بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ
Allah asks the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): Have We not opened up your heart (with peace and understanding)?
Pickthall (1930): Have We not caused thy bosom to dilate,
Quran · Surah 94 · 8 ayat
Surah Ash-Sharh
The Relief
ٱلشَّرْح
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About this surah
Surah Ash-Sharh ('The Opening Up', also called Al-Inshirah) has 8 ayat and is Meccan. It is closely linked to Surah Ad-Duha and continues its message of comfort to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Its best-known words, said twice, promise that with hardship comes ease. Many Muslims recite it, or quote these ayat, when facing difficulty, and it is often used in daily prayers.
Relief after difficultyHope and patienceTurning to Allah
Read the surah
Arabic exactly as in the Tanzil text, then a plain meaning in your language. The Arabic is never read by a machine voice; "Listen" reads only the meanings.
وَوَضَعْنَا عَنكَ وِزْرَكَ
And did We not lift from you your burden,
Pickthall (1930): And eased thee of the burden
ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنقَضَ ظَهْرَكَ
the burden that was weighing heavily on your back?
Pickthall (1930): Which weighed down thy back;
وَرَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَ
And We raised high your mention (your name and honour).
Pickthall (1930): And exalted thy fame?
فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا
So truly, with hardship comes ease.
Pickthall (1930): But lo! with hardship goeth ease,
إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا
Truly, with hardship comes ease.
Pickthall (1930): Lo! with hardship goeth ease;
فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَٱنصَبْ
So when you are free (from one task), work hard (in worship).
Pickthall (1930): So when thou art relieved, still toil
وَإِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَٱرْغَب
And turn to your Lord with all your longing.
Pickthall (1930): And strive to please thy Lord.
Quick quiz
How many times does the surah say 'with hardship comes ease'?
According to ayah 1, what did Allah open up for the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)?
In the last ayah, towards whom is the listener told to turn?
Your score: 0 / 3
Tanzil Quran Text (Uthmani, Version 1.1), tanzil.net, CC BY 3.0, verbatim: tanzil.net. Marmaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran (1930), public domain; text from English Wikisource. Al-Fatiha aligned to the Hafs count (basmala as verse 1, his verses 6 and 7 joined); Quraysh: his verses 4 and 5 joined.. Plain meanings, introductions and quiz: IndiaDigital, awaiting review by an Islamic scholar.
Corrections from members of every tradition are welcome at support@indiadigital.org. Last checked: .