AND CALL to mind, through this divine writ, Mary. Lo! She withdrew from her family to an eastern place 16 And had chosen seclusion from them. Then We sent unto her Our Spirit and it assumed for her the likeness of a perfect man. 17 She said, 'I take refuge in the All-merciful from thee! 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 Said she: "How can I have a son when no man has ever touched me? - for, never have I been a loose woman!" 20 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." 21 ۞ She conceived the child and retreated with him to a distant and solitary place. 22 The birth pangs led her to the trunk of a date-palm tree. "Would that I had died before this," she said, "and become a thing forgotten, unremembered." 23 Thereupon the angel below her cried out: "Grieve not, for your Lord has caused a stream of water 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 cool your eyes; and if you see any person say to him: 'Verily I have vowed a fast to the Most Compassionate Lord, and so I shall not speak to anyone today.' " 26 Then she brought him (the baby) to her people, carrying him. They said: "O Mary! Indeed you have brought a thing Fariya (an unheard mighty thing). 27 Sister of Aaron, your father was not an evil man, nor was your mother an unchaste woman!" 28 So she pointed to him (Prophet Jesus). But they replied: 'How can we speak with a baby in the cradle' 29 He said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet; 30 And He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoined on me prayer and poor-rate so long as I live; 31 And dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me insolent, unblessed; 32 Blessed was I on the day I was born, and blessed I shall be on the day I die and on the day I am raised to life again." 33 Such is 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). (it is) a statement of truth, about which they doubt (or dispute). 34 Allah is not one to take to Himself a son. Hallowed be He! whensoever He decreeth an affair he only Saith to it: be, and it becometh. 35 (Baby Jesus said), "Worship God who is my Lord as well as yours. This is the straight path". 36 Then the factions differed [concerning Jesus] from among them, so woe to those who disbelieved - from the scene of a tremendous Day. 37 How well shall they hear and how well shall they see on the Day they come to Us! But today the evil-doers are in manifest error. 38 And warn thou them of the Day of Sighing when the affair shall have been decreed while yet they are in negligence and are not believing. 39 Behold, We alone shall remain after the earth and all who live on it have passed away, and [when] unto Us all will have been brought back. 40