Say [O Prophet]: "If you love God, follow me, [and] God will love you and forgive you your sins; for God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace." 31 Say: "Obey Allah and His Messenger": But if they turn back, Allah loveth not those who reject Faith. 32 ۞ Indeed, Allah chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of 'Imran over the worlds - 33 Offspring, one of the other, and Allah is the All-Hearer, All-Knower. 34 Behold! a woman of 'Imran said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." 35 Then when she brought her forth, she said: my Lord verily I have brought forth a female - and Allah knew best that which she had brought forth, and the male is not as the female, and verily I have named her Maryam, and verily I seek refuge for her and her progeny with Thee from the Satan the accursed. 36 Right graciously did her Lord accept her: He made her grow in purity and beauty: To the care of Zakariya was she assigned. Every time that he entered (Her) chamber to see her, He found her supplied with sustenance. He said: "O Mary! Whence (comes) this to you?" She said: "From Allah: for Allah Provides sustenance to whom He pleases without measure." 37 Thereupon Zachariah supplicated to his Lord, saying: 'Lord, give me from You a good offspring. You hear 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: "O my Lord! How shall I have son, seeing I am very old, and my wife is barren?" "Thus," was the answer, "Doth Allah accomplish what He willeth." 40 Zechariah said: 'O my Lord! Appoint a sign for me.' The angel said: 'The sign for you shall be that you shall not speak to men for three days except by gesture. Remember your Lord and extol His glory by night and by day.' 41