Say, [O Muhammad], "If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." 31 Tell them, "Obey God and the Messenger." If they turn away (let it be known) that God does not love the unbelievers. 32 ۞ Truly Allah chose Adam and Noah and the descendants of Abraham and of 'Imran above all mankind. 33 They are the descendants one of another; and Allah is the All Hearing, the All Knowing. 34 Remember, when the wife of 'Imran prayed: "O Lord, I offer what I carry in my womb in dedication to Your service, accept it, for You hear all and know everything." 35 And when she gave birth to her she said, 'Lord, I have given birth to her, a female.' (And God knew very well what she had given birth to; the male is not as the female.) 'And I have named her Mary, and commend her to Thee with her seed, to protect them from the accursed Satan.' 36 Thereupon her Lord graciously accepted Mary and vouchsafed to her a goodly growth and placed her in the care of Zechariah. Whenever Zechariah visited her in the sanctuary, he found her provided with food. He asked her: 'O Mary, how did this come to you?' She said: 'It is from Allah. Allah provides sustenance to whom He wills beyond all reckoning.' 37 Thereupon Zachariah prayed to his Lord, saying, "Lord, grant me by Your own grace virtuous offspring. You are the hearer of all prayers." 38 When he was standing during prayer in his place of worship, the angels called him saying, "God gives you the glad news of the birth of your son, John who will be a confirmation of (Jesus) the Word of God. He will become a chaste, noble leader and one of the righteous Prophets. 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 And Zachariah said: "Give me a token, O Lord." "The token will be," was the reply, "that you will speak to no man for three days except by signs; and remember your Lord much, and pray at evening and sunrise." 41