(O Muhammad), recite in the Book the account of Mary, when she withdrew from her people to a place towards the east; 16 and she took a veil apart from them; then We sent unto her Our Spirit that presented himself to her a man without fault. 17 She exclaimed: "Verily, 'I seek refuge from thee with the Most Gracious! [Approach me not] if thou art conscious of Him!" 18 He replied: "I am only a messenger from your Lord (sent) to bestow a good son on you." 19 She said: When shall I have a boy and no mortal has yet touched me, nor have I been unchaste? 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 ۞ and in time she conceived him, and then she withdrew with him to a far-off 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 Then [the babe 'Iesa (Jesus) or Jibrael (Gabriel)] cried unto her from below her, saying: "Grieve not! Your Lord has provided a water stream under you; 24 Shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards yourself and fresh and ripe dates shall fall upon 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 Then she brought him to her own folk, carrying him. They said: O Mary! Thou hast come with an amazing thing. 27 O sister of Aaron! Your father was not an evil man, nor was your mother an unchaste woman." 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 "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 has commanded me to be good to my parents and has not made me an arrogant rebellious person. 32 "Hence, peace was upon me on the day when I was born, and [will be upon me] on the day of my death, and on the day when I shall be 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 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 lo! Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So serve Him. That is the right 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 [clearly] they will hear and see the Day they come to Us, but the wrongdoers today are 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 For We shall inherit the earth and all that are on it. To Us, they shall return. 40