Commemorate Mary in the Book. When she withdrew from her family to a place in the East 16 So she took a veil (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our spirit, and there appeared to her a well-made man. 17 When she saw him, she said, "I seek refuge in the compassionate God from you; [do not come near] if you fear the Lord." 18 "I am only the messenger of your Lord," he replied. "I shall bestow upon you the gift of a son endowed with purity." 19 She said, "How can I have a son when no man has touched me; and neither have I been unchaste?" 20 "Even so" he replied, "as such your Lord has said: 'Easy it is for Me. And We shall make him a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us. It is a matter decreed.'" 21 ۞ She conceived the child and retreated with him to a distant and solitary place. 22 Then the birth pangs drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree and she said: "Oh, would that I had died before this and had been all forgotten." 23 (The angel) Therefore called her from below her, “Do not grieve – your Lord has made a river flow below you.” 24 And shake towards you the trunk of the palmtree, it will drop on you fresh ripe dates: 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 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 (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 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 ['Iesa (Jesus)] said: Verily! I am a slave of Allah, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet;" 30 And hath made me blessed wheresoever I may be, and hath enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving so long as I remain alive, 31 "(He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable; 32 Peace be upon me, the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I am raised up alive!' 33 That is Jesus, son of Mary, in word of truth, concerning which they are doubting. 34 It beseems not Allah that He should take to Himself a son, glory to be Him; when He has decreed a matter He only says to it "Be," and it is. 35 Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord: Him therefore serve ye: this is a Way that is straight. 36 Yet the sectarians differed among themselves. Alas for the unbelievers when they see the Terrible Day! 37 (Muhammad), how clearly they will hear and see on the day when they will be brought into Our presence. Today the wrong doers are in manifest error. 38 Warn them of that Day of Anguish, when the matter is determined whilst heedlessly they disbelieve. 39 Ultimately, We shall inherit the earth and whatever is on it; to Us shall they be returned. 40