John, According to Islam

I have read the "Gospel According to John" so now I would like to say something about "John According to Islam". John was the son of Zachariah and a contemporary of Jesus. The community at the time of his birth was in turmoil in which many people did not pay heed to the teaching of the Torah. The Bible John 7:19 says "Did not Moses give you the law? But none of you keep it" John, however undertook the study of the Torah until he became an authority in it. He was often consulted in matters relating to the laws in the Torah and in fact he was often asked to settle disputes among people.

John was forever asking people to repent for their sins they committed. It was customary for him to bathe repenters in the water of the Jordan River. For this he earned the nick name of John the Baptist.

A Palestine king Hirodus wanted to marry a close relative Hirodia. John pointed out that such marriage was not allowed under the law of the Torah. As a result, the King had John and Zachariah put to death.

John in the Bible however made some contravening statements which are against the tenet of Islam. One such statement is " For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in him should not parish but have everlasting life John 3:16". Surely John or his Muslim name Yahya, could not have said such blasphemy