indifference towards the abode of delusions, their constant turning towards the abode of eternity, and their preparation for death before it arrives.” He ( salAllahu alayhi wa salam) responded, “Yes. He was asked, “Is there a way of recognizing one who possesses that light?” The Messenger of Allah ( salAllahu alayhi wa salam) was asked about sharh as-sadr and he said, “It is a light cast into the heart by which the chest is opened and expanded.” “Is one whose chest Allah has opened to Islam so that he has received light from his Lord (no better than one hard-hearted)?” (Az-Zumar v. All praise is due to Allah, and may blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah Muhammad, his family, and his companions one and all. We rely on Him, and seek help from Him alone. with the name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Loving. May Allah make us among those who experience that state, and who ready and beautify themselves properly for the journey to His Divine Presence, Ameen.
Imam Al-Ghazali entitled his letter Sharh as-Sadr because properly preparing for death is a means of attaining that spiritual expansion, illumination, and comfort. Ibn Kathir states that ‘We have filled your chest with light and made it expansive and unconfined.’ And just as Allah has made the Prophet’s ( salAllahu alayhi wa salam) chest expansive, He has made His Shar’ (Law) generous, tolerant, easy, and without difficulty or narrowness.” ( Safwat at-Tafaseer, pp.
“His ( salAllahu alayhi wa salam) chest was expanded with true guidance, faith, and the light of the Quran. 25-28) In reminding the Prophet ( salAllahu alayhi wa salam) of the great blessings He had bestowed upon him, Allah says, “Have we not expanded for you your chest?” ( Al-Inshirah, v.1) Imam As-Sabouni says in explanation of this verse: When going to face the Pharoah and convey to him the message of Islam, the noble prophet Musa ( alayhis salaam) prayed to Allah, “My Lord, expand for me my chest, ease my task for me, and remove the impediment from my speech so that they may understand what I say.” ( Taha, v. It is a phrase that is used in a number of places in the Quran. The phrase sharh as-sadr is a common Arabic expression used to refer to a spiritual expansion of the heart or chest that gives rise to inner enlightenment, tranquility, and relief from anxiety and worry. I ask Allah Most High to accept this effort from me, and I seek His forgiveness for any mistakes I may have made in writing it. I have attempted to do so in the following pages, and I hope that the author’s wisdom and eloquence has penetrated through the transformation from Arabic to English. I found it very appealing, and thought almost immediately that it would be a beautiful work to translate. The letter was written in a concise and almost simplistic style, though the message imparted was one of great spiritual depths. With further study, however, I came to see that it was in fact an independent text, and was actually a short letter of advice and wisdom on preparing for death. It drew my attention because it was a small work written by the esteemed Imam Al-Ghazali, rahimahullah (may Allah have mercy on him), author of the magisterial Ihya Ulum ad-Din (Revival of the Religious Sciences), spiritual master and scholar, and the individual who has been historically credited with merging the outward and inner sciences of Islamic law.ĭue to its brevity I assumed that the booklet was an excerpt taken from one of Imam Al-Ghazali’s more substantial works. It was a tiny booklet hidden away on a corner shelf, tucked in-between much larger volumes, as if it was patiently waiting to be discovered. I came across Risalat Sharh as-Sadr at the Dar as-Salaam Bookstore in Cairo a few months ago. Translated by Shazia Ahmad Introduction by the Translator Muhammad bin Muhammad Abu Hamid al-Ghazali By the Imam Hujjat al-Islam (The Proof of Islam)
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