Say, (O Muhammad, to mankind): If ye love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. 31 Say, "Obey Allah and the Messenger." But if they turn away - then indeed, Allah does not like the disbelievers. 32 ۞ God chose Adam and Noah and the House of Abraham and the House of Imran above all beings, the 33 They are the descendants one of another; and Allah is the All Hearing, the All Knowing. 34 When a woman of Imran said: My Lord! surely I vow to Thee what is in my womb, to be devoted (to Thy service); accept therefore from me, surely Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing. 35 So when she brought forth, she said: My Lord! Surely I have brought it forth a female-- and Allah knew best what she brought forth-- and the male is not like the female, and I have named it Marium, and I commend her and her offspring into Thy protection from the accursed Shaitan. 36 Then her Lord accepted her with goodly acceptance and made her grow up with a goodly growth, and He made Zakariyya take care of her. So oft as Zakariyya entered the apartment to see her, he found provision by her. He said: O Maryam! whence hast thou this! She said: this is from before Allah. Verily Allah provideth for whomsoever He will without reckoning. 37 There did Zakariya pray to his Lord; he said: My Lord! grant me from Thee good offspring; surely Thou art the Hearer of prayer. 38 And the angels called out to him while he was standing, offering prayer at his place of worship, “Indeed Allah gives you glad tidings of Yahya (John), who will confirm a Word (or sign) from Allah, – a leader, always refraining from women, a Prophet from one of Our devoted ones.” 39 He said: "O my Lord! How can I have a son when I am very old, and my wife is barren?" Allah said: "Thus Allah does what He wills." 40 Zachariah prayed to God saying, "Lord, show me the evidence (that it is Divine revelation)." The Lord replied, "You must not speak to people for three days except with gestures. Commemorate your Lord often and glorify Him in the early mornings and the evenings." 41