The Holy Quran 19:8 — Surah Maryam

Arabic text

قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِى غُلَـٰمٌ وَكَانَتِ ٱمْرَأَتِى عَاقِرًا وَقَدْ بَلَغْتُ مِنَ ٱلْكِبَرِ عِتِيًّا

Translation

He (Zakariyya عليه الصلاة والسلام) said, "O my Rabb! How will I have a son when my wife is barren (unable to bear children at 98 years of age) and I have reached the pinnacle of old age (at 120 years)?"

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

The astonishment of Zakariyya ﵇: it is human nature that when a person hears unexpected and extraordinary good news, he asks again and again and probes into it for further reassurance and delight. Such inquiry and searching gives fresh pleasure, and the matter becomes firmly settled. This was precisely the intent of the question of Zakariyya ﵇.

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.