Prophet living in the reign of Ahab and Ahaziah, kings of Israel (B.C. 896-872).