Surah Ash-Shura — Verse 50

Word Meanings:

• يُزَوِّجُهُمْ (yuzawwijuhum): He grants them both together — meaning He gives a person both male and female children.
• ذُكْرَانًا وَإِنَاثًا (dhukrānan wa ināthan): males and females.
• عَقِيمًا (ʿaqīman): barren, one who has no children at all — neither male nor female offspring.

Tafsir (Explanation):

This verse continues the magnificent display of Allah’s absolute sovereignty over all creation, following the previous verse which establishes that to Allah alone belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He creates whatever He wills, and His wisdom in creation is beyond human comprehension.

Allah, the Exalted, explains that He alone decides the nature of human offspring. He gives to whom He wills only daughters, with no sons; and He gives to whom He wills only sons, with no daughters. And He may also grant a person both sons and daughters together, blessing them with a complete family. Conversely, He makes whom He wills barren, so that they have no children at all — neither male nor female.

This is not a matter of chance or coincidence, nor is it determined by human effort, medical knowledge, or any worldly means. Rather, it is entirely in the Hands of Allah, the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful. He knows perfectly what is best for each of His servants, and His knowledge encompasses everything that was, is, and will be. Nothing is hidden from Him, and nothing is too difficult for Him. He does whatever He chooses, in accordance with His perfect wisdom and justice.

A Call to Reflection and Faith:

Dear reader, pause and reflect on this profound truth. The creation of a child — its gender, its number, its very existence — is a miracle that unfolds by the Will of Allah alone. No scientist, no doctor, no power on earth can determine these matters. This should fill your heart with awe and humility before your Creator.

If you have been blessed with children — whether sons, daughters, or both — know that this is a gift from Allah, and let it increase your gratitude and love for Him. If you have been tested with the inability to have children, know that this too is from Allah’s infinite wisdom, and He may have chosen this path for you to draw closer to Him through patience and supplication. Indeed, many of the greatest prophets and most beloved servants of Allah were tested in this way, and their reward with Allah was immense.

Never let the blessings of children make you forget the One who granted them, and never let the absence of children make you despair of Allah’s mercy. For He is the One who gives and withholds, and His knowledge encompasses what is best for every soul. Turn to Him in gratitude and in supplication, for He is Alīm (All-Knowing) and Qadīr (All-Powerful) — and His mercy is vast beyond measure.