and my wife is barren," meaning: she does not bear children. Al-Hasan said: He wanted to know how that would be granted to him, while he was old and his wife was barren, so that his knowledge might increase. He said: "Thus does Allah do what He wills."
الْكبر وامرأتي عَاقِر﴾ أَي: لَا تَلد، قَالَ الْحسن: أَرَادَ أَن يعلم كَيفَ وهب ذَلِك لَهُ؛ وَهُوَ كَبِير وَامْرَأَته عَاقِر؛ لِيَزْدَادَ علما ﴿قَالَ كَذَلِكَ اللَّهُ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاءُ﴾
