AND CALL to mind, through this divine writ, Mary. Lo! She withdrew from her family to an eastern place 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 said, "Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, [so leave me], if you should be fearing of Allah." 18 He said: I am only a messenger of thy Lord, that I may bestow on thee a faultless son. 19 "How can I have a son," she said, "when no man has touched me, nor am I sinful?" 20 He said, 'Even so thy Lord has said: "Easy is that for Me; and that We may appoint him a sign unto men and a mercy from Us; it is a thing decreed."' 21 ۞ So she conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place. 22 Then the pangs of childbirth brought her to the base of the palm-tree; she said, “Oh, if only had I died before this and had become forgotten, unremembered.” 23 He called from below to her: 'Do not sorrow, look, your Lord has provided a rivulet below you, 24 And shake toward thee the trunk of the palm-tree it shall drop on thee dates fresh and ripe. 25 "So eat and drink and cool (thine) eye. And if thou dost see any man, say, 'I have vowed a fast to (Allah) Most Gracious, and this day will I enter into not talk with any human being'" 26 She took him to her people and they said, "Mary, this is indeed an strange thing. 27 Aaron's sister, your father was not a bad 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 The child cried out: "Verily I am Allah's servant. He has granted me the Book and has 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 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 Such is Isa, son of Marium; (this is) the saying of truth about which they dispute. 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 [thus it was that Jesus always said]: "Verily, God is my Sustainer as well as your Sustainer; so worship [none but] Him: this [alone] is a straight way." 36 But the sects differ among themselves: and woe to the unbelievers because of the (coming) Judgment of a Momentous Day! 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 that Day of Anguish, when the matter is determined whilst heedlessly they disbelieve. 39 Lo! We, only We, inherit the earth and all who are thereon, and unto Us they are returned. 40