Surah Al-Mu'minun 23:50: Maryam and her son became a sign, and Allah sheltered them.

23:50

وَجَعَلۡنَا ٱبۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ وَأُمَّهُۥٓ ءَايَةٗ وَءَاوَيۡنَٰهُمَآ إِلَىٰ رَبۡوَةٖ ذَاتِ قَرَارٖ وَمَعِينٖ

WajaAAalna ibna maryama waommahu ayatan waawaynahuma ila rabwatin thati qararin wamaAAeenin

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.

Word by word

وَجَعَلۡنَاAnd We made
ٱبۡنَ(the) son
مَرۡيَمَ(of) Maryam
وَأُمَّهُۥٓand his mother
ءَايَةٗa Sign
وَءَاوَيۡنَٰهُمَآand We sheltered them
إِلَىٰto
رَبۡوَةٖa high ground
ذَاتِof tranquility
قَرَارٖof tranquility
وَمَعِينٖand water springs

Al-Mu'minun · 23:50Makkah

Maryam and her son became a sign, and Allah sheltered them.

A miracle and a safe high ground

Ways Allah creates

Adamno father, no mother

Hawwafrom a male only

Isafrom a mother only

everyone elsefrom both

After the sign

left alone in hardship

given refugerest, water, high ground

Ibn Kathir says Isa and Maryam were made a proof of Allah's ability to do what He wills. Then Allah gave them refuge on high ground with rest and flowing water. He says the most apparent meaning is Jerusalem, linking it to the stream under Maryam.

A single mother carrying gossip and stares. A family that had to leave home and start again. The verse names both the trial and the shelter. Allah does not raise someone as a sign and then abandon them.

If people talk about me, Allah must be against me.

Allah can make me a sign and still shelter me through it.

Try this

Check in today on someone who is carrying people's judgment. Offer them a kind word.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

And We made the son of Maryam and his mother as a sign, and We gave them refuge on a Rabwah, Dhat Qarar, and Ma'in (50)

Isa and Maryam

Allah tells us about His servant and Messenger 'Isa bin Maryam, peace be upon them both, and that He made them as a sign for mankind, i.e., definitive proof of His ability to do what He wills. For He created Adam without a father or a mother, He created Hawwa' from a male without a female, and He created 'Isa from a female without a male, but He created the rest of mankind from both male and female.

وَآوَيْنَاهُمَا إِلَىٰ رَبْوَةٍ ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ وَمَعِينٍ

(and We gave them refuge on high ground, a place of rest, security and flowing streams.) Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn 'Abbas said: "Ar-Rabwah is a raised portion of land, which is the best place for vegetation to grow." This was also the view of Mujahid, 'Ikrimah, Sa'id bin Jubayr and Qatadah. Ibn 'Abbas said,

ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ

(Dhat Qarar)"A fertile place.

وَمَعِينٍ

(and Ma'in) means water running on the surface." This was also the view of Mujahid, 'Ikrimah, Sa'id bin Jubayr and Qatadah. Mujahid said: "A level hill." Sa'id bin Jubayr said that

ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ وَمَعِينٍ

(Dhat Qarar and Ma'in) means that water was flowing gently through it. Mujahid and Qatadah said:

وَمَعِينٍ

(and Ma'in ) "Running water." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Sa'id bin Al-Musayyib:

وَآوَيْنَاهُمَا إِلَىٰ رَبْوَةٍ ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ وَمَعِينٍ

(and We gave them refuge on a Rabwah, Dhat Qarar and Ma'in.) "It is Damascus." He said; "Something similar was also narrated from 'Abdullah bin Salam, Al-Hasan, Zayd bin Aslam and Khalid bin Ma'dan." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from 'Ikrimah from Ibn 'Abbas that this Ayah referred to the rivers of Damascus. Layth bin Abi Sulaym narrated from Mujahid that the words;

وَآوَيْنَاهُمَا إِلَىٰ رَبْوَةٍ

(and We gave them refuge on a Rabwah,) referred to 'Isa bin Maryam and his mother when they sought refuge in Damascus and the flatlands around it. 'Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Abu Hurayrah said:

إِلَىٰ رَبْوَةٍ ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ وَمَعِينٍ

(on a Rabwah, Dhat Qarar and Ma'in.), "It is Ramlah in Palestine." The most correct opinion on this matter is that which was reported by Al-'Awfi from Ibn 'Abbas, who said;

وَآوَيْنَاهُمَا إِلَىٰ رَبْوَةٍ ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ وَمَعِينٍ

(and We gave them refuge on a Rabwah, Dhat Qarar and Ma'in.) "Ma'in refers to running water, and is the river of which Allah mentioned:

قَدْ جَعَلَ رَبُّكِ تَحْتَكِ سَرِيًّا

(your Lord has provided a water stream under you.)"(19:24) Ad-Dahhak and Qatadah said;

إِلَىٰ رَبْوَةٍ ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ وَمَعِينٍ

(on a high ground, a place of rest, security and flowing streams.) refers to Jerusalem. This – and Allah knows best – is the most apparent meaning, because it is mentioned in the other Ayah, and parts of the Qur'an explain other parts, so it is more appropriate to interpret it by another Ayah, then the Sahih Hadiths, then other reports.