Mary

We called him from the right side of Mount Sinai and drew him close for communication.

Out of Our mercy We gave him his brother Aaron who himself was a Prophet.

Kaf. Ha. Ya. Ain. Sad.

This is the story of the blessing of your Lord to His servant Zachariah.

When he quietly called his Lord

and said, "My Lord, my bones have become feeble and my hair has turned white with age. Yet I have never been deprived in receiving from You the answer to my prayers.

I am afraid of what my kinsmen will do after (my death) and my wife is barren. Lord, grant me a son

who will be my heir and the heir of the family of Jacob. Lord, make him a person who will please you".

We answered his prayers with the glad news of the birth of a son by the name of John and told him, "We have never given such a name to anyone else."

He said, "Lord, how can I have a son? My wife is barren and I have reached an extremely old age".

(The angel) said, "This is true, but your Lord says, 'For Me it is easy; I created you when you did not exist".

Zachariah asked, " Lord, show me evidence (if this is a heavenly news)." The Lord said, "The evidence for it is that you must not speak (to any mortal) though you are in good health for three nights (and days)."

Zachariah came out to his people from place of worship and inspired them to glorify the Lord both in the morning and evening.

We commanded John, Zachariah's son, to follow the guidance of the Lord with due steadfastness. To John We gave knowledge and wisdom to John during his childhood.

We gave him compassion and purity. He was a pious human being,

kind to his parents, not arrogant or a rebellious person.

He was born and died in peace and will be brought back to life again in peace.

(Muhammad), mention in the Book (the Quran) the story of Mary how she left her family and started living in a solitary place to the East

out of her people's sight. We sent Our Spirit to her, who stood before her in the shape of a well formed human being.

Mary said, "Would that the Beneficent God would protect me from you. Leave me alone if you are a God fearing person".

He said, "I am the Messengers of your Lord. I have come to give you a purified son".

She said, "How can I have a son when no mortal has touched me nor am I an unchaste woman".

He said, "This is true but your Lord says, "It is very easy for Me. We have decided to give you a son as evidence (of Our existence) for human beings and a mercy from Us. This is a decree already ordained."

She conceived the child and retreated with him to a distant and solitary place.

When she started to experience (the pain of) of childbirth labor, by the trunk of a palm tree in sadness she said, "Would that I had died long before and passed into oblivion."

Then she heard the baby saying, "Do not be sad. Your Lord has caused a stream to run at your feet.

If you shake the trunk of the palm tree, it will provide you with fresh ripe dates.

Eat, drink, and rejoice. Should you see a person going by, tell him that on this day you have promised the Beneficent God to fast and never talk to any human being."

She took him to her people and they said, "Mary, this is indeed an strange thing.

Aaron's sister, your father was not a bad man nor was your mother unchaste".

She pointed to the baby (and referred them to him for their answer). They said, "How can we talk to a baby in the cradle?"

He said, "I am the servant of God. He has given me the Book and has appointed me to be a Prophet.

He has blessed me no matter where I dwell, commanded me to worship Him and pay the religious tax for as long as I live.

He has commanded me to be good to my parents and has not made me an arrogant rebellious person.

I was born with peace and I shall die and be brought to life again with peace."

Such was the true story of Jesus, the son of Mary, about which they dispute bitterly.

God is too Exalted to have a son. When He decides to bring some thing into existence He needs only command it to exist and it comes into existence.

(Baby Jesus said), "Worship God who is my Lord as well as yours. This is the straight path".

(The followers of Jesus) turned themselves into quarrelling sects. The disbelievers shall face a woeful condition on the great Day (of Judgment).

(Muhammad), how clearly they will hear and see on the day when they will be brought into Our presence. Today the wrong doers are in manifest error.

Warn them of the woeful day when the final decree will be issued; they are neglectful and faithless.

We are the heirs of the earth and those living in it will all return to Us.

Mention the story of Abraham, the truthful Prophet, in the Book (the Quran)

who asked his father, "Father, why do you worship something that can neither hear nor see nor help you at all?

Father, I have received the knowledge which has not been given to you. Follow me; I shall guide you to the right path.

Father, do not worship satan; he has disobeyed the Beneficent God.

Father, I am afraid that the Beneficent God's torment will strike you and you will become a friend of satan."

His father replied, "Abraham, are you telling me to give-up my gods? If you will not stop this, I shall stone you to death. Leave my house and do not come back again".

Abraham said, "Peace be with you. I shall ask my Lord to forgive you; He has been gracious to me.

I shall stay away from you and what you worship instead of God. I worship my Lord and hope that my prayers will not be ignored."

When (Abraham) rejected his people and what they worshipped instead of God, We gave him Isaac and Jacob and made both of them Prophets.

We granted them Our blessing and high renown.

(Muhammad), mention in the Book (the Quran) the story of Moses. Moses was a sincere person, a Messengers and a Prophet.

Mention in the Book (the Quran) the story of Ishmael; he was true to his promise, a Messengers and a Prophet.

He would order his people to worship God and pay the religious tax. His Lord was pleased with him.

Mention in the Book (the Quran) the story of Idris (Enoch); he was a truthful Prophet.

We granted him a high position.

These were the Prophets from the offspring of Adam, from those who embarked with Noah and from the offspring of Abraham and Israel. God guided them and chose them for His favor. Whenever they would hear the revelations of the Beneficent God they would bow down in prostration with tears.

They were succeeded by a generation who neglected their prayers and followed their worldly desires. They will certainly be lost,

but those among them who repent and become righteously striving believers will be admitted to the gardens without experiencing any injustice.

They will be admitted to the garden of Eden which is the unseen promise of the Beneficent God to His servants. The promise of God will certainly come true.

They will not hear therein any meaningless words. They will be greeted (by the angels) with "Peace be with you," and they will receive their sustenance both in the mornings and evenings.

Such are the gardens which We will give to Our God-fearing servants as their inherited property.

(Muhammad), we (the angels) do not come to you without being commanded by your Lord to do so. To Him belongs all that is before us, behind us, and in between. Your Lord is not forgetful.

He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them. Worship Him and be steadfast in your worship of Him; none is equal to Him.

The human being says, "Shall I be brought to life again after I will die?"

Does he not remember that We created him when he did not exist?

By your Lord, We will bring them back to life with satan and gather them around hell in large groups.

Then We will separate from every group those who were strongly rebellious against the Beneficent God.

We know best who deserves greater suffering in hell fire.

It is the inevitable decree of your Lord that every one of you will be taken to hell.

We will save the pious ones from the hell fire and leave the unjust people therein in crowded groups.

When Our revelations are recited to them, the unbelievers say to the faithful ones, "Which of us is more prosperous?"

How many generations of greater prosperity and splendor have We destroyed before them?

(Muhammad), tell them, "The Beneficent God gives respite to those who have gone astray only until they face the torment with which they were threatened or to the Day of Judgment. Then they will find out who will have the most miserable place and the weakest forces.

God further enlightens those who seek guidance. To those who do charitable deeds which produce continuing benefits, your Lord will give a better reward and a better place in Paradise.

Note the words of the disbeliever, "I shall certainly be given wealth and children?"

Has he the knowledge of the unseen or has the Beneficent God established such a binding agreement with Him?

Absolutely not, We will record his words and prolong his punishment.

All that he speaks of will belong to Us, and he will come into Our presence all alone.

They have sought honor from other gods instead of God.

In fact, they can have no honor; their gods will renounce their worship of idols and will turn against them.

Do you not realize that We have sent Satan to incite the unbelievers to sin.

(Muhammad), exercise patience; We have given them respite only for an appointed time.

On the Day of Judgment, when the pious people will be brought into the presence of the Beneficent God as the guests of honor

and the criminals will be driven and thrown into hell,

no one will be able to intercede for the others except those whom the Beneficent God has given authority.

They have said that the Beneficent God has given birth to a son.

This is certainly a monstrous lie!

This would almost cause the heavens to rent apart, the earth to cleave asunder and the mountains to crumble down in fragments,

to ascribe a son to the Beneficent God.

The Beneficent God is too Exalted to have a son.

All that is in the heavens and the earth will return to the Beneficent God as His submissive servants.

He has counted and enumerated them one by one.

Everyone on the Day of Judgment will individually come into the presence of God.

To the righteously striving believers God will grant love.

(Muhammad), We have given you the Book (the Quran) in your own language so that you could easily give the glad news to the pious ones and warn the quarrelsome ones.

How many generations living before them did We destroy? Do you find anyone of them around or do you even hear any word from them?