“She said, ‘Alas for me! Shall I bear a child while I am an old woman, and this husband of mine is an old man? Surely this is a wondrous thing!’ They said, ‘Do you marvel at the decree of Allah? May the mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, O people of the household. Indeed, He is Praiseworthy, Most Glorious.’”

“Alas for me!” is an exclamation of lamentation (1), a phrase a person says upon seeing something astonishing—that is, “How wondrous!” Its original form is ya waylatah (“Alas for me!”).

“Shall I bear a child while I am an old woman?” According to Ibn Ishaq, she was ninety years old. Mujahid said: ninety-nine years old.

“And this husband of mine”: that is, my husband. He is called this because he is responsible for her affairs. “An old man” is in the accusative as a circumstantial qualifier. According to Ibn Ishaq, Abraham was one hundred and twenty years old. Mujahid said: one hundred years old. There was one year between the glad tidings and the birth: “Surely this is a wondrous thing!”

“They said”—meaning, the angels—“Do you marvel at the decree of Allah?” That is: Do not marvel at Allah’s decree, for when Allah, glorified and exalted is He, wills something, it comes to pass. “May the mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, O people of the household”: that is, the household of Abraham, peace be upon him. It was said that this was a supplication from the angels; and it was also said that it means goodness, mercy, and blessing.