Recount in the Book how Mary withdrew from her people to an eastern place 16 and drew a curtain, screening herself from people whereupon We sent to her Our spirit and he appeared to her as a well-shaped man. 17 She said, 'I take refuge in the All-merciful from thee! 18 He said: "I am just a message-bearer of your Lord, I have come to grant you a most pure boy." 19 She said, "How can I have a son when no mortal has touched me nor am I an unchaste woman". 20 He said: "Thus will it be. Your Lord said: 'It is easy for Me,' and that: 'We shall make him a sign for men and a blessing from Us.' This is a thing already decreed." 21 ۞ So she conceived him and withdrew with him to a distant place. 22 And the pangs of childbirth drove her unto the trunk of the palm-tree. She said: Oh, would that I had died ere this and had become a thing of naught, forgotten! 23 But the one that was below her called to her, 'Nay, do not sorrow; see, thy Lord has set below thee a rivulet. 24 and shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards thee: it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon thee. 25 So eat and drink and be contented. And if you see from among humanity anyone, say, 'Indeed, I have vowed to the Most Merciful abstention, so I will not speak today to [any] man.' " 26 Then she brought the child to her people. They exclaimed: "O Mary, you have done a most astonishing thing! 27 Aaron's sister, your father was not a bad man nor was your mother unchaste". 28 Then she Pointed to him. They said: how shall we speak to one who is in the cradle, a child? 29 [Jesus] said, "Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet. 30 "And He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live; 31 “And has made me good to my mother and not made me forceful, ill-fated.” 32 I was born with peace and I shall die and be brought to life again with peace." 33 SUCH WAS, in the words of truth, Jesus the son of Mary, about whose nature they so deeply disagree. 34 It befits not (the Majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son [this refers to the slander of Christians against Allah, by saying that 'Iesa (Jesus) is the son of Allah]. Glorified (and Exalted be He above all that they associate with Him). When He decrees a thing, He only says to it, "Be!" and it is. 35 And surely Allah is my Lord and your Lord, therefore serve Him; this is the right path. 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 wondrous in their hearing and their sight will they be the Day they come unto Us! But today the wrong doers are in error manifest. 38 Warn thou them of the day of anguish, when the matter shall be determined, and they yet heedless and unbelieving. 39 Indeed, it is We who will inherit the earth and whoever is on it, and to Us they will be returned. 40