This axis brings together 2 places where this verse is used in Muhammad Shahrur’s books, linking it to the concepts and arguments that appear around it.
The verse text as cited
So whoever God wills to guide, He expands his breast to Islam…
Brief reading
The verse ties guidance to Islam to the widening of the breast, and links misguidance to the constriction of the breast in the face of example and values.
Axes
- Faith
- Political and social
Related concepts
- Widening of the breast: 2
- Misguidance: 2
Its place in the network of concepts
It lays the foundation for understanding Islam as the religion of fitra and human openness.
The verse’s role in the argument
- Foundation: 1
- Support: 1
Uses
- Islam and Faith, p. 251: He employs it to affirm that Islam is the religion of fitra and that guidance to it means the widening of the breast to Islam on a universal human level.
- Concept: Widening of the breast
- Function of the verse here: Foundation
- Textual citation: «to a clear universal human concept, as in His saying تعالى: {فَمَنْ يُرِدْ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَهْدِيَهُ يَشْرَحْ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ…} (al-An‘ām 125)»
- Islam and Faith, p. 251: He makes the constriction of the breast a sign of rejecting Islamic higher ideals and of being unable to face people and society.
- Concept: Misguidance
- Function of the verse here: Support
- Textual citation: «and that whoever truly rejects the Islamic higher ideals falls under His saying تعالى… {وَمَنْ يُرِدْ أَنْ يُضِلَّهُ يَجْعَلْ صَدْرَهُ ضَيِّفًا حَرَجًا…}»
Related books
This page is presented within the general method of building the atlas.