(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, 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 Mary exclaimed: "I surely take refuge from you with the Most Compassionate Lord, if you are at all God-fearing." 18 [The angel] answered: "I am but a messenger of thy Sustainer, [who says,] 'I shall bestow upon thee the gift of a son endowed with purity.'" 19 'How shall I bear a son' she answered, 'when I am not touched by a human and not unchaste' 20 "Even so" he replied, "as such your Lord has said: 'Easy it is for Me. And We shall make him a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us. It is a matter decreed.'" 21 ۞ So she conceived him and withdrew with him to a distant place. 22 And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a date-palm. She said: "Would that I had died before this, and had been forgotten and out of sight!" 23 But he called her from below her, "Do not grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream. 24 and shake the trunk of this palmtree it will drop fresh ripe dates upon you. 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 Carrying her child, she brought him to her people. They said, "O Mary, you have indeed done something terrible! 27 Sister of Aaron, thy father was not a wicked man, nor was thy mother a woman unchaste.' 28 Thereupon she pointed to him. They exclaimed: "How can we talk to one who [as yet] is a little boy in the cradle?" 29 "He ['Iesa (Jesus)] said: Verily! I am a slave 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 (He has made me) kind to my mother; He has not made me arrogant, unprosperous. 32 Peace on me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive! 33 SUCH WAS, in the words of truth, Jesus the son of Mary, about whose nature they so deeply disagree. 34 It is not for God to take a son unto Him. Glory be to Him! When He decrees a thing, He but says to it 'Be,' and it is. 35 Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord therefore worship Him. That is the Straight 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 well will they hear and see [the truth] on the Day when they come before Us! Today, however, these evildoers are obviously lost in error: 38 And warn them of the Day of anguish when the case hath been decided. Now they are in a state of carelessness, and they believe not. 39 Behold, We alone shall remain after the earth and all who live on it have passed away, and [when] unto Us all will have been brought back. 40