The Account of the Birth of the Servant-Messenger Jesus, Son of Mary the Virgin
(1)

Allah the Exalted says:

“Mention in the Book Mary, when she withdrew from her family to an eastern place. (16)
She placed a screen between herself and them, whereupon We sent to her Our Spirit, who appeared to her as a well-proportioned man. (17)
She said, ‘I seek refuge with the All-Merciful from you, if you are God-fearing.’ (18)
He said, ‘I am only a messenger of your Lord to grant you a pure son.’ (19)
She said, ‘How shall I have a son when no man has ever touched me, nor have I been unchaste?’ (20)
He said, ‘Thus it will be. Your Lord says: “It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign for humanity and a mercy from Us; the matter has already been decreed.”’ (21)
So she conceived him and withdrew with him to a distant place. (22)
The pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, ‘Oh, would that I had died before this and been forgotten, utterly forgotten.’ (23)
Then a voice called her from below: ‘Do not grieve; your Lord has placed a rivulet beneath you. (24)
Shake the trunk of the palm tree toward you: it will drop upon you fresh, ripe dates. (25)
So eat, drink, and be comforted; and if you encounter any human being, say, “I have vowed a fast to the All-Merciful, so today I will speak to no one.”’ (26)
She brought him to her people, carrying him. They said, ‘O Mary, you have certainly done a shocking thing! (27)
O sister of Aaron, your father was not an evil man, nor was your mother unchaste.’ (28)
She pointed to him. They said, ‘How can we speak to one who is an infant in the cradle?’ (29)
He said, ‘Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet, (30)
and He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and has enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving as long as I live; (31)
and He has made me dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me arrogant or miserable. (32)
Peace was upon me the day I was born, the day I shall die, and the day I shall be raised alive.’ (33)
That is Jesus, son of Mary—the word of truth about which they dispute. (34)
It is not befitting for Allah to take a son. Glorified is He! When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is. (35)
Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him; this is a straight path. (36)
Yet the factions differed among themselves; so woe to those who disbelieve from the witnessing of a tremendous Day.” (37)
[Maryam: 16–37]

(2)
The Almighty relates this story after the story of Zechariah, which serves as its prelude and introduction—just as He pairs the two in Sūrat Āl ʿImrān—and likewise, in Sūrat al-Anbiyāʾ He says:

“And Zechariah, when he called upon his Lord, ‘My Lord, do not leave me childless, though You are the best of inheritors.’ (89)
So We answered him, granted him John, and set his wife right for him. Truly they used to hasten to good deeds, and call upon Us in hope and fear, and they were humbly submissive to Us. (90)
And she who guarded her chastity—We breathed into her of Our Spirit, and We made her and her son a sign for all peoples.” (91)
[al-Anbiyāʾ: 89–91]

It has already been noted that when Mary’s mother dedicated her, freeing her from worldly duties to serve the Sacred House, she was placed under the care of her sister’s husband—or, according to another report, her maternal uncle—Zechariah (peace be upon him). He set aside for her a private chamber, the most honored spot in the mosque, into which none entered except himself. When she came of age, she excelled in worship; in that era no one matched her in the various forms of devotion, and manifestations of divine favor upon her moved Zechariah (peace be upon him) to envy her blessed state. The angels addressed her, announcing that Allah had chosen her and would grant her a pure son who would be an honored prophet, immaculate and supported by miracles. She wondered how she could bear a child without a husband—she had none, nor was she a woman who contemplated marriage—whereupon the angels informed her that Allah is able to do whatever He wills: “When He decrees a matter….”