Commemorate Mary in the Book. When she withdrew from her family to a place in the East 16 We sent to her Our Spirit (Gabriel) in the resemblance of a perfect human. 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, “How can I bear a son? No man has ever touched me, nor am I of poor conduct!” 20 He said, “So it is; your Lord has said, ‘This is easy for Me’; and in order that We make him a sign for mankind and a Mercy from Us; and this matter has been decreed.” 21 ۞ So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place (i.e. Bethlehem valley about 4-6 miles from Jerusalem). 22 Then the birth pangs drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree and she said: "Oh, would that I had died before this and had been all 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 Shake the trunk of the date-palm tree, and it will drop ripe dates for you. 25 Eat and drink and rejoice. And if you see any human being say, 'I have vowed a fast [of silence] to the Gracious God, and will not speak with any human being today.'" 26 At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! 27 O sister of Aaron, your father was not a wicked person, nor your mother sinful!" 28 But she pointed to him. They said: How should we speak to one who was a child in the cradle? 29 "I am a servant of God," he answered. "He has given me a Book and made me a prophet, 30 "And He has made me blessed wheresoever I be, and has enjoined on me Salat (prayer), and Zakat, as long as I live." 31 "(He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable; 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 WAS, in the words of truth, Jesus the son of Mary, about whose nature they so deeply disagree. 34 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. 35 And verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord; so worship Him; this is a way straight. 36 (The followers of Jesus) turned themselves into quarrelling sects. The disbelievers shall face a woeful condition on the great Day (of Judgment). 37 How well they will hear and see on the Day when they come before Us! The evildoers are today in clear error. 38 And warn them, [O Muhammad], of the Day of Regret, when the matter will be concluded; and [yet], they are in [a state of] heedlessness, and they do not believe. 39 Lo! We, only We, inherit the earth and all who are thereon, and unto Us they are returned. 40