Surah Maryam

Kāf, Hā, Yā, ʿAyn, Ṣād.1

[This is] a mention of the mercy of your Lord to His servant Zechariah

When he called to his Lord a private call [i.e., supplication].

He said, "My Lord, indeed my bones have weakened, and my head has filled1 with white, and never have I been in my supplication to You, my Lord, unhappy [i.e., disappointed].

And indeed, I fear the successors1 after me, and my wife has been barren, so give me from Yourself an heir

Who will inherit me1 and inherit from the family of Jacob. And make him, my Lord, pleasing [to You]."

[He was told],1 "O Zechariah, indeed We give you good tidings of a boy whose name will be John. We have not assigned to any before [this] name."

He said, "My Lord, how will I have a boy when my wife has been barren and I have reached extreme old age?"

[An angel] said, "Thus [it will be]; your Lord says, 'It is easy for Me, for I created you before, while you were nothing.'"

[Zechariah] said, "My Lord, make for me a sign." He said, "Your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three nights, [being] sound."1

So he came out to his people from the prayer chamber and signaled to them to exalt [Allāh] in the morning and afternoon.

[Allāh said], "O John, take the Scripture [i.e., adhere to it] with determination." And We gave him judgement [while yet] a boy

And affection from Us and purity, and he was fearing of Allāh

And dutiful to his parents, and he was not a disobedient tyrant.

And peace be upon him the day he was born and the day he dies and the day he is raised alive.

And mention, [O Muḥammad], in the Book [the story of] Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east.

And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen. Then We sent to her Our Angel [i.e., Gabriel], and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man.

She said, "Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, [so leave me], if you should be fearing of Allāh."

He said, "I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy [i.e., son]."

She said, "How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?"