AND CALL to mind, through this divine writ, Mary. Lo! She withdrew from her family to an eastern place 16 So there she screened herself from them; We therefore sent Our Spirit towards her – he appeared before her in the form of a healthy man. (Angel Jibreel – peace be upon him.) 17 She said, 'I take refuge in the All-merciful from thee! 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 She said, “How can I bear a son? No man has ever touched me, nor am I of poor conduct!” 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 she withdrew with him to a far place (i.e. Bethlehem valley about 4-6 miles from Jerusalem). 22 And [when] the throes of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree, she exclaimed: "Oh, would that I had died ere this, and had become a thing forgotten, utterly forgotten!" 23 But he called her from below her, "Do not grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream. 24 And shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates. 25 Eat therefore, and drink, and be comforted; and if thou shouldst see any mortal, say, "I have vowed to the All-merciful a fast, and today I will not speak to any man. 26 And in time she returned to her people, carrying the child with her. They said: "O Mary! Thou hast indeed done an amazing thing! 27 O sister of Aaron, your father was never an evil man, nor was your mother unchaste' 28 Thereupon she pointed towards the child; they said, “How can we speak to an infant who is in the cradle?” 29 He spake: Lo! I am the slave of Allah. He hath given me the Scripture and hath appointed me a Prophet, 30 "And He has made me blessed wheresoever I be, and has enjoined on me Salat (prayer), and Zakat, as long as I live." 31 "And dutiful to my mother, and made me not arrogant, unblest. 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 (Prophet) Jesus, the son of Mary. A saying of truth, concerning what they doubt. 34 It befitteth not (the Majesty of) Allah that He should take unto Himself a son. Glory be to Him! When He decreeth a thing, He saith unto it only: Be! and it is. 35 Surely God is my Lord, and your Lord; So serve you Him. This is a straight path. 36 But parties from among them disagreed with each other, so woe to those who disbelieve, because of presence on a great day. 37 Much will they listen and much will they see, on the Day when they come to Us, but today the unjust are in open error. 38 Warn them of [the coming of] the Day of Remorse, when everything will have been decided, while they are heedless and do not believe. 39 Verily! We will inherit the earth and whatsoever is thereon. And to Us they all shall be returned, 40