Does the noble verse, "And whoever He wills to lead astray - He makes his breast tight and constricted as though he were ascending into the sky," include a repetition of tightness? If so, what is the wisdom behind it, and if not, what is the meaning of "tight and constricted"?
The scholars stated that the words "harajan" (with a kasra on the ra) and "harajan" (with a fat'ha on the ra) both indicate extreme narrowness and exaggeration in it, and they emphasize the meaning of narrowness that the word "diqan" alone does not convey. "Haraj" (with a kasra on the ra) is a participial adjective meaning severe narrowness, while "harajan" (with a fat'ha on the ra) is a verbal noun indicating exaggeration in the description. Both imply that the chest is not expansive enough to accept Islam, supported by its contrast with the Almighty's saying: "Whom Allah wills to guide, He expands his breast to Islam."
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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