Shaqqu ʾṢ-ṢADR (شق الصدر)
Definition
SHAQQU ʾṢ-ṢADR (شق الصدر) literally translates to “The splitting open of the heart.” It denotes an extraordinary event in the early life of the Prophet Muhammad when the Angel Gabriel is believed to have physically opened his chest, removed a part thought to be of Shayṭān (devil), cleansed his heart with the water from Zamzam, and returned it to his body, symbolizing the removal of any potential evil tendencies and fortifying his heart with divine enlightenment.
Etymology and Origins
Derived from Arabic, “Shaqqu” means “splitting,” and “ʾṢ-ṢADR” refers to the “chest” or “heart.” It relates to a significant miracle attributed to the Prophet Muhammad and preserved within Islamic tradition and texts.
Background
According to several Hadiths collected in works such as Mishkāt and elucidated by classical commentators like Al-Baiẓāwī, Al-Kamālān, and Ḥusain, this event is pegged to an early verse of the Qurʾān in Surah Al-Inshirah (94:1-2): “Have We not expanded for you, [O Muhammad], your breast?”. This incident is believed by many Muslims to reflect the literal and metaphorical purification carried out by Angel Gabriel.
Cultural Differences and Similarities
Cultural Differences: In examining various Islamic traditions, Sufi mysticism, and even differing interpretations among Sunni and Shia factions, the emphasis ranges from literal belief in the physical event to the metaphysical understanding representing spiritual enlightenment.
Cultural Similarities: Across all interpretations, this event highlights the concept of purification and divine intervention, which is a common motif in many religious traditions, symbolizing essential purification and preparation for a prophetic mission.
Synonyms and Related Terms
- ʾInshirah (انشراح): The expansion or relieving of the chest, refers metaphorically to the Prophet’s heart being strengthened.
- Tazkiyah (تزكية): Purification, often denoted in spiritual contexts such as purifying the soul.
- Nubūwwah (نبوة): Prophethood, the state of being a prophet which holds many such miraculous events.
Antonyms
- Taqyīṣ (تلوث): Defilement or contamination refers to the opposite of purity.
- Ghafla (غفلة): Heedlessness or heart’s lack of awareness which stands in contrast to an enlightened and purified heart.
Related Terms with Definitions
- Wahj (وهج): Radiance or shining, representing the enlightened heart.
- Sūdān (سوداء): Melancholia or darkness, representing ignorance or unpurified heart.
Exciting Facts
- It is recounted by Anas, a companion of the Prophet, that signs of the stitching from this miraculous event were visible on Muhammad’s chest.
- The event is commemorated in many Sufi spiritual practices with the intent on mirroring the Prophet’s purified heart and closeness to Allah (God).
Quotations from Notable Writers
“We might read in the heart-washing event as an allegory of divine enlightenment – by which the All-Merciful consolidates a bosom not with iron, but with the loftiest wisdom.” - Jalaluddin Rumi
Suggested Readings
- The Life of Muhammad by Ibn Isḥaq
- The Sealed Nectar by Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri
- Reinterpreting Islamic Histories by Ali Asani
- Muhammad: Man and Prophet by Adil Salahi
References
- Mishkāt al-Maṣābīh, Book XXIV, Chapter VI: Narrations by Anas, detailing the Shaqqu ʾṢ-ṢADR.
- Qurʾān, Surah Al-Inshirah (94:1-2): “Have We not expanded for you, [O Muhammad], your breast?”.
- Classical Commentaries (Tafsir) interpretations by Al-Baiẓāwī, Al-Kamālān, and Ḥusain.
Quizzes
Thank you for exploring the multifaceted dimensions of Shaqqu ʾṢ-ṢADR. In our journey of understanding, may our hearts, too, be illuminated with wisdom and divine connection.
—Imran Al-Nadwi, 2023-11-01
