And Allah—exalted be He—has related in the Qur’an, in the surah that opens with the letters (kāf hā yā ‘ayn ṣād), the story of the two maternal cousins, John and Jesus. John is called by the Christians “Yūḥannā,” that is, their John the Baptist. After mentioning the story of John, He, exalted be He, said:

{And mention in the Book Mary, when she withdrew from her family to an eastern place.} [Maryam: 16] (16)

{She placed a screen between herself and them, and We sent to her Our spirit, who appeared to her as a well-proportioned man.} [Maryam: 17] (17)

{She said, “Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, if you are God-fearing.”} [Maryam: 18] (18)

{He said, “I am only a messenger of your Lord, to grant you a pure boy.”} [Maryam: 19] (19)

{She said, “How can I have a boy when no man has touched me, nor have I ever been unchaste?”} [Maryam: 20] (20)

{He said, “So it will be. Your Lord says, ‘That is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign for the people and a mercy from Us; it is a matter already decreed.’”} [Maryam: 21] (21)

{So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a distant place.} [Maryam: 22] (22)

{The pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, “Oh, I wish I had died before this and been utterly forgotten!”} [Maryam: 23] (23)

{Then he called to her from below her, “Do not grieve; your Lord has placed a stream beneath you.} [Maryam: 24] (24)

{And shake toward yourself the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates.} [Maryam: 25] (25)

{So eat, drink, and be comforted. If you see any human being, say, ‘I have vowed to the Most Merciful a fast, so today I will not speak to anyone.’”} [Maryam: 26] (26)

{Then she brought him to her people, carrying him. They said, “O Mary, you have certainly committed a shocking thing!} [Maryam: 27] (27)

{O sister of Aaron, your father was not a man of evil, nor was your mother unchaste.”} [Maryam: 28] (28)

{So she pointed to him. They said, “How can we speak to one who is in the cradle, a child?”} [Maryam: 29] (29)

{He said, “Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet; } [Maryam: 30] (30)

{and He has made me blessed wherever I may be and has enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving as long as I live; } [Maryam: 31] (31)

{and has made me dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me arrogant or miserable.} [Maryam: 32] (32)

{Peace was upon me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive.} [Maryam: 33]