The Meaning of Opening the Breast

Allah says,

أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ ﴿١﴾

Have We not opened your breast for you?

This means, `We illuminated it, and We made it spacious, vast and wide.' This is as Allah says,

فَمَن يُرِدِ اللَّهُ أَن يَهْدِيَهُ يَشْرَحْ صَدْرَهُ لِلإِسْلَـمِ

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,

وَوَضَعْنَا عَنكَ وِزْرَكَ ﴿٢﴾

And removed from you your burden.

This means,

لِّيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ

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

الَّذِي أَنقَضَ ظَهْرَكَ ﴿٣﴾

Which weighed down your back.

Al-Inqad means the sound.

And more than one of the Salaf has said concerning Allah's saying, الَّذِي أَنقَضَ ظَهْرَكَ  meaning, `its burden weighed heavy upon you.'

Then Allâh says,

وَرَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَ ﴿٤﴾

And have We not raised high your fame?

Mujahid said, "It means whenever I (Allah) am remembered, you will also be remembered.''

Qatadah said, "Allah elevated the remembrance of the Prophet Muhammad both in this world as well as in the hereafter.''

Then Allâh says,

فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا ﴿٥﴾

Verily, along with every hardship is relief,

إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا ﴿٦﴾

Verily, along with every hardship is relief,

Meaning, whatever troubles are encountered by the creation, Allah always provides a relief with it. The relief does not merely comes after the difficulty: it is provided with it.

Then Allâh says,

فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانصَبْ ﴿٧﴾

So when you have finished, devote yourself to Allah's worship.

وَإِلَى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ ﴿٨﴾

And to your Lord turn intentions and hopes.

And to your Lord turn intentions and hopes.

Meaning, When you are free from difficulties and blessed with relief, then turn towards your Lord for His worship and turn to Him for all hopes.

This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah Ash-Sharh and all praise and thanks are due to Allah.

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