سُوْرَةُ مَرْيَمَ
Surah Maryam (19) — Ayah 5
وَإِنِّى خِفْتُ ٱلْمَوَٰلِىَ مِن وَرَآءِى وَكَانَتِ ٱمْرَأَتِى عَاقِرًا فَهَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّا ﴿5﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"And verily I fear my relatives after me, and my wife is barren. So give me from Yourself an heir.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِنِّى
wa-innī
And indeed, I
خِفْتُ
khif'tu
[I] fear
ٱلْمَوَٰلِىَ
l-mawāliya
the successors
مِن
min
after me
وَرَآءِى
warāī
after me
وَكَانَتِ
wakānati
and is
ٱمْرَأَتِى
im'ra-atī
my wife
عَاقِرًۭا
ʿāqiran
barren
فَهَبْ
fahab
So give
لِى
lī
[to] me
مِن
min
from
لَّدُنكَ
ladunka
Yourself
وَلِيًّۭا
waliyyan
an heir
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 5) ➊ {وَ اِنِّيْ خِفْتُ الْمَوَالِيَ مِنْ وَّرَآءِيْ …:’’ الْمَوَالِيَ ‘‘ ’’مَوْلٰي‘‘} is the plural. Here it means close relatives and paternal cousins who become heirs in the absence of children. The meaning is that I do not see among them anyone who is worthy to fulfill the duty of guiding the Children of Israel after my death and to become the inheritor of my and the family of Jacob’s knowledge and practice, through whom the practice of Your religion and its propagation and preaching may continue. Rather, I fear that they will corrupt the religion and follow their own desires, as mentioned in Surah Al-A'raf (169) regarding some of those among the Children of Israel who became heirs to the Book.
➋ Some people use this verse as evidence for the worldly inheritance of the prophets, whereas the refutation of this is present in these very verses, because Zakariya (peace be upon him) is praying for such an heir who would be his and the family of Jacob’s inheritor. Obviously, children inherit their father’s worldly property, not the property of the entire family and nation, so here the inheritance of knowledge is meant. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ لاَ نُوْرَثُ مَا تَرَكْنَا صَدَقَةٌ ] [ بخاري، ، فرض الخمس، باب فرض الخمس : ۳۰۹۳، عن أبي بکر رضی اللہ عنہ ] “We (i.e., the prophets) have no heirs; whatever we leave behind is charity.” Those who say that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) did not give Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) inheritance from Fadak and other properties should consider that he also did not give a share to his (peace be upon him) uncle Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), nor to his own daughter Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) and the other pure wives, and he recited this (aforementioned) hadith as evidence. Then, if he did not give a share, Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) could have fulfilled his duty by giving Abbas and Hasan and Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them) and the Mothers of the Believers their share during his caliphate, but their adherence to Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) decision is a practical endorsement and confirmation of this hadith. See also Surah An-Naml, verse (16).
➌ { وَ كَانَتِ امْرَاَتِيْ عَاقِرًا : ’’ عَاقِرًا ‘‘} is one who does not have children. This word is used for both men and women. The word {’’ كَانَتْ ‘‘} indicates permanence, so the translation is “barren from the beginning.” After expressing his need with such insistence and urgency, he prayed for an heir from his own loins, who would be the inheritor of his and the family of Jacob’s prophethood, knowledge, and noble qualities.
➋ Some people use this verse as evidence for the worldly inheritance of the prophets, whereas the refutation of this is present in these very verses, because Zakariya (peace be upon him) is praying for such an heir who would be his and the family of Jacob’s inheritor. Obviously, children inherit their father’s worldly property, not the property of the entire family and nation, so here the inheritance of knowledge is meant. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ لاَ نُوْرَثُ مَا تَرَكْنَا صَدَقَةٌ ] [ بخاري، ، فرض الخمس، باب فرض الخمس : ۳۰۹۳، عن أبي بکر رضی اللہ عنہ ] “We (i.e., the prophets) have no heirs; whatever we leave behind is charity.” Those who say that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) did not give Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) inheritance from Fadak and other properties should consider that he also did not give a share to his (peace be upon him) uncle Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), nor to his own daughter Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) and the other pure wives, and he recited this (aforementioned) hadith as evidence. Then, if he did not give a share, Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) could have fulfilled his duty by giving Abbas and Hasan and Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them) and the Mothers of the Believers their share during his caliphate, but their adherence to Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) decision is a practical endorsement and confirmation of this hadith. See also Surah An-Naml, verse (16).
➌ { وَ كَانَتِ امْرَاَتِيْ عَاقِرًا : ’’ عَاقِرًا ‘‘} is one who does not have children. This word is used for both men and women. The word {’’ كَانَتْ ‘‘} indicates permanence, so the translation is “barren from the beginning.” After expressing his need with such insistence and urgency, he prayed for an heir from his own loins, who would be the inheritor of his and the family of Jacob’s prophethood, knowledge, and noble qualities.
