Surah 94. Ash-Sharh

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.

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.

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

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".

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.