The Chest Opening & Death of His Mother
شق الصدر ووفاة الأم
While with Halimah al-Sa'diyya, the Prophet's ﷺ chest was opened and his heart purified by angels. Shortly after, his mother Aminah passed away, deepening his status as an orphan.
The Account
The Chest Opening (Shaqq al-Sadr)
While the Prophet ﷺ was still among the Banu Sa'd with his nurse Halimah, two angels appeared, laid him down, opened his chest, removed his heart, extracted a clot, and said: "This is the share of Shaytan in you." They then washed his heart in a golden basin filled with Zamzam water, restored it, and the Prophet ﷺ was returned to his companions.
Halimah's husband, frightened, returned the boy to Aminah in Mecca, fearing something had befallen him.
This event is authentically established in Sahih Muslim and is considered the first of several openings of the chest that the Prophet ﷺ experienced — the others occurring before the commencement of revelation and before the Night Journey (Isra wal Mi'raj).
Ibn al-Qayyim explains that this purification was to prepare the most perfect vessel for the most perfect message — that the heart of the final Prophet would receive Wahi (divine revelation) in a state of absolute purity.
Death of His Mother, Aminah
After returning to Mecca, when the Prophet ﷺ was approximately 4-6 years old, his grandfather Abd al-Muttalib took him and his mother Aminah to Madinah to visit the graves of his father Abdullah and the maternal relatives of Abd al-Muttalib.
On the return journey, Aminah fell ill and died at Al-Abwa' — a place between Mecca and Madinah. She was buried there.
Allah's Messenger ﷺ later visited her grave and wept, causing those with him to weep, and said: "I sought permission from my Lord to seek forgiveness for her but I was not given permission, and I sought permission to visit her grave and I was given permission — so visit graves, for they remind you of death."
The Prophet ﷺ was now fully orphaned — without father and without mother — at approximately six years of age. His grandfather Abd al-Muttalib then assumed his care.
Hadith References
جَاءَهُ جِبْرِيلُ وَهُوَ يَلْعَبُ مَعَ الْغِلْمَانِ فَأَخَذَهُ فَصَرَعَهُ فَشَقَّ عَنْ قَلْبِهِ
"Jibril came to him while he was playing with the boys, took him and laid him down, opened his chest and took out his heart..."
Relevance: Establishes the chest opening with Halimah al-Sa'diyya authentically
"The Prophet ﷺ visited the grave of his mother, and wept, and caused those around him to weep. Then he said: "I sought permission from my Lord to seek forgiveness for her, but I was not permitted. And I sought permission to visit her grave, and I was permitted.""
Relevance: Establishes the permissibility of visiting graves and the prohibition of seeking forgiveness for non-Muslim deceased
Scholar Views
"The chest opening occurred several times. The first was during his infancy with the Banu Sa'd, to purify him before he mixed with people. Each opening came at a pivotal stage of his mission."
Zad al-Ma'ad, Vol. 1, Chapter on Chest Openings
"His mother died at Al-Abwa' and was buried there. The hadith about visiting her grave is in Sahih Muslim and shows it is permissible to visit the graves of non-Muslim relatives."
Al-Bidaya wa'l-Nihaya, Vol. 2
Key Lessons
- ◆The chest opening demonstrates that Allah prepared and purified His Prophet ﷺ directly
- ◆Experiencing orphanhood built in the Prophet ﷺ deep mercy and compassion for the vulnerable
- ◆Visiting graves for reflection and remembrance of death is prescribed — but seeking forgiveness for non-Muslim deceased is not permissible
- ◆The Prophet ﷺ's weeping at his mother's grave shows his human nature and deep love
Sources
- •Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum — Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri
- •Al-Bidaya wa'l-Nihaya — Ibn Kathir
- •Zad al-Ma'ad — Ibn al-Qayyim
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