Why Was Ibrahim’s Wife Astonished by the Angels’ Glad Tidings of a Child?
ما سبب تعجب امرأة إبراهيم عليه السلام من البشرى الملائكية؟
Because she was old and barren, so she 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 مثل ذلك. 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). 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 | خوف 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’ first words 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 أي خبر عن مولود، خاف إبراهيم حين لم يأكل ضيوفه الطعام الذي أعده، وهو خوف طبيعي إذ يمكن أن يشير رفض الضيافة إلى نية عدائية. وكانت كلمات الملائكة الأولى طمأنة، “لَا تَخَفْ”، وبعدها فقط جاء الخبر المدهش، تسلسل يُظهر أن الزيارة انتقلت من الترقب إلى الفرح في لحظات.
2. Two Different Reactions Recorded in Two Different Surahs | ردتا فعل مختلفتان في سورتين مختلفتين
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.
تصف سورة هود ضحكها قبل أن تنطق بتعجبها بصوت مسموع، بينما تصف سورة الذاريات صراخها ولطمها وجهها، وهي إيماءة جسدية للصدمة شائعة في تعبير ذلك العصر عن الدهشة. ويقرأ العلماء هذا وجهين للحظة واحدة نفسها لا تناقضا، رد فعل أولي من فرح لا يُصدَّق تلاه فورا تعبير خارجي عن الدهشة.
3. The Angels’ Answer to Her Astonishment | جواب الملائكة على تعجبها
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. This same reply appears again almost word for word when Zakariyya 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.
يُعامل العلماء رد الملائكة، “أَتَعْجَبِينَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّـهِ؟”، مبدأ أوسع لا توبيخا موجها لها وحدها: فلا نتيجة، مهما بدت مستبعدة بيولوجيا، تتجاوز قدرة الله بمجرد أن يقدرها. ويظهر هذا الرد ذاته مرة أخرى بألفاظ متطابقة تقريبا حين يسأل زكريا لاحقا كيف يمكن أن يُرزق ابنا في شيخوخته، كما تناولنا في مقال كيف طلب زكريا ولدا في شيخوخته المتقدمة؟، مُظهرا الدرس ذاته يتكرر عبر حياة أنبياء مختلفين.
4. The Same Visit Carried a Second, Heavier Message | نفس الزيارة حملت خبرا آخر أثقل
The joyful news of Isaac and Yaqoub came in the same encounter as the news of Lut’s people 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?
جاء الخبر السار عن إسحاق ويعقوب في اللقاء ذاته الذي جاء فيه خبر هلاك قوم لوط، ورد إبراهيم نفسه على ذلك الخبر الثاني الأثقل بكثير، التماسه الرحمة نيابة عنهم، مذكور في مقال من هم الضيوف المكرمون الذين زاروا النبي إبراهيم؟
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.