Why Was Ibrahim’s Wife Astonished by the Angels’ Glad Tidings of a Child?
لماذا تعجّبت امرأة إبراهيم عليه السلام من بشارة الملائكة بالولد؟
She was old and barren and could not bear children, and her husband Ibrahim was also old. But the angels told her that when Allah wills a matter, then the matter is done. “And his wife was standing by, so she laughed, then We gave her good news of the birth of Isaac, and, after him, Jacob. She said, ‘Woe to me! Shall I bear a child while I am an old woman and this, my husband, is an old man? This is truly an amazing thing!’ They responded, ‘Are you astonished by Allah’s decree? May Allah’s mercy and blessings be upon you, O people of this house. Indeed, He is Praiseworthy, All-Glorious'” (Surah Hud 11:71-73). “They did not eat, so he grew fearful of them. They reassured him, ‘Do not be afraid,’ and gave him good news of a knowledgeable son. Then his wife came forward with a cry, clasping her forehead in astonishment, exclaiming, ‘A baby from a barren, old woman!’ They replied, ‘Such has your Lord decreed. He is truly the All-Wise, All-Knowing'” (Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51:28-30).
لأنها كانت كبيرة في السن، وزوجها إبراهيم كذلك، قال الله تعالى: وَامْرَأَتُهُ قَائِمَةٌ فَضَحِكَتْ فَبَشَّرْنَاهَا بِإِسْحَاقَ وَمِن وَرَاءِ إِسْحَاقَ يَعْقُوبَ ﴿٧١﴾ قَالَتْ يَا وَيْلَتَىٰ أَأَلِدُ وَأَنَا عَجُوزٌ وَهَـٰذَا بَعْلِي شَيْخًا ۖ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَشَيْءٌ عَجِيبٌ ﴿٧٢﴾ قَالُوا أَتَعْجَبِينَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّـهِ ۖ رَحْمَتُ اللَّـهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ ۚ إِنَّهُ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ ﴿٧٣﴾ (سورة هود: 71-73)، وقال تعالى: فَأَوْجَسَ مِنْهُمْ خِيفَةً ۖ قَالُوا لَا تَخَفْ ۖ وَبَشَّرُوهُ بِغُلَامٍ عَلِيمٍ ﴿٢٨﴾ فَأَقْبَلَتِ امْرَأَتُهُ فِي صَرَّةٍ فَصَكَّتْ وَجْهَهَا وَقَالَتْ عَجُوزٌ عَقِيمٌ ﴿٢٩﴾ قَالُوا كَذَٰلِكِ قَالَ رَبُّكِ ۖ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْعَلِيمُ ﴿٣٠﴾ (سورة الذاريات: 28-30).
1. A Fear That Came Before the Glad Tidings | خوفٌ سبق البشرى
Before any news of a child was given, Ibrahim grew afraid when his guests did not eat the meal he had prepared, a natural fear given that refusing hospitality could signal hostile intent. The angels’ words after he became afraid were reassurance, “Do not be afraid,” only after which the astonishing news followed, a sequence that shows the visit moved from apprehension to joy within moments.
قبل أن يُبشَّر إبراهيم عليه السلام بالولد، خاف حين رأى ضيوفه لا يأكلون من الطعام الذي قدّمه لهم، وهو خوف له ما يسوّغه، إذ كان امتناع الضيف من طعام مضيفه قد يدل على نية شر. فطمأنته الملائكة: (لَا تَخَفْ) (الذاريات 51: 28)، ثم جاءت البشرى العجيبة، فانتقلت الزيارة في لحظات من الوجل إلى الفرح.
2. Two Different Reactions Recorded in Two Different Surahs | حالان في سورتين
Surah Hud describes her laughing before speaking her astonishment aloud, while Surah Adh-Dhariyat describes her crying out and striking her face, a physical gesture of shock common in that era’s expression of surprise. Scholars read these as two facets of the same single moment rather than a contradiction, an initial reaction of disbelieving joy followed immediately by an outward expression of astonishment.
وصف الله تعالى في سورة هود ضحكها قبل أن تنطق بتعجّبها (هود 11: 71-72)، ووصف في سورة الذاريات إقبالها في صيحة ولطمها وجهها (الذاريات 51: 29)، وهو تعبير عن الدهشة كان مألوفًا في ذلك الزمان. ويجمع العلماء بين الموضعين بأنهما وجهان للحظة واحدة لا تعارض بينهما: فرحٌ أول يخالطه استبعاد للبشرى، يعقبه في الحال تعبير ظاهر عن الدهشة.
3. The Angels’ Answer to Her Astonishment | جواب الملائكة عن تعجّبها
The angels’ reply, “Are you astonished by Allah’s decree?”, is treated by scholars as a broader principle rather than a rebuke aimed only at her: no outcome, however biologically unlikely, is beyond Allah’s power once He has decreed it. A reply conveying the same principle appears when Zakariyya (peace be upon him) later asks how he could have a son in his old age, covered in How Did Zachariah Ask for a Child at His Very Old Age?, showing the same lesson repeated across different Prophets’ lives.
ويرى العلماء في قول الملائكة: (أَتَعْجَبِينَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ) (هود 11: 73) أصلًا عامًّا، لا عتابًا خاصًّا بها: فلا شيء، مهما بدا بعيدًا في مجرى العادة، يخرج عن قدرة الله إذا قضاه. ويأتي جوابٌ يحمل الأصل نفسه حين سأل زكريا عليه السلام كيف يُرزق الولد في شيخوخته، كما بيّنا في الجواب عن دعاء زكريا بالولد على كبر سنّه، فيتكرر الدرس نفسه في حياة أنبياء مختلفين.
4. The Same Visit Carried a Second, Heavier Message | الزيارة نفسها حملت خبرًا أثقل
The joyful news of Isaac and Yaqoub (peace be upon them) came in the same encounter as the news of the people of Lut (peace be upon him) being destroyed, and Ibrahim’s own response to that second, far heavier piece of news, pleading for mercy on their behalf, is covered in Who Were the Honoured Guests Who Visited Prophet Ibrahim?
وجاءت البشرى بإسحاق ويعقوب عليهما السلام في اللقاء نفسه الذي جاء فيه خبر هلاك قوم لوط عليه السلام، وأما ما كان من إبراهيم عليه السلام إزاء هذا الخبر الأثقل، من جداله ورجائه الرحمة لهم، فقد بيّناه في جواب: مَن الضيوف المكرمون الذين زاروا إبراهيم عليه السلام؟
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Why was Ibrahim’s wife astonished by the angels’ news?
Because she was elderly and barren, and her husband was also elderly.
What did the angels say in response to her astonishment?
“Are you astonished by Allah’s decree?”, reminding her that nothing is beyond Allah’s power.
Why was Ibrahim afraid of his guests at first?
Because they did not eat the meal he prepared for them, which he took as a possible sign of hostility.
Which two surahs record this event?
Surah Hud 11:71-73 and Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51:28-30.