Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place in the East. 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, 'I take refuge in the All-merciful from thee! 18 He said: "Nay, I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son. 19 Said she: "How can I have a son when no man has ever touched me? - for, never have I been a loose woman!" 20 [The angel] answered: "Thus it is; [but] thy Sustainer says, 'This is easy for Me; and [thou shalt have a son,] so that We might make him a symbol unto mankind and an act of grace from US. And it was a thing decreed [by God]: 21 ۞ So she conceived him and withdrew with him to a distant 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 Then she heard the baby saying, "Do not be sad. Your Lord has caused a stream to run at your feet. 24 and shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards thee: it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon thee. 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 (i.e. the like) of Harun (Aaron) [not the brother of Musa (Moses), but he was another pious man at the time of Maryam (Mary)]! Your father was not a man who used to commit adultery, nor your mother was an unchaste woman." 28 So she pointed to him. They said, "How can we speak to one who is in the cradle a child?" 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 has blessed me no matter where I dwell, commanded me to worship Him and pay the religious tax for as long as I live. 31 and has made me dutiful to my mother. He has not made me oppressive, nor bereft of God's blessings. 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 was Jesus, the son of Mary. That is the whole truth, about which they still dispute: 34 It does not behove God to have a son. Too immaculate is He! When He decrees a thing He has only to say: "Be", and it is. 35 ['Iesa (Jesus) said]: "And verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him (Alone). That is the Straight Path. (Allah's Religion of Islamic Monotheism which He did ordain for all of His Prophets)." [Tafsir At-Tabari] 36 But the sects differ among themselves: and woe to the unbelievers because of the (coming) Judgment of a Momentous Day! 37 How plainly will they see and hear, the Day that they will appear before Us! but the unjust today are in error manifest! 38 (O Muhammad), warn those who are steeped in heedlessness and are obstinately rejecting the truth that the Day shall come when things will be finally decided and they shall be left with utter remorse. 39 We are the heirs of the earth and those living in it will all return to Us. 40