In the Quran, Surah Al Imran mentions the story of the wife of Imran, who gave birth to a girl named Mary—likely known to you as the mother of Jesus, or Isa (AS).
The Wife of Imran (she is not named in the Quran, so we refer to her as such) used to communicate with Allah and make constant supplications, wishing the best for the baby in her womb. In Ayat 35, she even made a promise to Allah:
“My Lord, indeed I have pledged to You what is in my womb, consecrated [for Your service], so accept this from me. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing.”
She had expected to give birth to a boy but ultimately delivered a girl. She hoped for a boy because she believed he would be capable of achieving more, as he would be free from some of the physical shortcomings and social stigmas associated with being a girl. Regardless, the Wife of Imran loved her child deeply, and in Ayat 36, she made another dua to Allah to protect her newborn:
“But when she delivered her, she said, ‘My Lord, I have delivered a female.’ And Allah was most knowing of what she delivered, ‘And the male is not like the female. And I have named her Mary, and I seek refuge for her in You and [for] her descendants from Satan, the expelled [from the mercy of Allah].’”
The Surah goes on to tell readers that Allah was pleased with her, accepted her supplications, and placed Mary under the care of Zechariah (likely the husband of her maternal aunt and one of the guardians of the Temple—not to be confused with the Prophet Zechariah mentioned in the Old Testament). Every time Zechariah saw the Wife of Imran with Mary, he “found with her provision”—meaning Allah had blessed them with all they needed. When Zechariah asked where this provision came from, she replied, “It is from Allah. Indeed, Allah provides for whom He wills without account.”
Witnessing this, Zechariah recited the “Rabbi Habli Min Ladunka” dua, which we will share with you today.
A Dua For Good Offspring
After his conversation with the Wife of Imran, Zechariah called upon his Lord in Ayah 38 of Surah Al Imran, reciting the following dua in Arabic:
رَبِّ هَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ ٱلدُّعَآءِ
Transliteration: Rabbi habli min ladunka zurriyatan tayyibatan innaka sameeud du’aaa
Meaning of the Rabbi Habli Min Ladunka Dua
The core meaning of this dua is: “My Lord, grant me from Yourself a good offspring. Indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication.”
Up to this point, Zechariah had no such blessings of his own.
It was the sight of this pious young girl that made him yearn for a child of his own—one who would be equally devout and virtuous. He saw the provisions Allah had bestowed upon the Wife of Imran and felt hopeful that if he also asked, Allah would bless him similarly. The passage continues through Ayat 39-41:
“So the angels called him while he was standing in prayer in the chamber, ‘Indeed, Allah gives you good tidings of John, confirming a word from Allah and [who will be] honorable, abstaining [from women], and a prophet from among the righteous.’ He said, ‘My Lord, how will I have a boy when I have reached old age and my wife is barren?’ The angel said, ‘Such is Allah; He does what He wills.’ He said, ‘My Lord, make for me a sign.’ He Said, ‘Your sign is that you will not [be able to] speak to the people for three days except by gesture. And remember your Lord much and exalt [Him with praise] in the evening and the morning.’”
In Surah Maryam, Ayat 2-11, the story of Zechariah is told with additional details:
“[This is] a mention of the mercy of your Lord to His servant Zechariah. When he called to his Lord a private supplication. He said, ‘My Lord, indeed my bones have weakened, and my head has filled with white, and never have I been in my supplication to You, my Lord, unhappy. And indeed, I fear the successors after me, and my wife has been barren, so give me from Yourself an heir who will inherit me and inherit from the family of Jacob. And make him, my Lord, pleasing [to You].’ [He was told], ‘O Zechariah, indeed We give you good tidings of a boy whose name will be John. We have not assigned to any before [this] name.’ He said, ‘My Lord, how will I have a boy when my wife has been barren and I have reached extreme old age?’ [An angel] said, ‘Thus [it will be]; your Lord says, ‘It is easy for Me, for I created you before, while you were nothing.’’ [Zechariah] said, ‘My Lord, make for me a sign.’ He said, ‘Your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three nights, [being] sound.’ So he came out to his people from the prayer chamber and signaled to them to exalt [Allah] in the morning and afternoon.’”
Lessons from This Dua
We can model our behavior after Zechariah, who serves as an excellent role model. He personally witnessed the blessings Allah bestowed on the Wife of Imran. It would be easy for someone to let their mind wander and think, “Why not me?”—a thought that can trigger a downward spiral of the human spirit. Nothing good comes from jealousy or anger. As a testament to his character and faith in Allah, Zechariah did not grow jealous, complain, or grieve. Instead, he was amazed and sincerely asked Allah for similar blessings.
We should all make dua to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, for all things come from Him, and nothing is impossible with His help.
We should make dua with full belief and conviction.
We should be optimistic, believing that whatever we ask for will come true. But if it does not, a Muslim should accept this and strive to be content with life as it is, for this is the decree of Allah.
It may be difficult to come to terms with lifelong infertility. We should be patient with the outcome and try to see the bigger picture. Perhaps Allah’s decree has wisdom and reasons beyond our comprehension, and the path He has laid out for us is better than bearing and raising a child.
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