The Miracle of Opening the Blessed Chest of the Beloved RasulAllah - Known as 'Mu'jiza Shaq al Sadr'

The Miracle of Opening the Blessed of the Blessed Chest of the Beloved RasulAllah

Known as

'Mu'jiza Shaq al Sadr'

Introduction

The Miracle of ‘Shaq al Sadr’ i.e. ‘Opening of the Chest’ of the Prophet Beloved RasulAllah is one of his greatest Miracles. It baffles the Human mind and indicates the Greatness of Islam and Medical advancement.

The Miracle of ‘Shaq al Sadr’ occurred at numerous occasions throughout the blessed life of the Beloved RasulAllah and the last being before the Miraculous journey of ‘Isra’ and ‘Mairaj’, therefore it is closely associated with the Incident of ‘Mairaj’ and we have compiled Hadiths on them as part of a series of books on the Prophet’s ‘Mairaj’ and ‘Isra’.

Muhaddithin have recorded the Hadiths related to the Miracle of ‘Shaq al Sadr’ in depth in their respective books, especially in the books related to the ‘Proofs’ of Prophet-hood {‘Dalail al Nubuwwah’} and Miracles.

According to Muhaddithin, the Miracle of ‘Shaq al Sadr’ occurred Thrice and according to others Four times.

Shaykh al Hadith Ghulam Rasul Saeedi states:

“The Prophet’s Chest was Opened or Split Three times; during his childhood, at the time of his declaration and at the time of ‘Mairaj’.”

Regarding the First ‘Shaq as Sadr’

Imam Muslim narrates from Sayyiduna Malik bin Anas that: “ Jibrail came to the Beloved RasulAllah while he was playing with other boys . He took hold of him and laid him down on the ground, then he opened his chest and took out his heart, from which he took out a clout of blood and said: “This was the Shaytan’s part in you” Then he washed itwith Zamzam in a Golden tray. Then he put it back together and returned it to its place . The boys went running to his mother and said: “Muhammad has been killed.” They went to him and his color had changed.” Sayyiduna Anas said: “I used to see the mark of that stitching on his chest!” {Sahih al Muslim, Kitab al Iman; H # 261}

This same Hadith has been narrated in detail by Imam Hafiz Abu Nuaym Isfahani Shafai’ as follows:

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah narrated that he asked the Prophet a question and he preferred asking questions which other would not have asked, he asked: “O Rasul Allah! How did Prophet-hood begin with you?” The Prophet said: “When you have asked this question, then Listen. At the age of Ten years while I was passing through desert, suddenly I saw two men above my head. One of them said to other: “Is this the one?” The second one replied: “Yes.” Then they took me by my back and made me lie down on the ground, and cut opened my Stomach. Then Jibrail began bringing water in a Golden tray and Mikail began washing my Stomach. Then one of them said to other: “Cut Open his Chest! “ Then I saw that my Chest has been cut open and I did not feel any pain. Then one of them said: “Cut open his Heart.” The other one cut opened my Heart. Then one of them said: “Remove Hatred (malice, falsehood) and Jealousy {‘Hasad’} from it. Fill his heart with Love (generosity, kind heartedness) and Mercy {‘Rahmah’}. Then they filled something resembling Silver and then they sprinkled some powder on it and then they marked my toe. And after this they asked me to go away. I went away and after this Mercy and Affection for younger (children) and respect for elders found its way into my heart.” Shaykh said: “This Hadith has been narrated only through Mu’az bin Muhammad, which mentions the age of the Prophet at the time of this Incident as 10 years whereas as agreed upon and narrated by Sayyidah Halima through Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Ja’afar and Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Amr through Utba bin Abd was that the Prophet at that time was being brought up by her. .” {Dalail al Nubuwwah Abu Nuaym; H # 166, 1: 128, Maktabah al Asiriyah Edition}

This Hadith has been mentioned by Imam Ibn Sa’ad in ‘Al Tabqatul Kubra (1: 112)’, Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal in ‘Musnad Ahmad (3: 121)’, Imam Darimi in ‘Sunan Darimi (1: 16-17)’, Imam Hakim Nayshapuri in ‘Mustadrak al Hakim (2: 616)’, Imam Ibn Kathir Shafai’ in ‘Al Bidaya wal Nihaya (2: 275)’ and Imam Ibn Hajr Asqalani Shafai’ in ‘Fath al Bari (1: 460)’.

Imam Hafiz Nuruddin Haythami Shafai’ narrates this Hadith from Imam Ahmad and Imam Tibrani and has stated that the ‘Sanad’ of Imam Ahmad is ‘Hasan’ {Fair}. {Majmu az Zawaid; 8: 222}

Imam Ibn Hibban narrates this Hadith from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Ja’far through Sayyidah Halima Sa’adiya which contains the following words:

“The Prophet said to Sayyidah Halima Sa’adiya that: “Two Men came to me in White dress. They made me lie down and cut open my stomach. By Allah! I did not know what they did to me. ” {Sahih Ibn Hibban (Al Ihsan bi Tartib Sahih Ibn Hibban); 9: 84}

Imam Hafiz Nuruddin Haythami narrated this Hadith in ‘Majmu az Zawaid (1: 513)’.

The Hadith which was mentioned first through Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah was also narrated by Imam Nuruddin Haythami through Imam Tibrani which included the following words:

The Prophet said: “Two men came to me, each one of them held me by my side. I did not feel any pain by their holding me. One of them said to the other: “Make him lie down. “They made me lie down without making me bend. Then one of them said to the other: “Cut open his Chest. “Then one of them cut open my Chest, I was seeing this action/event. Neither My blood began to flow nor did I feel any pain.”

This Hadith has been mentioned by Imam Abdullah. All the narrators of this Hadith are ‘Thiqa’ and Imam Ibn Hibban has authenticated it. {Majmu az Zawaid; 8: 223}

The Second time, the miracle of ‘Shaq al Sadr’ occurred at the time of the Declaration of Prophet-hood of the Beloved RasulAllah

Imam Abu Nuaym Isfahani narrates through his ‘Sanad’ that:

“Sayyiduna Ayesha Siddiqa narrates that the Prophet and Khadija made a vow {‘Nazar’} that the Prophet would pass a month in Seclusion {‘Aytikaf’} in the Cave of Hira. This was during the month of Ramazan. Once, the Prophet was going, he heard a voice saying: “As Salam Alaykum.” The Prophet said: “I through that some Jinn might have suddenly appeared.”

I ran to Khadija. She covered me with a blanket and asked: “O Ibn Abdullah! What is the matter?” I said: “I heard the sound ‘As Salam Alaykum’ and I think that it was as Jinn.” Khadija said: “Glad-Tidings be to you, ‘Salam’ is a Good thing.” The Prophet said: “ I went again, Jibrail was standing over the Sun. One of his Wings was in the East and one of it was in the West.” The Prophet said: “I began to Fear him. I began to run ; he was standing between me and the door of my house.

He began to talk to me due to which I became comfortable with him, Then he promised that he will meet me again . Then, I went to meet him at the appointed time and he was delayed in coming, I decided to return when suddenly I saw Jibrail and Mikail standing between the sky and the earth. Then Jibrail took hold of me and laid me down . Then, cut opened my heart, took in out and removed out from it what they wished. Then, they kept it in a Golden tray and washed it with the water of Zamzam, then replaced it at its place and joined it and closed the wound, and then they turned as if a Leather sheet is turned around. Then, they put the Seal on my back, the affect of which I felt in my Heart. Then it was said to me: “Iqra! {Read}”. I had not read any book before this. Therefore, I couldn’t know how to read, then he again said: “Iqra! {Read}.” I said: “What should I read! “ He said:

“اقرأ باسم ربک الذی خلق”

until he recited the First Five Ayahs of ‘Surah Alaq’. I never forgot these Ayahs! Then they weighted against a person, I came out to be heavier than him. They added one more person, still I was heavier. Then they weighed me against 100 people, still I was heavier than them combined. Then Mikail said: “By the Lord of the ‘Ka’ba’! His ‘Ummah’ {Nation} shall truly follow him.” Then after, every stone and tree through which I used to pass, would say: “As Salam Alayka Ya RasulAllah!” I came back to Khadija and she too said: “As Salam Alayka Ya RasulAllah!”{Dalail un Nabuwwah Abu Nuaym; H # 163, 1: 124, Maktabah al Asiriyah Edition}

This Hadith has also narrated by Imam Abu Dawud Tayalasi in Musnad Abu Dawud (H # 231).

Imam Suhayli narrated this Hadith through the ‘Sanad’ of Imam Hafiz Ibn Abi Dunya from Sayyiduna Abu Zar Ghifari that he asked the Beloved RasulAllah:

“How did you come to Know that you are a Prophet and how did you recognize your Prophet-hood?” The Prophet narrated this Miraculous incident.”{Al Rawz al Unuf; 1: 109 & Dalail al Nubuwwah Abu Nuaym; H # 167, 1: 128, Maktabah al Asiriyah Edition}

Imam Hafiz Ibn Kathir Shafai’ has also narrated the above Hadith form Sayyiduna Abu Zar Ghifari in ‘Al Bidaya wal Nihaya (2: 275)’.

Imam Hafiz Ibn Hajr Asqalani Shafai’ has narrated this same Hadith while referring to the Musnad Abu Dawud Tayalasi from Sayyiduna Ayesha Siddiqa in ‘Fath al Bari’ (1: 460)’.

Imam Ibn Hajr Asqalani also sourced this Hadith from Imam Abu Nuaym (H # 167), Imam Abu Dawud Tayalasi and Imam Bayhaqi Shafai’s ‘Dalail al Nubuwwah’ in ‘Fath al Bari’ (13 : 481)’. But, , this Hadith is not in the ‘Dalail al Nubuwwah’ of Imam Bayhaqi. May be, Imam Ibn Hajr meant the ‘Dalail al Nabuwwah’ of Imam Abu Nuaym. {Sharh Sahih al Muslim, Kitab ul Iman; 1: 739}

The Third time when the Miracle of ‘Shaq al Sadr’ occurred was just before the Prophet went for ‘Isra’ and ‘Mairaj’

Imam Bukhari narrates from Sayyiduna Malik bin Sa’asa’ah that the Beloved RasulAllah said: “While I was at the House , in a state between sleep and wakefulness, an Angel recognized me as the man lying between two men . A tray full of Wisdom and Faith was brought to me and my body was cut opened from the throat to the lower part of the Stomach (Abdomen) and then my Stomach (Abdomen) was washed with the water of Zamzam and was filled with Wisdom and Faith……” {Sahih al Bukhari, Kitab Bidd al Khalq; H # 3207}

This Hadith is also narrated by Imam Muslim in ‘Sahih Muslim (H # 264)’, Imam Nisai in ‘Sunan Nisai ’, Imam Ibn Khuzayma in ‘Sahih Ibn Khuzayma (1: 153)’, and Imam Bayhaqi in ‘Dalail un Nabuwwah (2: 377)’, Imam Qazi Ayaz Maliki also mentions this Hadith in ‘Al Shifa (1: 116).

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik narrated from Sayyiduna Malik bin Sa’sa’ah that he said: “The Beloved RasulAllah said: “While I was at the House , in a state between sleep and wakefulness, I heard some one say: “One of the three, between the other two men.” Then they came and took me away, and a Golden tray basin full of Zamzam water was brought. My Chest was cut opened from here to here.” Qatadah said: “I asked to the one who was with me: “What does that mean?” He said: “To the lower part of the Stomach (Abdomen).”…… “And then my Heart was taken out and was washed with the water of Zamzam, then was put back in its place and was Filled with Faith {‘Iman’} and Wisdom {‘Hikmah’}… Then a white animal was brought to me……” {Sahih al Muslim, Kitab al Iman; H # 264}

Another wording of the Hadith states as follows: “Sayyiduna Malik bin Sa’sa’ah narrated that the Beloved RasulAllah said: “……A Golden tray filled with Wisdom and Faith was brought to me, and the area from the upper part of my chest to the bottom of my Stomach (Abdomen) was split opened and was washed with the water of Zamzam, then it was filled with Wisdom and Faith.” {Sahih al Muslim, Kitab al Iman; H # 265}

Imam Bukhari narrates from Sayyiduna Malik bin Anas that: “The Night in which the Beloved RasulAllah was taken for ‘Isra’……three angels came to the Prophet…… So those Angels did not talk to him until they carried him and placed him beside the well of Zamzam. From them, Jibrail took charge of him. Jibrail cut opened through his throat and the middle of his chest and took all the contents out of his Chest and Stomach (Abdomen) and then washed it with the water of Zamzam with his hands until he cleansed the inside of his body, and then a golden tray containing a Gold bowl, full of Faith and Wisdom was brought, and then Jibrail stuffed (filled) his Chest and Throat with it and closed it………” {Sahih al Bukhari, Kitab al Tawhid; H # 7517}

Imam Bazzar, Imam Abu Ya’la, Imam Ibn Jarir, Imam Muhammad bin Nasr al Maruzi {in Kitab us Salat}, Imam Ibn Abu Hatim, Imam Ibn Adi, Imam Ibn Marduwia and Imam Bayhaqi in ‘Dalail’ have narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah that he said:

“Jibrail came to the Prophet and accompanying him was Mikail. Jibrail said to Mikail: “Bring the tub of Zamzam water, so that I can purify his Heart and expand his Chest. “Thus, Jibrail cut opened the Chest of the Prophet and washed it Three times and Mikail brought three tubs full of Zamzam water. Jibrail opened the Chest of the Prophet and removed that which was not befitting the greatness of the Prophet. And filled it with ‘Hilm’ {Forbearance}, ‘Ilm’ {Knowledge}, ‘Iman’ {Faith}, ‘Yaqin’ {Absolute Believe} and ‘Islam’; and placed the Seal of Prophet hood between his shoulders. Then they brought a horse………. ……. {Tafsir al Tabari; 15: 11; Tafsir Durr al Manthur; 4: 391-397 and Dalail al Nubuwwah Bayhaqi}

Sayyiduna Jibrail and Sayyiduna Mikail conducted ‘Shaq al Sadr’ and filled the Heart and Body of the Prophet with ‘Hilm’ {Forbearance}, ‘Ilm’ {Knowledge}, ‘Hikmah’ {Wisdom} ‘Iman’ {Faith}, ‘Yaqin’ {Absolute Believe} and ‘Islam’;

The wisdom behind the Occurrence of the Miracle of ‘Shaq al Sadr’ Three times

Imam Ibn Hajr Asqalani Shafai` states:

“Whatever the Hadiths which have been narrated regarding ‘Shaq al Sadr’ and the removing of the Heart, all are supernatural (beyond human comprehension), but to accept them is Compulsory {‘Wajib’} and one must not be bent upon reaching its reality because nothing is beyond the power of Allah Almighty.” {Fath al Bari; 7: 205}

Imam Ibn Hajr Asqalani Shafai’ also states:

“The First time ‘Shaq al Sadr’ occurred so as to remove the clotted blood from the heart of the Prophet. The Second time ‘Shaq al Sadr’ occurred so as to enable (prepare) the Heart of the Prophet to accept (receive) the Revelation {‘Wahi’}. And ‘Shaq al Sadr’ occurred for the third time so as to enable (prepare) the Heart for ‘Mairaj’, the strange state of ‘Barzaq’ and the ‘Ayahs’ {Proofs} of Allah Almighty.” {Fath al Bari; 1: 460}

Shaykh al Hadith Ghulam Rasul Saeedi states:

“Some Scholars have stated that the First time ‘Shaq al Sadr’ occurred so that the heart of the Prophet be prepared for ‘Ilm ul Yaqin’. The Second time ‘Shaq al Sadr’ occurred so that the heard of the Prophet be prepared for ‘Ayn ul Yaqin’, and ‘Shaq al Sadr’ occurred for the Third time so that the Heart of the Prophet be prepared for ‘Haq ul Yaqin’.” {Sharh Sahih al Muslim, Kitab al Iman; 1: 740}

Compiled, Translated & Edited by

Basharath Ali Siddiqui Ashrafi

Ashrafiya Islamic Foundation,

Hyderabad, India