Surat Al `Imran (31-40)

{قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ} [آل عمران: 31]

31- Say: If you really love Allah, follow me, walk in my way, and do what I command you. If you do that, you shall have the reward, which is Allah's love and satisfaction to you and forgiveness of sins, for He is the Oft-Forgiving and All-Merciful.

{قُلْ أَطِيعُوا اللهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّ اللهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الكَافِرِينَ} [آل عمران: 32]

32- Say: Obey Allah in that He commands you and follow Prophet Muhammad [peace be upon him] in all that he commands you, whether a command or prohibition, in order to win the consent and forgiveness of Allah. However, if they refuse and satisfied with disbelief and misguidance, Allah shall hate, be angry with, and prepare for them the torment that they deserve.

{إِنَّ اللهَ اصْطَفَى آَدَمَ وَنُوحًا وَآَلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَآَلَ عِمْرَانَ عَلَى العَالَمِينَ} [آل عمران: 33]

33- Allah has chosen Adam, Noah, the people of Abraham, and the people of `Imran from among the people to carry the message of Islam and convey His Call.

As for Adam, Allah created him with His own Hands and made the angels prostrate for him. He made Noah the first messenger to the people of the earth. He chose Abraham, the owner of the pure monotheism from among the family of Abraham. Muhammad [peace be upon him] is one of the offspring of Abraham. He is the best and the noblest of Allah's Creation and the Seal of Prophets. He chose `Imran from the family of `Imran who was the father of Mary, the mother of Jesus, the noble Prophet of Allah.

{ذُرِّيَّةً بَعْضُهَا مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَاللهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ} [آل عمران: 34]

34- Those are a blessed offspring; one after another, in religion and helping one another. Their monotheism is one, their message is one, and their call for the truth is the same.

Allah hears the supplications of His Servants, whether secretly or publicly, All-Acquainted with them and with their work, so He chooses of them the people whom He wants to carry His Message.

{إِذْ قَالَتِ امْرَأَةُ عِمْرَانَ رَبِّ إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لَكَ مَا فِي بَطْنِي مُحَرَّرًا فَتَقَبَّلْ مِنِّي إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ السَّمِيعُ العَلِيمُ} [آل عمران: 35]

35- Remember what the mother of Mary, the wife of `Imran, said after she had become pregnant, she said: "O Allah, I vowed to make my pregnancy purely for Your Worship and dedicated to serve the church in Jerusalem, so accept it from me, for Your are the Most-Honorable and the Respondent Who hears my supplications and You know the truthfulness of my intention.

{فَلَمَّا وَضَعَتْهَا قَالَتْ رَبِّ إِنِّي وَضَعْتُهَا أُنْثَى وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا وَضَعَتْ وَلَيْسَ الذَّكَرُ كَالأُنْثَى وَإِنِّي سَمَّيْتُهَا مَرْيَمَ وَإِنِّي أُعِيذُهَا بِكَ وَذُرِّيَّتَهَا مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ} [آل عمران: 36]

36- When she gave birth, she said: "O Lord, I gave birth to a female, and Allah is Acquainted with her baby. She said: "A male is not like a female in worship, power, and forbearance of hardship, especially in the service of the Church for which she vowed to dedicate her pregnancy. The boys are the ones who used to be dedicated for such work and not female. She said: "I called her Mary and I protected her and her offspring against Satan, which is cast from Your Mercy, and deposited her in Your Protection and Care.

{فَتَقَبَّلَهَا رَبُّهَا بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ وَأَنْبَتَهَا نَبَاتًا حَسَنًا وَكَفَّلَهَا زَكَرِيَّا كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا زَكَرِيَّا المِحْرَابَ وَجَدَ عِنْدَهَا رِزْقًا قَالَ يَا مَرْيَمُ أَنَّى لَكِ هَذَا قَالَتْ هُوَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللهِ إِنَّ اللهَ يَرْزُقُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ} [آل عمران: 37]

37- So, Allah accepted her vow because of her sincerity. Allah reared Mary well, facilitated for her the reasons for admission, and made Prophet Zechariah her guarantor and guardian. He was the first responsible at the center of worship in the Jerusalem and she leant from him a lot of knowledge and good works, thus she was reared blessed and ready for a great matter.

 Whenever Zechariah entered upon her the place of worship, would found there food and fruit, he was amazed and said to her: "Where did you get this sustenance, Mary? She would answer in modesty, submissiveness, and faith: It is from Allah. He is the One Who gives without measure, for He is Generous and Full of bounty.

{هُنَالِكَ دَعَا زَكَرِيَّا رَبَّهُ قَالَ رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِنْ لَدُنْكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ} [آل عمران: 38]

38- When Zechariah [peace be upon him] recognized that righteousness, worship, dedication, and devotion to serve, his heart moved with the love of good offspring to be extension to his family and for his work. He was an old man and his wife was barren, however, he did not despair because Allah is capable of everything. He supplicated his Lord in submissiveness, and said faintly: "O Allah, I ask You to grant me a pious child to be the joy of my eyes and You hear my supplication, beseech to You, and You know my desire for good offspring.

{فَنَادَتْهُ المَلَائِكَةُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي فِي المِحْرَابِ أَنَّ اللهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحْيَى مُصَدِّقًا بِكَلِمَةٍ مِنَ اللهِ وَسَيِّدًا وَحَصُورًا وَنَبِيًّا مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ} [آل عمران: 39]

39- Thereupon, Allah responded to his supplication, and angels called him while offering Salah in the place of his secret supplications to Allah and the place of his Salah saying: Verily, Allah gives you glad tiding of a son from your offspring whose name is John, son of Zachariah [Yahya ibn Zakariya], confirming with prophethood of Jesus, the son of Mary, who was begotten by a word from Allah. That word was "Be." So, he was the first to believe in him. He shall be a master and a dignified chairman in knowledge and worship. He prevented himself from desires, so he does not have sexual intercourse with women, and an inspired and generous prophet, who was known for uprightness.

{قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لِي غُلَامٌ وَقَدْ بَلَغَنِيَ الكِبَرُ وَامْرَأَتِي عَاقِرٌ قَالَ كَذَلِكَ اللهُ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاءُ} [آل عمران: 40]

40- Zachariah [peace be upon him] said in submissiveness, secret supplication, and longing: "O Lord, how could I have a child and I have grown old and my wife is sterile?

He said that to mention the favor of Allah, glorifying His Power, and showing astonishment of it, not thinking of its impossibility.

Thereupon, Allah said to him: This is the command of Allah. Nothing disables Him and nothing is greater than Him, and He does whatever He wants of the extraordinary things and magnificent events.