Tafseer Ibn Kathir of MARYAM [7]

7. (Allah said:) ”O Zakariyya! Verily, We give you the good news of a son, whose name will be Yahya. We have given that name to none before (him).''   This statement implies what is not mentioned, that his supplication was answered. It was said to him,

((Allah said:) ”O Zakariyya! Verily, We give you the glad tidings of a son, whose name will be Yahya...'') Similarly Allah, the Exalted, said;

(At that time Zakariyya invoked his Lord, saying: ”O my Lord! Grant me from You, a good offspring. You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation.'' Then the angels called him, while he was standing in prayer in the Mihrab, (saying): ”Allah gives you glad tidings of Yahya, confirming (believing in) the word from Allah, noble, keeping away from sexual relations with women, a Prophet, from among the righteous.'')﴿3:38-39﴾ Allah said,

(We have given that name to none before (him).) Qatadah, Ibn Jurayj and Ibn Zayd said, ”This means that no one had this name before him.'' Ibn Jarir preferred this interpretation, may Allah have mercy upon him.