What is the book that Jesus (peace be upon him) referred to in the Almighty’s saying: "He said, 'Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet'" (Maryam/30)? And is it the Gospel? And how could the Scripture be given to a child in the cradle? And does that mean he memorized it by heart, and how did he teach it to the people?

The meaning of "the Book" in the verse: (He said, "Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet") is the Gospel. The past tense form (He has given me) is used to indicate the certainty of its future occurrence, or it means: He decreed that He would give him the Scripture. Al-Shanqeeti mentioned that the past tense verbs in the verse are used in the sense of the future, and this is the correct view, contrary to those who claimed that he was granted prophethood and given the Scripture in his infancy.