And mention, [O Muhammad], in the Book [the story of] Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east. 16 And took cover from them, We sent a spirit of Ours to her who appeared before her in the concrete form of a man. 17 She said: "I seek refuge from thee to (Allah) Most Gracious: (come not near) if thou dost fear Allah." 18 He said, "I am the Messengers of your Lord. I have come to give you a purified son". 19 She said: How can I have a son when no mortal hath touched me, neither have I been unchaste? 20 [The angel] answered: "Thus it is; [but] thy Sustainer says, 'This is easy for Me; and [thou shalt have a son,] so that We might make him a symbol unto mankind and an act of grace from US. And it was a thing decreed [by God]: 21 ۞ She conceived the child and retreated with him to a distant and solitary 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 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 toward you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates. 25 Therefore eat and drink and rejoice with your eyes. If you meet any human say to him: "I have vowed a fast to the Merciful and will not speak with anyone today.' 26 She came to her nation, carrying him; and they said: 'O Mary, you have committed a monstrous thing. 27 "O sister (i.e. the like) of Harun (Aaron) [not the brother of Musa (Moses), but he was another pious man at the time of Maryam (Mary)]! Your father was not a man who used to commit adultery, nor your mother was an unchaste woman." 28 Then she pointed to him. They said: How can we talk to one who is in the cradle, a young boy? 29 [Jesus] said, "Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet. 30 He made me to be blessed wherever I am, and He has charged me with prayer and charity for as long as I shall live. 31 "And dutiful to my mother, and made me not arrogant, unblest. 32 And peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive." 33 Such was (Prophet) Jesus, the son of Mary. A saying of truth, concerning what they doubt. 34 It befitteth not (the Majesty of) Allah that He should take unto Himself a son. Glory be to Him! When He decreeth a thing, He saith unto it only: Be! and it is. 35 (Jesus had said): "Indeed Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so serve Him alone. This is the Straight Way." 36 Yet different groups differed among themselves. How awful it will be for those who have rejected the truth when a dreadful Day arrives! 37 How well they will hear and see on the day they come to Us! But the evildoers even today are in error manifest. 38 Warn them of the woeful day when the final decree will be issued; they are neglectful and faithless. 39 Indeed, it is We who will inherit the earth and whoever is on it, and to Us they will be returned. 40