In order to explain our viewpoint, today we share one of the Qur'an's most profound verses about spiritual receptivity—the difference between a heart that is open to Allah's guidance and one that has become hardened. This is the 22nd verse of Surah Az umar, the 39th Surah / Chapter of Al Qur'an.
The Verse
أَفَمَن شَرَحَ ٱللَّهُ صَدْرَهُۥ لِلْإِسْلَٰمِ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ ۚ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْقَٰسِيَةِ قُلُوبُهُم مِّن ذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ فِى ضَلَٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ
"So is one whose breast Allah has expanded to Islam, so that he is upon a light from his Lord, like one whose heart is hardened? Then woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allah. They are in clear error."
Renowned 14th century scholar Kathir explains that this verse sets a parallel between spiritual receptivity and absolute spiritual blindness, warning of the severe consequences of rejecting faith.
The Context
Surah Az-Zumar is a Meccan surah whose central theme is sincere devotion (ikhlāṣ) to Allah alone. It repeatedly contrasts:
- Faith and disbelief,
- Guidance and misguidance,
- Soft hearts and hard hearts,
- Those who remember Allah and those who neglect Him.
Verse 22 asks a rhetorical question: Can a person whose heart Allah has opened to Islam be compared to someone whose heart is hardened? The obvious answer is no.
Ibn Kathir explains that the phrase “he whose breast Allah has opened to Islam” means Allah expands and illuminates the believer's heart, making it receptive to the truth, peace, and clarity of the religion. "Upon a Light from His Lord" represents true faith and insight. The believer acts with knowledge, divine wisdom, and spiritual awareness, making them distinct from those wandering in darkness.
What is "Sharḥ al-Ṣadr" (شرح الصدر)?
The verse is based on the phrase: شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ "Allah has expanded (opened) his chest for Islam."
The Arabic expression Sharḥ al-Ṣadr literally means:
- expansion of the chest,
- opening of the breast,
- Broadening of the heart.
In Arabic, the ṣadr (chest/breast) often symbolizes the inner self—the heart, mind, and emotions.
So Sharḥ al-Ṣadr means that Allah grants a person an inner state in which they willingly receive and embrace the truth.
What does Sharḥ al-Ṣadr look like?
A person whose chest has been opened by Allah typically:
- Loves hearing the Qur'an,
- Accepts truth even when it is difficult,
- Feels peace in worship,
- Repents when they sin,
- Trusts Allah during hardship,
- Is humble rather than arrogant,
- Desires to obey Allah,
- Is eager to learn and grow in faith.
That is a man who is gifted with spiritual receptivity has already been intrinsically been gifted to pursue what is the truth. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ before being awarded the prophethood, would as a routine go out to nearby mountain called Hirah and scale up to its peak to a cave where hw would just worship someone unseen but for sure he knew that someone is his Creator and everything belongs to Him. He would stay up there for days, away from his family worshipping. This continued for a long time until his heart was spiritually receptive to differentiate between true faith against the idolism being practiced by people of Makkah. This spiritual receptiveness is in fact Sharḥ al-Ṣadr - that is opening of the heart to worship one true God.
And it is the same openness of heart that made people to follow what the revered prophet was preaching and calling them to. The presence of words of God made their hearts soften up and had the true faith reside within forever. This cycle continues today and more and more non Muslims are reverting to Islam for when excerpts from Al Qur'an are read to them, their hardened hearts melt, paving way of Islam to enter into their hearts.
Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi explains:
"Whose breast... Islam": Whom Allah helps to learn a lesson from these realities and to be satisfied with Islam as based on the Truth. Opening of a man's breast for something is, in fact, a state in which there remains no anxiety or ambiguity or suspicion and doubt in his mind about the thing, nor has he the feeling of any danger and loss in accepting and adopting it, but he decides with full satisfaction of the heart that it is the Truth; therefore, he must follow it whatever be the consequences. Having made such a decision when a person adopts the way of Islam, he obeys whatever Command he receives from Allah and His Messenger willingly and with pleasure, without any hesitation. He accepts whatever beliefs and ideas, rules and regulations, he comes across in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet as if they were the voice of his own heart. He does not feel any compunction on giving up an unlawful gain, because he believes that it was no gain for him at all; it was rather a loss from which Allah saved him by His grace. Likewise, even if he incurs a loss while following the way of righteousness, he does not feel sad about this but bears it with patience and regards it as an ordinary loss as compared to the loss of turning away from the Way of Allah. The same is his behavior on confronting dangers. He believes that there is no other way for him, which he may follow in order to avoid the danger. The Straight Way of Allah is only one, which he has to follow in any case: if there is a danger in following it, let it be.
Who are the people with the hardened hearts
Having spoken about the men with Sharḥ al-Ṣadr, another category of people is talked about in the verse quoted above - which is tangent to the category spoken above.
"Those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allah."
Such people may hear the same reminders but remain unmoved or resistant. The attachment to the faith of their forefathers and boasting of it as something superior to everything is sheer arrogance and stubbornness. When someone closes his heart to the truth and becomes hellbent no to let truth permeate into his heart, his heart becomes hardened and spiritually non receptive. It for such people Allah has said in the above quoted verse: They are in clear error. Then their doom starts and their fate to hell fires is written down.
Ibn Kathir explains that hardening of the heart describes a heart that is completely sealed off. It does not soften, absorb, or benefit from the recitation of the Quran, reminders, or the remembrance of Allah.
Is Sharḥ al-Ṣadr only for prophets?
Here a question may arise that is it only prophets who are blessed with the gift of Sharḥ al-Ṣadr? The answer is a plain NO. Every believer can be granted Sharḥ al-Ṣadr. However, the prophets received it in the highest and most complete sense.
For example:
- Allah says to the Prophet ﷺ: "Did We not expand for you your breast?"
- Similarly, when Musa was commissioned to confront Pharaoh, he prayed: "My Lord, expand for me my breast." He knew that carrying Allah's message required inner calm, courage, and clarity to face demagogue like Pharoah.
Does everyone have Sharḥ al-Ṣadr?
Well the answer is No too. Every person has the capacity for it, but not everyone experiences it. The Qur'an teaches that Allah opens the hearts of those who sincerely seek Him and respond to His guidance.
Allah says: "Whomever Allah wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islam; and whomever He wills to let go astray, He makes his breast tight and constricted, as though he were climbing into the sky."
This verse should be understood alongside many others that emphasize human responsibility. Allah does not wrong anyone; rather, those who sincerely seek truth find that He guides them, while persistent rejection and arrogance can lead to spiritual hardening.
How does a person know if Allah has opened their heart?
There is no single test, but the Qur'an and Sunnah point to signs such as:
1. Love for the Qur'an The Qur'an is no longer just a book to recite—it becomes guidance to live by.
2. Willingness to accept correction Instead of defending mistakes, the person welcomes the truth.
3. Peace in worship Prayer, remembrance of Allah, and supplication become sources of tranquility rather than burdens.
4. Sensitivity to sin When they slip, they feel remorse and hasten to repent, rather than becoming comfortable with wrongdoing.
5. Humility They recognize their dependence on Allah and avoid arrogance.
Can Sharḥ al-Ṣadr increase?
Certainly yes. Like faith (īmān), it can grow. The more a believer:
- Recites and reflects on the Qur'an,
- Remembers Allah,
- Prays sincerely,
- Seeks beneficial knowledge,
- Keeps righteous company,
- Repents regularly,
The more their heart becomes receptive to Allah's guidance. Conversely, persistent sin, arrogance, and neglect of Allah's remembrance can harden the heart.
Why is this verse so important today?
Many people today have access to immense information but little inner peace. They may understand facts yet struggle to accept truth that challenges their desires.
Surah Az-Zumar 39:22 reminds us that guidance is not merely an intellectual achievement—it is a gift from Allah that transforms the heart. Two people may hear the same Qur'anic message: one finds it illuminating and life-changing, while the other remains unmoved. The difference lies not in the message but in the condition of the heart.
This verse also teaches believers to seek not only knowledge but an open heart—one that is humble, receptive, and illuminated by Allah's guidance.
A beautiful supplication
Summing up our explanation of the verse quoted above, let us share a prayer of Prophet Musa which is one of the best duʿāʾs for seeking Sharḥ al-Ṣadr:
"My Lord, expand for me my breast, make my task easy for me, and untie the knot from my tongue so that they may understand my speech."
This teaches us that an expanded heart is not merely about feeling peaceful; it is about becoming more capable of worshipping Allah, carrying responsibilities with patience, accepting His guidance wholeheartedly, and conveying the truth with wisdom and clarity.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
You may refer to more Selected Verses from Sürah 39. Az-Zumar (The Throngs) already published
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