And mention, [O Muhammad], in the Book [the story of] Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east. 16 She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent her our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects. 17 Mary exclaimed: "I surely take refuge from you with the Most Compassionate Lord, if you are at all God-fearing." 18 He said: I am but a messenger from thy Lord that I may bestow on thee a boy pure. 19 She said, "How can I have a son when no man has touched me; and neither have I been unchaste?" 20 The angel said: "Thus shall it be. Your Lord says: 'It is easy for Me; and We shall do so in order to make him a Sign for mankind and a mercy from Us. This has been decreed.' " 21 ۞ She conceived the child and retreated with him to a distant and solitary place. 22 When she started to experience (the pain of) of childbirth labor, by the trunk of a palm tree in sadness she said, "Would that I had died long before and passed into oblivion." 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 Shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards yourself and fresh and ripe dates shall fall upon you. 25 Therefore eat and drink and rejoice with your eyes. If you meet any human say to him: "I have vowed a fast to the Merciful and will not speak with anyone 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 Haroun! your father was not a bad man, nor, was your mother an unchaste woman. 28 Thereupon she pointed towards the child; they said, “How can we speak to an infant who is in the cradle?” 29 He said: Surely I am a servant of Allah; He has given me the Book and made me a prophet; 30 He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and has enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving throughout my life. 31 He has commanded me to be good to my parents and has not made me an arrogant rebellious person. 32 And peace on me on the day I was born, and on the day I die, and on the day I am raised to life. 33 Such was Jesus, the son of Mary. That is the whole truth, about which they still dispute: 34 It does not befit Allah to appoint someone as His son – Purity is to Him! When He ordains a matter, He just commands it, “Be” – and it thereupon happens. 35 And lo! Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So serve Him. That is the right path. 36 But the sects differ among themselves: and woe to the unbelievers because of the (coming) Judgment of a Momentous Day! 37 See and hear them on the Day they come unto Us! yet the evil-doers are today in error manifest. 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 It is We Who will inherit the earth, and all beings thereon: to Us will they all be returned. 40