Surah Ash-Sharh: Verse 1 - ألم نشرح لك صدرك... - English

Commentary

It was mentioned at the end of the preceding Surah that twenty-two Surahs from Surah Ad-Duha to the end of the Qur'an are mainly concerned with Divine favours conferred upon the Holy Prophet ' and with his greatness. Only a few Surahs are concerned with the conditions of the Hereafter or some other subject. Surah Al-Inshirah is concerned with special favours that Allah conferred upon the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Its style is the same as that of the preceding Surah - the interrogative style. In the preceding Surah, the style was 'Did He not find you...?' [ Here the style is ]:

أَلَمْ نَشْرَ‌حْ لَكَ صَدْرَ‌كَ (Did We not cause your bosom to be wide open for your benefit?...94:1). The word sharp literally denotes 'to open, to cause the bosom to be widely opened'. [ In the present context ] it is to cause the bosom to be wide open to comprehend the Divine mysteries. The verse signifies that Allah illuminated his bosom with wisdom, Divine light and peace and made it spacious, vast and wide as is said in another verse:

فَمَن يُرِ‌دِ اللَّـهُ أَن يَهْدِيَهُ يَشْرَ‌حْ صَدْرَ‌هُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ

'So, he whom Allah wills to give guidance, He opens his heart for Islam [ 6:125] '

The Holy Prophet's ﷺ bosom was expanded to receive the knowledge and wisdom and the gracious morals and ethical qualities, which the greatest philosophers could not match. As a result of this expansion of heart, tawajjuh ilal-makhluq (attentiveness to the creation) did not disturb his attentiveness to and concentration on Allah. Some of the authentic Traditions report that the angels, with Allah's permission, physically opened the blessed chest of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Some of the commentators interpret this 'expansion of the chest' to refer to the same miracle, as mentioned in Ibn Kathir and others. And Allah knows best!

Which was revealed in Makkah

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

The Meaning of opening the Breast

Allah says,

(Have We not opened your breast for you) meaning, `have We not opened your chest for you.' This means, `We illuminated it, and We made it spacious, vast and wide.' This is as Allah says,

(And whomsoever Allah wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islam.) (6:125) And just as Allah expanded his chest, He also made His Law vast, wide, accommodating and easy, containing no difficulty, hardship or burden.

A Discussion of Allah's Favor upon His Messenger Concerning Allah's statement,

(And removed from you your burden.) This means

(That Allah may forgive you your sins of the past and the future.) (48:2)

(Which weighed down your back) Al-Inqad means the sound. And more than one of the Salaf has said concerning Allah's saying,

(Which weighed down your back) meaning, `its burden weighed heavy upon you.'

The Meaning of raising the Fame of the Prophet (Peace be upon him)

(And have We not raised high your fame?) Mujahid said, "I (Allah) am not remembered except that you are remembered with Me: I bear witness that there is no God worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."

Qatadah said , "Allah raised his fame in this life and in the Hereafter. There is no one who gives a sermon, declares the Testimony of Faith (Shahadah), or prays a prayer (Salah) except that he proclaims it: I bear witness that there is no God worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

Ease after Difficulty

(Verily along with every hardship is relief. Veriliy along with every hardship is relief)

Allah informs that with difficulty there is ease, and then He reaffirms this information (by repeating it)

The Command to remember Allah during Spare Time

( So when you have finished, devote yourself to Allah's worship. And to your Lord turn intentions and hopes. )

Meaning, 'when you have completed your worldly affairs and its tasks, and you have broken away from its routine, then get up to perform the worship, and stand for it with zeal, complete devotion and purify your intention and desire for your lord.' Similar to this is the Prophet's statement in a hadith that is agreed-upon to be authentic,

There is no prayer when the food is served, nor when the two foul things (excrement and urine) are pressing a person.

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) also said,

When the prayer has started and the dinner has been served, then begin with dinner.

Mujahid said concerning this Ayah, "When you are free from the worldly affairs, and you have stood to pray, then stand up for your Lord."