THE REACTION TO “SHUDUR”: DOES IT MEAN THE CHEST?

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Welcome back with me, Abu Musa.

Today is Friday, January 31, 2025.

Alright, in this Friday morning study, we will be reacting to several videos related to last week’s study titled Shudur, under the sub-theme AWOT (Allah Way of Thinking) 2.5. However, when I searched on YouTube, it turned out that there was not a single ustadz who discussed Shudur, except on two channels. We will react to both of these channels, which talk about Shudur. They explain Shudur from the same perspective as what I conveyed in last week’s study.

Alright, let’s listen.

“The meaning of Shudur is the outer part of the skull. Therefore, in Arabic, a woman’s head covering is called Sidar, which refers to the skull that contains the brain. Here, Allah states that the Qalbu is inside the Shudur, meaning the Qalbu / brain processes things so that we obtain consciousness. Thus, Qalbu is said to be inside Shudur, meaning the brain is inside our skull.”

Here is the link:

https://youtu.be/gU8m1JOQMRM?si=U9tTty3h_06HGF7b

From the first channel, we have heard that Shudur is also an adopted word in Arabic meaning head covering or Sidar. Now, if we look at various verses that I presented yesterday, two verses, we can also see verses that we commonly read, for example in Surah An-Nas. There is the word Shudur there, and in the next verse it is translated by the Ministry of Religious Affairs in verse four as follows:

مِن شَرِّ ٱلۡوَسۡوَاسِ ٱلۡخَنَّاسِ ٱلَّذِي يُوَسۡوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ مِنَ ٱلۡجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ

“From the evil of the retreating whisperer, who whispers evil into the chests (sudur) of mankind, from among jinn and mankind.”

So, Shudur there is translated as “chests,” even though whispers, when we whisper to another person, enter through the head. Before reaching the head, they pass through the ears. This is exactly what we will react to in the second video from another channel that we will listen to.

“If we observe ourselves, let us ask: when whispers pass from one human to another, do they enter through the ears into the brain in the head, or do they go directly into the chest without passing through the ears and without entering the brain or head? This raises the question of whether Shudur is actually located in the chest or in the head, which is where these whispers enter. Our answer, based on daily experience, is that whispers enter the brain or head through the ears. When we hear whispers, we receive them in our thoughts, in our brains. So when a human whispers to another human, it enters the head.”

Here is the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EpjIky3kYg

Now, if we understand Shudur as the head, and Qalbu is inside Shudur, then what is Qalbu? Surely it cannot simply be interpreted as the heart. It clearly refers to the brain and its functions, which in the Qur’an are mentioned as yafqahûn (understanding), ya‘qilûn (reasoning), and yatadabbarûn (reflecting).

If these three functions were meant to be the “heart,” or interpreted by others as the physical heart, then can these three functions truly be performed by the heart? Likewise, in the two verses we studied together yesterday, if you haven’t watched them, you can revisit my video in Allah Way of Thinking 2.5, Chapter Shudur, in Surah Hud verse 5, it is mentioned that the function of the chest is to conceal the truth. I will repeat it and translate it:

“Indeed, they turn away their chests to hide from Him. Indeed, when they cover themselves with their garments, Allah knows what they conceal and what they reveal. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing of what is within the hearts.”

There, Shudur is translated as “hearts,” even though concealing the truth refers to a function that exists in the head. Another verse is in Surah Al-Qasas verse 69:

“And your Lord knows what their chests conceal and what they reveal.”

Again, Shudur is translated as “chests,” even though the chest does not function to conceal the truth. The function of concealing the truth lies in the head, which is referred to as Qalbu, that is, the brain.

Another verse related to Shudur that we often hear is the supplication of Prophet Moses when he was about to face Pharaoh, in Surah Taha verses 25–28:

قَالَ رَبِّ ٱشۡرَحۡ لِي صَدۡرِي وَيَسِّرۡ لِيٓ أَمۡرِي وَٱحۡلُلۡ عُقۡدَةٗ مِّن لِّسَانِي يَفۡقَهُواْ قَوۡلِي

“He said, ‘My Lord, expand for me my chest, ease for me my task, and untie the knot from my tongue so that they may understand my speech.’”

Here it is mentioned that the chest functions to untie the tongue so that speech can be understood. However, the tool for transferring words so that they can be understood lies in the head. Just like now, when I am making this video, the process of thinking begins from the eyes, then is transferred to the head, where the brain processes and thinks, and then it is transferred to the mouth to speak so that the audience understands what is being conveyed.

Next, there is another verse we often read, Surah Al-Inshirah verses 1–2:

أَلَمۡ نَشۡرَحۡ لَكَ صَدۡرَكَ وَوَضَعۡنَا عَنكَ وِزۡرَكَ

“Did We not expand your chest for you, O Muhammad, and remove from you your burden?”

In the official translation, Shudur is again interpreted as “chest.” However, when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was in confusion, as mentioned in Surah Ad-Duha, “Did He not find you an orphan and give you shelter, and find you unaware and guide you?” Allah SWT gave guidance to someone who did not know. That guidance entered through understanding, and understanding enters through the head. Therefore, Shudur in Surah Al-Inshirah, which is translated as chest, is not accurate, because Allah SWT expanded the head of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with correct understanding in accordance with divine guidance.

Likewise, when we engage in thinking and dialectical reasoning and then receive enlightenment from that process, does that not mean our heads have been expanded by Allah SWT?

The process of reasoning occurs in human thought, then exits through the mouth and is conveyed to the audience. This can also be done by those who oppose Islam, causing confusion among people. This is mentioned in Surah Al-Hijr verse 97:

وَلَقَدۡ نَعۡلَمُ أَنَّكَ يَضِيقُ صَدۡرُكَ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ

“And We certainly know that your chest is constrained by what they say.”

The meaning of this verse is that the words spoken by the disbelievers during the time of Prophet Muhammad caused the believers’ heads to feel pressured or confused. Today, this is called influence or propaganda, those who dislike Islam create misleading doctrines.

This verse aligns with Surah Al-Baqarah verse 120:

“The Jews and the Christians will never be pleased with you, O Muhammad, until you follow their way of thinking. Say, ‘Indeed, the guidance of Allah is the true guidance.’ If you were to follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you would have no protector or helper against Allah.”

All of this is absorbed by the framework of thought, and that framework exists in the head.

Therefore, today Muslims are faced with various doctrines that contradict the Qur’an or the word of Allah, especially when these influences are spread by those with vested interests. As a result, what we read today may be incorrect, especially in the process of translating the Qur’an, because we rely on translations rather than the original Arabic text. In reality, Muslims are not reading the Qur’an but reading its translation.

This pattern must be changed. We must understand the diction of each word revealed by Allah in the Qur’an, so that in the process of understanding and reflecting upon the Qur’an, we do so within Allah’s framework of thinking, which I call Allah Way of Thinking.

Allah’s framework of thinking is important because Allah is immaterial, while He gives guidance, law, and religion to humans who are material beings. Therefore, Allah provides guidance in a way that can be understood by human intellect. We should not read the Qur’an and interpret it merely as imagination or fantasy. If we fall into that concept, we will have difficulty understanding the Qur’an as Hudan (guidance), because guidance is meant to be practiced, not imagined as fiction or fantasy.

Turning the Qur’an into mere stories or legends is prohibited by Allah SWT. For example, in Surah Al-Qalam verses 15–16:

“When Our verses are recited to him, he says, ‘Legends of the former peoples.’ We will brand him upon the snout.”

Therefore, the Qur’an must not be treated as a fairy tale or legend. Legends and fairy tales are forms of imagination or fantasy, this is what is considered illogical and irrational.

That is all I can convey. I apologize for any shortcomings.

Until we meet again, I am Abu Musa.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

@AbuMusa2025.