The True Story of Jesus — Page 8
as 8 your Lord says, ‘It is easy for Me; and We shall do so that We may make him a Sign unto people and a mercy from Us, and it is a matter decreed’. 1 Thus, Mary conceived the child without the agency of a male. Angels appeared to Mary in her dreams yet again, and gave her the glad tidings of a son who would be called the Messiah, Jesus as son of Mary. She was told that he would be honoured in this world and in the next and would be granted nearness to God. The Birth of Jesus as In order to avoid the scandalous talk of people, she left the town and went to the hills around Bethlehem, the place where Jesus as is said to have been born. The town of Bethlehem is about 70 miles from Nazareth and is situated at a height of about two thousand feet above sea level and is surrounded by fertile valleys. There were springs on the hills from which the town got its water supply. Palm trees grew in abundance. It was in this area that Mary stayed for the delivery of her child. It was now summer and there were ripe dates on the palm trees. It is stated in the Gospel of Luke that shepherds were out in the fields, keeping watch through the night over their flock. As the time of Jesus’ birth approached, Mary took rest under a palm tree, which was on the slope of a hill outside Bethlehem. In 1. Holy Quran 19:21–22