Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your faults, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. 31 Say: Obey Allah and the Apostle; but if they turn back, then surely Allah does not love the unbelievers. 32 ۞ God chose (and gave distinction to) Adam, Noah, the family of Abraham, and Imran over all the people of the world. 33 Offspring one of the other; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing. 34 (Remember) When the wife of Imran said, “My Lord! I pledge to you what is in my womb – that it shall be dedicated purely in Your service, so accept it from me; indeed You only are the All Hearing, the All Knowing.” 35 But when she gave birth to a female child, she said: 'O Lord! I have given birth to a female' - and Allah knew full well what she had given birth to - 'and a female is not the same as a male. I have named her Mary and commit her and her offspring to You for protection from Satan, the accursed.' 36 So her Lord fully accepted her (Maryam), and gave her an excellent development; and gave her in Zakaria’s guardianship; whenever Zakaria visited her at her place of prayer, he found new food with her; he said, “O Maryam! From where did this come to you?” She answered, “It is from Allah; indeed Allah gives to whomever He wills, without limit account.” (Miracles occur through the friends of Allah.) 37 There did Zakariya pray to his Lord, saying: "O my Lord! Grant unto me from Thee a progeny that is pure: for Thou art He that heareth prayer! 38 Then the angels called to him as he stood praying in the sanctuary: That Allah gives you the good news of Yahya verifying a Word from Allah, and honorable and chaste and a prophet from among the good ones. 39 He said, "My Lord, how will I have a boy when I have reached old age and my wife is barren?" The angel said, "Such is Allah; He does what He wills." 40 [Zachariah] prayed: "O my Sustainer! Appoint a sign for me!" Said [the angel]: "Thy sign shall be that for three days thou wilt not speak unto men other than by gestures. And remember thy Sustainer unceasingly, and extol His limitless glory by night and by day." 41