Please read Zakariya's timeline for the story of Mary's birth and upbringing.

Angels came to Mary to give her good news that she had been chosen by Allah above all women. She was chosen to have a miraculous birth, a child born without a father, who will be able to speak as a baby, and in his adulthood, continue to call people to the way of Allah.

And ˹remember˺ when the angels said, “O Mary! Surely Allah has selected you, purified you, and chosen you over all women of the world.3:42

And mention in the Book ˹O Prophet, the story of˺ Mary when she withdrew from her family to a place in the east,19:16

screening herself off from them. Then We sent to her Our angel, ˹Gabriel,˺ appearing before her as a man, perfectly formed.19:17

She appealed, “I truly seek refuge in the Most Compassionate from you! ˹So leave me alone˺ if you are God-fearing.”19:18

He responded, “I am only a messenger from your Lord, ˹sent˺ to bless you with a pure son.”19:19

She wondered, “How can I have a son when no man has ever touched me, nor am I unchaste?”19:20

He replied, “So will it be! Your Lord says, ‘It is easy for Me. And so will We make him a sign for humanity and a mercy from Us.’ It is a matter ˹already˺ decreed.”19:21

When Mary heard this news she was shocked. Angel Gabriel blew onto her and she was pregnant, by the Will of Allah. Before her, he had created Adam from no father or mother, Eve from a man but no mother. There are no limits to the power of Allah.

˹There is˺ also ˹the example of˺ Mary, the daughter of ’Imrân, who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her ˹womb˺ through Our angel ˹Gabriel˺. She testified to the words of her Lord and His Scriptures, and was one of the ˹sincerely˺ devout.66:12

When the signs of Mary's pregnancy became visible, Joseph bin Jacob An-Najjar, the son of his maternal uncle, knowing about her piety began to ask her questions, as did Zakariyah. Mary explained the news she got from Gabriel.

˹Remember˺ when the angels proclaimed, “O Mary! Allah gives you good news of a Word from Him, his name will be the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; honoured in this world and the Hereafter, and he will be one of those nearest ˹to Allah˺.3:45

And he will speak to people in ˹his˺ infancy and adulthood and will be one of the righteous.”3:46

There are narrations that Mary and her sister were pregnant at the same time. When they hugged, Mary's sister said 'I feel that what is in my womb is bowing down to what is in yours!'

There were people who slandered her, spreading rumours of her being indecent secretly. She isolated herself far away, likely in Bethlehem. Both the pains of her labour and that her people were slandering her decency, drove her to wish for her death.

But then a voice called out to her - Ibn Abbas, Qatadah, Suddi and Dahhak say this voice was Gabriel. Mujahud, Hasan, Ibn Jarir and others say it was Jesus.

Then the pains of labour drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She cried, “Alas! I wish I had died before this, and was a thing long forgotten!”19:23

So a voice reassured her from below her, “Do not grieve! Your Lord has provided a stream at your feet.19:24

And shake the trunk of this palm tree towards you, it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon you.19:25

So eat and drink, and put your heart at ease. But if you see any of the people, say, ‘I have vowed silence to the Most Compassionate, so I am not talking to anyone today.’”19:26

When Mary's people found her they saw her with her baby and were shocked.

Then she returned to her people, carrying him. They said ˹in shock˺, “O Mary! You have certainly done a horrible thing!19:27

O  sister of Aaron! Your father was not an indecent man, nor was your mother unchaste.”19:28

Sister of Aaron is referring to the brother of Musa, because she was of his descendants.

Mary vowed to fast on that day, and in their Shariah law, fasting including refraining from food, drink and speech. Therefore, when her people found her with Jesus, and began to slander her, she referred them to speak to him, as she could not speak.

So she pointed to the baby. They exclaimed, “How can we talk to someone who is an infant in the cradle?”19:29

Jesus declared, “I am truly a servant of Allah. He has destined me to be given the Scripture and to be a prophet.19:30

He has made me a blessing wherever I go, and bid me to establish prayer and give alms-tax as long as I live,19:31

and to be kind to my mother. He has not made me arrogant or defiant.19:32

Peace be upon me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I will be raised back to life!”19:33

That is Jesus, son of Mary. ˹And this is˺ a word of truth, about which they dispute.19:34

It is not for Allah to take a son! Glory be to Him. When He decrees a matter, He simply tells it, “Be!” And it is!19:35

Jesus from within the cradle, preached the way of Allah.