Surah Al-Sharh

It is called Surah Al-Sharh. As narrated from Ibn al-Zubayr and Aisha, it is Makki. This was recorded by Ibn al-Durays, al-Nahhas, al-Bayhaqi, and Ibn Marduyah from Ibn Abbas, with an additional report from him stating it was revealed after [Surah] al-Duha. Al-Biqa'i claimed it is Madani in his view, based on a long Hadith recorded by Ibn Marduyah from Jabir ibn Abdullah, which is apparent in indicating that the words of the Exalted, "For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease," were revealed in Madinah. However, there is hesitation regarding the authenticity of this Hadith.

Its verses are eight by consensus. It is intensely connected to Surah al-Duha, such that it was narrated from Tawus and Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz that they used to say they are one Surah, and they would recite them in a single rak'ah without separating them with "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful." The Shia follow this as well, as narrated by al-Tabarsi among them. The Imam said: "What prompted this is that the words of the Exalted, 'Have We not expanded for you your chest?' function like a conjunction to His words, 'Did He not find you an orphan?'" This is not the case, because the first [Surah] was during the Messenger's—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—distress caused by the harm of the disbelievers, and that state was one of trial and constriction of the chest. The second [Surah] requires that at the time of revelation, the chest was expanded and the heart was at ease; so how could they be combined? There is consideration [for doubt] in this.

The truth is that the standard for such matters is narration, not opinion. It is mutawatir (widely transmitted) that they are two separate Surahs, and they are separated by the Basmala. Yes, they are very closely connected in meaning. This is evidenced by what is in the Isra', which was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim, that Allah the Exalted said to him—peace and blessings be upon him: "O Muhammad, did I not find you an orphan and shelter you, lost and guided you, poor and enriched you? And I expanded for you your chest, removed from you your burden, and raised for you your mention, so that you are not mentioned except that I am mentioned with you"—the Hadith.

Sharh (expansion), in its primary linguistic sense, denotes widening and enlargement. Its usage became widespread in clarification; from this is the phrase "the explanation of the book" (sharh al-kitab), meaning the clarification of it, because widening a thing and spreading it out necessitates the disclosure of its interior and what was hidden of it. Likewise, it became widespread regarding the happiness of the soul, to the point that if one were to say it is a conventional truth, it would not be far-fetched. This is when it is attributed to the heart; it is said "his heart was expanded with such-and-such," meaning he was made happy by it. This is because the heart is like a dwelling for the soul, and normally, the widening and expansion of a dwelling necessitates the happiness of the one residing within it. Similarly, this applies when it is attributed to the breast (sadr), which is the locus of the heart. This may also signify the capacity of the heart, for it is a consistent norm that the expansion of the area around a dwelling only occurs if the dwelling itself is already spacious, so one expands the surroundings to obtain additional beauty or similar benefits within it, which then transfers to the happiness of the soul via that intermediary.

Sometimes, when attributed to the heart or the breast, it is intended to mean the multiplication of the information contained within them. It is imagined that such information requires a space to exist in, and that this [heart/breast] is its locus; thus, whenever it is abundant, it necessitates that its container be spacious enough to hold it. It may also mean the multiplication of what is within the soul of such knowledge; it is said that the multiplication of its knowledge demands the expansion of the soul, and its expansion demands the expansion of its [container] to treat it as its locus.

It may also refer to the strengthening of the soul with a sacred power and divine lights, such that it becomes a field for the processions of knowledge, a sky for the stars of spiritual faculties, a throne for the varieties of divine manifestations, and a carpet for the grazing flocks of spiritual arrivals. Thus, no affair preoccupies it from another affair, and to it, that which is, that which will be, and that which has been are all equal. The manner of attributing this to the breast is in accordance with what has already been mentioned. The notion of intending the heart by the "breast" or the soul by the "heart" due to the relationship of "locus" is something the mind does not incline toward, except for intending each of the mentioned things by the implication of the context. What is most appropriate for the context of gratitude (imtinan) here is intending this final meaning [the spiritual strengthening]. Others have deemed other meanings permissible.

Thus, the meaning is: Have We not expanded your breast until it encompassed the worlds of the Unseen and the Witnessed, and joined between the faculties of receiving and imparting? So, neither did involvement in bodily relationships hinder you from acquiring the lights of spiritual faculties, nor did attachment to the interests of the creation distract you from immersion in the affairs of the Truth.

It is said that the meaning is: Have We not removed your worry and grief by informing you of the realities of affairs and the worthlessness of the world, so it became easy for you to endure hardships in the call to Allah the Exalted?

It is narrated from the majority that the meaning is: Have We not expanded it with wisdom and widened it by facilitating for you the reception of what is revealed to you, after it used to be difficult for you?

From Ibn Abbas and a group, it is said that this is a reference to the splitting of his noble breast in his childhood, peace be upon him. This splitting occurred, according to some reports, while he was with his wet nurse, Halima. It is narrated from her that she said regarding him, peace be upon him: "We continued to perceive from Allah the Exalted increase and goodness until his two years passed and I weaned him. He was growing up in a way unlike other boys. He had not reached two years of age before he was a [fully developed] boy. We brought him to his mother, and we were more eager than anything for him to remain with us because of the blessing we saw in him. We said to his mother: 'If only you would leave him with us until he becomes stronger, for we fear the plague of Mecca for him.' We did not cease until she returned him with us. We returned with him, and by Allah, while we were in the area behind our houses with his foster brother, his brother came rushing to us and said: 'Two men in white clothes have come and laid him down and split his abdomen.' His father and I ran toward him and found him standing, his color changed. His father embraced him and said: 'My son, what is the matter?' He said: 'Two men in white clothes came to me, laid me down, and split my abdomen, then extracted something from it and threw it away, then returned it as it was.' We returned with him, and his father said: 'Oh Halima, I fear that my son has been afflicted; take him back to his family before that which we fear appears in him.' She said: 'We carried him to his mother, and she said: 'What brought you back when you were so eager for him?' We said: 'We fear disagreement and the occurrence [of illness].' She said: 'That is not what is with you, tell me the truth of your affair.' She did not leave us until we told her his story. She said: 'Do you fear the devil for him? No, by Allah, the devil has no path over him. This son of mine will have an affair [of great importance], so leave him with you.'"

In a report by Abu Ya'la, Abu Nu'aym, and Ibn Asakir, there is evidence that this event occurred repeatedly to him, peace be upon him, while he was with Halima. It also occurred to him, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, after he reached maturity. In al-Durr al-Manthur, Abdullah ibn Ahmad extracted in Zawa'id al-Musnad from Ubayy ibn Ka'b that Abu Hurayra said: "O Messenger of Allah, what have you seen of the matter of Prophethood?" The Messenger of Allah, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, sat up and said: "You have asked, O Abu Hurayra. I was in the desert as a young man of twenty years and some months, when suddenly there was speech above my head, and there was a man saying to another: 'Is he the one?' They approached me with faces I had never seen on any creation, with spirits I had never found in any creation, and clothes I had never found on anyone. They approached me walking until, when they drew near, each of them took one of my arms, and I did not feel their touch. One of them said to his companion: 'Split his breast.' One of them descended toward my breast and split it, as I saw, without blood or pain. He said to him: 'Extract the resentment and the envy.' He extracted something like a blood clot, then discarded it. He said to him: 'Insert compassion and mercy.' It was like silver. Then he struck the thumb of my right foot and said: 'Go out in peace.' I returned showing compassion to the young and mercy to the elderly."

What I saw in the Sharh al-Hamziyya of Ibn Hajar al-Makki is another narration of this with different wording, in which it says: "I was in a vast desert at ten years of age, when suddenly there were two men above my head, one of whom said to his companion: 'Is he the one?'..." to the end of the report. Thus, the splitting occurred before puberty as well, and Allah the Exalted knows best.

Furthermore, according to both narrations, it is not a definitive text denying that a splitting occurred before that, because it is possible that the one from which he sensed the Prophethood is this one, not the previous one. It also occurred to him, peace be upon him, upon the arrival of Gabriel, peace be upon him, with the Revelation in the cave of Hira. Among those who recorded this are al-Tayalisi and al-Harith in their Musnads, as well as Abu Nu'aym. The wording is: "Gabriel and Michael, peace be upon them, split his breast and washed it, then said: 'Read in the name of your Lord...' [the verses]." It also occurred another time, regarding which reports have reached the level of tawatur (mass transmission), contrary to those who deny it, on the night of his Ascension (Isra), may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him. Bukhari, Muslim, al-Tirmidhi, and al-Nasa'i narrated from Qatada, who said: "Anas ibn Malik told us from Malik ibn Sa'sa'a that the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, said: 'While I was at the House, between sleeping and waking, I was brought a basin of gold containing Zamzam water. My breast was opened from this to that.' Qatada said: 'I said to Anas, what do you mean?' He said: 'To the bottom of my abdomen.' He said: 'My heart was extracted and washed with Zamzam water, then returned to its place, then filled with faith and wisdom...'" [the rest of the Hadith].

Judge Abd al-Jabbar attacked this, concluding that it necessitates the miracle preceding the Prophethood in the case of its occurrence in childhood, and that is not permissible. As for its occurrence after Prophethood, even if it does not necessitate the aforementioned, the Hadith of washing and inserting compassion, mercy, and faith and wisdom is countered by the claim that washing is something that has no effect on spiritual perfection, but is rather for removing a physical matter, and that it is not valid to insert what was mentioned, for that is something Allah creates in the heart. This is incorrect, for the preceding of a supernatural event to Prophethood is permissible according to us, and we call it irhas (a precursor to Prophethood). The reports are numerous regarding its occurrence to him, peace be upon him, before Prophethood. The washing with water was to remove a physical matter, and it is not far-fetched that its removal and the washing of the locus with a specific water, like Zamzam water, as is proven in some narrations, has an effect. This is why al-Bulqini said it is better than the water of the Kawthar, necessitating a change in temperament, which is something that has a role in spiritual perfection. This is why the Sheikhs order the seekers under their guidance to perform the riyada (spiritual discipline) through which a change of temperament is attained. This is indicated by the changing states of the soul and its character from childhood to adulthood to old age.

The intent of inserting compassion and filling [the heart] with faith, for example, is the insertion of that by which the perfection of these is attained. Often, the effect is called by the name of the cause figuratively, and it is possible that it is taken literally, as the embodiment of meanings is permissible. The gnostic Ibn Abi Jamra said, as cited in al-Qastallani's al-Mawahib al-Ladunniyya, the gist of which is: "What the speech of the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, indicated regarding the essentiality and corporeality of created entities that the senses have no path to perceive, is exactly as his speech indicated in reality. The judgment of those who speak of these things as 'accidental' is merely based on what appears to their intellects, and the intellect has a limit at which it stops. The truth of the matter is what the revelation of the Lawgiver has indicated, supported by divine revelation and the sacred light that flies with its two wings in the atmosphere of realities to where the buzzing of the intellect's bee is not heard, nor the narration of its transmitters... Thus, faith, wisdom, and similar things, which the speech of the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, indicated to be substances, are indeed sensible substances, not meanings, even if those who consider them otherwise think so."

The matter regarding belief or denial in this is left to you, and I do not compel you to believe, for I do not wish to be burdensome to you. Some eminent scholars said: Perhaps this is by way of representation (tamthil), as the representation of meanings has occurred often; just as the Paradise and the Hellfire were represented to him, peace be upon him, in front of the wall of his noble mosque. Its benefit is the revealing of the conceptual through the sensible. This is an inclination toward its not having occurred literally. Many others have said that all that has been reported regarding the splitting, the extraction of the heart, and the like must be believed in, even if it is contrary to custom (khariq lil-'ada), and it is not permissible to interpret it allegorically, as the Divine Power is capable of it. Whoever claims otherwise has fallen into the pit of the Mu'tazila in their allegorical interpretation of the texts regarding the questioning of the two angels, the punishment of the grave, the weighing of deeds, the Bridge (Sirat), and others based on mere opinion. As for the wisdom behind this, despite the possibility of creating what resulted from it without it, they have spoken at length in clarifying it in its proper place.

Yes, interpreting the "expansion" (sharh) in the verse as referring to that [physical] splitting is weak according to the verifiers. The expression of the establishment of the expansion through the interrogative of negation (A-lam) is to signal that its establishment is so manifest that no one can answer it with anything but "Yes." Attributing the action to the pronoun of Majesty is to signify His greatness and the majesty of His rank. The addition of the prepositional phrase (laka - for you) and its placement between the verb and its object is to signal from the beginning that the expansion is for his benefit and interests, rushing to introduce happiness into his noble heart, peace be upon him, and to create longing in him for what follows it, so that he may be in a state of maximum readiness when it arrives.

Abu Ja'far al-Mansur recited A-lam nashraha with a fatha on the ha (nashraha), and Ibn Atiyya and a group explained this by saying that the origin is A-lam nashrahan, with the light nun of emphasis, then the nun was replaced by an alif, which was then deleted for ease, as in the line of poetry: "Strike away the worries with their visitor / Your striking the helmet of the horse with the sword." It is not hidden that the deletion here is weaker than in the verse, because that is in an imperative, whereas this is in a negation. For this reason, Ibn Jinni narrated in al-Muhtasib from Abu Mujahid that it is not permissible at all, for the nun of emphasis is most similar to verbosity and elongation, not brevity and conciseness. And the poem is said to be fabricated. What is better for representation is what Abu Zayd cited in his Nawadir: "From which of my two days shall I flee from death? / A day that was not destined, or a day that was?"

Many have said: Perhaps Abu Ja'far clarified the ha and saturated its articulation, so the listener thought he gave it a fatha. In al-Bahr, it is said that this recitation has a better explanation than what was mentioned: that the fatha is according to the dialect of some Arabs to provide nasb with lam (the particle of negation). Al-Lihyani mentioned in his Nawadir that some of them use nasb with it and jazm with lan, the opposite of what is known to people. Based on this is the saying of Aisha bint al-A'jam, praising al-Mukhtar ibn Abi 'Ubayd: "In all that he intended, he moved his opinion forward / And he did not consult in the affair that he performed." Some explained it as the fatha being for the sake of the word that follows it, like the kasra in the recitation of Al-hamdu lillahi (with a jar), but this does not apply to the line of Aisha, though it applies to what else was mentioned.

His saying, the Exalted...