سُوْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ
Surah Al-Muminoon (23) — Ayah 50
وَجَعَلْنَا ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُۥٓ ءَايَةً وَءَاوَيْنَـٰهُمَآ إِلَىٰ رَبْوَةٍ ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ وَمَعِينٍ ﴿50﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And We made the son of Maryam (Mary) and his mother as a sign, and We gave them refuge on high ground, a place of rest, security and flowing streams.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَجَعَلْنَا
wajaʿalnā
And We made
ٱبْنَ
ib'na
(the) son
مَرْيَمَ
maryama
(of) Maryam
وَأُمَّهُۥٓ
wa-ummahu
and his mother
ءَايَةًۭ
āyatan
a Sign
وَءَاوَيْنَـٰهُمَآ
waāwaynāhumā
and We sheltered them
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
رَبْوَةٍۢ
rabwatin
a high ground
ذَاتِ
dhāti
of tranquility
قَرَارٍۢ
qarārin
of tranquility
وَمَعِينٍۢ
wamaʿīnin
and water springs
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 50) ➊ In { وَ جَعَلْنَا ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَ اُمَّهٗۤ اٰيَةً: ’’ اٰيَةً ‘‘}, the tanween is for magnification: “a great sign.” It is not said that We made the son of Mary a sign, nor is it said that We made the son of Mary and his mother two signs, but rather both together are declared as one great sign, because the existence of both was a great sign of Allah’s power: He created Adam (peace be upon him) without both a mother and a father, He created Hawwa (peace be upon her) only from a man, and He created ‘Isa (peace be upon him) from the womb of Maryam (peace be upon her) without a father. Whereas the usual creation is from both a mother and a father, and that too is a sign of Allah’s power.
➋ Here, instead of mentioning the name of ‘Isa (peace be upon him), Allah the Exalted said “son of Mary” to draw the attention of those who declare him to be God, that he was born from the womb of a woman, so how could he be God?
➌ {وَ اٰوَيْنٰهُمَاۤ اِلٰى رَبْوَةٍ ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ وَّ مَعِيْنٍ : ’’ رَبْوَةٍ ‘‘} means mound, elevated place. {’’ ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ ‘‘} means level, where living is easy. {’’ مَعِيْنٍ ‘‘} means running water; if it is from {’’عَانَ يَعِيْنُ‘‘} ({بَاعَ يَبِيْعُ}), then on the pattern of {’’مَبِيْعٌ‘‘} it is an object noun, its original form is {’’مَعْيُوْنٌ ‘‘}, the meem is extra. Al-Zajjaj said: {’’ مَعِيْنٍ ‘‘} means running water in springs, as if it is derived from {’’عَيْنٌ‘‘} (spring). Ibn al-A‘rabi said: {’’ مَعَنَ الْمَاءُ‘‘} means “the water flowed.” In this case, its pattern is {’’فَعِيْلٌ‘‘} and the meem is original, meaning running water. (Qurtubi)
➍ What is meant by this rabwah (mound)? Some commentators have taken it to mean the land of Egypt. They say that at that time, the ruler of the land of Sham (where ‘Isa, peace be upon him, was born) was Herod, who, having heard from astrologers that ‘Isa (peace be upon him) would gain leadership, became his enemy from childhood and sought to kill him. Maryam (peace be upon her) took him to Egypt and did not return until Herod died. This incident is mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew in the same way, but Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The more apparent view is that it refers to that elevated place with date palms near Bayt al-Maqdis where ‘Isa (peace be upon him) was born, and Maryam (peace be upon her) was called from below: ‘Do not grieve, your Lord has made a stream flow beneath you, and shake the trunk of the date palm towards yourself, it will drop upon you fresh ripe dates, so eat, drink, and be comforted.’ (See Maryam: 23–26) Because the most authentic tafsir of the Qur’an is that which is from another verse of the Qur’an, then from authentic ahadith, and then from the reports (athar).” (Ibn Kathir) When we can neither declare the Israelite narrations true nor false, then how can anything be established from them?
➋ Here, instead of mentioning the name of ‘Isa (peace be upon him), Allah the Exalted said “son of Mary” to draw the attention of those who declare him to be God, that he was born from the womb of a woman, so how could he be God?
➌ {وَ اٰوَيْنٰهُمَاۤ اِلٰى رَبْوَةٍ ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ وَّ مَعِيْنٍ : ’’ رَبْوَةٍ ‘‘} means mound, elevated place. {’’ ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ ‘‘} means level, where living is easy. {’’ مَعِيْنٍ ‘‘} means running water; if it is from {’’عَانَ يَعِيْنُ‘‘} ({بَاعَ يَبِيْعُ}), then on the pattern of {’’مَبِيْعٌ‘‘} it is an object noun, its original form is {’’مَعْيُوْنٌ ‘‘}, the meem is extra. Al-Zajjaj said: {’’ مَعِيْنٍ ‘‘} means running water in springs, as if it is derived from {’’عَيْنٌ‘‘} (spring). Ibn al-A‘rabi said: {’’ مَعَنَ الْمَاءُ‘‘} means “the water flowed.” In this case, its pattern is {’’فَعِيْلٌ‘‘} and the meem is original, meaning running water. (Qurtubi)
➍ What is meant by this rabwah (mound)? Some commentators have taken it to mean the land of Egypt. They say that at that time, the ruler of the land of Sham (where ‘Isa, peace be upon him, was born) was Herod, who, having heard from astrologers that ‘Isa (peace be upon him) would gain leadership, became his enemy from childhood and sought to kill him. Maryam (peace be upon her) took him to Egypt and did not return until Herod died. This incident is mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew in the same way, but Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The more apparent view is that it refers to that elevated place with date palms near Bayt al-Maqdis where ‘Isa (peace be upon him) was born, and Maryam (peace be upon her) was called from below: ‘Do not grieve, your Lord has made a stream flow beneath you, and shake the trunk of the date palm towards yourself, it will drop upon you fresh ripe dates, so eat, drink, and be comforted.’ (See Maryam: 23–26) Because the most authentic tafsir of the Qur’an is that which is from another verse of the Qur’an, then from authentic ahadith, and then from the reports (athar).” (Ibn Kathir) When we can neither declare the Israelite narrations true nor false, then how can anything be established from them?
