Mary (Maryam)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Kaf-Ha-Ya-A’in-Sad. (* Alphabets of the Arabic language – Allah and to whomever He reveals know their precise meanings.) 1 This is an account of the mercy of your Lord to His servant Zechariah 2 When he softly prayed to his Lord. 3 he prayed: "O my Sustainer! Feeble have become my bones, and my head glistens with grey hair. But never yet, O my Lord, has my prayer unto Thee remained unanswered. 4 And now I fear my kinsfolk after I am gone; and my wife is barren. So give me, from Thee, a kinsman 5 “He being my successor and the heir of the Descendants of Yaqub (Jacob); and my Lord, make him a cherished* one.” (* Make him a Prophet among the Descendants of Israel.) 6 'O Zachariah, We give thee good tidings of a boy, whose name is John. No namesake have We given him aforetime.' 7 "My Lord!" [said Zachariah], "How shall I have a son when my wife is barren and I have reached such extreme old age?" 8 (The angel) said, "This is true, but your Lord says, 'For Me it is easy; I created you when you did not exist". 9 He said: my Lord appoint for me a sign. Allah said: thy sign is that thou shalt not speak unto mankind for three nights, while sound. 10 So he went forth to his people from his place of worship, then he made known to them that they should glorify (Allah) morning and evening. 11 [And when the son was born and grew up, he was told,] "O John! Hold fast unto the divine writ with [all thy] strength!" - for We granted him wisdom while he was yet a little boy, 12 We gave him compassion and purity. He was a pious human being, 13 And kind to his parents, and he was not overbearing or rebellious. 14 Peace on him the day he was born, and the day he dieth and the day he shall be raised alive! 15