Alim - Islamic software for Quran and Hadith
Back arrow Back
  • Al-Qur'anKids Qur'anAl Qur'an RecitersAl Qur'an VideosAl Qur'an TranslationsAl Qur'an Compare TranslationAl Qur'an TafsirAl-Quran Surah InformationAppendix
  • Hadith CollectionAl-Muwatta HadithFiqh-us-SunnahSahih Bukhari HadithSahih Muslim HadithNawawi HadithAl-TirmidhiHadith QudsiSunan of Abu Dawood HadithSunan an-Nasai HadithSunan Ibn Majah Hadith
  • Islamic HistoryAbout IslamKhalifa Abu BakrKhalifa Umar bin al-KhattabKhalifa Uthman ibn AffanKhalifa Ali bin Abu TalibProphet CompanionsStories of ProphetsHistory TimelineIslam PostersIslamic Terms DictionaryProphet's Last SermonPilgrimage
  • Duas CollectionQur'anic DuasMasnoon (Prophetic) DuasRamadan Days
  • Discussions
  • Search
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
What's new Donate Contact Us Alim Mobile App
mobile app svg

Donate

Donate & Earn Sadaqah Jariyah

Donate

Surah 94. Ash-Sharh

Home ➜
Al-Qur'an ➜
Previous Next
Your browser does not support the audio element.

Qur'an

Translation

Home ➜
Al-Qur'an ➜
Alim - Islamic software for Quran and Hadith
Loding surahs.
Loding juz list.
Loding page list.

Your search did not yield any results.

Print
94:1
أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ Alam nashra h laka s adrak a
HAVE WE NOT opened up thy heart,1
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "thy breast" or "bosom".

O Prophet! Have We not expanded your breast for you
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Have We not uplifted your heart for you 'O Prophet',
  - Mustafa Khattab
Have We not caused thy bosom to dilate,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Have We not expanded thee thy breast? 6188
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. the prayer of Moses in xx. 25. The breast is symbolically the seat of knowledge and the highest feelings of love and affection, the treasure-house in which are stored the jewels of that quality of human character which approaches nearest to the divine. The holy Prophet's human nature had been purified, expanded, and elevated, so that he became a Mercy to all Creation. Such a nature could afford to ignore the lower motives of ordinary humanity which caused shameful attacks to be made on him. Its strength and courage could also bear the burden of the galling work which it had to do in denouncing sin, subduing it, and protecting Allah's creatures from its oppression.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
94:2
وَوَضَعْنَا عَنكَ وِزْرَكَ Wawa d aAAn a AAanka wizrak a
and lifted from thee the burden
  - Mohammad Asad
and relieved you from the burden
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
relieved you of the burden
  - Mustafa Khattab
And eased thee of the burden
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And removed from thee thy burden 6189
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See last note. It is indeed a grievous and galling burden for a man to fight single-handed against sin. But Allah sends His grace and aid, and that burden is removed, or converted into joy and triumph in the service of the One True God.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
94:3
ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنقَضَ ظَهْرَكَ Alla th ee anqa d a th ahrak a
that had weighed so heavily on thy back?2
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "the burden of thy past sins, which are now forgiven" (Tabari, on the authority of Mujahid, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and Ibn Zayd). In the case of Muhammad, this relates apparently to mistakes commited before his call to prophethood (ibid.), and is obviously an echo of 93:7 - 'Has He not found thee lost on thy way, and guided thee?"

which weighed down your back,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
which weighed so heavily on your back,
  - Mustafa Khattab
Which weighed down thy back;
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
The which did gall thy back?
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
94:4
وَرَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَ WarafaAAn a laka th ikrak a
And [have We not] raised thee high in dignity?3
  - Mohammad Asad

Or: "raised high thy renown". The primary meaning of the term dhikr is "reminder" or "remembrance"; and, secondarily, "that by which something [or "someone"] is remembered", i.e., with praise: hence, it signifies "fame" or "renown", and, tropically - as in the present context - "eminence" or "dignity".

and exalted your fame?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
and elevated your renown for you?1
  - Mustafa Khattab

 The Prophet’s name is always mentioned in the call to prayer, along with Allah’s Name. Close to the end of each of the five daily prayers, worshippers invoke Allah’s blessings upon the Prophet (ﷺ) and his family. When someone reverts to Islam, they testify that Allah is their Lord and Muḥammad is His Messenger. Muslims, even those who are not practicing, love the Prophet (ﷺ) and many name their children after him.

And exalted thy fame?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And raised high the esteem (in which) thou (art held)? 6190
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Prophet's virtues, the magnanimity of his character, and his love for mankind were fully recognised even in his lifetime, and his name stands highest among the heroic leaders of mankind. The phrase used here is more comprehensive in meaning than that used for various prophets in xxxvii. 119 etc.; "We left this blessing for them among generations to come in later times".

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
94:5
فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا Fainna maAAa alAAusri yusr a n
And, behold, with every hardship comes ease:
  - Mohammad Asad
Surely with every difficulty there is relief.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
So, surely with hardship comes ease.
  - Mustafa Khattab
But lo! with hardship goeth ease,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
So verily with every difficulty there is relief: 6191
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This verse is repeated for extra emphasis. Whatever difficulties or troubles are encountered by men, Allah always provides a solution, a way out, a relief, a way to lead to ease and happiness, if we only follow His Path and show our Faith by patience and well-doing. The solution or relief does not merely come after the Difficulty: it is provided with it. I understand the definite article in al-'usr in a generic sense, and translate: "every difficulty". In xcii. 7, I have translated Yusr as Bliss, and in xcii. 10 'Usr as Misery.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
94:6
إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا Inna maAAa alAAusri yusr a n
verily, with every hardship comes ease!
  - Mohammad Asad
Surely with every difficulty there is relief.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Surely with 'that' hardship comes 'more' ease.1
  - Mustafa Khattab

 If a definite noun is repeated in Arabic, it means that we are referring to the same thing. For example, “I met the man and I gave the man some money.” But if an indefinite noun is repeated, it means we are referring to two different things. For example, “I met a man and I gave a man some money.” With this in mind, we realize that 94:5-6 refers to one hardship (a definite noun) and two different eases (an indefinite noun). Hence, the Arabic saying: “Two eases cannot be overcome by one hardship.”

Lo! with hardship goeth ease;
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Verily with every difficulty there is relief.
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
94:7
فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَٱنصَبْ Fai tha faraghta fa i n s ab
Hence, when thou art freed [from distress], remain steadfast,
  - Mohammad Asad
Therefore, when you are free from your daily task, devote your time to the labor of worship
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
So once you have fulfilled 'your duty', strive 'in devotion',
  - Mustafa Khattab
So when thou art relieved, still toil
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Therefore when thou art free (from thine immediate task) still labor hard 6192
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When thou art free: or when thou art relieved. The words understood may be: from thy immediate task, that of preaching to men, denouncing sin, and encouraging righteousness; or, from the difficulties that confronted thee. When that happens, that does not finish the labours of the man of Allah. It is only one step to them. He has constantly and insistently to go on. When there is rest from the task of instructing the world, the contact with the spiritual kingdom continues, and indeed it becomes more intimate and concentrated.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
94:8
وَإِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَٱرْغَب Wail a rabbika fa i rghab
and unto thy Sustainer turn with love.
  - Mohammad Asad
and turn all your attention towards your Rabb.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
turning to your Lord 'alone' with hope.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And strive to please thy Lord.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And to thy Lord turn (all) thy attention. 6193
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The kingdom of Allah is everything. Other things are incidental, and really do not matter. Worldly greatness or success may be a means to an end, but it may also be a hindrance to true spiritual greatness. Allah is the goal of the righteous man's whole attention and desire.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Previous Next

Tafsir

Ash-Sharh

Loading tafsir.

Comments for Surah 94

Loading Comments.

Your Notes

Please wait...

Grammar

Ash-Sharh

Scroll to top arrow

Do you want to resume from last visited ayah?

Do you want to resume tafsir of surah

Alim logo

Related Islamic Resources

Resources

Insights

  • Funeral Services
  • Arabic Playhouse
  • Collaborations
  • Alim Mobile App
  • Get Involved
  • Ad Plans
  • Blog Pricing
  • Blogs
  • Insight of the Day
  • Hadith of the Day
  • Infographics
  • References
  • FAQ
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us