hful: he who doth this shall not be
protected of God at all; unless ye fear any danger from them: but God
warneth you to beware of himself; for unto God must ye return. Say,
Whether ye conceal that which is in your breasts, or whether ye declare
it, God knoweth it: for he knoweth whatever is in heaven, and whatever
is on earth: God is almighty. On the last day every soul shall find the
good which it hath wrought, present; and the evil which it hath wrought,
it shall wish that between itself and that were a wide distance: but God
warneth you to beware of himself; for God is gracious unto his servants.
Say, If ye love God, follow me: then God shall love you, and forgive you
your sins; for God is gracious and merciful. Say, Obey God, and his
apostle: but if ye go back, verily God loveth not the unbelievers. God
hath surely chosen Adam, and Noah, and the family of Abraham, and the
family of Imran above the rest of the world; a race descending the one
from the other: God is he who heareth and knoweth. Remember when the
wife of Imran said, Lord, verily I have vowed unto thee that which is in
my womb, to be dedicated to thy service: accept it therefore of me; for
thou art he who heareth and knoweth. And when she was delivered of it,
she said, Lord, verily I have brought forth a female (and God well knew
what she had brought forth), and a male is not as a female: I have
called her Mary; and I commend her to thy protection, and also her
issue, against Satan driven away with stones. Therefore the Lord
accepted her with a gracious acceptance, and caused her to bear an
excellent offspring. And Zacharias took care of the child; whenever
Zacharias went into the chamber to her, he found provisions with her;
and he said, O Mary, whence hadst thou this? she answered, This is from
God: for God provideth for whom he pleaseth without measure. There
Zacharias called on his Lord, and said, Lord, give me from thee a good
offspring, for thou art the hearer of prayer. And the angels called to
him, while he stood praying in the chamber, saying, Verily God promiseth
thee a son named John, who shall bear witness to the Word which cometh
from God; an honorable person, chaste, and one of the righteous
prophets. He answered, Lord, how shall I have a son, when old age hath
overtaken me, and my wife is barren? The angel said, So God doth that
which he pleaseth. Zacharias answered, Lord, give me a sign. The angel
said, Thy sign shall be, that thou shalt s