94
اَلَمْ نَشْرَ حِ
Consolation
(or Relief)

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ۔

اَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ۔ وَ وَضَعْنَا عَنْكَ وِزْرَكَ۔ الَّذِيْٓ اَنْقَضَ ظَهْرَكَ۔ وَ رَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَ۔ؕ فَاِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا۔ اِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا۔ؕ فَاِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانْصَبْ۔ وَ اِلٰى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ۔

In the name of God—the most compassionate, the most merciful.

Did We not relieve your breast for you, and remove your burden from you that pressed down upon your back? We have even raised up renown of you! 

Yet hardship will bring ease. Indeed, hardship must bring ease! So whenever you have finished, still toil on! Towards your Lord direct your longing!

The chapter marks divine confirmation of the Prophet's mission, and it brings him further comfort. During any depressed mood we can find much solace by repeating it.

The Prophet Muhammad went tirelessly in the quest of knowledge about reality and Truth. God blessed him with this knowledge, which opened his heart to the deep realization of Truth (ma‘rifah). Then he started preaching the oneness of God in Mecca, where he had to face stiff opposition, but it was thanks to this opposition, that he became known throughout the country.

This is God’s law in the present world. Hence, a man has to face difficult conditions (‘usr) in the beginning, but if he perseveres with patience, this ‘usr or hardship becomes a stepping stone to new and easy circumstances (yusr). Therefore, a man should always look towards God and continue to struggle according to his capacity.