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: "Pay heed unto God and the Apostle." And if they turn away - verely, God does not love those who deny the truth. 32 ۞ God had chosen Adam and Noah and the families of Abraham and 'Imran in preference to others. 33 They were the offspring of one another. Allah is Hearing, and 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 But when she delivered her, she said, "My Lord, I have delivered a female." And Allah was most knowing of what she delivered, "And the male is not like the female. And I have named her Mary, and I seek refuge for her in You and [for] her descendants from Satan, the expelled [from the mercy of Allah]." 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 At that time Zakariya (Zachariya) invoked his Lord, saying: "O my Lord! Grant me from You, a good offspring. You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation." 38 As he stood praying in the chamber, the angels called out to him, saying, "God gives you the good news of John, who shall confirm the Word from God, and [shall be] outstanding among men, and utterly chaste, and a prophet from among the righteous." 39 He said: My Lord! How can I have a son when age hath overtaken me already and my wife is barren? (The angel) answered: So (it will be). Allah doeth what He will. 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