Recount in the Book how Mary withdrew from her people to an eastern place 16 And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen. Then We sent to her Our Angel, and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man. 17 She exclaimed: "Verily, 'I seek refuge from thee with the Most Gracious! [Approach me not] if thou art conscious of Him!" 18 If thou fearest God... He said, 'I am but a messenger come from thy Lord, to give thee a boy most pure. 19 She said, 'How shall I have a son whom no mortal has touched, neither have I been unchaste?' 20 He said: even so! Thy Lord saith: it is with Me easy, and it is in order that We may make him a sign unto mankind and a mercy from Us, and it is an affair decreed. 21 ۞ So she conceived him, and she went away with him to a far 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 Thereupon [a voice] called out to her from beneath that [palm-tree]: "Grieve not! Thy Sustainer has provided a rivulet [running] beneath thee; 24 and shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards thee: it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon thee. 25 Eat and drink, and be at peace. If you see any man, tell him: 'I have verily vowed a fast to Ar-Rahman and cannot speak to any one this day.' 26 Then she brought him to her nation carrying him. They said: Maryam! assuredly thou hast brought a thing unheard Of. 27 Sister of Aaron, thy father was not a wicked man, nor was thy mother a woman unchaste.' 28 Mary pointed to the child then; but they said, 'How shall we speak to one who is still in the cradle, a little child?' 29 [But] he said, "I am God's servant. He has given me the Book 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 (hath made me) dutiful toward her who bore me, and hath not made me arrogant, unblest. 32 Peace be upon me, the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I am raised up alive!' 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 surely Allah is my Lord and your Lord, therefore serve Him; this is the right path. 36 But the parties have fallen into variance among themselves, then woe to those who disbelieve for the scene of a Dreadful Day. 37 (Muhammad), how clearly they will hear and see on the day when they will be brought into Our presence. Today the wrong doers are in manifest error. 38 And warn them of the Day of Regret when the matter will have been decided; and they are in neglect, and they do not accept faith. 39 For We shall inherit the earth and all that are on it. To Us, they shall return. 40