3. Aal-i-Imraan

O Prophet, say: If you really love Allah, then follow what I have brought, on the inside and the outside. By doing this, you will gain Allah’s love and He will forgive your sins. Allah is Forgiving and Merciful to those who repent to Him.

Allah honoured Adam (peace be upon him), by making the angels prostrate before him; Noah, by making him the first messenger to the people of the earth; the family of Abraham, by placing prophethood in his children; and the family of ‘Imrān, the father of Mary – which is a reference to Jesus (peace be upon him). He selected all of them and preferred them over all the people of their time.

These prophets and their followers were all part of the same family: declaring Allah’s Oneness and doing good. They passed on noble character and virtues to one another. Allah hears the statements of His servants and knows their actions; and therefore chooses whomever He wills.

Remember, O Messenger, when the wife of ‘Imrān, the mother of Mary, said: O Lord, I have made it a duty on myself to fully dedicate my unborn child to You, to worship You and Your House, so accept this act from me. You are the One who hears my prayer and knows my intention.

When she reached the end of her pregnancy and gave birth she was astonished – as she had hoped for a boy – and she said, ‘O Lord, I have given birth to a girl’. Allah knows what she gave birth to. Of course, a girl does not have the same strength and form as a boy that she had hoped for. She said, ‘I have named her Mary and I ask for Your mercy in protecting her and her children from the rejected Satan’.

Allah graciously accepted the dedication and brought her up well. He made the hearts of His pious servants incline caringly to her and put her in the care of the Prophet Zachariah. Whenever Zachariah would enter her place of worship he would find wholesome food there. So, he asked her, ‘O Mary, where did you get this food from?’ She replied, ‘This food is from Allah. Allah gives to whomever He wishes in abundance without account’.

When Zachariah saw the food that Allah was miraculously giving to Mary, he became hopeful that Allah would give him a child despite being very old and his wife being unable to bear children. He said: O Lord, give me a good child. You hear the prayer of the person who prays to You and You know his condition.

The angels called out to him while he was standing in prayer in his place of worship, saying: Allah gives you good news of a child to be born to you whose name will be John. He will confirm a word from Allah – which refers to Jesus, son of Mary, because he was specially created by a word from Allah. This child will be a leader of his people with his knowledge and worship. He will be innocent, keeping himself away from desires, including approaching women. He will dedicate himself to worshipping His Lord and will also be a prophet from those who are righteous.

When the angels gave him the good news about John, Zachariah said, ‘O Lord, how can I have a child after I have become old and my wife is unable to bear children?’ Allah replied to him that the example of the creation of John, in spite of his old age and his wife being barren, is like that of the creation of anything that Allah wishes to create, even though it is out of the ordinary. This is because Allah has power over everything and does whatever He wills in His wisdom and knowledge.