وَجَعَلْنَا ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُۥٓ ءَايَةً وَءَاوَيْنَـٰهُمَآ إِلَىٰ رَبْوَةٍ ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ وَمَعِينٍ 50
Translations
And We made the son of Mary and his mother a sign and sheltered them within a high ground having level [areas] and flowing water.
Transliteration
Wa ja'alna ibna Maryama wa ummahu ayah wa awaynahuma ila rabwatin dhata qarar wa ma'in
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah made Jesus (Isa) and his mother Mary (Maryam) signs (ayat) for mankind, demonstrating their miraculous nature and elevated status. The verse indicates that Allah provided them refuge on an elevated land possessing stability and fresh water springs, interpreted by classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi as either a physical place of safety during their time or a metaphorical reference to their spiritual station and divine protection.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Al-Mu'minun, which emphasizes the characteristics of true believers and divine signs. The context addresses the miraculous birth of Jesus and protection granted to him and his mother, serving as evidence of Allah's power and mercy to the Meccan audience unfamiliar with their story.
Related Hadiths
While no directly related hadith exists for this specific verse, Surah Maryam (19:22-26) contains complementary narration about Mary's refuge and provision. Additionally, various hadiths in Sahih Bukhari discuss Jesus (Isa) as one of the mightiest messengers, reinforcing the Quranic emphasis on his elevated status.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Allah's protection and provision extend to those He chooses, and that miraculous events serve as signs pointing to divine truth. For believers today, it emphasizes trust in Allah's care during difficult circumstances and recognition of His signs in creation and history.
Related Ayahs
وَلَقَدْ أَرَيْنَـٰهُ ءَايَـٰتِنَا كُلَّهَا فَكَذَّبَ وَأَبَىٰ
And We certainly showed him [i.e., Pharaoh] Our signs - all of them - but he denied and refused.
ٱقْتَرَبَتِ ٱلسَّاعَةُ وَٱنشَقَّ ٱلْقَمَرُ
The Hour has come near, and the moon has split [in two].
إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةً ۖ وَمَا كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
Indeed in that is a sign, but most of them were not to be believers.
قَالَ رَبِّ ٱجْعَل لِّىٓ ءَايَةً ۖ قَالَ ءَايَتُكَ أَلَّا تُكَلِّمَ ٱلنَّاسَ ثَلَـٰثَةَ أَيَّامٍ إِلَّا رَمْزًا ۗ وَٱذْكُر رَّبَّكَ كَثِيرًا وَسَبِّحْ بِٱلْعَشِىِّ وَٱلْإِبْكَـٰرِ
He said, "My Lord, make for me a sign." He said, "Your sign is that you will not [be able to] speak to the people for three days except by gesture. And remember your Lord much and exalt [Him with praise] in the evening and the morning."