(O Muhammad), recite in the Book the account of Mary, when she withdrew from her people to a place towards the east; 16 She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our Ruh [angel Jibrael (Gabriel)], and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects. 17 She exclaimed: "Verily, 'I seek refuge from thee with the Most Gracious! [Approach me not] if thou art conscious of Him!" 18 He said, "I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy." 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 He said, 'Even so thy Lord has said: "Easy is that for Me; and that We may appoint him a sign unto men and a mercy from Us; it is a thing decreed."' 21 ۞ So she conceived him and withdrew with him to a distant place. 22 Then the pangs of childbirth brought her to the base of the palm-tree; she said, “Oh, if only had I died before this and had become forgotten, unremembered.” 23 Thereupon the angel below her cried out: "Grieve not, for your Lord has caused a stream of water to flow beneath you. 24 Shake the trunk of the date-palm tree, and it will drop ripe dates for 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 came to her people, carrying her baby. They said: "O Mary! You have committed a monstrous thing. 27 O sister of Harun: thy father was not a man of evil, nor was thy mother a harlot. 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 He said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet; 30 And He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoined on me prayer and poor-rate so long as I live; 31 And dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me insolent, unblessed; 32 "So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up 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 befit the majesty of God that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! He is far above that: when He decrees something, He says only, "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 Then groups among them differed; so ruin is for the disbelievers from the witnessing of a Great 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 Verily We shall inherit the earth and whosoever is on it, and to Us they will return. 40