سُوْرَةُ هُوْدٍ
Surah Hud (11) — Ayah 72
قَالَتْ يَـٰوَيْلَتَىٰٓ ءَأَلِدُ وَأَنَا۠ عَجُوزٌ وَهَـٰذَا بَعْلِى شَيْخًا ۖ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَشَىْءٌ عَجِيبٌ ﴿72﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
She said (in astonishment): "Woe unto me! Shall I bear a child while I am an old woman, and here is my husband an old man? Verily! This is a strange thing!"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَالَتْ
qālat
She said
يَـٰوَيْلَتَىٰٓ
yāwaylatā
Woe to me
ءَأَلِدُ
a-alidu
Shall I bear a child
وَأَنَا۠
wa-anā
while I am
عَجُوزٌۭ
ʿajūzun
an old woman
وَهَـٰذَا
wahādhā
and this
بَعْلِى
baʿlī
my husband
شَيْخًا ۖ
shaykhan
(is) an old man
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
هَـٰذَا
hādhā
this
لَشَىْءٌ
lashayon
(is) surely a thing
عَجِيبٌۭ
ʿajībun
amazing
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 72) ➊ { قَالَتْ يٰوَيْلَتٰۤى: } Imam Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) said that the phrase {’’ يَا وَيْلَتَا ‘‘} is used by the Arabs when they are astonished at something and consider it extraordinary. Thus, at the time of amazement, they say: {’’ وَيْلُ أُمِّهِ مَا أَرْجَلَهُ ‘‘} "May his mother perish, how manly he is." As for the alif, Tabari's verdict is that this alif is for "nadbah" (expression of grief), and the addition of the taa is because the alif of nadbah after {’’وَيْلٌ‘‘} cannot be as clear and prolonged as it can be with the addition of taa in the middle.
➋ { ءَاَلِدُ وَ اَنَا عَجُوْزٌ … :} The reaction to the first glad tidings was the laughter that appeared on the face of Sarah (peace be upon her). Now, she received the glad tidings of something that was the essence of her lifelong desire, and she received it at a time when, according to worldly means, there was no hope for it. So, Sarah's (peace be upon her) laughter turned into astonishment and fear. She said, will it happen that I will have a child? While I am an old woman and this husband of mine is also old, surely this is a strange thing. The angels had also given this glad tidings to Ibrahim (peace be upon him), as mentioned in Surah Adh-Dhariyat: «{ وَ بَشَّرُوْهُ بِغُلٰمٍ عَلِيْمٍ }» [ الذاریات : ۲۸ ] "And they gave him (Ibrahim, peace be upon him) glad tidings of a boy possessing much knowledge." But here, specifically, the glad tidings are mentioned as being given to his wife and the conversation with her, because from Ibrahim (peace be upon him), Ismail had already been born from Hajar (peace be upon her), but Sarah (peace be upon her) was still childless. From the ancient commentators and Israelite traditions, it is known that at that time, the age of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was one hundred years and the age of Sarah (peace be upon her) was ninety years, but the truth is that we have no reliable source for determining the ages of both. Allah's statement that Sarah (peace be upon her) was {’’ عَجُوْزٌ ‘‘} and her husband was {’’ شَيْخًا ‘‘} is sufficient to understand { ’’ لَشَيْءٌ عَجِيْبٌ ‘‘ }, otherwise Allah would surely have mentioned their ages as well.
➌ This verse is evidence that the one to be sacrificed was Ismail (peace be upon him), because along with the glad tidings of Ishaq (peace be upon him), there was also the glad tidings of a grandson, Yaqub, so the command to sacrifice him does not arise at all. (Qurtubi)
➋ { ءَاَلِدُ وَ اَنَا عَجُوْزٌ … :} The reaction to the first glad tidings was the laughter that appeared on the face of Sarah (peace be upon her). Now, she received the glad tidings of something that was the essence of her lifelong desire, and she received it at a time when, according to worldly means, there was no hope for it. So, Sarah's (peace be upon her) laughter turned into astonishment and fear. She said, will it happen that I will have a child? While I am an old woman and this husband of mine is also old, surely this is a strange thing. The angels had also given this glad tidings to Ibrahim (peace be upon him), as mentioned in Surah Adh-Dhariyat: «{ وَ بَشَّرُوْهُ بِغُلٰمٍ عَلِيْمٍ }» [ الذاریات : ۲۸ ] "And they gave him (Ibrahim, peace be upon him) glad tidings of a boy possessing much knowledge." But here, specifically, the glad tidings are mentioned as being given to his wife and the conversation with her, because from Ibrahim (peace be upon him), Ismail had already been born from Hajar (peace be upon her), but Sarah (peace be upon her) was still childless. From the ancient commentators and Israelite traditions, it is known that at that time, the age of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was one hundred years and the age of Sarah (peace be upon her) was ninety years, but the truth is that we have no reliable source for determining the ages of both. Allah's statement that Sarah (peace be upon her) was {’’ عَجُوْزٌ ‘‘} and her husband was {’’ شَيْخًا ‘‘} is sufficient to understand { ’’ لَشَيْءٌ عَجِيْبٌ ‘‘ }, otherwise Allah would surely have mentioned their ages as well.
➌ This verse is evidence that the one to be sacrificed was Ismail (peace be upon him), because along with the glad tidings of Ishaq (peace be upon him), there was also the glad tidings of a grandson, Yaqub, so the command to sacrifice him does not arise at all. (Qurtubi)
