The wife of 'Imran vowed to dedicate the child in her womb to Allah. A daughter was born; she named her Maryam and placed her and her offspring under Allah's protection from the accursed Shaytan. Allah accepted her graciously and made Zakariyya her guardian.
The angels said to her:
Beneath the palm tree
One day, in seclusion, an angel came to her in the form of a man. Frightened, Maryam sought refuge in Allah. He said: I am a messenger of your Lord, come to give you a pure son. She said: how can I have a son when no man has touched me? The answer came: your Lord says it is easy for Him.
The pains of birth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. In pain and alone she said: I wish I had died before this and been forgotten! Then a voice called from beneath her: do not grieve; your Lord has placed a stream below you. Shake the palm trunk towards you and fresh ripe dates will fall. Eat, drink and be comforted.
When she brought the child to her people they accused her. She said nothing and pointed to the child — and the infant 'Isa spoke from the cradle, bearing witness to his mother's purity.