Say thou: if ye are wont to love Allah, then follow me, and Allah shall love you and forgive you your sins; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. 31 Say: "Obey Allah and His Messenger": But if they turn back, Allah loveth not those who reject Faith. 32 ۞ Lo! Allah preferred Adam and Noah and the Family of Abraham and the Family of 'Imran above (all His) creatures. 33 (for His messengership) - a people alike and the seed of one another. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. 34 When the wife of Imran said, 'Lord, I have vowed to Thee, in dedication, what is within my womb. Receive Thou this from me; Thou hearest, and knowest.' 35 When the baby was born she said, "Lord, it is a female." God knew this. Male and female are not alike. "I have named her Mary. I pray that You will keep her and her offspring safe from Satan, the condemned one." 36 Her Lord graciously accepted the offer and made Mary grow up, pure, and beautiful. Zachariah took custody of her. Whenever he went to visit her in her place of worship, he would find with her some food. He would ask her, "Where did this food come from?" She would reply, "God has sent it." God gives sustenance to whomever He wants without keeping an account. 37 Thereupon Zachariah supplicated to his Lord, saying: 'Lord, give me from You a good offspring. You hear all prayers' 38 And the angels called to him as he stood praying in the sanctuary: Allah giveth thee glad tidings of (a son whose name is) John, (who cometh) to confirm a word from Allah lordly, chaste, a prophet of the righteous. 39 "How can I have a son, O Lord," he said, "for I am old and my wife is barren?" "Thus," came the answer, "God does as He wills." 40 He said: My Lord! appoint a sign for me. Said He: Your sign is that you should not speak to men for three days except by signs; and remember your Lord much and glorify Him in the evening and the morning. 41