Does the word "offspring" (الذرية) in the Holy Quran refer to the wife? And if it does not include her, then why did our Prophet Abraham, peace be upon him, not pray for his wife in the verse: "Our Lord, indeed I have settled some of my offspring in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House, our Lord, that they may establish prayer"? And why was "min" (مِن) used to denote partiality instead of "indeed I have settled my offspring"?

The word "offspring" (الذرية) and its derivatives are mentioned 32 times in the Quran. Its original meaning refers to young children and may include adults; it is used for both singular and plural. The intended meaning of "offspring" in the noble verses refers to children, not wives, and there is no known scholar who has stated otherwise.

Commentators have differed on the meaning of "min" (مِنْ - from/of) in Abraham's statement: "Indeed, I have settled some of my offspring" (إِنِّي أَسْكَنْتُ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي), on two opinions: The first is that it is for partiality (تبعِضية), because Abraham settled only Ishmael. The second is that it is for clarification (بيانية), to confirm that those he settled were indeed his offspring, and the intended offspring here is Ishmael (peace be upon him). Abraham settled Ishmael's mother along with his son, because the supplication "So make hearts among the people incline toward them" (فَاجْعَلْ أَفْئِدَةً مِنَ النَّاسِ تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِمْ) in the plural form includes Ishmael and those with him.