So whoever Allāh wants to guide - He expands his breast to [contain] Islām; and whoever He wants to send astray342 - He makes his breast tight and constricted as though he were climbing into the sky. Thus does Allāh place defilement upon those who do not believe.
Notes
[342] As a result of the person's arrogance and persistence in sin.
Verse 125 of Surah Al-An’am (6:125), a Meccan surah, is in juz 8, on page 144 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 74 reciters.
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Tafsir of verse 125
Al-Mukhtasar
Whomever Allah wishes to guide to the right path, He opens their heart to Islam so they accept it willingly. Whomever He wishes to abandon and not guide, He makes their chest extremely narrow and unable to accept the truth, such that they become like a person climbing into the higher layers of the atmosphere while finding it increasingly difficult to breathe. Just as Allah made this extreme narrowness the condition of the person who goes astray, He will place the punishment on those who do not have faith in Him.
Whoever Allah wills to guide, He opens his heart to Islam; and whoever He wills to lead astray, He makes his heart tight and constricted41, as if he were climbing up into the sky. This is how Allah punishes those who do not believe.
Notes
[41] Due to his arrogance and persistence in sin.
And whomsoever Allâh wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islâm; and whomsoever He wills to send astray, He makes his breast closed and constricted, as if he is climbing up to the sky. Thus Allâh puts the wrath on those who believe not.16
Notes
[16] (V.6:125) If Allâh تعالى wants to do good to a person, He makes him comprehend the religion [the understanding of the Qur’ân and the Sunnah (legal ways) of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم].
Narrated Mu‘âwiya رضي الله عنه in a Khuthah (religious talk): I heard Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم saying, "If Allâh wants to do good to a person, He makes him comprehend the religion [the understanding of the Qur’ân and the Sunnah (legal ways) of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم]. I am just a distributor, but the grant is from Allâh. (And remember) that this nation (true Muslims, real followers of Islâmic Monotheism) will remain obedient to Allâh’s Orders [i.e., following strictly Allâh’s Book (the Qur’ân) and the Prophet’s Sunnah (legal ways)] and they will not be harmed by anyone who will oppose them (going on a different path) till Allâh’s Order (Day of Judgement) is established." (Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol.1, Hadîth No.71).
And whomsoever it is Allah's will to guide, He expandeth his bosom unto the Surrender, and whomsoever it is His Will to send astray, He maketh his bosom close and narrow as if he were engaged in sheer ascent. Thus Allah layeth ignominy upon those who believe not.
Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.
Therefore (for) whomsoever Allah intends that He would guide him aright, He expands his breast for Islam, and (for) whomsoever He intends that He should cause him to err, He makes his breast strait and narrow as though he were ascending upwards; thus does Allah lay uncleanness on those who do not believe.
So, whomever Allah wills to guide, He expands his breast to Islam; and whomever He wills to lead into error, He makes his breast straitened, restricted, as if he were laboriously climbing up in the heaven. Thus Allah sets (Literally: makes) abomination upon (the ones) who do not believe.
So is one whose breast Allāh has expanded to [accept] Islām and he is upon [i.e., guided by] a light from his Lord [like one whose heart rejects it]? Then woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allāh. Those are in manifest error.
And know that among you is the Messenger of Allāh. If he were to obey you in much of the matter, you would be in difficulty, but Allāh has endeared to you the faith and has made it pleasing in your hearts and has made hateful to you disbelief, defiance and disobedience. Those are the [rightly] guided.
And strive for Allāh with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty. [It is] the religion of your father, Abraham. He [i.e., Allāh] named you "Muslims" before [in former scriptures] and in this [revelation] that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people. So establish prayer and give zakāh and hold fast to Allāh. He is your protector; and excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper.
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