الشرح
Ash Sharh
Also known as: Alam Nashrah, Al-Inshirah
Verses
8
Revelation
Makki
Period
Early Meccan
Surah No.
94 / 114
Ash-Sharh, also known as Alam Nashrah, continues the consolation of Ad-Duha. The surah recalls three gifts bestowed on the Prophet: the expansion of his chest (spiritual and moral capacity), the lifting of his burden, and the raising of his remembrance. It then delivers a universal principle of divine grace – repeated twice for emphasis – that with every hardship comes ease. The surah closes by directing the Prophet to turn entirely to his Lord in worship upon completing his work.
أسباب النزول
Revealed sequentially after Ad-Duha as a continuation of divine comfort to the Prophet. The "burden" is understood by scholars as the weight of his pre-prophetic period of spiritual searching, and the "raising of remembrance" refers to the Prophet's name being joined with Allah's in the shahada and in the adhan. The repetition of "with hardship comes ease" is understood in hadith to indicate that one hardship cannot overcome two easements.
“For indeed, with hardship will be ease. Indeed, with hardship will be ease.”
The most quoted verses of this surah and among the most comforting in the Quran. The Prophet explained that one hardship (definite, singular noun) cannot overcome two easements (indefinite, repeated), so ease always prevails.