(O Muhammad), recite in the Book the account of Mary, when she withdrew from her people to a place towards the east; 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 exclaimed: "Verily, 'I seek refuge from thee with the Most Gracious! [Approach me not] if thou art conscious of Him!" 18 He said: "Nay, I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son. 19 She said, "How can I have a son when no mortal has touched me nor am I an unchaste woman". 20 [The angel] replied, "So shall it be; your Lord says, 'This is easy for Me; and We shall make him a sign to people and a blessing, from Us. This has been decreed.'" 21 ۞ When she conceived him she went away to a distant place. 22 And the throes (of childbirth) compelled her to betake herself to the trunk of a palm tree. She said: Oh, would that I had died before this, and had been a thing quite forgotten! 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 the palm-tree toward thee, thou wilt cause ripe dates to fall 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 She took him to her people and they said, "Mary, this is indeed an strange thing. 27 O sister of Aaron, your father was never an evil man, nor was your mother unchaste' 28 Then she pointed to him. They said: How can we talk to one who is in the cradle, a young boy? 29 [But] he said: "Behold, I am a servant of God. He has vouchsafed unto me revelation and made me a prophet, 30 Blessed He has made me, wherever I may be; and He has enjoined me to pray, and to give the alms, so long as I live, 31 He has commanded me to be good to my parents and has not made me an arrogant rebellious person. 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 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 God is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him alone. That is the right path. 36 The sects among them differ: but woe unto the disbelievers from the meeting of an awful Day. 37 How well they will hear and see on the day they come to Us! But the evildoers even today are in error manifest. 38 But warn them of the Day of Distress, when the matter will be determined: for (behold,) they are negligent and they do not believe! 39 We are the heirs of the earth and those living in it will all return to Us. 40