(O Muhammad), recite in the Book the account of Mary, when she withdrew from her people to a place towards the east; 16 and kept herself in seclusion from them, whereupon We sent unto her Our angel of revelation, who appeared to her in the shape of a well-made human being. 17 She exclaimed: "Verily, 'I seek refuge from thee with the Most Gracious! [Approach me not] if thou art conscious of Him!" 18 [The angel] answered: "I am but a messenger of thy Sustainer, [who says,] 'I shall bestow upon thee the gift of a son endowed with purity.'" 19 She said: When shall I have a boy and no mortal has yet touched me, nor have I been unchaste? 20 "Even so" he replied, "as such your Lord has said: 'Easy it is for Me. And We shall make him a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us. It is a matter decreed.'" 21 ۞ Then she conceived him and withdrew with him to a far-off place. 22 And the throes (of childbirth) compelled her to betake herself to the trunk of a palm tree. She said: Oh, would that I had died before this, and had been a thing quite forgotten! 23 Then (the child) called out to her from beneath her: Grieve not, surely your Lord has made a stream to flow beneath you; 24 And shake towards you the trunk of the palmtree, it will drop on you fresh ripe dates: 25 So eat and drink and refresh the eye. Then if you see any mortal, say: Surely I have vowed a fast to the Beneficent Allah, so I shall not speak to any man today. 26 So carrying him in her arms, she brought him to her people; they said, “O Maryam, you have indeed committed a great evil!” 27 O sister of Aaron, your father was never an evil man, nor was your mother unchaste' 28 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?" 29 He said, "I am the servant of God. He has given me the Book and has appointed me to be a Prophet. 30 And blessed me wherever I may be, and enjoined on me worship and zakat for as long as I live, 31 and has made me dutiful to my mother. He has not made me oppressive, nor bereft of God's blessings. 32 There was peace on me the day I was born, and will be the day I die, and on the day I will be raised from the dead." 33 This is Jesus, the son of Mary; and this is the truth about him concerning which they are in doubt. 34 It is not for God to take a son unto Him. Glory be to Him! When He decrees a thing, He but says to it 'Be,' and it is. 35 [Jesus said], "And indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path." 36 But the sects differ among themselves: and woe to the unbelievers because of the (coming) Judgment of a Momentous Day! 37 How [clearly] they will hear and see the Day they come to Us, but the wrongdoers today are in clear error. 38 Warn them of that Day of Anguish, when the matter is determined whilst heedlessly they disbelieve. 39 Indeed We shall inherit the earth and all that is on it, and only towards Us will they return. 40