Surah Ash Sharh in my Life – Part 1

Rana Rais Khan – Founder Hiba Family Resource Centre

Surah ash Sharh was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (sa) in Makkah. Some scholars believe that it was the completion of Surah ad Duha. The Surah highlights Allah’s (swt) exclusive favours for the Prophet (sa) in extremely difficult times. He also commanded Prophet Muhammad (sa) to carry out certain acts in order to develop coping skills.

As believers and the Prophet’s (sa) followers, we are to seek comfort the same way when the going gets tough and carry out these commands to empower ourselves.  

أَلَمۡ نَشۡرَحۡ لَكَ صَدۡرَكَ وَوَضَعۡنَا عَنكَ وِزۡرَكَ أَلَمۡ نَشۡرَحۡ لَكَ صَدۡرَكَ وَوَضَعۡنَا عَنكَ وِزۡرَكَ

1. Did We not expand for you (O Muhammad), your breast?
2. And We removed from you your burden.
3. Which had weighed upon your back.

The expression of expansion of the breast has been mentioned 4 times in the Quran. In the first verse, the word ‘Laka’ denotes Prophet Muhammad’s (sa) exclusive status. It’s also a rhetorical statement meaning: “Most certainly Allah (swt) has expanded Prophet’s (sa) breast for him.”

How was the Prophet’s (sa) breast expanded? He was a truth seeker before the advent of Islam. He was averse to idol worship as well as the oppressive society he had to live in. When Allah (swt) granted Prophet Muhammad (sa) prophet hood, his emotional trauma and search for the truth came to an end. He was comforted and guided by the divine message. This expanded his breast to receive the revelation.

‘Sharh’ means to open up the meaning of something. To expand something for understanding and clarity.

Also in Arabic the idiom meaning: ‘expansion of someone’s breast by Allah (swt)’ means to grant peace of mind, to help someone relax and overcome restlessness.

The divine knowledge is a means of happiness as it offers answers to questions and solutions to problems. After receiving the Wahi Ilahi the Prophet (sa) felt fulfilled and content.

There are two types of believers. One who acts as per the divine guidance but does not understand it fully. This lack of clarity and belief influences his choices in life and also emotional state of the heart. Hence he is an unstable, under-confident and confused individual.  

The second type of believer is granted knowledge and understanding both that take his belief to the station of conviction ‘Yaqueen’. This believer is far superior than the earlier one as his actions are confident and impact himself and others positively.     

Imam Ash Shokani states that when the Prophet (sa) was receiving revelation he was enabled to memorize it and understand it’s meaning simultaneously. This was an exclusive gift from Allah (swt) as all barriers of understanding were removed.     

But Prophet Muhammad (sa) had to face rejection from the powerful and oppressive ruling elite of the society when he offered them the message of Islam. While the Prophet (sa) lived among the polytheists he never fell into self-doubt about the truth of the message. He was granted determination, courage and forbearance at an extra-ordinary level. In fact, after a struggle of 23 long years, his mission was accomplished.

Allah (swt) states in the Quran: “If We had sent down this Quran upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and coming apart from fear of Allah…” (Al Hashr 59:22)

This expansion of breast from Allah (swt) at a unique level, enabled Prophet Muhammad’s (sa) heart physically and spiritually to bear the revelation. Evidences cite that when he would receive the Wavi Ilahi riding a mount, his camel would stop and sit down. Once he was sitting with a Sahabi and Wavi came to him, his thigh almost crushed the Sahabi’s thigh due to the weight of the message. 

Imam Ash Shokani states: “The breast in this Ayat has been specially highlighted because it is the seat of understanding.” Our Nafs, knowledge and perceptions reside here inside the heart. Hence they need to be rectified, protected and enabled to carry out the prophetic mission. That’s how Muhammad (sa) was able to effectively deliver the message, protect it and face challenges on this journey.

Conversely what does it mean for your breast to be constrained? Your cognitive abilities are restricted. You cannot accept a new idea or revisit prior learning to acquire fresh knowledge. This leads to rigidness, tunnel vision, narrow thinking, stinginess, closed emotions, anxiety, rejection of the truth, purposelessness in life.  

How do you know if your breast is expanded or constricted? Here are some signs of ‘Sharh Sadr’ (openness of the breast by Allah swt):

1. You will feel comforted by Allah (swt) in your worship
2. You will be open to reform and undo incorrect past emotional incorrect paradigms
3. You will be growth oriented and not feel defensive even if the Quranic learning goes against you
4. You will have emotional reliance (Tawakkul) over Allah (swt) in hardships for e.g. the muslims of Gaza
5. Your emotions will be regulated and cognitive abilities restored as explained by behavioral sciences
6. You will seek Allah’s (swt) pleasure over your ego, desire and needs
7. You will feel Allah’s (swt) contentment (Sakeenah) envelope your heart in trials

In the second verse Allah (swt) uses the term ‘Wizr.’ Multiple meanings have been given for the term. The first one states that it is a burden that is a heavy load that was breaking the Prophet (sa) down. 

Secondly, scholars state that it is the search for the truth that leads people to scholars, monks and churches, etc. Questions regarding a person’s life, why has he been sent to the world? Where will he go from here? Why is the world so unjust? Who can explain the truth?

Like Prophet Muhammad (sa) many people have experienced this leading them to Allah (swt). Salman Farsi’s (rta) story is very inspiring who left his palace in Persia to become a slave in Madinah simply in quest of the truth.

Allah (swt) removed the ‘Wizr’ from Prophet Muhammad’s (sa) life after he went into isolation at the age of 40 years reflecting restlessly about the reality of life.

The next meaning of ‘Wizr’ is how Allah (swt) guided Prophet Muhammad (sa) to lead the people from an immoral life towards morality.

‘Wizr’ has also been termed as the sadness that Prophet Muhammad (sa) experienced upon the temporary pause of divine revelation that Allah (swt) resumed for him later.

Also ‘Wizr’ means the cleansing and strengthening of Prophet Muhammad’s (sa) heart by Allah (swt) when he prayed Qiyam ul lail. It was needed to prepare Prophet (sa) to face the enemy’s oppression while interacting with it.

Allah (swt) also removed the ‘Wizr’ from Prophet Muhammad’s (sa) life by assuring him that he will not be accountable if someone doesn’t embrace Islam.

Lastly ‘Wizr’ also meant that the messenger’s (sa) sins had been pardoned as all Anbiyah are innocent. The average standard of their conduct is always higher than common people.  

Once Prophet Muhammad’s (sa) burdens had been removed, he became the means of removing other’s burdens. Allah (swt) talks about the burdens Prophet Muhammad (sa) consequently removed for the Ummah. “Those who follow the messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong and makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them…” (Al Araaf 7:157)

In the third verse, ‘Anqada’ refers to a burden that causes a crackling sound due to severity of its load. It also means to untie a rope or break a bone.

All in all, its an expression of Allah’s (swt) unloading Prophet Muhammad’s (sa) back breaking burden that was bearing him down in all the ways mentioned above.  

Please continue reading Part 2 of the post titled ‘Surah al Ala in my life – part 2.’

(Partially adapted from a course titled ‘In depth study of Juzz 30’ taught by Safiya Khan).