Ash-Sharh
سُورَةُ الشَّرۡحِ
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
About Surah Ash-Sharh
Meccan · 8 verses
Main Themes
Divine relief of the Prophet's burdens, the principle that hardship is followed by ease, gratitude and continued worship
Significance
Ash-Sharh (The Relief) was revealed alongside Ad-Duha as a companion surah of divine reassurance. Its central promise — "Indeed, with hardship will be ease. Indeed, with hardship will be ease" (94:5–6) — states the principle twice in succession, with scholars noting that the Arabic grammar means two different instances of ease are linked to a single difficulty: hardship comes alone, but ease comes multiplied. This is one of Islam's most memorised consolations.
Key Verse Explained
Ayah 1 ("Did We not expand for you your breast?") refers to the spiritual expansion of the Prophet's ﷺ capacity to receive and carry revelation. Classical scholars connect this to the physical event of the opening of the Prophet's chest by angels in childhood, but understand it primarily as a metaphor for the spiritual capacity, confidence, and resilience that Allah granted to prepare him for prophethood.
Related Practices
The verse "Indeed, with hardship will be ease" (94:5–6) is one of the most universally memorised and recited Quranic lines in Islamic pastoral care, taught to children experiencing difficulty and recited by adults facing trials. Many Islamic counsellors open sessions with this surah to establish hope before engaging with the problem. The command "When you have finished [your duties], then stand for worship" (94:7) is taught as the Islamic principle of continuous worship as a response to divine favour.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ 1
Did We not expand for you, [O Muhammad], your breast?
وَوَضَعْنَا عَنْكَ وِزْرَكَ 2
And We removed from you your burden
الَّذِي أَنْقَضَ ظَهْرَكَ 3
Which had weighed upon your back
وَرَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَ 4
And raised high for you your repute.
فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا 5
For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.
إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا 6
Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.
فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانْصَبْ 7
So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship].
وَإِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ 8
And to your Lord direct [your] longing.