AND CALL to mind, through this divine writ, Mary. Lo! She withdrew from her family to an eastern place 16 We sent to her Our Spirit (Gabriel) in the resemblance of a perfect human. 17 She said, “I seek the refuge of the Most Gracious from you – if you fear God.” 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 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 ۞ Then she conceived him, and she retired with him to a place far-off. 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 He called from below to her: 'Do not sorrow, look, your Lord has provided a rivulet below you, 24 And shake the trunk of the palm-tree toward thee, thou wilt cause ripe dates to fall upon thee. 25 So eat and drink and be contented. And if you see from among humanity anyone, say, 'Indeed, I have vowed to the Most Merciful abstention, so I will not speak today to [any] man.' " 26 Then she brought him to her people, carrying him. They said, "O Mary, you have certainly done a thing unprecedented. 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 said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet; 30 He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and has enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving throughout my life. 31 And be dutiful to my mother. He has not made me haughty or rebellious. 32 And peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive." 33 This is Eisa (Jesus), the son of Maryam; a true statement, in which they doubt. 34 God is too Exalted to have a son. When He decides to bring some thing into existence He needs only command it to exist and it comes into existence. 35 And [thus it was that Jesus always said]: "Verily, God is my Sustainer as well as your Sustainer; so worship [none but] Him: this [alone] is a straight way." 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 wondrous in their hearing and their sight will they be the Day they come unto Us! But today the wrong doers are in error manifest. 38 And warn them, [O Muhammad], of the Day of Regret, when the matter will be concluded; and [yet], they are in [a state of] heedlessness, and they do not believe. 39 Indeed, it is We who will inherit the earth and whoever is on it, and to Us they will be returned. 40