AND CALL to mind, through this divine writ, Mary. Lo! She withdrew from her family to an eastern place 16 out of her people's sight. We sent Our Spirit to her, who stood before her in the shape of a well formed human being. 17 She said: Lo! I seek refuge in the Beneficent One from thee, if thou art Allah-fearing. 18 He said: I am only a messenger of your Lord: That I will give you a pure boy. 19 "How can I have a son," she said, "when no man has touched me, nor am I sinful?" 20 He said: even so! Thy Lord saith: it is with Me easy, and it is in order that We may make him a sign unto mankind and a mercy from Us, and it is an affair decreed. 21 ۞ She conceived the child and retreated with him to a distant and solitary 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 Then (a voice) called to her from below: "Grieve not; your Lord has made a rivulet gush forth right below you. 24 and shake the trunk of this palmtree it will drop fresh ripe dates upon you. 25 So eat and drink and be consoled. And if thou meetest any mortal, say: Lo! I have vowed a fast unto the Beneficent, and may not speak this day to any mortal. 26 Then she brought the child to her people. They exclaimed: "O Mary, you have done a most astonishing thing! 27 “O sister of Haroon, neither was your father an evil man nor was your mother of poor conduct!” 28 Then she Pointed to him. They said: how shall 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 and has blessed me wherever I might be and has enjoined upon me Prayer and Zakah (purifying alms) as long as I live; 31 And dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me insolent, unblessed; 32 And peace be on me the day I was born and the day I die and the day I shall be raised up alive. 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 said Eisa, “Indeed Allah is my Lord and your Lord – therefore worship Him; this is the Straight Path.” 36 But the parties have fallen into variance among themselves; then woe to those who disbelieve for the scene of a dreadful day. 37 How keenly would they hear and see when they come before Us then, even though today the evil-doers are lost in palpable error. 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 Surely We inherit the earth and all those who are on it, and to Us they shall be returned. 40